FIRED COACH DENIES ALLIGATIONS

In his first interview since being fired as coach of Texas Tech, Mike Leach denied reports that he had mistreated the sophomore receiver Adam James after James sustained a concussion. Leach said in a 38-minute phone interview late Thursday that James acted as if he were entitled to special treatment and that he was lazy. He also said the player and his family’s claims of mistreatment were the result of bitterness over a lack of playing time. Leach said that he felt that James’s father, Craig James, tried to leverage his position as an ESPN analyst to get more playing time for his son. It has been widely reported that Leach locked Adam James in a closet or a shed after James sustained a concussion at a practice last month. Leach said he only ordered James to be taken “out of the light” and did not know specifically where he had been taken. “I was busy coaching practice,” Leach said. (NYtimes.com)

AT LAST, METS SIGN JASON BAY

Nearly two months and 66 million dollars after the New York Mets offered Jason Bay a 4-year-deal, New York finally has the slugger from bean town. Bay hammered out 119 RBI's last season. View Gallery

LEE & KNICKS SURGING, HOPING TO REACH PLAYOFFS

David Lee was a free agent with no offers on the table last summer. The Detroit Pistons were spending lavishly but sent their checks elsewhere. On Tuesday, Lee visited the Palace for the first time this season and, as if on cue, did everything possible to fill the arena with regret. Lee, showing off his newfound shooting range, scored on an array of layups and jumpers for a season-high 30 points in a 104-87 rout by the Knicks. He also had 12 rebounds and 5 assists in one of his most complete games this season.

KEVIN DURANT'S 40 POINTS CRUSH NETS IN JERSEY

With sly shots, monster dunks and spectacular moves, Kevin Durant helped the Thunder crush One team had yet to win three games in a row and the other had yet to win three games, period. By the end of the Thunder's 105-89 win over the Nets on Monday night at the Izod Center, it wasn't difficult to see which of the two identity-seeking teams was further along and happened to have a superstar in its grasp. Behind Kevin Durant's season-high tying 40 points, Oklahoma City notched its third straight win, while New Jersey managed to blow hard-fought leads and had its familiar fourth-quarter fade to drop its 10th straight game and fall to 2-29 overall. "He really knows how to play basketball," Nets coach Kiki Vandeweghe said of Durant. "He reminds me of George Gervin when I was playing - just a very, very difficult cover. He can win a game all by himself."

~STORY OF THE WEEK~PERFECTION IS HALTED

JETS END COLTS HISTORIC WINNING STREAK IN INDIANAPOLIS
The Indianapolis Colts kept saying 16-0 didn't matter. Apparently it didn't. The previously unbeaten Colts (14-1) pulled Peyton Manning and a handful of other starters with a 15-10 lead and 5:36 left in the third quarter, and the Jets took advantage to rally for a 29-15 victory that ended the NFL's longest regular-season winning streak at 23. Brad Smith opened the second half with a 106-yard kickoff return to give New York (8-7) a 10-9 lead. The Colts regained the lead at 15-10 when Donald Brown scored on a 1-yard run.But after Manning left, Marques Douglas returned a fumble from Manning's replacement, Curtis Painter, 1 yard for a score. The Jets sealed it with a 43-yard field goal and Thomas Jones' 1-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.

~STORY OF THE WEEK~DEVILS BEST TEAM IN HOCKEY

The New Jersey Devils have won again. They beat the best team in Hockey 3-1, the Washington Capitals. With one of the best goalies ever to play, the Devils are in sight of far more than another playoff berth. The defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins' winning streak was halted at five games in a 4-0 loss to the New Jersey Monday at Mellon Arena in what was a major milestone game for that goaltender Martin Brodeur. The shutout by Brodeur -- a sure Hall of Famer-- gave him 104 for his career, moving him to the top of the all-time NHL list.

NBA DISASTER

FANS HUMILIATE REFS, CAVS HUMILIATE LAKERS AND MAYHEM BREAKS LOOSE IN LOS ANGELES
It was a Christmas nightmare at Staples Center Friday night. As the exasperation mounted, so did the technical fouls, and one by one the Lakers began collecting them. Then one by one, and soon by the dozens, foam souvenirs began raining down on the court, joined by the odd water bottle. What began as a festive day, with the Lakers taking their place in the N.B.A.’s marquee Christmas Day event, ended with an abundance of frustration — with themselves and the officials — in a 102-87 thumping by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. “That was not a very nice way to spend Christmas Day, to tell you the truth,” said Lakers Coach Phil Jackson, whose viewpoint was echoed by much of the capacity crowd. The Lakers entered the day not only as the defending N.B.A. champions, but also as the owners of the best record in the league. They had won 15 of 16 games since Pau Gasol returned from a hamstring injury. But the Cavaliers, with myriad questions — not the least of which is whether LeBron James will leave town next summer — pushed them around for most of the afternoon. Cleveland got 28 points from point guard Mo Williams and 26 from James, but it was the Cavaliers’ willingness to get physical that separated them from the Lakers. Cleveland jumped to a 20-point lead in the second quarter, and when the Lakers’ comeback went nowhere in the second half, they began to bicker with the Cavaliers and the officials. Lamar Odom drew two technicals, earning an ejection, and Kobe Bryant got one for a dismissive wave after being called for a foul following complaints about earlier no-calls. Derek Fisher earned a technical foul for leveling Williams with a shoulder, and the Lakers’ bench got another when Jackson did not make a substitution in a timely manner. After two of the calls, the usually well-mannered Lakers crowd tossed down foam souvenirs that had been given out. “That said everything you need to know about the refereeing,” Lakers center Andrew Bynum said.

THE NEXT MICHEAL PHELPS?

As an American in the biathlon, Tim Burke is used to being overlooked by the sport’s most passionate fans. His German and Norwegian rivals are celebrities in their home countries, where biathlon is broadcast live on television and races draw up to 30,000 spectators. In Germany, he is perhaps best known as the boyfriend of Andrea Henkel, a two-time Olympic gold medalist. So when Burke took first place in the World Cup standings last weekend — the first time an American has ever done so — his achievement stunned the sport’s mostly European fan base. “They’ve always been at the top of these sports,” Burke said by telephone this week from Oberhof, Germany. “I think it would be like our Olympic basketball team getting beat by the Germans. I don’t think that would sit so well at home.” Back in the United States, however, Burke’s achievement is being hailed as the culmination of a plan hatched four years ago to transform the Americans into world-class competitors. Aided by an infusion of cash from the United States Olympic Committee, U.S. Biathlon, the sport’s governing body, has made changes as momentous as hiring a new head coach, and as seemingly trivial as tinkering with the way that athletes hold their rifles. Burke was awarded as the Olympic Athlete of the week. Could Burke, who ran on the cover of the New York Times sports section Friday, be the next Micheal Phelps of American Olympic competitors?

NUGGETS FLYING HIGH

Reserve J.R. Smith scored a season-high 41 points, hitting 10 3-pointers, to power the Denver Nuggets to a 124-104 win over the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA on Wednesday. Carmelo Anthony added 24 points for Denver, which won its sixth in a row at home to maintain a two-game lead in the Northwest Division. The victory was the first for Denver this season in six games missed by Chauncey Billups. Jamal Crawford scored 24 points for Atlanta, which fell 1-1/2 games behind Southeast Division leader Orlando. The Nuggets are now 21-8, first in their division and set to easily make the playoffs once again.

CARDINALS GOING ALL OUT FOR SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONSHIP

he Arizona Cardinals released linebacker Ali Highsmith and fullback Brandon Renkart on Tuesday and signed safety Hamza Abdullah and tackle Cliff Louis. Highsmith had 13 tackles in 14 games this season, while Renkart has been on Arizona's practice squad all year. After defeating the Detroit Lions on Sunday and improving to 9-5, the first place Cards are just three games away from returning to the playoffs, and perhaps the Super Bowl for the second consecutive season. They are already 2009 NFC champions.

GIANTS CRUSH RIVAL REDSKINS IN D.C, KEEP PLAYOFF HOPES ALIVE

The New York Giants made a belated return to their impressive early-season form to beat the Washington Redskins 45-12 in the Monday night game and kept their fragile hopes of a wildcard berth in the play-offs alive. Eli Manning, the Giants' quarterback, led the charge, completing 19 of 26 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns. In the game's best passage of play he led the Giants on a key 16-play, 80-yard scoring drive to open the game. "It was important to get off fast and set the tempo," said Manning, who has thrown for a career-high 26 touchdowns this season. "We set the mood for the night very early." (UK Gaurdian)

WINTER SURPRISES ACROSS NFL

The Oakland Raiders upset the Broncos in Denver, ensuring that Toma Cable can keep is job for at least another week as the Raiders inched up in the standings. If they close out the season with 3 more wins, they can join the Broncos in the playoffs. Meanwhile, as snow pounded the east coast, the Steelers upset the Packers and the Eagles clinched with a victory over the 49ers. The Jets playoffs hopes were crushed at home as the Atlanta Falcons won 10-7. And the Patriots won again, improving to 9-5 in first place in the AFC East.

~STORY OF THE WEEK~
SILENCING THE SUPERDOME, DALLAS HANDS NEW ORLEANS FIRST 09 LOSS
COWBOYS KNOCK DOWN THE SAINTS SURGE
The Cajun-style jazz funeral made its anticipated Saturday night procession through the Louisiana Superdome. Only it was New Orleans’ perfect record and not the Dallas Cowboys' season that was being buried. A franchise whose playoff hopes were on life support proved its pulse still beats strong. In the process, the previously unbeaten Saints are flawless no more following a 24-17 home defeat. “Things weren’t going well for us with two losses,” Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said. “But I didn’t think this team could get beat three times in a row.” Phillips is among the few who believed that. A seven-point favorite, New Orleans (13-1) was expected to continue its march toward the NFC’s top playoff seed while sending Dallas (9-5) deeper into what was becoming yet another December swoon. “We don’t normally go into a game thinking we have no chance, but a lot of people were,” said Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who helped fuel the upset with 312 passing yards and one touchdown. “I can understand it from the situation where they’re at and how we’ve been playing lately.” (FOX Sports)

A MOMENTOUS UPSET IN BOSTON
CELTICS STUNNED BY SIXERS

With a stunning victory that almost immediatly captured the attention of a instantly confused sports world, the 76ers inched out a once-in-a-lifetime upset over the Boston Celtics. Elton Brand had 23 points and eight rebounds, giving Philadelphia the lead on a tip-in with 7.7 seconds left, and the 76ers snapped Boston's 11-game win streak with a 98-97 victory over the Celtics on Friday night. The Sixers had won only once in their previous 14 games. The Celtics have lost all four of their five games at home, and many have begun to doubt their morale.

DOMINANT MANNING AND COLTS RUN AWAY WITH ACTION-PACKED, WILD WIN OVER JAGS; NOW 14-0

Peyton Manning completed every pass early and one big one late, exactly what the Indianapolis Colts needed to stay unbeaten. Manning threw for 308 yards and four touchdowns, including a 65-yarder to Reggie Wayne to go ahead for good, and the Colts beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 35-31 Thursday night to improve to 14-0 for the first time in franchise history. The wild game on a cool night included 714 yards, 43 first downs, 10 lead changes, six punts, several big plays and just two turnovers.

KOBE STUNS BUCKS AT THE BUZZER

Watch this over and over! Kobe Bryant throws up a jumper for a classic win in Milwaukee. Lakers fans who invaded the court celebrated like maniacs as LA walked away with a 107-106 overtime win. "We're on the road. We're not going to blow everybody out," said Lamar Odom, who had eight points and seven rebounds against the Bucks. "We're not going to win every game by 10 points. We were close enough to win it. We're not going to not celebrate." Bucks fans watched in heartbreak as a game they went from mocking Lakers fans in a game they seemed to have control over to leaving in shame. "It should not be a surprise that the game turned out this way," Jordan Farmar said. "In looking at the game, you can see how it happened. But we shouldn't play like that. We should play just as hard. The heartbreaking defeat put the bucks below .500, at 11-2 and improved the leage-best Lakers to 20-4.

TRACEY MCGRADY RECLAIMS COURT

TMAC BACK IN BASKETBALL & SEASON DEBUT PROVIDES VICTORY FOR ROCKETS
The Rockets were forced to sit one headliner for Tuesday's game against the red-hot Detroit Pistons, but the long-awaited return of another star -- and perhaps the discovery of yet another in the making -- eased the pain quite a bit. Out was Trevor Ariza, the Rockets' second-leading scorer, suspended by the NBA for one game. But returning to the lineup -- however briefly -- was Tracy McGrady, back after a long hiatus following microfracture surgery on his left knee. Neither turn of events seemed to have much of an impact on the Rockets, who breezed to a 107-96 victory over the Pistons, snapping Detroit's five-game winning streak.

MAJOR BLOCKBUSTERS RATTLE BASEBALL IN UNFORGETTABLE DAY OF MOMENTOUS TRADES
YANKEES, PHILLIES, ANGELS, MARINERS, RED SOX & BREWERS SPLASH BIG . FANS CELEBRATE NEW ACQUISITIONS ACROSS NATION

Lets rundown the earth shattering news: Roy Halladay is crossing the border and joining the Phillies, Cy Young champ Cliff Lee, meanwhile is leaving Philly and headed to the other side of the country to play for the Seattle Mariners, the Angels ace John Lackey is leaving Anahiem and headed to Boston where he will meet Mike Cameron who is saying goodbye to fans in Milwaukee, Randy Wolf is a Brewer, and perhaps most shocking of all, Hedeki Matsui, the Yankees' World Series MVP is leaving New York after 6 years of dominance and heroism in the Big Apple and headed all the way to LA to play for the team New York beat in this year's ALCS- the Angels. In other News, the Yankees are in communication with Jason Bay, who turned down two four-year contracts from the Mets and Red Sox. The Mets two biggest hopes this offseason, Lackey and Bay are thus, already gone. It's the teams that work hard and throw out the big bucks early, that get the players they need. Above, Joe Girardi discusses the influence Jason Bay can have in the Bronx, and what Matusi's loss means for the team.

SAINTS INCH OUT ANOTHER VICTORY, WIN 16TH STRAIGHT GAME
COLTS & SAINTS BOTH 13-0 ON THE YEAR

Drew Brees threw for 296 yards and 3 touchdowns, Jonathan Vilma came up with two big defensive plays, and the Saints stayed unbeaten by pulling out another tight win, 26-23 over the Falcons in Atlanta. A week ago, New Orleans (13-0) appeared on the brink of its first loss until Washington missed a chip-shot field-goal attempt. The Saints rallied for a 33-30 overtime win. This time, they struggled to hold off Atlanta (6-7), which was missing the injured stars Matt Ryan and Michael Turner. The result was in doubt until Vilma, who had stopped an earlier drive with an interception, made a crushing fourth-down hit on Jason Snelling, stopping him a yard short of a first down with a little more than a minute remaining. The Saints’ last two games have been their closest in a season dominated by double-digit wins. A cause for concern? “Why would we be concerned?” Vilma said. “We’re 13-0.” Meanwhile, Peyton Manning threw three early touchdown passes, then three inexplicable interceptions, but led the Colts on a late drive to beat the visiting Broncos, 28-16. The Colts broke records for most consecutive regular-season wins (22) and most wins in a decade (114), and also wrapped up home-field advantage throughout the American Football Conference playoffs. (NY Times)

NOWITZKI PUTS ON SHOW, DELIVERS ELECTRIFYING WIN IN OVERTIME
Dirk Nowitzki hit a 10-foot jumper with 1.8 seconds left in overtime, and the Dallas Mavericks continued their dominance over Charlotte with a 98-97 win over the Bobcats on Saturday night. Nowitzki scored 36 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter and overtime, to help the Mavericks improve to 11-0 all-time against the Bobcats. Nowitzki hit a fadeaway over Boris Diaw from the left elbow, capping a frantic ending where the teams exchanged the lead six times in the final minute. Season ticket holders donated approximately 150 courtside seats to soldiers from Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, making the game all the more special.

EPIC FINISH KEEPS SUNS UNBEATEN

Amare Stoudemire capped a 28-point night with an emphatic offensive rebound dunk with 6.9 seconds to play and the Phoenix Suns stayed unbeaten at home with a 106-103 victory over the Orlando Magic on Friday night. The Magic, at the end of a four-game trip after being beaten at Utah on Thursday, lost consecutive games for the first time this season. Steve Nash had 20 points and 18 assists for the Suns, at 8-0 the only team in the league yet to lose at home. Phoenix has won 17 straight at home, dating to last season.

STEELERS AGONY HITS PEAK

The defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers saw their playoff hopes all but blown away in Ohio on Thursday night by the strong winds and a surprisingly stout Cleveland Browns defense. The Browns (2-11) ended a seven-game losing streak and handed the Steelers (6-7) their fifth consecutive loss 13-6, in effect ending Pittsburgh's postseason hopes.

~STORY OF THE WEEK~

WITH EVERYONE WAITING TO SEE WHATS NEXT, TIGER WOODS BIGGEST STORY IN THE COUNTRY

The seemingly constant and ever-progressing Tiger Woods scandal has gripped the nation. The story seems so vast, that each media outlet is covering things from a different angle. The New York Times ran an article today discussing the heavy traffic to Tiger Wood's website, while the New York Daily News, across town, ran an article about text messages sent between him and other woman. The story has become the talk of the town, the #1 most searched item of the week on everything from USA Today to Google. It is the top searched story on media outlets from the New York Times to FOX News to the Detroit Free-Press. It has received more air-time on MSNBC this week than the War in Afghanistan. The president of the United States has been questioned about it more than twice, and over 14,000 talk shows have discussed it. The everpopular daytime women's talk show 'The View', which delves into political, moral and local topics from around the world, spent the entirety of two episodes on the subject, and meanwhile all of Tiger Wood's sponsors have heard the noise and pulled out. "This could be the last-minute story of the year" said Wendy Williams today.

CELTICS ON TOP OF CONFERENCE AFTER EIGHTH STRAIGHT VICTORY

Kevin Garnett scored 25 points and Rajon Rondo sparked a key fourth-quarter surge to power Boston past Milwaukee 98-89 for the Celtics' eight NBA victory in a row. Rondo scored 11 points, all in the fourth quarter, passed out 13 assists and joined Garnett with nine rebounds each while Paul Pierce scored 15 points and Rasheed Wallace added 13 as Boston improved to 17-4. The Celtics ended the game with a 12-3 run to break a deadlock at 86-86. Boston had two free throws and a basket from Rondo and a hook-shot hoop from Garnett in a 7-0 run for a 93-86 lead that proved deceisive. Australian Andrew Bogut led Milwaukee with 25 points and 14 rebounds while Ersan Ilysova scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds and Brandon Jennings added 17 points for the Bucks, who fell to 9-11 with an eighth loss in nine games.

YANKEES MAKE BIG STEAL, NABBING GRANDERSON FROM DETROIT

The plush grass of center field at Yankee Stadium will soon be Curtis Granderson's to roam, as the defending World Series champions were set to acquire the All-Star on Tuesday in a blockbuster three-team trade. The Yankees agreed in principle to obtain the 28-year-old as part of a seven-player deal that also included the D-backs and Tigers, creating a Winter Meetings headliner that had the hotel lobby buzzing all afternoon in Indianapolis. (MLB.com)

BIG PLAYS, BIG WIN, CARDINALS BIG THREAT
Two old quarterbacks with golden resumes and ageless arms took the field Sunday night. Kurt Warner was marvelous, Brett Favre was miserable. Warner, back after missing a game with a concussion, threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns and the Arizona Cardinals' defense stifled Favre and the Minnesota Vikings in a stunningly one-sided 30-17 victory. ''They played like they were in the Super Bowl last year,'' Favre said, ''and we obviously have to play better if we want to be the team that's in the Super Bowl this year.'' Favre set an NFL record for consecutive appearances, but game No. 283 in a row was no night to remember for him or the rest of the Vikings (10-2). The 40-year-old quarterback, with just three interceptions in the first 11 games, was picked off twice and sacked three times. ''I made some decisions that I haven't made up to this point,'' Favre said, ''and I'm disappointed about it.'' Even more startling, Arizona (8-4) held Adrian Peterson to a season-low 19 yards in 13 carries and outrushed Minnesota 113-62. The victory, coupled with San Francisco's loss at Seattle, gives Arizona a three-game lead in the NFC West. The Cardinals can clinch the division title with a victory at San Francisco a week from Monday night. (NY Times)

BOLTS SHOCK ISLANDERS IN TAMPA

Rookie defenseman Victor Hedman scored his first NHL goal and Mike Smith made 30 saves to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning past the New York Islanders 4-0 on Saturday night. Hedman, taken second in this year's draft after the Islanders chose center John Tavares with the No. 1 pick, scored from the low slot off a pass from Vincent Lecavalier to make it 4-0 with 9:29 left in the third. Smith recorded his first shutout this season and ninth in the NHL. Ryan Malone, Steve Downie and Jeff Halpern also scored for the Lightning, who stopped a four-game losing streak.

~the 2ooth post~

MIRACLE SHOT GIVES LAKERS VICTORY AFTER CLASSIC BATTLE

The Lakers hosted Miami last night and escaped with a stunning win despite trailing late. Down 107-105 with 3.2 seconds remaining, Ron Artest in-bounded the ball to Kobe Bryant, who dribbled for a fleeting second before launching a desperate three-point attempt from well beyond the arc. Despite having Dwyane Wade covering him and getting the shot off with fractions of a second left on the clock, Bryant's attempt crashed off the glass and into the hoop for the shocking victory. Bryant finished with 33 points, seven rebounds and three assists in the 108-107 win. (Huffington Post)

~STORY OF THE WEEK~

NETS WORST TEAM EVER TO PLAY

Several weeks ago, the Nets’ marketing department tried to have some fun with the team’s losing streak. It was right after the Nets fell to 0-10 on the season, and the marketing department came up with a “10 Is Enough” promotion, offering $10 tickets to Game 11, which, naturally, the Nets lost, too. But now that the Nets have descended to 0-18, setting an N.B.A. record for futility at the start of a season, the marketing department has backed off. No more clever promotions, at least for the moment.

IN FIREY GAME, CAVS TRUMP SUNS

Shaquille O'Neal contributed to a balanced offensive display to help the Cleveland Cavaleirs beat the Phoenix Suns 107-90 on Wednesday, the center scoring 12 points with nine rebounds against his former team. Entering the game, the Suns had the best record in basketball at 14-4. The Cavs are now 13-5.

SHARKS BEST TEAM IN HOCKEY
Dany Heatley assisted on two goals in his first game against Ottawa since his blockbuster trade to San Jose, leading the Sharks to a 5-2 win over the Senators in the NHL on Tuesday. Patrick Marleau scored on both of Heatley's assists, passing him for the team lead with 19 goals. Jamie McGinn, Ryane Clowe and Manny Malhotra also scored for San Jose, while Joe Thornton had two assists to up his league-leading total to 32. Milan Michalek, traded to Ottawa in the September deal for Heatley, scored both goals for the Senators. The Sharks, which boast the league's best record, became the first team this season to pass the 100-goal milestone.

FLORIDA STATE HEAD COACH TO RETIRE AFTER THIRTY-FOUR YEARS

Bobby Bowden announced Tuesday that he would retire as head football coach at Florida State after a 34-year tenure in which he transformed a college football outpost into a perennial national power. Bowden, 80, met with his team Tuesday afternoon before making official what most knew was inevitable over the past few days: that it was time for him to move aside for Jimbo Fisher, the head coach in waiting. Bowden will coach the Seminoles (6-6) in their bowl game, then step down. He will retire as the second winningest coach in major-college football behind Penn State’s Joe Paterno. Bowden has won 388 games to Paterno’s 393.

~STORY OF THE WEEK~COLTS CLINCH
UNDEFEATED INDIANAPOLIS HEADED TO
PLAYOFFS WITH DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP

The unbeaten Indianapolis Colts are the AFC South champions, the first team to clinch a playoff berth. Peyton Manning threw for three touchdowns and the Colts rallied from a 13-point halftime deficit yesterday to beat the Houston Texans, 35-27, for their 20th straight regular-season victory. Indianapolis (11-0) is one win shy of the Patriots’ NFL-record 21-game run from 2006-08. The Colts can tie the record next weekend at home against Tennessee. The Colts improved to 15-1 all time against Houston (5-6) in their fifth straight come-from-behind win. “We don’t get overexcited certainly when things aren’t going the way we want them to,’’ Manning said. “We don’t panic, we don’t yell, we don’t throw helmets. We just try to put the series behind us and move on to the next one. There was a lot of that [yesterday].’’ Manning threw two first-half interceptions, but had a pair of second-half TD passes, including a 6-yarder to Dallas Clark that gave the Colts a 21-20 lead with about nine minutes left. Clint Session stretched the lead to 8 points when he returned an interception by Matt Schaub 27 yards just seconds later. “That’s a good team over there, but we’re the Colts,’’ Session said.

GASOL & UNSTOPPABLE LA SHOWING POTENTIAL FOR TITLE REPEAT

Pau Gasol scored 22 points to lead seven players in double figures and also had 12 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers won their fifth straight game with a 130-97 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night. Ron Artest added 19 points, five rebounds and four assists, and Kobe Bryant had 20 points, six rebounds, six assists and five steals after a slow start to help the Lakers to their highest point total of the season. Los Angeles had plenty of offensive power to beat the Warriors for a sixth straight time, getting 13 points and five assists from Derek Fisher and 12 points and seven boards from Andrew Bynum. Reserve Shannon Brown added 17 points, including two spectacular dunks. Monta Ellis scored 18 points and Corey Maggette had 17 points and six rebounds in Golden State's third straight game without ill coach Don Nelson, who is fighting pneumonia. Nelson is expected to miss two more games before rejoining the team for Thursday night's home game against Houston. The Lakers won all four meetings with the Warriors last season and have swept the season series in three of the last four years.

DALLAS DOMINATING DIVISION

NOWITZKI & FIRST PLACE MAVS CRUSH INDIANA

Dirk Nowitzki scored 31 points to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 113-92 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. Nowitzki, who entered the night sixth in the NBA at 26.9 points per game, made 10 of 14 field goals and 11 of 13 free throws. Jason Terry scored 17 and Kris Humphries added 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Mavericks (12-4), winners of five straight road games. Danny Granger, who missed Wednesday's victory over the Clippers with a sprained ligament in his left knee, finished with 20 points for the Pacers (6-8). Indiana guard Mike Dunleavy returned from a right knee injury and scored 13 in his season debut. The Mavs are in first place in the Southwest.

BRONCOS CRUSH GIANTS ON THANKSGIVING DAY
The Giants vs Broncos score had different stakes than it did about a month ago. Back then, the Giants vs Broncos game looked to be a match up of conference leaders. Instead, the Giants and Broncos were playing to save their playoff hopes, since the two teams couldn't buy a win in the last month. But on this Thanksgiving, the Giants vs Broncos score finally gave Denver a win, and doomed New York to even more dire straits - especially after losing 26-6. The Giants vs Broncos score was controlled by Denver from the start, and it could have been worse than it was. New York held Denver to two early field goals, but the Broncos finally broke through with a touchdown in the second quarter. Eli Manning never got on track, and neither did the Giants running game. Just a week after the Broncos most humiliating loss yet to San Diego, facing the Giants became their best medicine. The Giants vs Broncos game reminded Denver fans of the good old days, back when they were 6-0. Kyle Orton was efficient and turnover free again, rookie Knowshon Moreno had his best game of the year, and the Broncos defense returned to its old dominating self. (USAToday)

MOMENTOUS COMEBACK
LIFTS HEAT IN FLORIDA MATCH UP
Michael Beasley dunked a missed shot by Dwyane Wade with 1.6 seconds remaining, lifting the Miami Heat to a 99-98 victory over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night. Wade's jumper was short, and Beasley soared in the air to take the rebound and seal the victory, which didn't come without controversy. Dwight Howard and the Magic bench pleaded for a goaltending call to no avail. A desperation heave by Vince Carter wasn't close on the other end, and he tumbled into the stands off balance. All this came after Jason Williams missed two free throws that could have put Orlando ahead by three. Beasley had 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Wade overcame a slow start to finish with 24 points to help Miami rally from an 11-point deficit, snapping the Magic's five-game winning streak. (AP)

~STORY OF THE WEEK~WIZARDS WIN ONE FOR THEIR FALLEN ABE POLLIN

AFTER LOSING AN ICON, WIZARDS WIN IN D.C
The Washington Wizards were allowed a chance to honor a legend last night, with a 108-107 victory over former Head Coach Eddie Jordan and the Philadelphia 76ers. Antawn Jamison led all scores with 32 and picked up 14 rebounds for his third double-double in just four games. If the return of former Head Coach Eddie Jordan wasn't enough to make last night's home game emotional for Washington, the news of Wizards owner Abe Pollin, who passed away in the early afternoon at the age of 85, gave players, staff, and fans alike an extra reason to pause, and quite a few more reasons to celebrate Thanksgiving this year. Pollin was instrumental in the placement of the Verizon Center, which hosted last night's game. He paid $200 million dollars out of his own pocket to build the then MCI Center in 1997, and the project revitalized downtown Washington D.C. and created a hub for restaurants and hotel chains.

DESPITE INEVITABLE, LIVERPOOL GOES OUT WITH VICTORY

Liverpool was knocked out of the UEFA Champions League in the group stage despite a 1-0 win at Debrecen in Budapest on Tuesday, while Fiorentina and Arsenal qualified for the first knockout stage. Barcelona, the defending champion, revived its campaign with a surprisingly comfortable 2-0 triumph over visiting Inter Milan in the night’s top match, scoring twice in the first 26 minutes on goals by Gerard Piqué and Pedro. Arsenal reached the last 16 for the 10th season in a row with a 2-0 win over Standard Liege. Fiorentina advanced by beating Olympique Lyon, 1-0, on a penalty kick by Juan Vargas to join Girondins Bordeaux, Manchester United, Chelsea, Porto and Sevilla in the next round. Fiorentina’s win ended Liverpool’s chances in Group E. Liverpool, which has won the Champions League title five times, arrived in Hungary knowing its fate was largely out of its hands. David Ngog’s goal in the fourth minute was in vain.

WITH A RARE 7-6 WIN, COWBOYS REMAIN IN FIRST

Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys were awful on offense for a second straight week. This time, they were lucky to be playing the broken-down Washington Redskins. Romo led only a single scoring drive, hitting Patrick Crayton for a 10-yard touchdown pass with 2:41 left, and it was enough to give Dallas a 7-6 victory over Washington on Sunday to preserve first place in the NFC East. The Cowboys (7-3) avoided getting shut out the previous week by scoring with 38 seconds left, then almost saw it happen again. This would've been especially stunning since the Redskins (3-7) were down to third-stringers at running back and right guard and came in without their expensive defensive tackle and a star tight end. They'd also never shut out Dallas in the previous 98 meetings. In other news, the Saints and Colts remained undefeated Sunday, both improving to 10-0.

COYOTES UPSET FLYERS IN PHENOIX

Keith Yandle and the Phoenix Coyotes took advantage of the Philadelphia Flyers' momentary confusion Saturday night. Yandle scored a power-play goal with 9:41 remaining to help the Coyotes beat the Flyers 3-1 on Saturday night for their second victory in three games. "I just found a lane and Lombo (Matthew Lombardi), he's a great passer," Yandle said. "He found me and I shot it where I wanted it. It's usually not like that." Lombardi had a power-play goal and an assist, and Shane Doan added an empty-net goal without putting the puck in the net for the Coyotes. Scott Hartnell scored for the Flyers, who have lost two straight after winning seven of their previous eight. Phenoix is now 13-9, poised to make the playoffs.

BUCKS ON FIRE BEHIND ROOKIE
Brandon Jennings was a man of his word Friday night. "I've got to be a little more aggressive in the beginning," Jennings said before the game, noting that his Milwaukee Bucks were without injured center Andrew Bogut and guard Michael Redd, two of the team's best offensive threats. Jennings delivered with 17 first-quarter points on his way to 29 as the Bucks held off the Charlotte Bobcats 95-88 at the Bradley Center. Milwaukee completed a six-game home stand by winning five and improved to 7-3. Based on percentage, the surprising Bucks lead the Central Division, although the 9-4 Cleveland Cavaliers are actually a half-game ahead. Bogut, averaging 16.1 points and 9.2 rebounds, is expected to miss 2-4 weeks. Redd, who has missed the last eight games with a strained left patellar tendon, could return on the upcoming four-game road trip. The Bucks also were without key bench player Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who missed his second straight game with a sprained left foot. Forward Hakim Warrick contributed 16 points and nine rebounds off the bench, and starting forward Ersan Ilyasova continued his strong play with 13 points and seven boards. (NBA.com)

EGYPTIANS RIOT AFTER WORLD CUP DEFEAT

History has proved that there are two subjects that will move Egyptians to pour into the streets in riotous numbers, crashing windows, burning cars, battling one another and defying an army of club-wielding riot police officers. One is the price of bread. Another is soccer, as was proved again this week after Egypt’s national team was defeated by its bitter rival Algeria, losing a berth in the World Cup tournament next year and sparking a riot outside the Algerian Embassy in Cairo late Thursday night. But there was a pronounced difference between the bread riots of 1977 and 2008 and the soccer riot of Thursday night: the government quieted those earlier outbreaks by quickly lowering the price of bread, while this week it stoked outrage against Algeria. Egypt had defeated Algeria 2-0 in Cairo on Saturday to set up Wednesday’s climactic playoff in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum. After Egypt lost the second match, the government withdrew its ambassador from Algiers and accused Algerians of menacing Egyptian fans after the game. President Hosni Mubarak’s eldest son, Alaa, a wealthy businessman, sounded as if he were calling his nation to war. “We were being humiliated and we can’t be silent about what happened there,” he said in a telephone call to Egypt’s most popular television talk show. “We have to take a stand. This is enough. That’s it, this is enough. Egypt should be respected. We are Egyptian and we hold our head high, and whoever insults us should be smacked on his head.” Despite the Egyptian complaints, which include accusations of stoning and machete attacks, there is no documented evidence of any Egyptians’ being seriously injured in the aftermath of the game on Wednesday, won by the Algerians, 1-0. (NYT)

FRANCE ADVANCES TO WORLD CUP

Celebrations rang out around France on Wednesday as the French national team and the team from Algeria, which used to exist under French rule, qualified for next year’s World Cup in dramatic fashion. At the Stade de France, the French national team scored a disputed goal deep into extra time to tie the match with Ireland but win the teams’ two-game playoff, 2-1. In Khartoum, Sudan, Algeria beat Egypt, 1-0, in a one-game playoff to reach its first World Cup since 1986.

A NEW YEAR, A BETTER TEAM IN OKLAHOMA

The The Oklahoma City Thunder added to their suprising

start by beating the Miami Heat 100-87 on Tuesday night. An early 20-1 run put the Thunder in control, and a 14-2 burst in the third quarter helped seal it for Oklahoma City. Jeff Green added 13 for the Thunder, who've won three straight on the road. Dwyane Wade finished with 22 points on 6 of 19 shooting and Daequan Cook scored 14 of his 17 in the fourth quarter for Miami. Jermaine O'Neal had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Heat, who visit Atlanta Wednesday for the first time since the Hawks beat Miami in Game 7 of last season's Eastern Conference opening-round series. The Thunder got off to a 6-32 start last year. This season, they're 6-5. Westbrook's 3-pointer with 6:40 left might have been the biggest blow, considering it came after he lost the dribble, while being closely guarded by Mario Chalmers and with the shot clock running down. He swished it anyway, putting Oklahoma City up 87-72. evin Durant scored 32 points, Russell Westbrook had 24 and. The Thunder are building a threat behind head coach Scott Brooks, above, and people are starting to pay attention.

~STORY OF THE WEEK~HAWKS BEST TEAM IN BASKETBALL
The Atlanta Hawks beat Portland 99-95 in overtime on Monday, spoiling the Trail Blazers' bid for a perfect five-game road trip. Joe Johnson had a game-high 35 points, including eight in overtime, as the Hawks won their fifth game in a row. Portland (8-4) entered the game winning six straight, including four in a row on the road. Johnson also nine assists while Josh Smith recorded 20 points and 16 rebounds for the Hawks (9-2). The Hawks have the best record in the NBA.