Update on the latest sports

NBA-SCHEDULE

Heat dump Cavs

UNDATED (AP) — The Miami Heat continue to build on a strong start that currently leaves them second in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.

The Heat are 8-3 after rookie Kendrick Nunn scored 23 points to lead a 108-97 win over the Cavaliers. Bam Adebayo had 16 points and 15 rebounds for Miami, which led by 27 in the third quarter before Cleveland got within 10 midway through the final period.

Rookie Tyler Herro returned from a one-game absence and finished with 16 points for the Heat.

Kevin Love had 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead Cleveland.

NBA-NEWS

Nets’ LeVert has thumb surgery

UNDATED (AP) — Brooklyn Nets guard Caris LeVert has undergone surgery to repair ligaments in his right thumb.

LeVert was hurt Sunday in Phoenix and missed his first game of the season Tuesday in Utah. He returned to New York and had the procedure Thursday at the Hospital for Special Surgery.

The Nets did not give a timetable for his return.

LeVert is averaging 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists this season

In other NBA news:

— Hawks guard Kevin Huerter (HUR’-tur) is expected to miss at least two weeks with a left rotator cuff strain. He also was diagnosed with a shoulder capsule strain when examined Thursday in Atlanta. Huerter left the team’s West Coast trip after he was hurt in Tuesday night’s 125-121 victory at Denver. He is averaging 9.3 points this season.

T25 MEN’S BASKETBALL

Gators escape against Towson

UNDATED (AP) — Fifteenth-ranked Florida struggled in Gainesville tonight on the heels of a dispiriting home loss to Florida State.

The Gators closed on an 11-3 run to pull out a 66-60 victory over Towson. Freshman Scottie Lewis scored 15 points in his first start to help Florida win for the second time in three games.

Graduate transfer Kerry Blackshear Jr. had 13 points and 13 rebounds, while Andrew Nembhard had 11 points and nine assists for the Gators.

Allen Bertrand scored 14 points for the Tigers, including a 3-poitner that put Towson ahead, 57-55 with 5:46 to play.

Also on the top-25 men’s schedule:

— Zeke Nnaji shot 8-for-8 while furnishing 26 points and 11 rebounds in No. 19 Arizona’s 87-39 thrashing of San Jose State. The Wildcats held the Wildcats to 23% shooting, including 2 for 18 from 3-point range.

MEN’S BASKETBALL-MEMPHIS-WISEMAN

Wiseman withdraws lawsuit

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Freshman James Wiseman has withdrawn his lawsuit against the NCAA and Memphis while officials work to resolve the case.

Wiseman will be allowed to practice with the team, although the university has declared him ineligible. Memphis says it supports Wiseman’s decision and believes it’s in the best interest of both the freshman and the Tigers’ basketball team to resolve his eligibility status through the NCAA process.

The NCAA had informed Memphis that Wiseman was likely ineligible for receiving what it deemed to be impermissible benefits from Penny Hardaway before the former NBA star became Memphis’ coach.

The university says it is immediately applying for Wiseman to be reinstated.

MLB-MVP

Angels’ Trout, Dodgers’ Bellinger are MVPs

NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball’s MVPs have been announced, and both come from Southern California ballclubs. Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout has captured the American League MVP for the third time in his career, while Dodgers slugger Cody Bellinger is the National League Most Valuable Player.

Trout is the sixth player to win at least three AL MVPs, joining Alex Rodriguez and Hall of Famers Jimmie Foxx, Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle. The 28-year-old Trout had another outstanding season, batting .291 with a career-high 45 home runs, 104 RBIs and 27 doubles while battling injuries this year. He led the league in on-base percentage, slugging and OPS in winning the MVP for the third time in six seasons.

Trout got 17 of 30 first-place votes in balloting. Astros infielder Alex Bregman was second with the other 13 first-place votes.

Bellinger got 19 of 30 first-place votes after hitting .305 with 47 home runs, 115 RBIs and a 1.035 OPS. He’s the 10th different Dodger to win MVP and first since Clayton Kershaw in 2014.

Milwaukee outfielder Christian Yelich (YEH’-lihch) was second in the voting after winning the award last year. Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon (rehn-DOHN’) finished third.

MLB-NEWS

Odorizzi, Abreu stay put

UNDATED (AP) — Twins pitcher Jake Odorizzi (oh-doh-RIH’-zee) and White Sox designated hitter José Abreu (ah-BRAY’-oo) have accepted qualifying offers to stay with their current teams rather than test the free agent market. Odorizzi was 15-7 with a 3.51 ERA in 30 starts last season, striking out 178 over 159 innings. Abreu led the American League with 123 RBIs while batting .284 with 33 home runs, 38 doubles and an .834 OPS.

Also around the majors:

— Reliever Will Smith has become the first of the 168 free agents to switch teams by agreeing to a three-year, $40 million contract with the Braves. Smith spent the last 2 ½ seasons with the Giants and was 6-0 with a 2.76 ERA and 34 saves in 63 games this year. He took over as San Francisco’s closer in July 2018.

NFL-NEWS

Browns WR Callaway waived amid report of pending suspension

UNDATED (AP) — A person familiar with the situation tells The Associated Press that wide receiver Antonio Callaway is facing a possible 10-game league suspension for another drug violation.

Callaway served a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse program earlier this season and was benched by Cleveland coach Freddie Kitchens for Sunday’s game against Buffalo because he didn’t get to FirstEnergy Stadium on time.

The Browns released Callaway hours before their game Thursday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In other NFL news:

— Eagles receiver Alshon Jeffery missed practice again Thursday because of an ankle injury as the team prepares for Sunday’s showdown with the Patriots. Jeffery has 34 catches for 353 yards and three touchdowns for the 5-4 Eagles.

— The NFL says 11 teams, including the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos, have signed up to attend Colin Kaepernick’s (KAP’-ur-nihks) workout in Atlanta on Saturday. The league said more teams are expected to attend the exiled quarterback’s audition and that former NFL head coach Hue Jackson will lead the drills. Kaepernick hasn’t played since 2016 when he helped start a wave of protests about social and racial injustice by kneeling during the national anthem.

— The state board that oversees Louisiana’s Superdome has approved a contract for the first phase of a $450 million renovation of the 44-year-old stadium. Thursday’s vote approved a $53 million contract for initial work on the New Orleans landmark, which became a symbol of the city’s recovery following Hurricane Katrina.

NHL-SCHEDULE

Bolts blast Blueshirts

UNDATED (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning have been trying to rediscover the potent attack that led them to the NHL’s Presidents Trophy last season. They found it against the Rangers tonight, tying a team record for goals in a 9-3 drubbing in Tampa Bay.

Five Lightning players scored at least three points, led by Nikita Kucherov (KOO’-cheh-rahv) with a goal and three assists. Alex Killorn (kih-LOHRN’) delivered two power-play goals and an assist, while Steven Stamkos (STAM’-kohs) and former Ranger Kevin Shattenkirk each had a goal and two assists.

The Lightning’s only other nine-goal game occurred during the 2003-04 season against the Penguins. Tampa Bay also matched a club mark with five power-play goals.

Elsewhere on NHL ice:

— Carolina blew leads of 3-1 and 4-3 before Dougie Hamilton’s ninth goal of the season pushed the Hurricanes past the Sabres, 5-4. Andrei Svechnikov (SVEHCH’-nih-kahv) and Teuvo Teravainen (TOO’-voh tehr-ah-VY’-nehn) each had a goal and two assists as the Canes won their second straight since a four-game skid. Buffalo is 0-4-2 in six games since a 9-2-1 start.

— Third-period goals by Nikolaj Ehlers (EE’-lurz), Mark Scheifele (SHY’-flee) and Adam Lowry send the Jets to a 4-3 win at Florida. Scheifele broke a 2-2 tie with 5:08 remaining before Lowry added an insurance goal. Patrik Laine (LY’-nay) had three assists as Winnipeg handed the Panthers just their the third regulation loss in their last 16 games.

NHL-PENGUINS-CROSBY

Crosby out 6 weeks after core surgery

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Penguins star Sidney Crosby will be out at least six weeks after what the team said was a successful core muscle injury repair Thursday.

General manager Jim Rutherford says the procedure was performed by Dr. William Meyers in Philadelphia.

The 32-year-old Crosby leads the team in scoring with five goals and 12 assists in 17 games despite dealing with a sports hernia since training camp.

MILITARY ACADEMIES-ATHLETES

US military academy athletes can now delay service, go pro

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Mark Esper has issued new guidelines that will allow athletes attending the nation's military academies to seek waivers to delay their service and play professional sports immediately upon their graduation.

A memo signed by Esper requires athletes going pro to get approval from the defense secretary. It says they must eventually fulfill their military obligation or repay the cost of their college education. The memo was obtained by The Associated Press.

PGA-MAYAKOBA CLASSIC

Rain postpones opening round

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico (AP) — Heavy rain in Mexico has washed out the opening round of the Mayakoba Golf Classic until Friday.

El Camaleon Golf Club has received nearly 9 inches of rain since Monday. Tour officials have not ruled out trying to complete 72 holes, even if that means going into Monday. The Mayakoba Golf Classic is the penultimate PGA Tour event this year.

OLYMPIC ATHLETE-OVERDOSE

Fentanyl overdose kills Washington state Olympic athlete

MARYSVILLE, Wash. (AP) — Washington state medical examiners have confirmed that an Olympic discus thrower found dead in his hotel room in September died from a fentanyl overdose.

KOMO-TV reports that Snohomish (snoh-HOH'-mish) County medical examiners ruled that the death of 42-year-old Jarred Rome was an accident after discovering fentanyl.

The Washington state resident competed in the 2004 Athens Games and in the 2012 London Games. Rome earned a silver medal at the 2011 Pan American Games in Mexico.

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