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Liverpool fights back to earn 2-2 draw with Arsenal

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:35:10 GMT

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Roberto Firmino scored an 87th-minute equalizer to put a dent in Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge and earn a 2-2 draw for Liverpool on Sunday. The Brazilian forward rose at the far post to complete a rousing comeback from the Merseyside club after Arsenal had raced to a two-goal lead at Anfield. Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus had put the league leaders in control. But Mohamed Salah reduced the deficit before halftime and then missed a penalty after the break. With Arsenal looking set to extend its lead at the top to eight points over Manchester City, Firmino struck what could be a decisive goal in the title race. It had all been going so well for the visitors, with Martinelli firing them ahead in the eighth minute when capitalizing on a mistake from Virgil van Dijk. The forward raced through on goal after Van Dijk’s attempted clearance fell straight into his path and slipped a low shot past Alisson. Arsenal went 2-0 ahead in the 28th thr...

Haslem plays, scores in final regular-season game with Heat

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:35:10 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Udonis Haslem got a surprise before his final game: a rocking chair, courtesy of his teammates.Haslem played Sunday in his final regular-season game, coming in as a reserve in Miami’s matchup against Orlando. But first, flanked by his family, he addressed the crowd, thanking the fans in his hometown for supporting him for two decades.“Whether I was starting, whether I was the first guy off the bench or whether I didn’t play at all, you guys always had my back and showed love,” Haslem said. “For me, that’s priceless. That’s beautiful. And that’s why it made it all so easy, just to sacrifice everything.”And when he was done, Heat center Bam Adebayo went out to interrupt the proceedings — and give Haslem his gift, a Heat-themed rocking chair.“There you go man, take your seat,” Adebayo said. Haslem eventually complied.The big moment of Haslem actually checking in — an ovation began to build as soon as he headed to the scorer’s table...

Referees body to review clash between official and Robertson

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:35:10 GMT

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — The body in charge of professional referees said it will review a clash between Andy Robertson and assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis during Liverpool’s game against Arsenal on Sunday. Video replays appeared to show Hatzidakis raise his arm when colliding with the Liverpool defender around the end of the first half of the Premier League game at Anfield. In a statement, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) confirmed it would look into the matter. “PGMOL is aware of an incident involving assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis and Liverpool defender Andrew Robertson at halftime during the Liverpool v Arsenal fixture at Anfield,” it said. “We will review the matter in full once the game has concluded.”___More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

Death investigation shutters train to and from DIA on Sunday

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:35:10 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Service on the RTD A Line from Union Station to the Denver International Airport was interrupted Sunday afternoon for police activity related to a death investigation.Denver police said the investigation was on the RTD A Line at Smith Road and North Monaco Street Parkway.The identity of the deceased will be released by the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner.Shuttle buses are replacing both eastbound and westbound routes while the line is closed, according to the RTD website.

Oh Yeah! ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ is a smash hit

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:35:10 GMT

Audiences said let’s go to the movie theater for ” The Super Mario Bros. Movie ” this weekend.The animated offering from Universal and Illumination powered up with $204.6 million in its first five days in 4,343 North American theaters, including $146.4 million over the weekend, according to studio estimates on Sunday.With an estimated $173 million in international earnings and a global total of $377 million, “Mario” broke records for video game adaptations (passing “Warcraft’s” $210 million) and animated films (“Frozen 2’s” $358 million).Its global total makes it the biggest opening of 2023 and the second biggest three-day domestic animated opening (behind “Finding Dory”). It’s also a record for Illumination, the animation shop behind successful franchises like “Minions,” which has made over $5 billion from its 13 films.“This partnership between Nintendo and Illumination is just inc...

Cam Thomas erupts for 46; Nets walloped by 76ers in playoff preview

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:35:10 GMT

Cam Thomas is still a bucket — and the Nets are going have their hands full in their first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers.Those are the two takeaways from Brooklyn’s 134-105 loss to the Sixers in Sunday’s season finale, a game both teams opted to rest their starters and key rotation players.Thomas erupted for 46 points on 16-of-29 shooting from the field in a scintillating display of his isolation scoring abilities. He became the fifth player in Nets franchise history with four or more 40-point games in a season, with the other three coming in the wake of Kyrie Irving’s midseason trade request.Yet the depleted Nets remained a class below the depleted 76ers in a foreshadowing of what’s to come in the first round of the playoffs.Philadelphia sat its entire starting five — Joel Embiid, James Harden, Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey and P.J. Tucker — plus sixth man De’Anthony Melton against the Nets. Head coach Jacque Vaugh...

Heat hail Haslem in 123-110 win over Magic, with play-in showdown next against Hawks

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:35:10 GMT

On the eve of something dramatically and desperately new for the franchise, the Miami Heat first paid tribute to someone enduring and exemplary.In a game with no impact on their place in the standings, the Heat instead put the focus Sunday on the final regular-season game of the 20-season career of 42-year-old team captain Udonis Haslem.For the Heat, the 123-110 victory over the visiting Orlando Magic stood secondary to the tribute to Haslem, who arrived undrafted in 2003 and went on to contribute to three championships during his two decades with his hometown team.Haslem received numerous ovations during his 24-point performance, including when he finished an alley-oop dunk and converted three 3-pointers, a career high for any previous season. He checked out with 58.9 seconds to play to a standing ovation. The effort tied his second highest scoring total in a regular-season game.“I just wanted to ride the wave until the game was over,” he said. “I just wanted to g...

Winderman’s view: Something old (Haslem) and something new (Kaseya) as Heat close regular season with win

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:35:10 GMT

Observations and other notes of interest from Sunday ‘s 123-110 victory over the Orlando Magic:– It was quite the juxtaposition.– The last regular-season game in the building for Udonis Haslem.– And the first game with the building branded as the Kaseya Center.– Haslem looked perfectly in place.– The branding? That could take a while to get used to.– There will be a formal naming ceremony Monday.– With Sunday reserved for Haslem’s moment.– If nothing else, Haslem showed the conditioning resilience to be ready for the moment.– Now will the building’s new name have similar lasting power?– (It’s a Miami software company.)– So the end for something old.– Not that 42 is old in non-basketball years.– And the start for something new, with the stain of FTX in the building’s rearview mirror.– And so, for the postseason, as long as it lasts, Kaseya Center.– Starting Tuesday ...

Payton Pritchard records first triple-double, Celtics make 25 3-pointers in season-ending win over Hawks

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:35:10 GMT

From day one since becoming the head coach of the Celtics, Joe Mazzulla has preached and stressed the value of the 3-pointer.“I love 3-pointers,” Mazzulla said after a win over the Wizards in October. “I like math.”As Sunday’s regular-season finale showed, that message has been received loud and clear all season long.Even without most of their starters and regulars on Sunday, Mazzulla’s ideal shot profile was on full display at TD Garden, where the Celtics let it fly from everywhere. Payton Pritchard hit a career-high nine 3-pointers, Sam Hauser made a career-best eight triples and Mike Muscala added four more as the Celtics drained 25 3-pointers – two off tying the franchise record – in their 120-114 victory over the Hawks.Hauser scored 26 points, Muscala had 27 and Pritchard finished with his first career triple-double with 30 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. Fittingly, the assist that gave him the triple-double was on a triple from J.D. Davison in the fourth quarter.The Celtic...

Texan declared innocent in slaying now arrested in another

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:35:10 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — A Houston man declared innocent in 2021 after being convicted in a fatal stabbing and serving seven years in prison has been charged with murder in the shooting a fellow motorist, police said.Lydell Grant, 46, is accused of killing Edwin Arevalo, 33, following a minor traffic collision Thursday night, Houston police said. Police said Grant got out of his vehicle, shot Arvelo and then fled.Grant was the taken into custody Friday after a warrant was issued for his arrest, police said. He remained jailed Sunday on $1 million bond. The attorney for Grant listed in court records in this case could not immediately be reached on Sunday.In 2012, Grant was convicted of killing 28-year-old Aaron Scheerhoorn, who was stabbed outside a Houston bar in 2010. Six eyewitnesses to the stabbing had testified against Grant at trial. But Grant was was declared innocent in May 2021 by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals after a new analysis of DNA found on the victim’s fingernails pointed...