Irving, Celtics Rally to Beat Grizzlies

Kyrie Irving saved his best for last on Saturday night. After scoring only four points on 1-of-4 shooting with a minus-10 in the first half, Irving totaled 22 points after intermission on 7-of-12 shooting as the Boston Celtics rallied for a 112-103 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum.

Kyrie Irving drives past Garrett Temple. Irving's 26 points led Boston to a road win. (Brandon Dill/AP)

Boston erased a 19-point second-half deficit, using an 11-2 run in the closing minutes of the third quarter to cut into the lead. Entering the fourth quarter down by eight, the Celtics outscored the Grizzlies 33-16 in the final period. 

Picking up the defensive intensity after halftime, the Celtics forced the Grizzlies into shooting contested deep range jumpers. The Grizzlies went ice cold from the floor, missing 15 of their first 16 fourth-quarter shots. Boston's Al Horford knocked down two critical threes in the game's final two minutes, putting the contest out of reach. He finished with 18 points—hitting five three-pointers—with six rebounds, three assists and a block in 23 minutes of action. Horford’s five 3-pointers matched a career high.

The Celtics got a strong effort from the bench, led by Gordon Hayward's 14 points. Guerschon Yabusele turned 16 minutes into a plus-11—the second best number on the team behind only Irving—with one made three-pointer, four rebounds and two blocks.

Marcus Morris scored 22 points in the win. 

Mike Conley led the way for Memphis, accumulating 26 points. Dillon Brooks came off the bench to score 19. Rookie Jaren Jackson Jr. and former Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol added 15 points apiece. Gasol logged 10 assists in the loss.

The Celtics relied on their defense and three-point shooting in their come-from-behind win. After surrendering 64 first-half points, the Celtics limited the Grizzlies to 39 points in the second half. Boston got hot from downtown after intermission, going 9 of 18 from three-point territory.

Elton Brand 'Can't Say' if Markelle Fultz Will Return This Season

Philadelphia 76ers general manager Elton Brand was noncommittal when asked if guard Markelle Fultz will play again this season. Fultz has been out of action since Nov. 19 with a shoulder injury.

Fultz has been away from the team altogether since early December after being diagnosed with a Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (NTOS), which affects the nerves between his neck and his shoulder.

Brand said the 76ers will update Fultz's status “in a few weeks,” but he “can't say” if the 20-year-old will return to the court for the 2018-19 season. According to Brand, Fultz will rejoin the 76ers (but not play) when they square off against the Boston Celtics in a Christmas Day contest at TD Garden.

“He wants to be around, we want him to be around, as coach has said, he misses him, we miss him, he’s beloved to his teammates, it’s the holidays,” Brand said.

Fultz has had an eventful second season in the NBA. He was booted from the starting lineup, fired his trainer and has been the subject of trade rumors.

Fultz may not return this season. (Reinhold Matay/USA Today Sports)

Fultz has appeared in 19 games this season, averaging 8.2 points and 3.1 assists. He is shooting a horrific 42 percent from the field, including 29 percent from 3-point territory. He has made just 56.8 percent of his free throws. The No. 1 overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft played in just 14 games in his disastrous rookie season.

The 76ers are open to trading Fultz, but his value has plummeted since his NTOS diagnosis. The trade deadline is Feb. 7.

Derrick Henry Runs for Titans-Record 238 Yards

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry exploded for a franchise-record 238 yards and four touchdowns in a 30-9 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday Night Football. The 6-foot-3, 247-pound sturdy tailback scored on a 99-yard TD run in the second quarter.

UNREAL.

Derrick Henry just stiff arms everyone in one of the best TD runs you will ever see!#JAXvsTEN pic.twitter.com/VrteMn4oM8

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) December 7, 2018

Henry's 99-yard touchdown dash tied Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett for the longest run in NFL history. 

Before Thursday, Henry's longest run this year was only 16 yards. Struggling for most of the season, Henry had three touchdown runs of at least 16 yards against the Jags, including a 54-yard score. Entering the contest with 474 rushing yards on 128 carries—an average of merely 3.7 yards per attempt—Henry increased his season total to 712 yards and his yards per carry up to 4.9. He accumulated his 238 yards on just 17 carries. Henry became just the sixth player ever to rush for over 200 yards on fewer than 18 carries. 

Derrick Henry ran all over the Jags. (James Kenney/AP)

The last time Henry rushed for over 70 yards came last postseason in the Titans' upset over the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. 
       Henry has split the running duties with free agent acquisition Dion Lewis, a major asset in the passing game, and at times has suffered from a lack of carries. But Thursday's game should provide confidence for the Titans' coaching staff that Henry, the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner, can be a elite running back who deserves a large allotment of carries.

LeBron Wants Lakers to Acquire Carmelo Anthony

Los Angeles Lakers superstar forward LeBron James hopes his team can acquire longtime friend Carmelo Anthony, according to The Athletic’s Joe Vardon. Anthony, a 10-time All-Star and fellow member of the 2003 NBA Draft class, remains on the Houston Rockets' roster, but is no longer associated with the team after the two sides decided to part ways after just 10 games. Anthony, 34, is eligible to be traded on Dec. 15.

Taking a gamble on Anthony, a 16-year veteran who is a shell of his former self, does not seem worth it for the Lakers. They have won 11 of their past 14 contests and are finally starting to form an identity. Youngsters Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart are emerging into solid players and developing strong outside games. Veteran big men Tyson Chandler and JaVale McGee are playing their best basketball in years, crashing the boards on both ends of the floor.

The Lakers would be well-advised to stay away from LeBron's pal, Anthony, who played downright atrocious in his short stay with Houston. In 294 minutes with Anthony on the floor, the Rockets were outscored by 63 points. The Rockets outscored other teams by 17 points in the 330 minutes he sat on the bench.

LeBron James wants to team up with his friend Carmelo Anthony. (Getty Images)

Anthony, a terrible defender his entire career, was not committed to the Rockets' defensive schemes. Opposing players shot 3.6 percent better with Anthony defending them on average.

Is James' loyalty to Anthony so strong that he would risk sabotaging the Lakers' season? Would he stick his neck out for a player who some league executives speculated has already played his final NBA game?

Let's not forget that Anthony is currently being paid $26.8 million by the Atlanta Hawks to not play for them after they bought his contract out. Assuming the Lakers and every other NBA team resists trading for Anthony, then the Rockets would be the second team this year to pay Anthony to not play for them, as Houston would owe him the remainder of his $2.4 million veteran's minimum contract.

Maybe James is just pretending that he wants the Lakers to acquire Anthony to show support for a friend. Maybe he truly knows the Lakers are way better off without Anthony and that his buddy isn't nearly the player he once was. Because it's pretty obvious for even the most casual of NBA fans to understand that Anthony, a likely Hall of Famer, is washed-up and not worth the risk.

NFL MVP Rankings

With four weeks remaining in the season, the NFL MVP race looks to be a two-man battle between Drew Brees and Patrick Mahomes.

Entering Week 14, Mahomes appears to have the edge on Brees, who had one of the worst games of his storied career in the New Orleans Saints' primetime loss to the Dallas Cowboys last Thursday night. Mahomes, on the other hand, is coming off a four-touchdown performance versus the lowly Oakland Raiders, extending his NFL-high passing touchdown total to 41 as he immediately stepped up for the Kansas City Chiefs in the absence of the recently-released Kareem Hunt. Mahomes is the third player in NFL history to throw 40+ TDs through 12 games, as Peyton Manning accomplished this feat twice (2004 and 2013) and Tom Brady achieved it in the New England Patriots’ perfect regular season in 2007.

Mahomes has led the Chiefs to a 10-2 record. (AP Image)

Below are all the MVP candidates worth mentioning.

10. Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans

Watson, the second-year QB who tore his ACL last season after beginning his career in historic fashion, has led the Texans to nine consecutive victories after the team started 0-3. He has logged 21 passing touchdowns, two rushing scores and eight interceptions.

9. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts

Luck, who missed the entire 2017 season, has transformed the Colts into playoff contenders after consecutive years of being bottom-feeders. Before the Colts were shut out by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Luck had a stretch of eight straight games with three or more passing scores.

8. Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams

Gurley is the most explosive player on the best team in the league. Gurley leads the league in rushing and has already set a Rams single-season franchise record with 15 rushing touchdowns, also a league-high.

7. Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams

Under center for the 11-1 Rams, Goff has 28 total touchdowns (one rushing score) against just seven interceptions with a 109.9 passer rating, the fifth-best mark in the NFL. Even with Gurley in the backfield in what is sometimes a run-first offense, Goff still ranks fourth in the NFL in passing yards.

6. Khalil Mack, Chicago Bears

Under the tutelage of Mack, the NFC North-leading Bears feature the best defense in football. Chicago’s outside linebacker—traded by the Raiders just before the start of the NFL season—has five forced fumbles, nine sacks and an interception, which he returned for a touchdown.

5. Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams

The best player on the best team in the NFL, Donald is on pace to win Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight year. He leads the NFL in sacks with 16.5.

4. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Seattle, but Wilson and the young 'Hawks (7-5) have surpassed expectations. The remarkably efficient Wilson has thrown the fourth-most passing touchdowns (29), despite ranking 24th in pass attempts in the Seahawks’ run-centric offense.

3. Philip Rivers, Los Angeles Chargers

Rivers is having arguably the best season of his legendary career, making the Chargers (9-3) one of the most feared teams in the league. A 28-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio with the third-best passer rating (115.7) in the league places Rivers behind only Brees and Mahomes in the MVP race.

2. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

Brees has never won NFL MVP—an award that would further cement his loaded career résumé—but that could change with a strong finish to the 2018 season. Brees holds the NFL’s best passer rating (123.2) and best completion percentage (75.5) with 30 passing scores against just three interceptions.

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

Mahomes has guided to the Chiefs to the top record in the AFC. He is having one of the best seasons ever by a quarterback, currently on pace for 55 passing touchdowns, which would tie Manning's record set in 2013. Mahomes, who has two rushing scores, has accounted for 43 total touchdowns, which is more than 28 teams in the NFL have scored this season. In addition to leading the league in touchdowns, he also ranks second in passing yards and second in passer rating. Mahomes is easily the most dangerous player in football.

Warriors Targeting Bulls' Robin Lopez?

Robin Lopez could find himself competing for a championship this season. The Golden State Warriors are interested in acquiring the Chicago Bulls center, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

In the wake of Damian Jones’ pectoral tear—a potentially season-ending injury—the Warriors are in need of a big man. Jones will undergo surgery to repair the torn left pectoral muscle he suffered in Saturday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons. He started at center in 22 of the 24 games he played in this season, averaging 5.4 points and 3.1 rebounds in 17 minutes per contest.

Lopez’s minutes have been scaled back this season with the Bulls rebuilding and focusing on playing the team’s younger guys. The 7-foot Lopez, 30, could use a change of scenery. He is a free agent at season’s end, making him an appealing trade option. The Bulls could simply just buy out Lopez's contract, freeing him to sign with the team of his choice.

The Warriors are reportedly interested in Robin Lopez. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

While Lopez has not seen significant playing action, he was praised earlier in the season for his “professionalism” and was called a “great mentor and great example” to the Bulls' young players by Fred Hoiberg, the now former Bulls coach who was fired on Monday.

Lopez could beef up the Warriors’ front-line, which is still awaiting the debut of four-time All-Star DeMarcus Cousins, who signed with Golden State in the offseason.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said that Cousins is “making strides” and is practicing fully with the team. Previous reports have suggested that Cousins could return in late-December or January. Given that he is practicing regularly, that seems like an accurate timeline.

The Warriors recalled Marcus Derrickson from the G-League to add help in the frontcourt, but he is more of a power forward/4. With Draymond Green currently injured, Kevin Looney has been thrust into the starting center role for the Warriors with Jordan Bell and Jonas Jerebko getting minutes at the 5 off the bench. But Green, Looney, Bell and Jerebko aren't true 5's and are all better suited at the 4.

Lopez would provide the Warriors with a legitimate center. He could be useful in the interim and see decent minutes—at least until Cousins regains his health.

Fred Hoiberg on Hot Seat?

As the injury-riddled Chicago Bulls begin to regain their health, the pressure lies on head coach Fred Hoiberg to win more and better develop his young players. According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, Hoiberg will soon be “coaching for his job” and his performance over the next month will be critical in determining if he lasts the remainder of the season.

The Bulls (5-19) have the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference. Injuries have decimated them this season. Second-year forward Lauri Markkanen made his season debut on Saturday night after dealing with a sprained right elbow. Starting point guard Kris Dunn, currently dealing with a knee injury, has appeared in just one game. Forward Bobby Portis played in only four games before hurting his knee. Dunn and Portis are expected to be cleared for contact practices in the next week, signaling they will return to game action at some point in December.

Hoiberg is in the fourth season of his five-year, $25 million contract and holds a 115-155 mark since taking over the coaching duties. He made one playoff appearance in 2017. His contract is fully guaranteed, which means he will be paid in full even if he gets canned early. Cowley notes that the Bulls owed Tom Thibodeau $9 million when he was fired, so money might not even factor into the decision of owner Jerry Reinsdorf.

Fred Hoiberg is reportedly coaching for his job. (Getty Images)

While Chicago’s front office will take into account wins and losses in its evaluation, development of the young core players will be deemed most important, according to Cowley. The Bulls are rebuilding, so judging Hoiberg’s performance solely on wins (or lack thereof) would be unfair. The growth of rookie Wendell Carter Jr., Markkanen, Dunn and Zach LaVine—who is currently having an All-Star caliber season—will be assessed heavily by the Bulls' front office when determining if Hoiberg is the right man for the job.

Reinsdorf will have the final say in Hoiberg’s future. But he will gather input from general manager Gar Forman and VP of basketball operations John Paxson. Assuming the Bulls actually get healthy this month, Hoiberg needs to immediately demonstrate to the front office that he can be a part of the franchise’s turnaround—or else he could be axed before the calendar flips to 2019.