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HELICOPTER CRASH-KOBE BRYANT
Lakers-Clippers game postponed as Bryant crash is investigated
UNDATED (AP) — The NBA has decided it’s too soon for the Lakers to resume their schedule in the wake of Kobe Bryant’s death in a helicopter crash.
The league has postponed Tuesday’s game against the Clippers and will reschedule it. The decision comes one day after Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter and seven others perished in the crash.
The Lakers learned about the wreck while flying home from Philadelphia. The 16-time NBA champion franchise made grief counselors available to employees Monday after the loss of Bryant, who spent his entire 20-year NBA career with the Lakers.
Meanwhile, an accident investigator says the helicopter pilot told air traffic controllers in his last radio message that he was climbing to avoid a cloud layer. National Transportation Safety Board Jennifer Homendy says the pilot had asked for and received special clearance to fly in heavy fog just minutes before the crash and was flying at 1400 feet when he went south and then west.
Investigators and coroner's personnel are working on a rugged hillside outside Los Angeles. The fog was considered dangerous enough that local police agencies grounded their choppers. About 20 investigators are on the scene in Calabasas, where Bryant's helicopter crashed with an impact that scattered debris over an area the size of a football field. The coroner's office says three bodies were recovered Sunday afternoon.
The crash also cost the lives of longtime baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife and daughter. Altobelli headed the Orange Coast College baseball program in nearby Costa Mesa for 27 years. His daughter, Alyssa, played on the same basketball team as Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.
A woman who coached the basketball team also died. Matt Mauser told NBC's Today show that his wife, Christina Mauser, had a keen defensive mind for basketball and was asked to help coach at Bryant's academy.
NBA-SCHEDULE
Bam’s triple-double highlights’ Heat win
UNDATED (AP) — Bam Adebayo (ad-ah-BAY’-oh) took advantage of his final chance to convince NBA All-Star voters.
Adebayo registered his third triple-double of the season and the Heat improved to 13-0 at home against Eastern Conference opponents by drubbing the Magic, 113-92. The Miami forward delivered 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists the day before league coaches hand in their ballots for the All-Star reserves.
Jimmy Butler scored 19 points, Goran Dragic (DRAH’-gihch) had 14 and Tyler Herro (HEE’-roh) scored 13 for the Southeast Division leaders.
Checking out Monday’s other NBA action:
— The Cavaliers ended their seven-game losing streak as Kevin Love scored all 20 of his points in the first half of their 115-110 victory against the Pistons. Collin Sexton had 23 points and Tristan Thompson added 17 with 11 rebounds for Cleveland.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Caps win without Ovi
UNDATED (AP) — The Washington Capitals didn’t miss Alex Ovechkin (oh-VEHCH’-kihn) while he served a league-imposed, one-game suspension for declining to play in the NHL All-Star game last weekend.
Jakub Vrana (vuh-RAH’-nah) contributed a goal and an assist as the Capitals doubled up the Canadiens, 4-2 in Montreal. Tom Wilson and Travis Boyd also scored before Nicklas Backstrom’s empty-netter secured the Caps’ four straight win and seventh in their last nine games.
Braden Holtby made 31 saves and improved to 14-2-2 all-time versus Montreal.
Elsewhere on NHL ice:
— Nikita Gusev and Jack Hughes scored shootout goals to push the Devils past the Senators, 4-3. New Jersey forward Kyle Palmieri (pal-MEHR’-ee) forced overtime by scoring with 3:21 left in regulation after Vladimir Namestnikov (nah-MEHST’-nih-kahv) and Chris Tierney provided short-handed goals 35 seconds apart to put the Senators ahead 3-2 midway through the third period.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL POLL
Baylor remains number one
UNDATED (AP) — Baylor is No. 1 for a second straight week in an AP Top 25 men's college basketball poll that had no major changes at the top.
The Bears stayed well ahead of No. 2 Gonzaga, part of an unchanged top seven for the first time this season.
Kansas was third, followed by San Diego State and Florida State. The Aztecs remain the only unbeaten team in Division One men’s hoops.
Louisville, Dayton, Villanova, Duke and Seton Hall round out the top 10, with the Wildcats climbing over the Blue Devils.
MLB-REDS-CASTELLANOS
Reds sign free agent Castellanos
UNDATED (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks acquired talented outfielders on Monday.
A person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press that free agent Nicholas Castellanos has agreed to a four-year, $64 million with the Reds. Castellanos comes to Cincinnati after hitting .289 with 27 homers and 73 RBIs for the Pirates and Diamondbacks last season.
The 27-year-old Castellanos is the latest high-profile free agent to join the Reds, following infielder Mike Moustakas (moos-TAH’-kahs), pitcher Wade Miley and Japanese All-Star outfielder Shogo Akiyama (SHOH’-goh a-kee-AH’-mah).
Starling Marte (mahr-TAY') has been acquired by the Diamondbacks from the Pirates for two prospects. The two-time Gold Glove recipient and 2016 All-Star batted .295 and set career highs with 23 home runs and 81 RBIs for the Bucs in 2019.
The Pirates receive Liover Peguero and Brennan Malone for Marte, who has two years left on his current contract.
NFL-NEWS
Browns hiring Berry from Eagles
UNDATED (AP) — Andrew Berry is returning to the Cleveland Browns’ front office, this time as their general manager.
A person familiar with the decision tells The Associated Press that the Browns will hire Berry, who spent last season as the Philadelphia Eagles vice president of football operations.
Berry previously was in Cleveland's front office as the team's vice president of player personnel from 2016 to 2018.
In other NFL news:
— Browns running back Kareem Hunt told an Ohio police officer he would have failed a drug test if one had been given during a traffic stop. A dashboard camera video released Monday shows Hunt being apologetic and emotional while talking to the officer. Police allegedly found marijuana in a backpack and an open container of vodka. Hunt's admission about the drug test could get him trouble with the NFL.
— Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer has promoted his son to help fill a key vacancy on his staff. Adam Zimmer and Andre Patterson were appointed co-defensive coordinators, although Zimmer remains the linebackers coach and Petterson continues to serve as defensive line coach.
AUSTRALIAN OPEN
Quarterfinal action at Laver Arena
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian Open schedule is highlighted by men’s and women’s quarterfinal matches.
American and 14th seed Sofia Kenin opened the Day 9 action at Rod Laver Arena with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Ons Jabeur. Kenin made the key break in the seventh game of the second set after saving three break points of her own in the previous game.
Kenin is in a Grand Slam semifinal for the first time. Her longest previous run in a slam was a fourth-round appearance in last year’s French Open.
Women’s top seed Ash Barty is taking on No. 7 Petra Kvitova (kuh-VIH’-toh-vah). Barty was leading 7-6, 3-0 in the second set.
Men’s third seed Roger Federer battles American Tennys Sandgren. The night match has second-seed Novak Djokovic (JOH’-koh-vihch) versus Milos Raonic (ROW’-nihch).
OHIO STATE-TEAM DOCTOR
Medical board complaint filed against Ohio State president
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Complaints against Ohio State University's president and one of its former student health directors have been filed with the State Medical Board of Ohio in relation to alleged sexual abuse by now-deceased team doctor Richard Strauss. That’s according to one of his lead accusers. Strauss died in 2005, years before alumni began stepping forward with allegations about him in 2018.
Steve Snyder-Hill said by email that one of his complaints alleges that Ohio State President and trained ophthalmologist Michael Drake violated professional ethics. The complaint adds that the university under Drake's leadership broke public records laws by ignoring or responding too slowly to requests for documents related to the matter.
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