The Sports Report: Clippers blow big lead and lose

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From Andrew Greif: This was the Clippers as they expected to be: Drives leading to open three-pointers, possessions leading to points, clamp-down defense leading to a commanding lead, their stars leading a franchise to wonder how far efforts like this could take them.

It lasted for one quarter against the Orlando Magic.

The final three Wednesday night in Amway Center displayed the Clippers as they have been in reality, 26 games into this season: Lacking consistency, a team capable of producing mesmerizing highs but head-scratching lows and lineups that click only to suddenly not be able to be played.

One game after Paul George and Kawhi Leonard’s clutch plays sealed a victory in their long-awaited returns from injury, the All-Star duo pushed to a dominant, 18-point first-quarter lead. When it was gone at the end of regulation, so were Leonard and George, seated on the sideline as overtime began, the decision dictated because each had bumped against their prescribed minutes limit, coach Tyronn Lue said.

Each got one last chance in overtime to snatch a win back.

After 29 minutes in regulation, Leonard checked in for the final 82 seconds of overtime. And after the Clippers committed a five-second inbounds violation while trailing by just one with seven seconds left — a turnover that drew a disbelieving reaction from Lue — George, after 33 minutes, re-entered with five seconds left, the Clippers down 113-111, for one play. It was intended to clear out one side of the court and allow George to take a nearly full-court inbounds pass and make a play.

George had his opening but the long pass sailed out of bounds, just out of reach, a 116-111 loss going with it.

George felt as though he could finish the game and Leonard also wanted to be on the floor to start overtime, not sandwiched into tight courtside seats where they were joined by point guard Reggie Jackson, who also came out of the game after regulation after making five of his 20 shots in 31 minutes.

“You understand the medical side of it where this is my second game back from a hamstring injury and we got another one tomorrow night so I get it, it’s just tough, it’s tough,” George said. “The competitive side takes over and I want to compete and we got ourselves in a tough finish. As one of the leaders I want to be out there and help close the game out.”

LAKERS

From Dan Woike: The Lakers were a combination of sick, tired and old as they rolled into Toronto early Wednesday morning after losing in Cleveland the night before.

Anthony Davis stayed in the back, receiving medicine and fluids as the Lakers try to get him ready for the final games of their trip. LeBron James and Patrick Beverley, the oldest players on the team, got the night off to deal with lingering ankle and knee issues, respectively.

It meant the Lakers were left kind of rudderless, and ultimately hopeless, in a 126-113 loss to the Raptors.

“Just play the right way — miss or make shots, just play the right way,” Westbrook said. “Compete. And then whatever happens after that, you live with the results.”

DODGERS

From Bill Shaikin: For the Dodgers, the ghost of a Christmas past looms.

Two winters ago, the Dodgers celebrated their first World Series championship in 32 years, then welcomed a hometown star by showering $102 million upon Trevor Bauer.

Bauer pitched half a season for the Dodgers in 2021 and not at all in 2022, and he remains under contract through 2023. He also remains under suspension, and the uncertainty over his potential reinstatement has impacted the Dodgers’ winter plans.

Bauer is appealing his two-year suspension for violating baseball’s policy on sexual assault and domestic violence, and an arbitrator is expected to issue a decision late this month or sometime next month.

For Bauer, $60 million is at stake. For the Dodgers, perhaps $100 million is at stake, more than enough to sway the course of the team this winter.

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RAMS

From Gary Klein: Baker Mayfield sat next to Rams coach Sean McVay on a flight to the 2018 NFL scouting combine.

On Thursday, the new Rams quarterback could be standing beside McVay on the sideline when the Rams play host to the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium.

But will Mayfield play with only two days of preparation?

McVay said Wednesday that he would “lean toward” having Mayfield available but stopped short of saying Mayfield would play.

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The Raiders return to L.A. on Thursday night. In many ways it’s as if they never left

CHARGERS

From Jeff Miller: Miami has Tua Tagovailoa, who Wednesday was announced as the leader in fan voting for the Pro Bowl.

The Dolphins have Jaylen Waddle, who Sunday likely will surpass 1,000 yards receiving for the season.

And they have Mike Gesicki, a player Chargers coach Brandon Staley called a “big-play tight end.”

Then, on top of all of that, Miami has Tyreek Hill, whom many of Staley’s players know as the red blur streaking away from them in his previous role as a Kansas City Chief.

Yes, despite being dealt half a country away in the offseason, Hill still is primed to haunt the Chargers this Sunday.

“They’ve done a good job of tailoring the offense to his strengths,” Staley said of the Dolphins coaching staff, “incorporating some of the things that he’s trademarked in the NFL, that are kind of unique to him and what he can do.”

UCLA SPORTS

From Ben Bolch: A new voice has joined the small but vocal chorus opposing UCLA’s move to the Big Ten Conference.

Ramogi Huma, a former Bruins linebacker who serves as executive director of the National College Players Assn., sent a letter to the University of California regents on Wednesday asking them to block UCLA’s planned exit from the Pac-12 Conference in August 2024.

Huma described the move as a “short-sighted money grab” that would harm college athletes, citing academic, racial and mental health concerns while also contending that athletic director Martin Jarmond would top a tiny group of beneficiaries.

“Not all money is good money,” Huma wrote. “The Regents should not let a handful of people sell the soul of the UCLA athletics program for TV dollars that will be spent on luxury boxes in stadiums and lavish salaries for a few.”

Huma’s letter comes as the regents prepare to render their verdict on UCLA’s departure during a meeting at the school scheduled for Dec. 14.

USC BASKETBALL

Tre White scored 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, Kobe Johnson added 14 points, five assists and three steals and USC beat Cal State Fullerton 64-50 Wednesday night.

Drew Petersen added nine points and eight rebounds for USC (7-3).

The Titans missed six consecutive shots and committed three turnovers over the first five minutes as USC scored the first 13 points and Reese Dixon-Waters made a driving layup that gave the Trojans a 22-5 lead midway through the first half.

TRACK AND FIELD

From Andrew Greif: Ever since Noah Lyles broke the American 200-meter record at July’s world track and field championships, the 25-year-old sprinter has rewatched numerous times his 19.31-second, runaway victory and his celebration that followed.

Just not for the reason you might expect.

Lyles likes reliving the celebration, of course. The moment he realized he had edged Michael Johnson’s iconic 26-year-old record by 0.01, Lyles tore off the top half of his United States speedsuit in front of a raucous Eugene, Ore., crowd and unleashed a yell that had been seemingly pent up inside him for 11 months, when disappointment at the Tokyo Olympics gave way to depression and doubt.

“It lit that fire,” he said in an interview. “Seeing the results of that at Oregon was writing the perfect end to a story.”

WORLD CUP

From Kevin Baxter in Qatar: Morocco’s victory over Spain on penalty kicks Tuesday was just the latest — and most dramatic — surprise of a World Cup that has been full of twists and turns. Argentina, which came to Qatar ranked third in the world and unbeaten in 36 straight games, lost its opener to No. 51 Saudi Arabia. Argentina went into that match with almost as many World Cup titles, two, as Saudi Arabia had World Cup wins, three.

Lionel Messi and Co. recovered to win their next three games and advance to the quarterfinals, where Argentina will meet the Netherlands on Friday.

Top-ranked Brazil, meanwhile, lost Neymar to an ankle injury in its opener, then stumbled through its next two matches. But Neymar’s return in the round of 16 brought back Brazil’s flair and panache, resulting in a dominant 4-1 win over South Korea that reestablished the team as the tournament favorite. It will play Croatia, the 2018 runner-up, in its quarterfinal. France, the reigning champion, will meet England on Saturday.

Belgium, Germany, Uruguay, Denmark and Mexico, all ranked in the top 14, never did find their stride in Qatar, with all five teams going out in the group stage. Denmark didn’t even win a game.

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Schedule
All times Pacific
Quarterfinals

Friday
Croatia vs. Brazil, 7 a.m., Fox, Telemundo, Peacock
Netherlands vs. Argentina, 11 a.m., Fox, Telemundo, Peacock

Saturday
Morocco vs. Portugal, 7 a.m., Fox, Telemundo, Peacock
England vs. France, 11 a.m., Fox, Telemundo, Peacock

Semifinals
Tuesday, Dec. 13
Matchup TBD, 11 a.m., Fox, Telemundo, Peacock

Wed., Dec. 14
Matchup TBD, 11 a.m., Fox, Telemundo, Peacock

Third-place match
Saturday, Dec. 17
Matchup TBD, 7 a.m., Fox, Telemundo, Peacock

Championship match
Sunday, Dec. 18
Matchup TBD, 7 a.m., Fox, Telemundo, Peacock

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Complete World Cup coverage

Qatar World Cup: Start times for every match and how to watch

Palestinian cause takes center stage at the World Cup

THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1940 — The Chicago Bears beat the Washington Redskins 73-0 for the most one-sided victory in NFL Championship play.

1942 — Georgia’s Frank Sinkwich wins the Heisman Trophy. Sinkwich ends his career holding the Southeastern Conference record for total offense with 2,399 yards.

1948 — Southern Methodist junior Doak Walker wins the Heisman Trophy. Walker over three years scores 303 points, including 40 touchdowns and 60 points after touchdowns.

1961 — Philadelphia’s Wilt Chamberlain scores 78 points and grabs 43 rebounds in a 151-147 triple overtime loss to the Lakers. Elgin Baylor leads the Lakers with 63 points.

1963 — Cookie Gilchrist of the Buffalo Bills sets an AFL record with 243 yards rushing and ties a league record with five touchdowns in a 45-14 rout of the New York Jets.

1977 — Texas running back Earl Campbell wins the Heisman Trophy.

1987 — Ron Hextall of the Philadelphia Flyers becomes the first NHL goaltender to shoot a puck into the opposing goal in a 5-2 victory over the Boston Bruins.

2000 — Shaquille O’Neal sets an NBA record by going 0-for-11 from the free-throw line as the SuperSonics beat the Lakers 103-95. He broke Wilt Chamberlain’s record, who went 0-for-10 for Philadelphia against Detroit on Nov. 4, 1960. O’Neal had 26 points and 16 rebounds.

2002 — Oakland quarterback Rich Gannon sets an NFL record with his 10th 300-yard game of the season, throwing for 328 yards in the Raider 27-7 win over San Diego and breaking a tie with Dan Marino, Warren Moon and Kurt Warner.

2007 — Florida quarterback Tim Tebow becomes the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy. He beats out Arkansas running back Darren McFadden, the first player since 1949 to finish second in consecutive seasons.

2011 — Three-time NL MVP Albert Pujols agrees to a $254-million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels on the final day of baseball’s winter meetings. Pujols’ contract is the second-highest in baseball history and only the third to break the $200 million barrier, following Alex Rodriguez’s $252-million, 10-year deal with Texas before the 2001 season and A-Rod’s $275-million, 10-year contract with the Yankees before the 2008 season.

2012 — Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel becomes the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, taking college football’s top individual prize after a record-breaking debut. Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o finishes a distant second and Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein is third in the voting.

2013 — Zach Johnson rallies from four shots behind with eight holes to play and beats Tiger Woods, the No. 1 player in golf, at the World Challenge. Johnson holes out from a drop area for par on the last hole to force a playoff and wins when Woods misses a 5-foot par putt on the first extra hole.

2013 — Lydia Ko, a 16-year-old from New Zealand, rallies to win her first title as a pro. Ko, making her second pro start, wins the Swinging Skirts World Ladies Masters, closing with a 4-under 68 for a three-stroke victory over South Korea’s So Yeon Ryu. She won four pro events as an amateur, taking the Canadian Women’s Open the last two years.

2018 — Kyler Murray, Oklahoma, wins Heisman Trophy.

Compiled by the Associated Press

And finally

Goalie Ron Hextall scores a goal. Watch and listen here.