Wizards stun Heat…Thunder outscore Nets
UNDATED (AP) — The Miami Heat had to figure their winning streak would come to an end one of these days. They couldn’t have expected it to be stopped in Washington.
The Wizards won for only the second time in 15 games, overcoming LeBron James’ triple-double in a 105-101 win over the Heat, halting Miami’s six-game winning streak. Jordan Crawford led the victory with 22 points, including three free throws over the final 11 seconds. Kevin Seraphin grabbed 10 rebounds and added 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting for the Wizards, who’ve actually won their last three meetings with the Heat.
James finished with 26 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists but missed a pair of three-point tries over the last 18 seconds. Dwyane (dwayn) Wade added 24 points for the Heat, who erased a 12-point deficit before falling to 12-4.
Brooklyn was beaten by a division leader for the second straight game as Kevin Durant scored 32 points and Russell Westbrook added 25 in Oklahoma City’s 117-111 win over the Nets. Serge Ibaka added 18 points and Thabo Sefolosha chipped in 14 as the Thunder won their sixth in a row and surpassed the 100-point mark for the 10th straight time.
The NBA schedule includes Minnesota’s 105-88 win at Philadelphia behind John Howard’s 16 points and 10 rebounds. Alexey Shved hit four 3-pointers and scored 17 for the Timberwolves, who raced to a 23-point lead in the first half.
Houston erased a 13-point deficit over the final 10 minutes of a 107-105 comeback win against the Los Angeles Lakers. Tony Douglas had a season-high 22 points and Greg Smith added a career-best 21 to help the Rockets withstand Kobe Bryant’s 39 points.
Indiana was an 80-76 winner at Chicago as Paul George finished with 34 points and nine rebounds. Roy Hibbert added 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Pacers, who closed a four-game trip with three victories.
Zach Randolph established season highs with 38 points and 22 rebounds as Memphis downed Phoenix 108-98 in overtime. Randolph was 15 of 22 from the field and dominated in the latter stages of the fourth quarter and early minutes of overtime.
Auburn, Arkansas hire coaches
UNDATED (AP) — A pair of struggling SEC football programs have found new head coaches.
Auburn has hired Gus Malzahn, who was the offensive coordinator during the Tigers’ 2010 national championship run, but spent last season at Arkansas State in his first college head coaching position. His Red Wolves went 9-3.
Auburn was looking for a coach to revive a program that made an unprecedented fall two years after winning a national title with Cam Newton operating Malzahn’s high-powered offense to perfection. Auburn fired Gene Chizik a day after the Tigers completed a 3-9 season.
Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema has agreed to become the new coach at Arkansas, taking over a program that stumbled from scandal into an awful season that had begun with hopes of challenging for a national championship.
Bielema has agreed to a deal between 5-7 years with the Razorbacks, according to a person familiar with the situation, which was first reported by Yahoo Sports. The 42-year-old coach went 68-24 in seven seasons with the Badgers.
Arkansas was 21-5 in 2010 and ’11 but went 4-8 this season under John L. Smith. He replaced Bobby Petrino (peh-TREE’-noh) earlier this year after a scandal in which Petrino hired his mistress to work in the school’s football department.
In other college football news, Boston College has hired Steve Addazio away from Temple to be the Eagles’ next football coach. The Connecticut native went 13-11 in two seasons with the Owls, including 4-7 last season. Addazio replaces Frank Spaziani, who was fired after four seasons and a 22-29 record at BC.
And Tulsa has fired its athletic director a week after he was named in a federal investigation into an alleged bookie in Oklahoma City. University president, Steadman Upham, released a statement Tuesday night saying he has terminated Ross Parmley, effective immediately.
Bosox get Victorino…Nats eyeing Haren
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Boston Red Sox have a new center fielder, and the Washington Nationals are close to adding another piece to their starting rotation.
Free-agent Shane Victorino and the Red Sox have worked out a three-year deal worth $39 million. Victorino stole a career-high 39 stolen bases last season but hit only .255 with 11 homers and 55 RBIs in time spent with the Phillies and Dodgers.
A person familiar with the talks tells The Associated Press that free agent pitcher Dan Haren and the Washington Nationals are close to completing a one-year deal for $13 million. Haren was 12-13 with a 4.33 ERA in 30 starts for the Los Angeles Angels this year after winning a career-high 16 games in 2011.
The NL East champions already have a formidable rotation led by Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann.