AP Sports Summary for December 31st, 2024:
Westbrook has 'perfect' triple-double, 0 turnovers in Nuggets' 132-121 win over Jazz
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Russell Westbrook became the second player in NBA history to have a triple-double with zero turnovers and shoot 100% from the field and the free-throw line in the Denver Nuggets' 132-121 win over the Utah Jazz. Westbrook finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. He shot 7 for 7 from the field and 2 for 2 from the free-throw line to join Domantas Sabonis in the history books. Nikola Jokic also had a triple-double with 36 points, 22 rebounds and 11 assists, and Jamal Murray had 10 assists to go along with 20 points. Jordan Clarkson scored 24 for the Jazz.
Lions beat the 49ers 40-34 in a tune-up for Week 18 division showdown
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Jared Goff threw three touchdown passes and the Detroit Lions tuned up for their Week 18 division showdown against Minnesota by beating the San Francisco 49ers 40-34. Goff threw a go-ahead touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown in the final minute of the third quarter following the first of Kerby Joseph's two second-half interceptions against Brock Purdy in a rematch of last season's NFC title game won by San Francisco. That proved to be enough for the Lions to extend their franchise record for wins in a season as they beat the 49ers on the road for the first time since 1975.
Giants beat the Colts but lost the coveted No. 1 draft pick
The New York Giants lost by winning. A rare victory — 45-33 over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday — knocked the Giants out of control for the coveted No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft. So much for Shedeur Sanders' Giants-themed cleats unless New York trades up to get the Colorado quarterback. The Giants dropped from first to fourth in the draft order, with the Patriots moving up to No. 1. Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward won't be around if New York has to settle for the fourth pick. That's why Giants fans were angry after witnessing the team's first win at MetLife Stadium this season.
NFC's No. 1 seed comes down to Vikings-Lions showdown at Detroit in Week 18
The NFC's No. 1 seed will come down to the final game of the regular season when the Detroit Lions host the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday night. The winner takes the NFC North and gets a first-round playoff bye and home-field advantage until the Super Bowl. The loser becomes the No. 5 seed and must play on the road in the wild-card round. The Lions hold the tiebreaker if the teams enter with identical records and play to a tie. The Vikings held on for a 27-25 victory over the Green Bay Packers to set up the high-stakes showdown in Week 18.
A jet carrying the Gonzaga men's basketball team ordered to stop to avoid collision at LAX
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation after a private jet carrying the Gonzaga University men's basketball team nearly crossed a runway as another flight was taking off at Los Angeles International Airport. The plane operated by Key Lime Air was ordered by air traffic controllers to stop as a Delta aircraft took off on Friday. No one was injured. Gonzaga was in Los Angeles for its game against UCLA on Saturday. Key Lime Air did not respond to a request for comment Monday. Los Angeles World Airports referred a media inquiry to the FAA, and a Delta spokesperson said there were no problems for its aircraft.
Kings' interim coach Doug Christie gets 1st win after taking over for Mike Brown
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Doug Christie took over as the interim head coach of the Sacramento Kings amid a season-long losing streak, fans booing the team off their home court and questions surrounding the decision to fire Mike Brown, who led the franchise to its first playoff appearance in 16 years in 2023. Christie got his first win at the helm on Monday with a 110-100 win over the Mavericks, a victory that meant just as much to the team's season as it did to him personally. It wasn't particularly easy, with the Kings falling behind by 18 points early to a Dallas team missing its top three scorers.
On his 40th, LeBron James says he could play "another 5 or 7 years." He won't stay around that long
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — LeBron James celebrated his 40th birthday by saying he could still play at an elite NBA level for another five to seven years if he wanted. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar also said Monday he has no intention of staying in basketball that long. James has always vowed to leave the game before his skills declined, but they've shown no signs of doing so as he joins the small group of NBA players to suit up past 40. James also said it's "kind of laughable, really," when he thinks about how he has lasted for a record-tying 22 seasons.
College Football Playoff picks: Broncos and Sun Devils embrace their underdog roles in quarterfinals
The College Football Playoff quarterfinals are here and six of the eight teams are no strangers to the big stage. Boise State and Arizona State are out to show they belong. They're top-four seeds as conference champions and both are double-digit underdogs. The Broncos arrived for Tuesday's Fiesta Bowl wearing T-shirts saying "Please Count Us Out" in capital letters. Penn State is an 11-point favorite. Texas is a 12 1/2-point favorite against Arizona State in the Peach Bowl on Wednesday. Other New Year's playoff games are Ohio State-Oregon in the Rose Bowl and Notre Dame-Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
Six former Florida State players sue coach Leonard Hamilton over failed NIL payments
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Six former Florida State basketball players are suing Seminoles coach Leonard Hamilton and alleging he failed to make good on a promise to get each of them $250,000 in name, image and likeness compensation. Darin Green Jr., De'Ante Green, Cam'Ron Fletcher, Josh Nickelberry, Primo Spears and Jalen Warley filed suit Monday in Leon County Circuit Court. The former players allege Hamilton promised them the money from his "business partners." The lawsuit says they walked out of a practice last season over the missed payments and intended to boycott a game against Duke. The suit says they ended up playing amid a guarantee they would be paid but never were. The university says it's still investigating but knows of "no unfulfilled commitments by FSU."
No. 8 Boise State and No. 5 Penn State look for next step in College Football Playoff quarterfinals
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Boise State has taken that long-awaited next step, earning a spot in the College Football Playoff for the first time, 17 years after a program-shifting win. Awaiting the No. 8 Broncos in the desert is another team that made a breakthrough. No. 5 Penn State also is in its first CFP playoff, shaking its can't-win-the-big-game reputation with a victory over SMU. The prize in Tuesday's Fiesta Bowl: a trip to the CFP semifinals. Boise got here behind Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty. The Nittany Lions earned their spot behind a stout defense and one of the nation's best tight ends in Tyler Warren.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final New York 126 Washington 106
Final OT Chicago 115 Charlotte 108
Final L.A. Clippers 116 New Orleans 113
Final Denver 132 Utah 121
Final Cleveland 113 Golden State 95
Final Sacramento 110 Dallas 100
Final Philadelphia 125 Portland 103
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Florida 5 N-Y Rangers 3
Final Winnipeg 3 Nashville 0
Final Seattle 5 Utah 2
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NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Final Detroit 40 San Francisco 34
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TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Final (23)Missouri 27 Iowa 24
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (2)Auburn 87 Monmouth (NJ) 58
Final (3)Iowa St. 79 Colorado 69
Final (14)Houston 60 Oklahoma St. 47
Final Kansas St. 70 (16)Cincinnati 67
Final (17)Mississippi St. 87 Bethune-Cookman 73
Final (18)Michigan St. 80 W. Michigan 62
Final (19)Gonzaga 89 Pepperdine 82
Final (23)Arkansas 92 Oakland 62
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TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Milwaukee at Indiana 3 p.m.
Toronto at Boston 3 p.m.
L.A. Clippers at San Antonio 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Oklahoma City 8 p.m.
Cleveland at L.A. Lakers 9 p.m.
Memphis at Phoenix 9 p.m.
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Boston at Washington 12:30 p.m.
N-Y Islanders at Toronto 1 p.m.
Montreal at Vegas 3 p.m.
St. Louis at Chicago 5 p.m.
Buffalo at Dallas 8 p.m.
Carolina at Columbus 8 p.m.
Nashville at Minnesota 8 p.m.
New Jersey at Anaheim 8 p.m.
Philadelphia at San Jose 8 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Detroit 8 p.m.
Winnipeg at Colorado 8 p.m.
Utah at Edmonton 9 p.m.
Vancouver at Calgary 9 p.m.
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TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL
(5)Penn St. at (8)Boise St. 7:30 p.m.
(14)South Carolina at (21)Illinois 3 p.m.
(11)Alabama at Michigan 12 p.m.
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Norfolk St. at (1)Tennessee 3 p.m.
Virginia Tech at (4)Duke 4:30 p.m.
West Virginia at (7)Kansas 2 p.m.
(8)Marquette at Providence 6 p.m.
Brown at (10)Kentucky 2 p.m.
Utah at (25)Baylor 2 p.m.
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