AP Sports Summary for December 14th, 2023.
Bucks, Pacers square off in dispute over game ball after Giannis' record-setting performance
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo exchanged heated words with members of the Indiana staff and raced toward the Pacers' locker room Wednesday night as the teams squared off in a hallway in a dispute over the game ball following the Milwaukee star's franchise-record 64-point performance. After the Bucks' 140-126 victory, Antetokounmpo had an animated discussion with Indiana star Tyrese Haliburton and other Pacers before rushing from the court toward the Indiana locker room in search of the ball. The Bucks wanted the game ball for Antetokounmpo, who set a franchise record with 64 points. Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said the Pacers took the ball for Oscar Tshiebwe, who scored his first official NBA point. That led to a confrontation between members of the teams in the arena hallway.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scores franchise-record 64 points, Bucks beat Pacers 140-126
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a franchise-record 64 points to help the Milwaukee Bucks outscore the Indiana Pacers 140-126 on Wednesday night. Antetokounmpo broke the team record of 57 set by Michael Redd in 2006 in a 113-111 loss to the Utah Jazz. Antetokounmpo's previous career high was 55 in a 123-113 victory over Washington in January 2023. He had 54 at Indiana on Nov. 9. Antetokounmpo was 20 of 28 from the field, made 24 of 32 free throws and had 14 rebounds. Damian Lillard added 21 points for the Bucks.Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner had 22 points apiece for the Pacers, who beat the Bucks 128-119 in the semifinals of the In-Season Tournament on Thursday night.
Warriors star Draymond Green suspended indefinitely by NBA
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was suspended indefinitely by the NBA on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after he hit Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the face and received a Flagrant 2 foul and ejection. The league said the penalty handed down by operations chief Joe Dumars begins immediately. This is already Green's second suspension this season. The NBA said: "He will be required to meet certain league and team conditions before he returns to play." The NBA noted that "this outcome takes into account Green's repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts."
Ohtani can opt out of Dodgers deal if execs Walter, Friedman lose roles with team, AP source says
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani can opt out of his $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers if either of two key executives is no longer in place, a person familiar with the agreement told The Associated Press. Ohtani, who will be formally introduced by the Dodgers at a news conference Thursday, would be allowed to terminate his deal if Mark Walter no longer is controlling owner or president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman no longer is with the team, the person said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the terms were not announced. Ohtani's deal, announced Monday, provides that 97% of the money be deferred without interest and not fully paid until 2043.
College athletes who transfer twice can play, for now, after a judge sets aside NCAA transfer rule
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — College athletes who were denied the chance to play immediately after transferring a second time can return to competition, for now. A federal judge in West Virginia issued a 14-day temporary restraining order Wednesday against the NCAA. The order comes after seven states filed a lawsuit contending the NCAA's transfer rule violates federal antitrust law. The NCAA said in a statement it would comply with the order. NCAA rules allow underclassmen to transfer once without having to sit out. But an additional transfer as an undergraduate generally requires the NCAA to grant a waiver to play immediately. A hearing on the restraining order is scheduled for Dec. 27.
Paris Saint-Germain advances in tense finish to Champions League group. Porto also into round of 16
GENEVA (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain and not Newcastle or AC Milan advanced to the Champions League round of 16 on Wednesday. PSG and Kylian Mbappé were left holding their ticket after a tense finish to the tightest group saw Newcastle let its chance slip. PSG's 1-1 draw at Group F winner Borussia Dortmund was enough to secure second place and advance because Newcastle lost 2-1 at home to AC Milan. Newcastle was in the box seat kicking off the second half with a one-goal lead. Porto also advanced with a 5-3 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk which needed to win.
NFL approves regular-season game for Brazil in 2024 in more international expansion
IRVING, Texas (AP) — The NFL will play a regular-season game in Brazil in 2024. It's the latest expansion in the league's rapidly growing international plan. The league says the game will be played at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo. The stadium has a capacity of nearly 50,000 and was a World Cup venue in 2014. The NFL played its first two regular-season games in Frankfurt, Germany, this year, with three more in London. There will be games in both those countries again in 2024.
Huge underdog Chicago State stuns No. 25 Northwestern 75-73 behind 30 points from Cardet
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Wesley Cardet Jr. scored 30 points and Chicago State stunned No. 25 Northwestern in a 75-73 upset. Boo Buie made two layups 41 seconds apart to put Northwestern in front 67-65 with 2:30 left in a back-and-forth game. Cardet tied it 26 seconds later and then hit a 3-pointer with 1:23 remaining for a 70-67 lead. Chicago State sealed it with three late free throws from A.J. Neal and two by Noble Crawford. Cardet shot 13 of 21 and Jahsean Corbett added 17 points for the Cougars, a Division I independent. Buie had 23 points and Ryan Langborg scored 18 for the Wildcats, who lost to Chicago State for the first time. Northwestern had won 15 straight against the South Side program since the teams first met in 1981.
Kalib Boone scores 25 points to lead UNLV to 79-64 upset over No. 8 Creighton
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Kalib Boone scored 25 points and UNLV led nearly the entire way in a 79-64 victory over No. 8 Creighton. Dedan Thomas Jr. added 16 points and nine assists for the Rebels. Justin Webster scored 13 and Keylan Boone had 10. This was the first appearance with UNLV for Keylan Boone, whose twin brother is Kalib, after a federal judge in West Virginia ruled double transfers could play immediately. Keylan Boone also played at Oklahoma State and Pacific. Ryan Kalkbrenner led the Bluejays with 22 points. Baylor Scheierman scored 16 and Mason Miller had 11.
Many top Russian athletes faced minimal drug testing in 2023 ahead of next year's Paris Olympics
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Two of Russia's top swimmers who could be eligible for the next year's Olympics have been drug tested by their country's anti-doping agency only twice apiece in 2023. It's part of a larger trend in the country that adds an extra layer of uncertainty to the IOC's recent decision to allow some athletes to compete in Paris. The Russian Anti-Doping Agency says it has administered some 10,500 tests in 2023. Among those tests, only two went to defending backstroke champion Evgeniy Rylov and 50-meter backstroke world-record holder Kliment Kolesnikov. Other findings are that a handful of fencers and gymnasts have faced three or fewer tests this year. Top American athletes have faced more than double the tests from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
AP-Scorecard
TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
___
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final New Orleans 142 Washington 122
Final Philadelphia 129 Detroit 111
Final Miami 115 Charlotte 104
Final Toronto 135 Atlanta 128
Final L.A. Lakers 122 San Antonio 119
Final Houston 117 Memphis 104
Final Milwaukee 140 Indiana 126
Final Brooklyn 116 Phoenix 112
Final Utah 117 New York 113
___
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final SO Pittsburgh 4 Montreal 3
Final OT New Jersey 2 Boston 1
Final N-Y Islanders 4 Anaheim 3
Final Colorado 5 Buffalo 1
Final Winnipeg 5 Los Angeles 2
___
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final UNLV 79 (8)Creighton 64
Final (15)FAU 94 FIU 60
Final (18)BYU 90 Denver 74
Final Chicago St. 75 (25)Northwestern 73
___