Sports

By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer PHOENIX (AP) — Nick Sirianni answered questions about Rocky, Santa Claus and even which of his players on the Philadelphia Eagles he’d want to date his 5-year-old daughter when she grows up. Welcome to Super Bowl opening night where football talk gives way to the wacky. The circus

By LARRY LAGE AP Sports Writer DETROIT (AP) — Jayson Tatum started slow and finished strong with 34 points, leading the Boston Celtics to a 111-99 win over the Detroit Pistons. The All-Star forward missed his first five shots and had as many fouls as field goals after missing 10 shots in the first half.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Ryan Thompson went to arbitration with the Tampa Bay Rays, while Miami’s Jon Berti reached a deal with the Marlins for $2,125,000 that avoided a hearing. Berti, an infielder and outfielder, gets a $2.1 million salary this year. The agreement includes a $3.5 million team option for 2024 with a

By ANNE M. PETERSON AP Sports Writer PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert was the guest of Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon at an event Monday to demonstrate community support for an expansion team in Portland, Oregon. Among those trying to persuade the commissioner that Portland would be a good fit were

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kyle Palmieri and Mathew Barzal scored for the New York Islanders in their first game since they acquired All-Star center Bo Horvat, leading them to a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Horvat made his debut a day after the Islanders signed him to an eight-year

By GEORGE RICHARDS Associated Press SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Two days after being named MVP of the NHL All-Star Game on home ice, Matthew Tkachuk had a five-point night with two goals as the Florida Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-1 on Monday night. Tkachuk had a hand in the first three goals for

WORCESTER, Mass. — Josh Rivera scored 25 points, Justin Vander Baan had a double-double and Lafayette beat Holy Cross 72-58. Rivera also grabbed five rebounds for the Leopards (8-18, 6-7 Patriot League). Vander Baan added 14 points and 10 rebounds. Kyle Jenkins scored nine. Will Batchelder led the Crusaders (8-18, 5-8) with 28 points.

By NOAH TRISTER AP Sports Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen scored 23 points apiece and Donovan Mitchell added 21 to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 114-91 rout of the Washington Wizards. All five Cleveland starters were in double figures by halftime, and the Cavaliers won for the fourth time in

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Norchad Omier had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Jordan Miller added 16 points and No. 19 Miami had little trouble on the way to a 81-59 win over Duke on Monday night. Wooga Poplar scored 14 and Isaiah Wong scored 11 for Miami. The

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — Allin Blunt scored 16 points and UMass Lowell breezed to 70-48 victory over Hartford. Blunt shot 4 for 6 (3 for 5 from 3-point range) and 5 of 8 from the free-throw line for the River Hawks (20-6). Abdoul Karim Coulibaly added 12 points and Cam Morris III scored nine. The

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Georgia Amoore scored a career-high 27 points with five 3-pointers, Elizabeth Kitley had 25 points and 14 rebounds and No. 11 Virginia Tech beat 22nd-ranked North Carolina State 73-61 in the Play4Kay game. Virginia Tech won at N.C. State for the first time in 13 meetings and improved to 3-26 overall

By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Pro Football Writer MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have hired Brian Flores as their defensive coordinator. The Vikings are trying to revive a once-dominant unit that ranked among the NFL’s worst last season. Flores was a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach this season for Pittsburgh. He spent three years

ARLINGTON, Texas — Led by Freddy Hicks’ 22 points, the Tarleton State Texans defeated the UT Arlington Mavericks 69-64 on Monday night. The Texans are now 13-11 on the season, while the Mavericks fell to 8-16.

By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Sean Payton is bringing an old-school style sown by his mentor Bill Parcells and steeped in discipline and accountability as he takes over as the Denver Broncos’ new head coach. One thing that means is that Russell Wilson will no longer have his own

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Suns president and CEO Jason Rowley has decided to leave the team as the franchise moves forward with ownership changes, according to a person familiar with the move. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because Rowley’s resignation was not shared

WHITEWATER, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin-Whitewater has removed the interim tag from Jace Rindahl’s title and made him the permanent replacement for retired coach Kevin Bullis. Rindahl had spent the last eight seasons as an assistant coach at the Division III program. Wisconsin-Whitewater named Rindahl the interim head coach and said it would conduct a national

By NOAH TRISTER AP Baseball Writer Baltimore Orioles CEO John Angelos and his brother Lou have agreed to end their fight over a lawsuit in which Lou accused John of seizing control of the team in defiance of their father Peter’s wishes. Lou Angelos sued John last year. He claimed John took control of the

By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Sports Writer DALLAS (AP) — Kyrie Irving is a member of the Dallas Mavericks with the trade from Brooklyn becoming official. The mercurial guard who now will be paired with fellow All-Star Luka Doncic could make his Dallas debut Wednesday at the Los Angeles Clippers. Doncic could be out against the