Kevin Durant became the 44th player in NBA history to score 20 Adidas Drew Doughty Jersey ,000 career points, finishing with 40 as the Golden State Warriors had their five-game winning streak snapped along with a 12-game unbeaten stretch in the Clippers rivalry with a 125-106 loss.
Durant reached the milestone on a pull-up jumper from the left wing at the 1:41 mark of the second quarter. The Warriors announced his accomplishment on the main scoreboard and Durant received a standing ovation, shaking his head in acknowledgment while still very much in game mode.
By late in the fourth quarter, that crowd was making its way for the exits with the game out of reach.
The NBA Finals MVP returned from a three-game absence due to a strained right calf and scored 25 points in the first half against the Clippers – KD’s biggest half of the season and the exact number he needed for 20,000.
Durant, who had a four-point play during the second quarter on the way to 14 points in the period, is at 29 the second-youngest player behind LeBron James and first to reach the 20,000 mark as a member of the Warriors.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Golden State star Stephen Curry was out for the Warriors’ home game against the Clippers after he slipped during the shootaround and re-sprained his troublesome right ankle.
The Warriors updated their injury report to include Curry’s status. It’s the same injury that recently sidelined him for 11 games, though coach Steve Kerr said ”I don’t think it’s serious.” No MRI or X-rays were scheduled for now though Curry was sore and the Warriors won’t take any chances.
NEW YORK (AP) – The NBA has suspended Miami Heat forward James Johnson and Toronto Raptors forward Serge Ibaka one game apiece for throwing punches at each other.
The punishment was announced by Kiki VanDeWeghe, the league’s executive vice president for basketball operations.
The fight began with 7:50 remaining in the third quarter of the Heat’s 90-89 victory over the Raptors on Tuesday night in Toronto. Ibaka and Johnson started shoving each other while waiting for the ball to be inbounded under the Miami basket. Both received technical fouls and ejections.
PRO FOOTBALL
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) – The Fritz Pollard Alliance called for the NFL to investigate whether the Oakland Raiders violated the ”Rooney Rule” when they hired Jon Gruden as coach.
Fritz Pollard Alliance counsel Cyrus Mehri and N. Jeremi Duru said they were concerned that Raiders owner Mark Davis came to an agreement with Gruden before the team interviewed any minority candidates as required by the NFL since 2003.
”As soon as we learned of the reports Adidas Anze Kopitar Jersey , we formally requested that the NFL thoroughly investigate the matter to conclusively determine whether the Rooney Rule was violated – and if it was violated, to impose an appropriate punishment,” they said.
The Fritz Pollard Alliance is dedicated to promoting diversity and equality of job opportunity in the coaching, front office and scouting staffs of NFL teams.
Davis said Tuesday at the news conference introducing Gruden as the team’s new coach that he had been trying to make the move for six years and finally believed it would happen after a meeting in Philadelphia on Christmas Eve, the day before Gruden worked a game between the Raiders and Eagles on ESPN.
RENTON, Wash. (AP) – What’s expected to be an offseason makeover for the Seattle Seahawks is starting with its coaching staff.
The Seahawks fired offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and offensive line coach Tom Cable. Bevell was in charge of calling plays, while Cable was responsible for a run game and offensive line that failed to meet expectations.
It was a stunning sweep for head coach Pete Carroll, who has been immensely loyal to his assistants during his tenure.
Carroll’s only other significant firing was offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates following the 2010 season, Carroll’s first in Seattle. Most times when assistants have left, it’s because they’ve received promotions elsewhere.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
HOUSTON (AP) – Scott Frost has one final award to share with the University of Central Florida.
The former UCF coach and new Nebraska boss received the Paul ”Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award on Wednesday night.
Frost is first since former Boise State coach Chris Petersen in 2009 with a non-Power 5 program.
This completes the awards season for Frost. In the past few weeks, Frost also claimed the Home Depot Coach of the Year, American Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year Adidas Dustin Brown Jersey , AP Coach of the Year and Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year awards.
UCF rolled past Memphis 62-55 in the American Athletic Conference Championship game, and beat Auburn 34-27 in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl to finish 13-0. UCF finished ranked No. 6 in the final AP Poll of the season, receiving four first place votes.
BASEBALL
NEW YORK (AP) – Jay Bruce and his proven bat are headed back to the New York Mets.
The free-agent outfielder is set to return to the Big Apple after agreeing to a $39 million, three-year contract, according to two people familiar with the negotiations. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal is pending a physical and no announcement had been made.
A three-time All-Star, Bruce hit a combined .254 with 36 home runs and 101 RBIs for the Mets and Cleveland Indians last season. After falling out of playoff contention, New York traded him to the AL Central champions on Aug. 9 for minor league pitcher Ryder Ryan.
Bruce, who turns 31 on April 3, fills a hole in the outfi
The New York Giants interviewed Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur on Saturday for their vacant head coaching job.
Shurmur met with co-owner John Mara, general manager Dave Gettleman, and assistant general manager Kevin Abrams in Bloomington, Minnesota.
The Vikings (13-3) have a first-round bye in the playoffs.
The 52-year-old Shurmur Adidas Jonathan Quick Jersey , who had a two-year stint as the Cleveland Browns’ head coach, was the fourth person the Giants have spoken in their search to find a replacement for Ben McAdoo, who was fired on Dec. 4 after less than two years on the job.
Giants interim Steve Spagnuolo was interviewed Wednesday and New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels were interviewed Friday in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Shurmur has been a part of teams that have qualified for the playoffs nine times and won seven division titles. He was Philadelphia’s quarterbacks coach when the Eagles played in the Super Bowl against New England in the 2004 season.
Shurmur is finishing his second year with the Vikings. He began last season as the tight ends coach and for the final nine games was also the offensive coordinator, the title he retained this season.
The Vikings finished 10th in the NFL in scoring (23.9 points), 11th in total yardage (356.9), and seventh in rushing yardage (122.3) this season. He also helped quarterback Case Keenum have a career year.
Shurmur posted a 9-23 record in his two seasons (11-12) with the Browns, going there after a two-year stint as the offensive coordinator with the Rams. He spent three seasons as the Eagles offensive coordinator after being fired.
Shurmur’s NFL coaching career began with a 10-year run (1999-2008) in Philadelphia. He coached in college at Stanford and Michigan State.
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