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(Sunday, December 28th)

Final Score: Philadelphia 44, Dallas 6

Philadelphia, PA - Donovan McNabb threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, and the Philadelphia defense scored twice, as the Eagles completely annihilated the Dallas Cowboys, 44-6, securing an unlikely postseason berth in a wild Week 17 for NFC playoff hopefuls. The early slate of games fell exactly as the Eagles needed, as Oakland stunned the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 31-24, and Chicago fell to the Houston Texans by the same score to set up the de facto playoff matchup of NFC East rivals for the final wild- card spot in the conference. McNabb, who was benched after halftime just five weeks ago in Baltimore, completed 12-of-21 passes for 175 yards as the Eagles (9-6-1) won four of their final five games to sneak into the postseason under the franchise signal-caller for the first time since a Super Bowl appearance in 2004. Jeff Garcia filled in for an injured McNabb in 2006 and finished the regular season with five consecutive wins to bring Philadelphia to the playoffs. Brian Dawkins, recently named to his seventh Pro Bowl, forced two fumbles that went for scores, while Chris Clemons forced a fumble, recovered another and recorded two sacks and a TD in a dominating defensive effort for Philly. Correll Buckhalter had 122 total yards with a touchdown grab in the win, as the Eagles look forward to a first-round playoff bout against NFC North champion Minnesota next Sunday at 4:30 p.m. (et). Dallas (9-7), the preseason Super Bowl favorite, lost three of its final four games and have a long offseason of finger-pointing and self discovery ahead after falling short of expectations yet again. Tony Romo, who suffered from flu-like symptoms during the week, tossed for 183 yards on 21- of-39 passes but fumbled twice and threw an interception as the Cowboys failed to score an offensive touchdown for the only time this season. Terrell Owens had six catches for 103 yards, while Tashard Choice led the rushing attack with 56 yards on 13 carries.

Final Score: Miami 24, NY Jets 17

East Rutherford, NJ - Chad Pennington threw for 200 yards and two touchdowns on 22-of-30 passing, leading the Miami Dolphins to a 24-17 win over the New York Jets, and their first playoff appearance in seven years. The Dolphins (11-5) completed a startling turnaround from last season, when they went 1-15, to win the AFC East. Miami hadn’t won the division since 2000, and hadn’t made the playoffs since 2001. Moreover, Miami clinched the division Sunday at the Meadowlands under the leadership of Pennington, the longtime quarterback of the Jets who played with New York from 2000-07. The Dolphins will now host the Baltimore Ravens next Sunday at 1 p.m. (et) in the opening round of the AFC playoffs. Pennington threw touchdown passes to Anthony Fasano and Ted Ginn, Jr., who finished with two catches for 71 yards. Phillip Merling had an interception return for a score for Miami, which won its final five games of the season. Meanwhile, the Jets (9-7) were eliminated from playoff contention before Sunday’s contest even ended, as they would have needed a New England loss to win the division or a Baltimore loss to clinch a playoff spot. But the Patriots shut out Buffalo, 13-0, and the Ravens blasted Jacksonville, 27-7, to leave no chance that New York would make the playoffs even if the Jets had won. Brett Favre, the quarterback the Jets selected to replace Pennington in an offseason trade, completed 20-of-40 passes for 233 yards and one touchdown, but threw three interceptions in the loss. It was his seventh multi-interception game of the season and third consecutive, as New York lost four of its final five games to fall out of contention. Leon Washington ran 10 times for 60 yards and a TD for the Jets.

Final Score: San Diego 52, Denver 21

San Diego, CA - LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 96 yards and three touchdowns, and the Chargers completed an improbable regular season- ending run, thrashing Denver, 52-21, to win the AFC West Division title. Darren Sproles had 115 yards on the ground and a score for San Diego, which captured its third straight division crown thanks to winning its final four regular season games. Philip Rivers connected on 15-of-20 passes for 207 yards and a pair of TDs for the Chargers, who won their 14th straight December game and became the first 8-8 division champion since the Cleveland Browns captured the AFC Central with the same mark in 1985. It will be a familiar playoff opponent for the Chargers, who will host Indianapolis (12-4) next Saturday night at 8 p.m. (et). San Diego eliminated the Colts in the divisional round last year with that game taking place in Indianapolis. The Colts, winners of their last nine games, beat the Chargers in San Diego earlier this season, picking up a 23-20 win on Adam Vinatieri’s 51-yard field goal with no time remaining on November 23. Rivers had 34 passing touchdowns on the season, a franchise-record, passing the mark of 33 set by Dan Fouts in 1981. Also, Tomlinson has 126 career rushing TDs, passing Marcus Allen for second-most in league history. Denver became the first team since NFL divisions were formed in 1967 to miss the playoffs after holding a three-game lead with three to play. It was an ugly end to the season for the Broncos, who lost by 20 points at Carolina on December 14 and faltered at home in a 30-23 final to Buffalo last week before getting blown out by their divisional foe. Jay Cutler completed 33-of-49 passes for 316 yards with a score and was picked off twice for the Broncos (8-8), who lost out on the division thanks to a 3-3 mark against AFC West opponents, compared to a 5-1 record for the Chargers.

Final Score: Carolina 33, New Orleans 31

New Orleans, LA - DeAngelo Williams ran for 178 yards, and John Kasay made four field goals, including the game-winner with one second left, as the Carolina Panthers secured the NFC South title and a first- round bye with a 33-31 victory over the New Orleans Saints. With the win, Carolina locked up the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs and will host the highest-seeded wild card-round team in the divisional round on Saturday, January 10 at 8:15 p.m. (et). Delhomme completed 14-of-20 passes for 250 yards and a touchdown for the Panthers (12-4), who will appear in the playoffs for the first time since 2005. Steve Smith caught five passes for 134 yards, while Muhsin Muhammad registered 79 receiving yards and a touchdown on seven catches. Jonathan Stewart added a touchdown run in the win for Carolina. Drew Brees threw for 386 yards on 30-of-49 passing for the Saints, with four touchdowns and an interception, becoming the second all-time leader in single-season passing yardage. His season mark of 5,069 yards stands behind only former Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino, who threw for 5,084 yards in 1984. Marques Colston added 123 yards and a touchdown on seven catches for the Saints (8-8), who will finish short of the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Moore caught eight passes for 91 yards and two scores, while Robert Meachem scored a touchdown for the second consecutive game.

Final Score: Minnesota 20, NY Giants 19

Minneapolis, MN - Ryan Longwell kicked the game-winning 50- yard field goal as time expired to give the Vikings their first division title since the 2000 season with a 20-19 victory over the Giants at the Metrodome. With the NFC North title, the Vikings stake their claim to the third seed in the NFC playoffs and will host the Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday at 4:30 p.m. (et). The Eagles destroyed the Cowboys, 44-6, on Sunday. Adrian Peterson recorded his 10th 100-yard game of the season by gaining 103 yards on 21 touches with a score for the Vikings (10-6), who won five of their last six games of the season to win the division. Peterson leads the NFL in rushing yards with 1,760, which is also a team record. Tarvaris Jackson logged 239 yards passing on 16-of-26 efficiency with a score and an interception in the victory. Bernard Berrian totaled 81 yards on four grabs with a TD and Bobby Wade had a career-high 98 yards on four catches. Eli Manning, who played just the first half, finished 11-for-19 with 119 yards and David Carr was 8-of-11 for 110 yards and a score for the Giants (12-4), who have lost three of their last four heading to the postseason. New York owns the number one seed in the NFC playoffs and will rest on a first-round bye next week before hosting a game on Sunday, January 11 at 1 p.m. (et). Derrick Ward gained 77 yards on 15 carries, giving him his first 1,000-yard rushing season with 1,015 yards. The milestone makes him and teammate Brandon Jacobs (1,089) just the fourth pair of teammates to rush for 1,000 yards in the same season. Domenik Hixon racked up 62 yards on four catches with a touchdown and James Butler had an interception in the loss.

Final Score: Baltimore 27, Jacksonville 7

Baltimore, MD - Joe Flacco threw for 297 yards, and the Baltimore Ravens clinched a playoff berth with a 27-7 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Ravens secured the AFC’s No. 6 seed and will travel to Miami to face the AFC East champion Dolphins at 1 p.m. (et) Sunday, January 4 in the first round of the playoffs, after Miami defeated the Jets, 24-17, in the Meadowlands. Baltimore defeated the Dolphins, 27-13, in Week 6 in Miami. Flacco completed 17-of-23 passes, while LeRon McClain ran for 70 yards and two scores for the Ravens (11-5), who will head to the playoffs after finishing last season with the exact opposite record. Michael Clayton caught four passes for 128 yards, while Derrick Mason eclipsed the 10,000 receiving yard mark for his career with 77 yards on six receptions. Willis McGahee added a rushing touchdown in the win for Baltimore. David Garrard struggled, going 14-of-25 passing for 127 yards with a touchdown and two interception, for the Jaguars (5-11), who posted their worst record since going 5-11 in 2003. Maurice Jones-Drew ran for 78 yards on 23 carries, while Alvin Pearman accounted for the team’s only points with a touchdown reception.

Final Score: New England 13, Buffalo 0

Orchard Park, NY - LaMont Jordan ran for a touchdown and Stephen Gostkowski kicked two field goals, as the New England Patriots beat Buffalo, 13-0, but were eliminated from postseason contention later in the day and were kept out of the playoffs despite an 11-win season. In order to capture their sixth consecutive AFC East crown, New England needed the Jets to knock off Miami at the Meadowlands or could have made the playoffs if Baltimore lost at home to Jacksonville. Instead, the Dolphins won, 24-17, to capture the division, and the Ravens hammered the Jaguars, 27-7. The Patriots became the first 11-win team to miss the playoffs since Denver did it in 1985. Sammy Morris gained 85 yards on 24 carries and Jordan finished with 64 yards on the ground for the Patriots (11-5), who notched their first whitewashing since a 35-0 drubbing of Green Bay on November 19, 2006 and have won the last 11 meetings with Buffalo. Matt Cassel completed 6-of-8 passes for 78 yards in New England’s fourth straight victory overall. Trent Edwards connected on 14-of-25 passes for 128 yards and Fred Jackson amassed 136 yards rushing for the Bills, who finished with a 7-9 record for a third consecutive season under head coach Dick Jauron.

Final Score: Oakland 31, Tampa Bay 24

Tampa, FL - Backup running back Michael Bush ran for 177 yards with two touchdowns and JaMarcus Russell threw for 148 yards and two scores as the Oakland Raiders spoiled Tampa Bay’s playoff hopes by beating the Buccaneers, 31-24, at Raymond James Stadium. Russell completed 14-of-21 passes and Johnnie Lee Higgins had six grabs for 52 yards and a score for Oakland (5-11), which won two straight and split its last six contests. Chaz Schilens caught three passes for 46 yards and a score for the Raiders, who improved to 6-1 all-time against Tampa in the regular season. Jeff Garcia finished 17-of-33 with 257 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Buccaneers (9-7), who dropped their last four games and were eliminated from playoff contention. Carnell Williams led the Tampa Bay running attack with 78 yards on 12 touches with two scores before leaving midway through the fourth quarter with a left knee injury. Michael Clayton had a pair of grabs for 87 yards and a score, while Antonio Bryant had three catches for 77 yards in the loss.

Final Score: Houston 31, Chicago 24

Houston, TX - Matt Schaub threw for 328 yards and two scores on 27-of-36 passes, as the Houston Texans eliminated Chicago from playoff contention with a 31-24 win over the Bears. Chicago (9-7) could have clinched the NFC North title with a win and a Minnesota loss, but the Vikings beat the New York Giants, 20-19, on Sunday to claim the divisional playoff berth. The Bears also would have needed to win to clinch a wild card bid, but missed out on the postseason for the second consecutive season. Andre Johnson finished with 10 catches for 148 yards and a pair of scores for the Texans (8-8), who finished with a .500 record for the second consecutive season. Johnson also finished the year as the NFL leader in receptions and receiving yardage, with 115 catches and 1,575 yards. Steve Slaton had 20 carries for 92 yards and one TD, while Ryan Moats added a running score for Houston, which ended the season by winning five of its final six games. Kyle Orton completed 22-of-37 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns for Chicago, which had a three-game win streak snapped. Orton also ran for a score, while Devin Hester had six catches for 85 yards for the Bears. Brandon Lloyd and Greg Olsen each recorded a touchdown catch in the loss.

Final Score: Atlanta 31, St. Louis 27

Atlanta, GA - Jerious Norwood’s second touchdown run of the game, coming with 3:41 left in regulation, was the difference as Atlanta slipped past St. Louis, 31-27, at the Georgia Dome. Matt Ryan completed just 10-of-21 passes for 160 yards, one TD and two interceptions for the Falcons (11-5), who ended the season with three straight wins. Coupled with Carolina’s 33-31 road win in New Orleans, Atlanta garnered the fifth seed in the NFC and will play the NFC West champion Cardinals in Arizona on Saturday, January 3 at 4:30 p.m. (et) in the wild card round of the playoffs. Michael Turner rushed for 208 yards and one touchdown on 25 carries, while Norwood finished with 56 yards on three carries. Roddy White added a reception for a score for Atlanta. Marc Bulger finished with 230 passing yards and one touchdown on 19-of-32 throws for the Rams (2-14), who lost their 10th consecutive contest and finished with their worst record since the Los Angeles club went 1-12-1 in 1962. Steven Jackson racked up 161 yards and two TDs on 30 carries, reaching the 1,000-yard mark for the fourth straight season. Only Eric Dickerson (1983-86) accomplished the feat previously in franchise history. Torry Holt caught six balls for 90 yards while Donnie Avery had five catches for 40 yards and a touchdown reception.

Final Score: Indianapolis 23, Tennessee 0

Indianapolis, IN - Adam Vinatieri accounted for 11 points with three field goals and two extra points as the Indianapolis Colts blanked the Tennessee Titans, 23-0, in the regular-season finale. Both teams came into the game with their playoff seeding set as the Titans have the top overall seed in the AFC while the Colts sit in the fifth playoff spot. Since the game had little meaning for either club, most of the starters either sat out the game or saw limited playing time. Tennessee will have next week off while Indianapolis will travel to take on AFC West champion San Diego next Saturday at 8:00 p.m. (et). The Chargers beat Denver, 52-21, Sunday night to win their division. Peyton Manning played just one series and went 7-for-7 for 95 yards and a score for the Colts (12-4), who have won nine straight games and became the first team in NFL history to have 12 or more wins in six straight seasons. Manning’s 95 yards moved him over 4,000 yards passing for the season and extended his own NFL record for 4,000-yard passing seasons to nine. He also reached two other benchmarks as it was his 117th win as a starter, which moved him into a tie for sixth-place with Joe Montana, and he now has 3,839 completions, which tied him with Drew Bledsoe for fifth-place. Two other Colts players set milestones on Sunday as receiver Marvin Harrison moved into second on the NFL’s career receptions list and Dallas Clark broke the Indianapolis franchise single-season record for yards receiving by a tight end. Harrison caught a short pass from Jim Sorgi in the second quarter, his seventh of the game, to give him 1,102 in his career and move him past Cris Carter for second all-time, leaving Harrison behind only Jerry Rice, who holds the league record with 1,549. Harrison finished the game with seven catches for 31 yards. Clark needed just 41 yards to break the team record set by Hall of Famer John Mackey in 1966 and he accomplished that when caught a pass for a 23-yard gain on the second play of the second quarter. He left the contest with six catches for 59 yards, giving him 848 yards, 19 more than Mackey’s previous mark. Kerry Collins started under center, but left after the first series. Vince Young finished the game at quarterback and went 9-for-13 with 55 yards for the Titans (13-3), who dropped two of their last three games to close out the regular season. Tennessee will host a divisional round game on Saturday, January 10 at 4:30 p.m. (et)

Final Score: Green Bay 31, Detroit 21

Green Bay, WI - The Detroit Lions became the first team in NFL history to go 0-16 as Aaron Rogers threw three touchdowns and the Green Bay Packers put down the Lions, 31-21, to end Detroit’s season of futility. The Lions (0-16) became the first team since the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who went 0-14 in their expansion season, and the first team since the league went to a 16-game format to finish a full campaign without a win. The Lions now join the 1962 New York Mets (40-112), the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers (9-73) and the 1974-75 Washington Capitals (8-67-5) as having the worst season in their respective sports. However, the Mets and Capitals were both expansion teams when they set the mark. Detroit has finished winless previously, going 0-11 in the 1942 campaign that saw the war-depleted Lions outscored by a whopping 263-38. Dan Orlovsky went 22-for-42 with 225 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions while Calvin Johnson had nine catches for 102 yards and two scores for the Lions, who have dropped 17 straight overall and 12 consecutive games on the road. Rodgers went 21- for-31 with 308 yards while Donald Driver had six catches for 111 yards and a score for the Packers (6-10), who stopped a five-game skid, but missed the playoffs just one season after going 13-3 and coming within an overtime loss of playing in the Super Bowl.

Final Score: Pittsburgh 31, Cleveland 0

Pittsburgh, PA - Willie Parker ran for 116 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries, and the Steelers defense held Cleveland to 126 yards total offense, as Pittsburgh throttled the Browns, 31-0, to close the 2008 regular season. AFC North champion Pittsburgh (12-4) now awaits next week’s results to see who it hosts in the divisional playoff round on Sunday, January 11 at 4:45 p.m. (et). Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suffered a concussion with 1:48 left in the second quarter after an incomplete pass to Heath Miller and was replaced by Byron Leftwich. Roethlisberger was taken to the hospital for observation after throwing for 110 yards and an interception on 9-of-14 passing. Leftwich completed 7-of-12 throws for 80 yards, while adding a rushing score, in the win for Pittsburgh. Gary Russell also had a rushing touchdown in the victory. Hines Ward caught six passes for 70 yards, recording career reception 800 while going past 1,000 yards for the fifth straight season. Cleveland’s (4-12) ineptitude on offense continued with an NFL- record 24 straight quarters without an offensive touchdown. Bruce Gradkowski, the Browns’ fourth starting quarterback of the season, went a paltry 5-for-16 passing for 18 yards and two interceptions. Jamal Lewis ran for 94 yards on 23 carries to account for most of the team’s offensive production.

Final Score: Arizona 34, Seattle 21

Glendale, AZ - Kurt Warner threw for 263 yards and four touchdowns on 19-of-30 passing and Larry Fitzgerald had five receptions for 130 yards and a pair of scores, as the NFC West champion Arizona Cardinals defeated Seattle, 34-21, in the final game for Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren. Edgerrin James had 14 carries for 100 yards for Arizona (9-7), which will host the Atlanta Falcons next Saturday at 4:30 p.m. (et) in an NFL wild card game. The Cardinals will be hosting their first playoff game since 1947, when they were based in Chicago. The Cardinals secured their first winning season since 1998, their last playoff appearance. It’s just the second time since 1984 they’ve ended above .500. Holmgren finished 86-74 as Seattle’s head coach in the regular season and 4-6 in the postseason. Former Falcons head coach Jim Mora, Jr. will take over for Holmgren in 2009. Seneca Wallace connected on 24-of-43 passes for 250 yards with a pair of scores and was picked off twice for Seattle (4-12), which also got 90 yards and a pair of touchdowns from wide receiver Deion Branch.

Final Score: Cincinnati 16, Kansas City 6

Cincinnati, OH - Cedric Benson rushed for 111 yards on 25 carries and scored a touchdown while Shayne Graham booted three field goals as Cincinnati beat Kansas City, 16-6, at Paul Brown Stadium. Ryan Fitzpatrick completed 18-of-30 passes for 129 yards for the Bengals (4-11-1), who completed the regular season with three wins in succession and emerged victorious despite playing without their two top receivers, Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, due to injury. Andre Caldwell led the Cincinnati receiving corps, catching five balls for 34 yards. Tyler Thigpen threw for 191 yards and a score on 19-of-36 completions for the Chiefs (2-14), who finished the year by losing their final four contests and posted their least amount of wins since going 2-12 in 1977. Dwayne Bowe recorded a game-best 10 catches for 103 yards and Tony Gonzalez had a late TD reception for Kansas City, which has dropped 23 of 25 games dating back to last season.

Final Score: San Francisco 27, Washington 24

San Francisco, CA - Joe Nedney kicked a 39-yard field goal as time expired to give the 49ers a 27-24 victory over the Washington Redskins in the season finale on a day San Francisco made Mike Singletary their permanent head coach with a reported four-year deal. Shaun Hill finished 21-of-30 passing for 245 yards with a touchdown and an interception and also ran for a score for San Francisco (7-9), which finished the campaign on a high note, winning four of its last five games. Frank Gore led the 49ers running attack with 58 yards on 11 carries, while DeShaun Foster chipped in with 44 yards on the ground and a score. Jason Hill contributed with a TD catch. Jason Campbell threw for 156 yards on 18-of-30 efficiency with a touchdown pass and added a rushing score, while Antwaan Randle El had a touchdown catch for the Redskins (8-8), who closed out the season by dropping four of five. Clinton Portis had 80 yards on 29 touches with a score.

(Sunday, December 28th)

Final Score: Louisiana Tech 17, Northern Illinois 10

Shreveport, LA - Daniel Porter logged 78 yards on the ground with a touchdown and Phillip Livas returned a kickoff for a score, as the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs edged the Northern Illinois Huskies, 17-10, in the 33rd annual Independence Bowl.

Ross Jenkins managed the game effectively, passing for 144 yards on 12-of-27 passes for the Bulldogs (8-5), who won five of their last six games to end the season.

Chandler Harnish connected on 20-of-40 throws for 181 yards and a touchdown while adding 61 yards on the ground, but the signal-caller threw two interceptions for the Huskies (6-7), who stumbled to lose four of their final five affairs.

The Huskies moved the ball into the red zone of their first touch of the game but failed to gain a first down on 4th-and-1 from the Tech 19. Nonetheless, Kyle Skarb caught an eight-yard out route to put NIU up 7-0 with two minutes to go in the opening quarter.

Livas countered seconds later, darting up the middle on the ensuing kickoff, breaking a tackle and adding a brilliant stutter-step move that froze another defender en route to a highlight-reel 97-yard score.

Porter’s 11-yard touchdown run capped Tech’s five-play, 42-yard drive 1:19 into the second frame.

A muffed punt gave the Bulldogs the ball at the NIU 24-yard line just before the break, but Jenkins threw three straight incompletions and Brad Oestriecher missed a 41-yard field goal attempt to keep it a 14-7 affair.

Oestriecher and his counterpart Mike Salerno traded 33 and 20-yard field goals, respectively, on the opening drives of the third quarter.

The game remained 17-10 throughout the fourth. The Huskies moved the ball into enemy territory with just over two minutes to go in the game, but Harnish threw an incomplete pass on 4th-and-4 from the Tech 46-yard line and the Bulldogs held on for the win.

Game Notes

This was Tech’s fourth appearance in the Independence Bowl, moving its record to 2-1-1…Northern Illinois is now 2-2 all-time in bowl games…Chad Spann led the NIU running attack with 79 yards on 14 carries, while Matt Simon posted a team-high six grabs for 44 yards…Despite the loss, the Huskies outgained the Bulldogs, 339-236.

(Sunday, December 28th)

Final Score: Denver 117, New York 110

New York, NY - Carmelo Anthony returned to the Denver lineup after a three-game absence with a right elbow injury to score a game-high 32 points and grab nine rebounds, leading the Nuggets to a 117-110 victory over the struggling New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. J.R. Smith totaled 16 points and five boards for Denver, which has won three of its last four games. Chauncey Billups had 14 points and five assists, while Nene added 13 points and nine rebounds. Nate Robinson poured in 20 points for the Knicks, who were handed their season-high sixth straight loss. David Lee contributed 19 points and 12 rebounds, while Chris Duhon and Wilson Chandler scored 17 apiece.

Final Score: Dallas 98, LA Clippers 76

Los Angeles, CA - Josh Howard scored 29 points, grabbed nine rebounds and doled out seven assists to lead the Dallas Mavericks in a 98-76 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. The Mavs were without the services of forward Dirk Nowitzki, who was suspended by the league for one game without pay for throwing a punch at Utah’s Matt Harpring in Friday night’s 97-88 loss to the Jazz. Jose Barea added 17 points for Dallas, which has won four of its last five games. Brandon Bass chipped in 14 points and nine boards and Jason Terry had 12 points in the win. Marcus Camby poured in 16 points and hauled in 12 rebounds for the Clippers, who have dropped three straight. Al Thornton added 16 points and Eric Gordon 12 in defeat.

Final Score: Cleveland 93, Miami 86

Cleveland, OH - LeBron James scored 33 points and doled out nine assists to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers in a 93-86 victory over the Miami Heat in the front end of a home-and-home series from Quicken Loans Arena. The victory kept Cleveland as the lone unbeaten team at home in the NBA, with a 16-0 record this season. Mo Williams poured in 20 points for the Cavs, who have won six in a row. Ben Wallace had 14 rebounds and Anderson Varejao ended with 12 points and 10 boards. Dwyane Wade logged 29 points and eight helpers for the Heat, who saw their four-game win streak halted. Udonis Haslem chipped in 15 points and nine rebounds in defeat.

Final Score: New Orleans 105, Indiana 103

Indianapolis, IN - David West hit the go-ahead jumper with 2.5 seconds remaining, boosting New Orleans to a 105-103 win over the Indiana Pacers. West finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Hornets, who have won back-to-back games and six of their last eight contests. Chris Paul scored 19 and dished out 12 assists, and James Posey also had 19 points for New Orleans. Rasual Butler scored 15, and Peja Stojakovic ended with 12 points and eight boards in the win. Danny Granger scored 34, and Troy Murphy recorded 16 points and 16 rebounds for Indiana, which has lost three in a row by a combined six points. Roy Hibbert had 19 points.

Final Score: Boston 108, Sacramento 63

Sacramento, CA - Kevin Garnett logged 21 points and 11 rebounds in just 23 minutes of action and the Boston Celtics breezed back into the win column with a resounding 108-63 victory over the Sacramento Kings. Ray Allen, coming off a seven-point effort against Golden State, shot 7-for-8 from the field en route to 19 points for Boston, which was coming off back-to-back losses for the first time this season. Eddie House and Paul Pierce posted 15 and 13 points, respectively, in the laugher. John Salmons was the only Kings player in double figures with 11 points, as Sacramento dropped its sixth straight game after shooting a woeful 27.9 percent from the floor.

Final Score: LA Lakers 130, Golden State 113

Los Angeles, CA - Kobe Bryant connected on 9-of-15 from the floor and 10-of-10 from the free throw line for a game-high 31 points as the Lakers pounded the Warriors, 130-113. Both teams were coming off victories over Boston, as Golden State used a big fourth quarter to stun the defending champions on Friday, one day after the Lakers snapped the Celtics’ 19-game winning streak. Los Angeles kept the momentum going, however, winning its fourth straight game after hitting 51.6 percent from the floor. Derek Fisher and Sasha Vujacic logged 19 and 17 points, respectively, while Andrew Bynum chipped in 13 points and 10 rebounds. Jamal Crawford, who was questionable with a strained left groin, poured in a team-high 22 points to go with five assists for Golden State, which has lost eight of its last 10 affairs. Brandan Wright, Marco Belinelli and C.J. Watson each tallied 14 points in the loss. Andris Biedrins pulled down 17 rebounds.

(Sunday, December 28th)

Final Score: (1) North Carolina 97, Rutgers 75

Chapel Hill, NC - Tyler Hansbrough scored 26 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to pace top-ranked North Carolina to a 97-75 win over Rutgers. Ty Lawson had 19 points and Danny Green contributed 18 points for the Tar Heels (12-0), who have won all of their games this season by double digits, extending a school record. Mike Rosario had 26 points to lead Rutgers (9-4), which had a four-game winning streak broken. Corey Chandler had 14 points, Anthony Farmer 12 and JR Inman 11 in defeat.

Final Score: (10) Purdue 59, Valparaiso 45

West Lafayette, IN - E’Twaun Moore posted 14 points as 10th- ranked Purdue dispatched in-state rival Valparaiso, 59-45, at Mackey Arena. JaJuan Johnson added 10 points for the Boilermakers (11-2), winners in six straight games. Robbie Hummel posted nine points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Jake Diebler and Urule Igbavboa each scored 13 points for the Crusaders (3-9), who have lost five in a row. Howard Little had eight with 10 boards in a losing cause.

Final Score: (13) UCLA 78, Louisiana Tech 55

Los Angeles, CA - Josh Shipp had 16 points as 13th-ranked UCLA crushed Louisiana Tech, 78-55, at Pauley Pavilion. Alfred Aboya had 12 points and six rebounds while Jrue Holiday finished the game with 12 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Bruins (10-2), who have won six straight. Magnum Rolle had a game-high 17 points and added seven rebounds, and Kyle Gibson added 11 points and three assists for the Bulldogs (6-7), who have dropped three of their last four.

Final Score: (23) Minnesota 82, High Point 56

Minneapolis, MN - Ralph Sampson III scored 17 points to lead No. 23 Minnesota past High Point, 82-56, at Williams Arena. Lawrence Westbrook added 13 points for the Golden Gophers (12-0), who are three wins shy of tying the school record for best start to a season which was set in the 1901-1902 season. Devron Bostick and Devoe Joseph finished with 11 points apiece. Eugene Harris totaled 18 points for the Panthers (4-8), who have dropped three in a row. Steadman Short chipped in 13 points and seven boards in defeat.

(Sunday, December 28th)

Final Score: Boston 2, Atlanta 1

Atlanta, GA - Michael Ryder scored the game-winning goal with 6:04 to play as the Boston Bruins continued their tear through the NHL with a 2-1 win over the Atlanta Thrashers at Philips Arena. Phil Kessel scored the other goal while Manny Fernandez stopped 32 shots for the Bruins, who have won eight straight and 13 of 14 overall. Boston, which has an eight-game winning streak for the first time in almost 16 years, is now 27-5-4 on the season and has a comfortable lead for first place overall in the Eastern Conference. Also, the team is tied with San Jose for most overall points in the league. Bryan Little scored the lone goal while Kari Lehtonen made 26 saves in the loss for the Thrashers, who have dropped three of four.

Final Score: Anaheim 4, St. Louis 3

St. Louis, MO - Bobby Ryan scored the go-ahead goal with 7:11 remaining in the third period and Jonas Hiller made a key save with three seconds left as the Anaheim Ducks edged the St. Louis Blues, 4-3, at Scottrade Center. Ryan also chipped in with an assist, while Scott Niedermayer added a goal and a helper for the Ducks, who snapped a three-game losing skid. Rob Niedermayer and Steve Montador also tallied for in the win. Hiller was steady between the pipes stopping 27-of-30 shots for Anaheim. Keith Tkachuk and David Perron led the St. Louis offensive attack with a goal and an assist each, while Brad Boyes lit the lamp. The Blues have dropped eight of 10. Chris Mason made 25 saves in goal for St. Louis.

Final Score: Chicago 4, Minnesota 1

St. Paul, MN - Dustin Byfuglien scored twice, and the Chicago Blackhawks extended their winning streak to a franchise-best nine games with a 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. The Blackhawks had previously won eight in a row twice before: from January 4-21, 1981 and December 9-26, 1971. They also improved their record in December to 10-0-1. Byfuglien added two assists, while Martin Havlat tallied a goal for the Blackhawks, who will try for 10 straight wins at Detroit on Tuesday. Cristobal Huet made 18 saves in the win. Cal Clutterbuck scored the lone goal for the Wild, who have lost eight of 10. The Wild registered just 19 shots on goal, and Niklas Backstrom allowed three goals on 31 shots to take the loss.

Final Score: Washington 4, Toronto 1

Washington, DC - Brooks Laich and Alex Ovechkin scored two goals apiece to lead the streaking Washington Capitals to a 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Verizon Center. Ovechkin upped his season total to 25 goals, tying him with Buffalo’s Thomas Vanek for second in the NHL, one behind Philadelphia’s Jeff Carter for the league lead. He helped Washington win its third in a row and eighth in its past nine. Jose Theodore made 23 saves in the win for the Capitals, on the night they retired Mike Gartner’s No. 11 jersey. Niklas Hagman scored the lone got for Toronto, which has lost three in a row and posted only four combined goals during that stretch. Vesa Toskala turned aside 25-of-28 shots for the Leafs.

Final Score: Edmonton 5, Nashville 2

Edmonton, AB - Erik Cole finished with a goal and two assists, as the Edmonton Oilers used a three-goal second period to topple the Nashville Predators, 5-2. Sam Gagner and Sheldon Souray each had a goal and an assist for Edmonton, which has won three in a row following a three-game losing streak. Dwayne Roloson made 28 saves in the win for the Oilers. Shea Weber and Martin Erat scored for Nashville, which was coming off a 3-2 win over Detroit on Friday. But the Predators followed it up with a loss, and they have for their last four victories. Dan Ellis gave up four goals on 17 shots in the goaltending start for Nashville, and was pulled for Pekka Rinne, who allowed a goal on 16 shots faced.

Final Score: Vancouver 3, Ottawa 0

Vancouver, BC - Curtis Sanford stopped 18 shots for his fifth career shutout as Vancouver beat Ottawa 3-0, sending the Senators to their 12th consecutive road defeat. Alexander Edler, Henrik Sedin and Pavol Demitra each scored for the Canucks, who snapped a two-game skid. Antoine Vermette had three shots on goal for the Senators, who have lost three in a row overall and are 2-7-1 in their last 10 tilts and remain in last in the Northeast Division with just 29 points on the year. Martin Gerber made 29 saves for Ottawa, which is just 3-11-2 as the visiting club and last earned a win away from home when it beat Florida on October 30.