Update on the latest sports - KVIA

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NBA

COVID tests require delay in Heat-Pistons game

MIAMI (AP) — Washington’s game at Charlotte on Wednesday has been postponed, the 14th such move by the NBA since Jan. 10.

The Wizards are now assured of going at least 11 days between games.

And Monday’s game in Miami between the Heat and the Detroit Pistons was pushed back five hours, with the league and teams making that decision so additional COVID-19 testing could be processed.

Those are the latest developments as a wave of schedule changes in the NBA has now stretched into a second week.

NBA-SCHEDULE

Knicks top Magic

NEW YORK (AP) — R.J. Barrett scored 22 points and had 10 rebounds, and Julius Randle added 21 points and 17 rebounds to lead the New York Knicks to a 91-84 win over the Orlando Magic.

Elfrid Payton chipped in with 12 points and rookie guard Immanuel Quickley added 11 for the Knicks, who improved to 7-8 with their second straight win. Nikola Vucevic had 24 points and 14 rebounds for Orlando in its sixth straight loss.

In other King holiday action:

— Ja Morant had 17 points and 10 assists and took a key charge late as the Memphis Grizzlies won their fifth straight, defeating the Phoenix Suns 108-104. Morant assisted on a Grayson Allen 3-pointer with 1:06 left to give Memphis a 101-98 lead, then scored on a drive with 30.8 seconds remaining. On the ensuing possession, Morant took a charge against Chris Paul to help maintain the Memphis lead. Deandre Ayton led the Suns with 18 points and 16 rebounds. Mikal Bridges with 17 points, while Paul had 16 points and seven assists for Phoenix.

—LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points, DeMar DeRozan had 20 points and 11 assists and the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 125-104. Rudy Gay and Patty Mills came off the bench for 21 points apiece as the Spurs reserves outscored Portland’s 59-24. Reserve center Jakob Poeltl added 11 points and seven rebounds, six of which came on the offensive glass. Damian Lillard led Portland with 35 points.

—Clint Capela had 23 points and 15 rebounds, De’Andre Hunter scored 25 and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 108-97. The Hawks wore black, tan and white uniforms with “MLK” sewn across the chest to commemorate the national holiday honoring slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Atlanta snapped a two-game skid. Trae Young had 20 points and 13 assists for Atlanta, which took its biggest lead, 15 points, on consecutive 3s from the right side by Kevin Huerter and Hunter with 5:59 remaining. D’Angelo Russell finished with 31 points for Minnesota, which has lost nine of 10.

NBA-NETS-IRVING

Irving missing seventh game

NEW YORK (AP) — Kyrie Irving will miss a seventh straight game when the Brooklyn Nets host the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Nets hoped their point guard would be able to return for the showdown against the Eastern Conference powers. They listed him as questionable in Sunday’s injury report. Irving was downgraded to out on Monday afternoon.

Irving’s absence began when he missed a victory over Philadelphia on Jan. 7 for personal reasons. He was eligible to rejoin the Nets on Saturday after completing a five-day quarantine, but coach Steve Nash said the team wanted to make sure he ramped up his conditioning carefully after missing so much time.

NBA-CAVALIERS-PORTER

Cavaliers moving on from Porter

CLEVELAND (AP) — A person familiar with the situation tells The Associated Press that the Cleveland Cavaliers are moving on from troubled and talented forward Kevin Porter Jr. The Cavs will either trade or release Porter, who has not played for them this season.

A first-round draft pick in 2019, Porter rejoined the team only last week after being away to attend to personal issues. He was in street clothes and on the bench with his teammates Friday night when the Cavs beat the New York Knicks.

NHL-SCHEDULE

Columbus beats Detroit

DETROIT (AP) — Alexandre Texier and Pierre-Luc Dubois scored 1:16 apart early in the third period to give the Columbus Blue Jackets a two-goal lead and they held on to beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-2.

Oliver Bjorkstrand scored late in the second period and Joonas Korpisalo finished with 35 saves in the Blue Jackets’ first win of the season. Bobby Ryan scored twice for Detroit. and Thomas Greiss stopped 26 shots.

In other Monday action:

—Semyon Varlamov stopped 27 shots for his 29th career shutout, Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored with 4:09 remaining, and the New York Islanders beat the Boston Bruins 1-0 in their home opener. Adam Pelech fired a shot from the left point and Boston’s Patrice Bergeron deflected the puck up in air. Pageau batted it in past Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask to put the Islanders on the scoreboard. Varlamov missed Saturday’s game against the Rangers after he took a puck off his neck in pregame warmups. He got his second shutout in two starts this season. He had 24 saves in a 4-0 win against the Rangers last Thursday.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL-TENNESSEE-PRUIT

Tennessee fires Pruitt, 9 others for ‘serious’ NCAA issues

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee has fired football coach Jeremy Pruitt, two assistants and seven members of the Volunteers’ recruiting and support staff for cause after an internal investigation found what the university chancellor called “serious violations of NCAA rules.”

Chancellor Donde Plowman said Pruitt was responsible for overseeing the program.

Tennessee has been conducting an internal investigation since at least the middle of November into allegations of recruiting violations.

Tennessee will be looking for its fourth different coach since the Vols last won the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division title. Pruitt’s team went 3-7 last season.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL-POLL

Familiar names at top of poll

UNDATED (AP) — Gonzaga once again has racked up all but the two first-place votes that went to Baylor in the latest Associated Press men’s college basketball poll.

Villanova remained firmly behind the preseason top two despite not playing a game since Dec. 23 due to COVID-19 pauses within its program. Iowa and Texas swapped places to round out the top 5, while Duke plummeted from the poll for the first time since February 2016 following its loss to Virginia Tech.

Louisville also fell out while No. 18 Alabama and No. 24 UCLA were newcomers to the poll.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Michigan State postpones game

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State is postponing its game this weekend against No. 22 Illinois, moving a third straight basketball game due to a COVID-19 outbreak within coach Tom Izzo’s program.

Izzo made the announcement Monday, a day after one additional player and two non-coaching staff members tested positive for the coronavirus. Last week, three players tested positive and that led to the Spartans postponing games at No. 4 Iowa and against Indiana.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Vanderbilt women’s team ends season

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Vanderbilt’s women’s basketball program has decided to end its season with the Commodores struggling with a depleted roster.

The Commodores were 4-4. The start of their season had three cancellations, and they’ve played two games since having a game canceled and two others postponed. They lost on Sunday to No. 12 Kentucky 80-73. Vanderbilt’s roster has been thinned by COVID-19 issues, opt-outs, injuries, a player with myocarditis and another recovering from an ACL injury.

The Commodores join a growing list of women’s basketball teams that have decided to stop playing that now includes Duke, SMU, Virginia and San Jose State.

In other virus news:

—UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma says playing the NCAA Tournament this year is a fiscal necessity for most schools. The Hall of Famer was responding to comments by Baylor coach Kim Mulkey, who said she believes the college basketball season will continue despite the COVID-19 pandemic because of “the almighty dollar.” Auriemma said most schools can’t afford to lose the money generated by the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive year. He said he also believes most players, coaches and school administrators are in favor of completing the season.

MLB-RED SOX-PHILLIES

Phillies get Chatham from Bosox

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies have acquired infielder C.J. Chatham from the Boston Red Sox for a player to be named or cash. Chatham hit .298 with 14 home runs and a .739 OPS in 266 minor league games. He batted .302 with two home runs in 20 games in Tripe-A in 2019.

HOCKEY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Hockey championships pulled from Belarus

ZURICH (AP) — The hockey world championships have been pulled from Belarus following pressure from opposition groups and a threatened boycott by sponsors.

The International Ice Hockey Federation cites safety concerns and says it will seek a new country to co-host the tournament with Latvia or host it on its own.

Criticism of Belarus’ role as co-host grew after authoritarian president Alexander Lukashenko’s disputed re-election last year was followed by mass arrests at largely peaceful demonstrations. The IIHF says its council “determined that it is currently impossible to ensure the welfare of teams, spectators and officials” in Belarus. The tournament is scheduled to start May 21.

NFL-COMBINE

NFL won’t allow in-person workouts for scouting combine

UNDATED (AP) — The NFL will not allow in-person workouts for the scouting combine for health and safety precautions because of COVID-19. The league informed teams Monday that any workouts will take place on the individual pro days on college campuses. Interviews of prospects and psychological testing and assessments will be done virtually. The league is working with club physicians and athletic trainers to obtain comprehensive medical information on each of the invited prospects. The plan will likely involve a combination of virtual interviews by club medical staffs and testing done at labs and medical facilities near the invited prospect’s residence.

In other NFL news:

—Jon Arnett, one of Southern California’s greatest running backs who went on to become a five-time Pro Bowl player for the Los Angeles Rams, has died. He was 85. USC says Arnett died Saturday of heart failure in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Arnett earned the nickname “Jaguar Jon” for his acrobatic agility and elusiveness running the ball that he honed as a youth gymnast. He lettered at USC from 1954-56. Arnett was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001. Arnett was a five-time Pro Bowl selection with the Rams. He also played for the Chicago Bears during his 10-year NFL career.