Streaking Nuggets, Thunder in NBA action
UNDATED (AP) — Denver will try to continue an early-season roll when they take on Phoenix tonight as part of an eight-game NBA schedule. The Nuggets have strung together a four-game winning streak after dropping their first three games of the season. All of their losses have come on the road, which is where the Nuggets are going to be frequently. Twelve of their next 16 games are away.
Oklahoma City is also riding a four-game winning streak heading into tonight’s game at Detroit, including a victory last night against Cleveland. The Thunder are back at it against a Pistons team that’s still looking for its first win after dropping seven straight, six of them on the road.
Minnesota starts the day just a half game back of the Thunder for first in the Northwest Division. The Timberwolves try to keep the pressure on when they travel to Dallas.
Philadelphia is back home tonight to host Milwaukee and that might not be a good thing for the 76ers. They’ve won three straight, all of them on the road.
Steelers host Chiefs
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh takes a three-game winning streak into tonight’s Monday Night NFL game against Kansas City.
The Steelers run has been highlighted by a strong running attack that’s used seemingly interchangeable parts without losing any effectiveness. When starter Richard Mendenhall went down with an Achilles injury a month ago, Jonathan Dwyer stepped in. He became the first Pittsburgh running back in four years to top 100 yards in consecutive games. When Dwyer suffered a leg injury, Isaac Redman filled in with a career high 147-yard effort in a win over the Giants.
The Chiefs are trying to turn around what has been a 1-7 start. Matt Cassel will be back under center for Kansas City after he went down with a concussion five weeks ago. The same thing happened to his replacement, Brady Quinn, in a loss to Oakland.
Regardless who has started, no one has been effective. Kansas City quarterbacks have thrown an NFL-high 14 interceptions and the team’s minus-21 turnover ratio is the worst in the league by a wide margin.
Three QB’s suffer concussions
UNDATED (AP) — Three NFL teams will be anxious to find out how their starting quarterbacks are, after three suffered concussions in Sunday games.
Michael Vick was knocked out of the Eagles loss to Dallas yesterday after a back-to-back hard hits. He didn’t speak with reporters after the game but appeared groggy. Nick Foles replaced Vick.
Bears starter Jay Cutler went down in the loss to Houston last night. Jason Campbell came on but couldn’t pull out the win.
San Francisco lost Alex Smith in the tie with St. Louis. He went down after taking a hard hit to neck area on a second-quarter scramble. Smith was replaced by Colin Kaepernick.