Hawks’ De’Andre Hunter, Cam Reddish go off for career-highs in loss

Hawks first-round picks De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish each scored career-highs Wednesday night in a road loss to the Bucks.

Atlanta Hawks first-round picks De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish each scored career-highs in points Wednesday night in a 135-127 road loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Hunter and Reddish each scored 12 points in the first half to help the Hawks take a three-point lead into halftime. Milwaukee outscored Atlanta 38-22 in the third quarter to pull away in the second half as Giannis Antetokounmpo accounted for 17 of his 33 total points in the period.

Hunter finished with his first career double-double after recording a team-high 27 points and 11 rebounds in the victory. He finished 8-of-12 from the field while he drained all three of his 3-pointers for his sixth straight game scoring in double figures.

Meanwhile, Reddish added 17 points and three rebounds in 28 minutes of work, finishing 6-of-10 from the field while he also hit all three of his shots from beyond the arc. Reddish has now scored at least 12 points in three consecutive games for the first time this season.

The two rookies were each inconsistent to begin the season but appear to be turning the corner as of late.

Hunter averaged just 8.8 points on 36.9% shooting from the field over his first eight games of the season but is posting 15 points per game over his last six games.

Reddish scored in double figures just once over his first 10 games and tallied 55 total points over that span but has scored 51 over his last four games for the Hawks.

The Hawks certainly have to be happy with how their two lottery picks have progress recently after a slow start to the season. They represent a big part of their future as the organization builds for the future.

Atlanta returns to action Friday against the Detroit Pistons.

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Alex Smith keeps working with Dwayne Haskins at Redskins practice

Alex Smith is still serving in his mentor role for Dwayne Haskins.

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Alex Smith is anxious to get back on the field and play some football. But the Washington Redskins quarterback is also making sure he’s helping out rookie Dwayne Haskins as much as he can.

Wednesday, Smith was seen on the field working with Haskins, per video shot by JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington.

And Haskins hasn’t been shy about praising the veteran on social media. But Finlay also caught a brief quote from the rookie: “I really appreciate him since he’s been here with me trying to help me.”

Haskins is the starter for the rest of this season and the Redskins would be wise to let him ease through the growing pains as the games unfold.

Looking ahead to next year, Haskins and Smith are the only two guys slated to be under contract at the position. Smith’s recovery and whether he ends up getting on a football field again will heavily shake up the Resdskins offseason one way or another.

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Jarrett Allen logs another double-double, helps lead Nets past Hornets

When Jarrett Allen wasn’t dominating Charlotte, DeAndre Jordan made sure life was still difficult for the Hornets.

There were a few moments where it looked like Wednesday’s game might get away from the Brooklyn Nets — particularly in the fourth quarter, when the Nets didn’t hit a shot until the 5:45 mark. But the Nets were able to hold on, bouncing back from Monday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers with a 101-91 win over the Charlotte Hornets.

Jarrett Allen logged yet another double-double — the big man leads the team with five. He led all scoring with 22 points and logged a game-high 17 rebounds.

Allen’s performance against the Hornets marked the first time in the 2019-20 season where he logged 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds. It’s the fourth 20-10 game of his career.

But Allen wasn’t the only Nets center who played well. In his 20 minutes of action, DeAndre Jordan scored 14 points on 5 of 5 shooting. He also had seven rebounds.

Both Spencer Dinwiddie and Taurean Prince scored 20 points. Prince went 4-for-9 from three and was the one to snap Brooklyn’s cold streak at the start of the fourth quarter.

Dinwiddie also had eight assists, while Prince had eight rebounds.

Joe Harris wasn’t at his best offensively. The sharpshooter went 2-for-6 from three, 3-for-12 overall. His one bucket inside the arc was a fast break slam.

Fantasy Football – Week 12 PPR Lineup Cheat Sheet Rankings

NFL fantasy football PPR rankings for Week 12 of the NFL season.

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The fantasy football championship chase is upon us in Week 12, and we have the fantasy football player rankings and cheat sheets to keep you in the winner’s bracket.

This is the final week of bye weeks, but no breaks are taken in putting together winning lineups.

We consulted with our friends at TheHuddle.com, who have been helping fantasy players just like you win their leagues for over two decades. Check out TheHuddle.com‘s top players in point-per-reception (PPR) fantasy scoring for the upcoming weekend:

Quarterback Rankings – Week 12

Photo Credit: Denny Medley – USA TODAY Sports
  1. Deshaun Watson, HOU vs. IND – 33.0 projected fantasy points
  2. Matt Ryan, ATL vs. TB – 28.5
  3. Jeff Driskel, DET vs. WAS – 28.5
  4. Lamar Jackson, BAL vs. LAR – 28.0
  5. Jameis Winston, TB vs. ATL – 25.5
  6. Sam Darnold, NYJ vs. OAK – 25.5
  7. Dak Prescott, DAL vs. NE – 24.5
  8. Russell Wilson, SEA vs. PHI – 23.5
  9. Drew Brees, NO vs. CAR – 22.5
  10. Nick Foles, JAC vs. TEN – 22.0
  11. Derek Carr, OAK vs. NYJ – 21.5
  12. Baker Mayfield, CLE vs. MIA – 21.5
  13. Jacoby Brissett, IND vs. HOU – 20.5
  14. Mitchell Trubisky, CHI vs. NYG – 20.5
  15. Dwayne Haskins, WAS vs. DET – 20.5

Running Backs Rankings – Week 12

Photo Credit: Derick E. Hingle – USA TODAY Sports
  1. Alvin Kamara, NO vs. CAR – 35.0 projected fantasy points
  2. Derrick Henry, TEN vs. JAC – 27.0
  3. Nick Chubb, CLE vs. MIA – 27.0
  4. Aaron Jones, GB vs. SF – 26.0
  5. Jaylen Samuels, PIT vs. CIN – 25.0
  6. Christian McCaffrey, CAR vs. NO – 23.0
  7. Derrius Guice, WAS vs. DET – 19.0
  8. Todd Gurley, LAR vs. BAL – 18.0
  9. Tevin Coleman, SF vs. GB – 18.0
  10. Chris Carson, SEA vs. PHI – 18.0
  11. Saquon Barkley, NYG vs. CHI – 18.0
  12. Miles Sanders, PHI vs. SEA – 18.0
  13. Devin Singletary, BUF vs. DEN – 18.0
  14. Adrian Peterson, WAS vs. DET – 17.0
  15. Mark Ingram – BAL vs. LAR – 16.0
  16. Leonard Fournette, JAC vs. TEN – 16.0
  17. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL vs. NE – 15.0
  18. Phillip Lindsay, DEN vs. BUF – 15.0
  19. Latavius Murray, NO vs. CAR – 14.0
  20. Kareem Hunt, CLE vs. MIA – 14.0
  21. Sony Michel, NE vs. DAL – 14.0
  22. Jamaal Williams, GB vs. SF – 13.0
  23. Le’Veon Bell, NYJ vs. OAK – 12.0
  24. Joe Mixon, CIN vs. PIT – 12.0
  25. Bo Scarbrough, DET vs. WAS – 11.0
  26. Josh Jacobs, OAK vs. NYJ – 11.0
  27. David Montgomery, CHI vs. NYG – 11.0
  28. James White, NE vs. DAL – 10.0

Need help with your fantasy football team? TheHuddle.com has your back. This year it’s your turn to win! Subscribe now; use code “sbw25” to TAKE $25 OFF. Valid for first-time subscribers through 11/30/19.


Wide Receivers Rankings – Week 12

Photo Credit: Jason Getz – USA TODAY Sports
  1. Julio Jones, ATL vs. TB – 28.0 projected fantasy points
  2. Michael Thomas, NO vs. CAR – 26.0
  3. DeAndre Hopkins, HOU vs. IND – 25.0
  4. Calvin Ridley, ATL vs. TB – 23.0
  5. Julian Edelman, NE vs. DAL – 22.0
  6. Mike Evans, TB vs. ATL – 22.0
  7. Odell Beckham Jr. CLE vs. MIA – 22.0
  8. Allen Robinson, CHI vs. NYG – 21.0
  9. Jarvis Landry, CLE vs. MIA – 20.0
  10. Jamison Crowder, NYJ vs. OAK – 20.0
  11. Adam Humphries, TEN vs. JAC – 20.0
  12. Demaryius Thomas, NYJ vs. OAK – 19.0
  13. Tyrell Williams, OAK vs. NYJ – 19.0
  14. Cooper Kupp, LAR vs. BAL – 19.0
  15. DJ Chark, JAC vs. TEN – 19.0
  16. Marvin Jones, DET vs. WAS – 18.0
  17. Chris Godwin, TB vs. ATL – 18.0
  18. Zach Pascal, IND vs. HOU – 18.0
  19. Tyler Lockett, SEA vs. PHI – 17.0
  20. Hunter Renfrow, OAK vs. NYJ – 17.0
  21. Terry McLaurin, WAS vs. DET – 17.0
  22. Cole Beasley, BUF vs. DEN – 15.0
  23. Taylor Gabriel, CHI vs. DEN – 15.0
  24. Curtis Samuel, CAR vs. NO – 15.0
  25. Russell Gage, ATL vs. TB – 15.0
  26. Deebo Samuel, SF vs. GB – 14.0
  27. DJ Moore, CAR vs. NO – 13.0
  28. DeVante Parker, MIA vs. CLE – 12.0
  29. Dede Westbrook, JAC vs. TEN – 12.0
  30. Kendrick Bourne, SF vs. GB – 12.0
  31. Golden Tate, NYG vs. CHI – 11.0
  32. John Brown, BUF vs. DEN – 11.0
  33. Keelan Cole, JAC vs. TEN – 11.0
  34. DK Metcalf, SEA vs. PHI – 11.0

Tight Ends Rankings – Week 12

Photo Credit: Bill Streicher – USA TODAY Sports
  1. Zach Ertz, PHI vs. SEA – 19.0 projected fantasy points
  2. Ryan Griffin, NYJ vs. OAK – 18.0
  3. Mark Andrews, BAL vs. LAR – 17.0
  4. Jason Witten, DAL vs. NE – 12.0
  5. Jack Doyle, IND vs. HOU – 12.0
  6. Ross Dwelley, SF vs. GB – 12.0
  7. Rhett Ellison, NYG vs. CHI – 10.0
  8. Darren Fells, HOU vs. IND – 10.0
  9. Jacob Hollister, SEA vs. PHI – 10.0
  10. Greg Olsen, CAR vs. NO – 9.0
  11. Jared Cook, NO vs. CAR – 8.0
  12. Jonnu Smith, TEN vs. JAC – 8.0
  13. Dallas Goedert, PHI vs. SEA – 8.0
  14. Ben Watson, NE vs. DAL – 7.0
  15. Vance McDonald, PIT vs. CIN – 7.0
  16. Darren Waller, OAK vs. NYJ – 7.0

Place Kickers Rankings – Week 12

  1. Mason Crosby, GB vs. SF – 11.0 projected fantasy points
  2. Nick Folk, NE vs. DAL – 11.0
  3. Greg Zuerlein, LAR vs. BAL – 11.0
  4. Justin Tucker, BAL vs. LAR – 10.0
  5. Wil Lutz, NO vs. CAR – 10.0
  6. Stephen Hauschka, BUF vs. DEN – 9.0
  7. Ka’imi Fairbairn, HOU vs. IND – 9.0
  8. Younghoe Koo, ATL vs. TB – 9.0
  9. Adam Vinatieri, IND vs. HOU – 8.0
  10. Chris Boswell, PIT vs. CIN – 8.0
  11. Aldrick Rosas, NYG vs. CHI – 8.0
  12. Jake Elliott, PHI vs. SEA – 8.0
  13. Daniel Carlson, OAK vs. NYJ – 8.0
  14. Eddy Pineiro, CHI vs. NYG – 8.0

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Defensive Team Rankings – Week 12

  1. Steelers, PIT vs. CIN – 18.0 projected fantasy points
  2. Ravens, BAL vs. LAR – 14.0
  3. Bills, BUF vs. DEN – 14.0
  4. Saints, NO vs. CAR – 10.0
  5. Falcons, ATL vs. TB – 8.0
  6. Lions, DET vs. WAS – 8.0
  7. Giants, NYG vs. CHI – 7.0
  8. Cowboys, DAL vs. NE – 7.0
  9. Seahawks, SEA vs. PHI – 7.0
  10. Packers, GB vs. SF – 6.0
  11. Bears, CHI vs. NYG – 6.0
  12. Broncos, DEN vs. BUF – 6.0
  13. Browns, CLE vs. MIA – 6.0
  14. Patriots, NE vs. DAL – 6.0

Looking for more in-depth, winning fantasy football coverage? Join TheHuddle.com now and TAKE $25 OFF typical rates with the code sbw25. Offer valid through 11/30/2019 for first-time subscribers.

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Ben Simmons leads Sixers past Knicks 109-104

The Sixers were able to pull out a win over the Knicks during an eventful night at Wells Fargo Center.

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Wednesday night’s game between the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks was eventful, to say the least.

Ben Simmons provided a jolt of energy in the first quarter when he knocked down his first career 3-pointer. A disastrous third quarter almost doomed the Sixers, who saw a two-point lead turn into a 17-point deficit. And ultimately, the team was able to overcome that margin and earn a 109-104 win.

The first half was punctuated by the Simmons 3, but despite the electricity created from the moment, the Sixers weren’t able to distance themselves from the Knicks, taking just a two-point lead into the break.

Then the aforementioned third quarter happened. New York opened the half with a 15-0 run, establishing a 13-point advantage that would get as high as 17 with 4:15 left in the quarter. But the Sixers responded, going on a 14-2 spurt of their own to close the quarter, pulling within five.

The Sixers pulled even at 82 with 9:26 left in the game on a Joel Embiid dunk before a free throw from the big man put them ahead half a minute later. A Mike Scott 3 put the Sixers up for good with just under five minutes to go as they were able to keep the Knicks at arm’s length down the stretch.

Ben Simmons was fantastic, and not just because of the made 3. He finished with 18 points, 13 assists, and seven rebounds while committing just a single turnover. Just as importantly, it was Simmons who set the tone defensively to spark the comeback.

Before we get to the rest of the starters, we need to talk about the bench because they too played a huge role in the team’s turnaround. Mike Scott, James Ennis III, and Trey Burke all made a positive impact for the Sixers. Scott hit four incredibly important 3’s on the way to 12 points, adding four rebounds and a block. Burke and Ennis brought excellent energy and made some key plays as well. Burke finished with nine points, two assists, and a rebound while Ennis contributed 11 points, four rebounds, two assists, and a block. It’s fair to wonder if the Sixers are able to complete this comeback without the contributions from that trio.

Going back to the starters, Joel Embiid led all scorers with 23 points, adding 12 rebounds, five assists, and two blocks.

Tobias Harris chipped in 14 points, four rebounds, and four assists.

Al Horford struggled, shooting just 3-11 for seven points. He also had six rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block.

Furkan Korkmaz started in place of the injured Josh Richardson and struggled mightily, scoring two points and dishing one assist while missing all four of his 3-point attempts.

Matisse Thyblle chipped in seven points, two rebounds, two steals, and an assist while Shake Milton had six points and four rebounds.

The start of the third quarter was concerning, and the Sixers perimeter defense left something to be desired as the Knicks shot 52% from beyond the arc. However, it was great to see the Sixers respond and get the win. Adding to the positive, the Sixers committed just 10 turnovers and assisted on 30 of 39 made baskets.

Again, the Sixers will need to limit the kind of lapses we saw in the third quarter, but hopefully, the turnaround showed them the kind of energy they need to bring consistently and what they can be when they do so.

At the end of the day, a win is a win and the Sixers will certainly take this one. They are now 9-5 on the season and a perfect 5-0 at home. They’ll put that record on the line Friday when they host the San Antonio Spurs.

Report: ‘Sneaker King’ P.J. Tucker nears new Nike endorsement deal

Rockets forward P.J. Tucker is close to signing a new endorsement deal with Nike The 34-year-old has been with Nike throughout his extended NBA career, but his prior deal expired Oct. 1 CNBC‘s Jabari Young CNBC‘s Jabari Young

Rockets forward P.J. Tucker is close to signing a new endorsement deal with Nike The 34-year-old has been with Nike throughout his extended NBA career, but his prior deal expired Oct. 1 CNBC‘s Jabari Young CNBC‘s Jabari Young

Report: ‘Sneaker King’ P.J. Tucker nears new Nike endorsement deal

Rockets forward P.J. Tucker is close to signing a new endorsement deal with Nike The 34-year-old has been with Nike throughout his extended NBA career, but his prior deal expired Oct. 1 CNBC‘s Jabari Young CNBC‘s Jabari Young

Rockets forward P.J. Tucker is close to signing a new endorsement deal with Nike The 34-year-old has been with Nike throughout his extended NBA career, but his prior deal expired Oct. 1 CNBC‘s Jabari Young CNBC‘s Jabari Young

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers understands importance of showdown vs. 49ers

The Packers will probably have to beat the 49ers in San Francisco at some point. Aaron Rodgers wants to get it done this week.

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The path forward looks pretty simple to Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Either the Packers beat the 49ers in San Francisco on Sunday night, or they’ll likely have to do it at some point in January.

This week’s showdown at Levi’s Stadium features the top two seeds in the NFC entering Week 12. The winner will emerge as the favorite to earn home-field advantage throughout the conference playoffs.

“This is an important one for us,” Rodgers said at his locker Wednesday. “The way I look at it, we have to beat them once at their place at some point. It’d be nice to do it now. They are a good football team.”

The 49ers are 9-1 and leading the NFC West. The Packers are 8-2 and leading the NFC North. Together, the two teams have a winning percentage of .850.

Sunday night’s matchup will feature only the sixth game featuring two teams with two or fewer losses at this point in the season since 2007. The last two winners of such games – the Denver Broncos in 2015 and the Seahawks Seahawks in 2013 – went on to win the Super Bowl.

The significance of the game isn’t lost on Rodgers, who knows that if the Packers lose Sunday night, any rematch in the playoffs would likely be back in San Francisco.

“We’re all aware of where we’re at in the seeding going into Week 12 and what’s in front of us and the opportunities,” Rodgers said. “There’s still a lot of football to be played and a lot can happen. You’re in denial if you don’t think about the implications of a ‘dub’ or an ‘L’ this week and how that affects stuff down the line. The way we look at it, we’re going to have to win there one time. It’d be nice to get it done this week.”

The Packers and 49ers are two of five teams in the NFC with eight or more wins. While the Packers are in a strong position to qualify for the postseason, either as the NFC North champion or wild card, Rodgers believes the strength of the conference only amplifies the importance of coming together and getting on a roll to end the regular season.

“It feels like one of those years where you just have to get in,” Rodgers said. “Any of those teams that are in position right now could make a move and get hot. That’s what it’s all about. Getting hot at the right time and being healthy.”

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Texans 100: Facts and Figures for Colts on Thursday night, No. 1-25

The Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts complete the season series on Thursday to kickoff Week 12. Here are series and Deshaun Watson facts.

The Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts finish up their season series Thursday night at NRG Stadium. As we kickoff our 100 facts, we first take a look at some series facts before moving into Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.

series facts

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

1. The Texans are 6-4 for the second time in franchise history. The last time, 2016, made the playoffs and won the AFC South.

2. Since 1990, when playoff formats were last tinkered with, teams that started 6-5 made the playoffs 59/127 times with 23/59 of those clubs having won the division.

3. Since 1990, when playoff formats were last tinkered with, teams that started 7-4 made the playoffs 94/135 with 39/94 having won the division.

4. The Colts are 6-4 for the 10th time in franchise history. 6/9 of those teams made the playoffs with three of those teams having won the division.

5. The Colts have swept the Texans 10 times in series history. Here is how that compares to the rest of the Texans’ divisional opponents:

Colts: 10

Titans: 5

Jaguars: 4

 

6. The Texans are 8-28 against the Colts, including playoffs, with a 5-13 record at home. Here is home record compares to the rest of the division:

Jaguars: 13-5

Titans: 10-7

Colts: 5-13

 

 

7. The Texans are 5-13 against the Colts at home. Here is the breakdown by naming rights:

Reliant Stadium: 4-9

NRG Stadium: 1-4

 

8. The Texans are 0-8 in November against the Colts with an 0-3 record at home.

9. The Texans are 30-38 in November with a 15-18 record at home.

10. The Colts are 149-124-3 in November with a 70-64-1 record on the road.

11. The Texans are 97-115 in early afternoon games with a 62-53 record at home.

12. Since 1970, the Colts are 227-206 in early afternoon games with a 112-128 record on the road.

Bellator Europe 6 pre-event facts: ‘MVP’ seeks welterweight knockout record

Check out the facts and figures about Bellator Europe 6, which takes place Saturday with a Michael Page vs. Giovanni Melillo main event.

Bellator’s final international stop of the year goes down Saturday with Bellator Europe 6, which takes place at The SSE Arena, Wembley in London, with a card that streams entirely on MMA Junkie.

One of Bellator’s most notable names is set to headline the card. [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 11-1 BMMA) returns to the cage in the welterweight main event when he takes on promotional newcomer [autotag]Giovanni Melillo[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), who serves as an injury replacement for Derek Anderson.

For more on the numbers behind that fight, as well as the rest of the lineup, check below for 15 pre-event facts about Bellator Europe 6.

* * * *

Main event

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Page competes in his 13th Bellator welterweight bout, the third most appearances in divisional history behind Andrey Koreshkov (17) and Douglas Lima (16).

Page’s 11 victories in Bellator welterweight competition are third most in divisional history behind Koreshkov (13) and Lima (13).

Page’s 10-fight Bellator winning streak, snapped in Bellator 221, is the second longest streak in company history behind A.J. McKee (15).

Page’s eight stoppage victories in Bellator welterweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Lima (nine).

Page’s six knockout victories in Bellator welterweight competition are third most in divisional history behind Lima (eight) and Koreshkov (seven).

Melillo, 34, is the oldest of the six scheduled main card fighters.

Melillo competes in a main event spot in his Bellator debut.

Melillo is 3-3 in his past six fights dating back to December 2017.

Melillo has suffered all four of his career losses by first-round knockout.

Co-main event

Fabian Edwards

[autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] (8-0 MMA, 3-0 BMMA), 26, is the youngest of the six scheduled main card fighters.

Edwards becomes the first fighter to make four Bellator appearances in 2019.

Edwards’ three-fight Bellator winning streak at middleweight is the fourth longest active streak in the division behind Anatoly Tokov (five), Rafael Lovato Jr. (four) and Charlie Ward (four).

[autotag]Mike Shipman[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) has earned all 13 of his career victories by stoppage.

Shipman’s four stoppage victories in Bellator middleweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Alexander Shlemenko (eight) and Rafael Carvalho (six).

Remaining main card

[autotag]Terry Brazier[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) is 10-1 in his past 11 fights dating back to November 2015.