NBA
Pelicans get 38 points from Davis, edge Thunder
Anthony Davis scored 38 points to lead the New Orleans Pelicans to a 101-99 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. It was the third-highest point total of Davis' career. He made 16 of 22 shots and had 12 rebounds.
Russell Westbrook scored 29 points for the Thunder, but he missed a three-pointer that could have given Oklahoma City the lead in the closing seconds. Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant missed his second straight game because of a sprained right ankle.
Davis, who leads the league with nearly three blocks per game, had three more.
DeMarcus Cousins had 29 points and 14 rebounds in his second start since returning from a serious illness, and the Sacramento Kings snapped a five-game losing streak with a 108-101 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Rudy Gay scored 24 points, and Ben McLemore added 23 points and eight rebounds to help the Kings pull away late. Sacramento had lost 10 of 12 games, going 2-8 while Cousins recovered from viral meningitis.
Eric Bledsoe and Markieff Morris each scored 17 points, Goran Dragic added 16 and the Phoenix Suns beat Washington 104-92 to end the Wizards' winning streak at six. Rasual Butler led the Wizards with 17 points, and Kevin Seraphin had a season-high 16. John Wall had 14 points and eight assists.
Luol Deng scored 23 points, James Ennis scored 10 of his 16 in the fourth quarter and the Miami Heat ended a five-game home losing streak with a 100-84 victory over Boston.
It was the first time in 154 games that Miami didn't have any of its former Big Three — Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh or LeBron James. Wade sat with a bruised right knee, Bosh missed his fifth straight game with a left calf strain and James now plays for Cleveland, which visits Miami on Christmas.
Rookie Marcus Smart got his first start at point guard for Boston, which is still adjusting to life after the trade that sent Rajon Rondo to Dallas.
LeBron James had 25 points and 11 assists, Dion Waiters scored 13 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and the Cleveland Cavaliers handled one of the Western Conference's best teams, beating the Memphis Grizzlies 105-91. James scored 16 in the second half and the Cavs shot a season-best 61 percent from the field.
Lou Williams and Kyle Lowry each scored 22 points, and the Toronto Raptors beat the New York Knicks 118-108 for their sixth consecutive win. Greivis Vasquez had 21 points and Terrence Ross scored 18 for the Raptors, who never trailed. Carmelo Anthony scored 28 for the Knicks.
C.J. Miles scored 28 points and David West bulled his way to the basket for two big points with 34 seconds to play to help the Indiana Pacers hold off the Minnesota Timberwolves 100-96. Miles hit 10 of 18 shots and Roy Hibbert had 15 points, eight rebounds and four blocks for the Pacers, who got 48 points from their bench.
Michael Carter-Williams scored 21 points and the Philadelphia 76ers rallied in the second half to claim a 96-88 victory over the Orlando Magic. Philadelphia trailed by 11 in the third quarter, but led by as many as 14 points in the fourth. Nerlens Noel added 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Sixers, who also got a lift from their bench — it outscored the Magic reserves 37-20.
The Brooklyn Nets had an easy time in their first game this season without Deron Williams — until the last few seconds. Mason Plumlee scored 10 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and Brooklyn held off a late rally for a 110-105 victory over the Pistons. Ex-Cat Jodie Meeks came off the bench to score 13 for Detroit.
Soccer
Brazil draws with U.S., wins home tourney
Brazil's women's soccer team held on for a 0-0 draw with the United States to win the International Tournament of Brasilia on Sunday.
Brazil had the tiebreaker in the final because it finished with the best result in group play at the four-team competition in the nation's capital.
Five-time world player of the year Marta and the rest of the Brazilians celebrated in front of a crowd of more than 11,000 at the Mane Garrincha, which hosted seven World Cup matches earlier this year.
Brazil controlled possession during most of the game but the Americans pressured late and almost scored a winner just before the final whistle when a header by defender Becky Sauerbrunn struck the crossbar after being tipped by Brazilian goalkeeper Luciana.
The U.S. also had a late goal disallowed for offside.
College football
Winston cleared in conduct hearing
Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston was cleared Sunday of the accusations he faced at a student code of conduct hearing involving an alleged sexual assault two years ago.
Former Florida Supreme Court Justice Major Harding wrote in a letter to Winston that the evidence was "insufficient to satisfy the burden of proof." Prosecutor Willie Meggs made a similar decision a year ago when he decided not to criminally charge Winston, citing a lack of evidence.
This month, a two-day hearing was held to determine whether Winston violated four sections of the code of conduct — two for sexual misconduct and two for endangerment.
The ramifications for Winston ranged from a reprimand to expulsion from school.
The woman can request an appeal within five days.
Golf
India's Atwal wins Dubai Open
India's Arjun Atwal won the Asian Tour's season-ending Dubai Open on Sunday, rallying on the final hole to beat 19-year-old South Korean player Wang Jeung-hun by a stroke.
A shot behind entering the par-5 18th, Atwal closed with a birdie and Wang made a bogey.
The 41-year-old Atwal won for the first time since the PGA Tour's 2010 Wyndham Championship. He finished with a 6-under 66 for a 16-under 272 total at The Els Club Dubai.
Etc.
Ali hospitalized with pneumonia
Boxing great Muhammad Ali was hospitalized with a mild case of pneumonia that was caught early and should result in a short hospital stay, an Ali spokesman said Saturday night.
The three-time world heavyweight champion, who is battling Parkinson's disease, is being treated by his team of doctors and is in stable condition, said his spokesman, Bob Gunnell.
"He went into the hospital this morning," Gunnell said in a phone interview. "He has a mild case of pneumonia and the prognosis is good."
Gunnell declined to say where the 72-year-old Ali is hospitalized. He indicated that Ali's bout of pneumonia was caught quickly.
Ali appeared in public in September at a ceremony in his hometown of Louisville for the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards.
The last word
The Orlando Magic's Evan Fournier and Nikola Vucevic are more than just fellow French speakers — they're close friends. Still, that doesn't come without some good-natured ribbing. During a recent road trip, Vucevic tweeted a photo of Fournier at a team meal wearing jeans, a sweater and flip-flops, then added a sarcastic caption. He wrote:
"And then they say that French people can dress."
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