Off the wire

Houston Rockets forward Trevor Ariza (1) drives against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 12, 2018, in Phoenix.
Houston Rockets forward Trevor Ariza (1) drives against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 12, 2018, in Phoenix.

FOOTBALL

Brady injured?

The New England Patriots said quarterback Tom Brady did not attend a scheduled AFC championship news conference Wednesday because he was meeting with the team medical staff. Team spokesman Stacey James didn't say why Brady was with medical personnel, but said he will be listed on the team's first injury report for the week. New England held its first practice earlier in the day in preparation for Sunday's conference title game against Jacksonville. Brady appeared on the Patriots' weekly injury report several times during the latter half of the regular season with both an Achilles tendon and left shoulder injury. Brady has never missed a playoff start during his 18-year career.

Steelers: OC Haley out

The Pittsburgh Steelers will not renew offensive coordinator Todd Haley's contract, a person with direct knowledge of the decision said. The person confirmed the decision to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because there was no formal announcement from Haley or the team. Haley, 50, spent six seasons calling the plays in Pittsburgh, guiding one of the NFL's most dynamic offenses led by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le'Veon Bell. The Steelers finished in the top three in total yards in three of the past four years. The decision comes three days after the AFC North champions were upset at home by Jacksonville in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Jets fire OC Morton

The New York Jets announced Wednesday night that they fired offensive coordinator John Morton after just one season. His departure means the franchise will have its sixth offensive coordinator in eight years next season. Morton replaced the retired Chan Gailey last year after two seasons in New Orleans as the Saints' wide receivers coach. Quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates is a candidate to be promoted by head Coach Todd Bowles. Bates served as Seattle's offensive coordinator in 2010. Morton's play-calling came into question at times during an up-and-down season with the Jets, particularly when running back Matt Forte publicly criticized the game plan against Atlanta in Week 10 because New York got away from the run.

BASEBALL

Duensing returns to Cubs

The Chicago Cubs bolstered their revamped bullpen on Wednesday, bringing back Brian Duensing with a $7 million, two-year contract. Duensing returns to Chicago after signing a one-year deal with the Cubs last winter. The left-hander went 1-1 with a 2.74 ERA in 68 appearances last season. A person with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed the contract to The Associated Press on Wednesday on condition of anonymity because it is pending a physical. Duensing helped Chicago win the National League Central last season, but its bullpen faltered in the playoffs and it was eliminated by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series. All-Star closer Wade Davis then left in free agency, agreeing to a $52 million, three-year contract with Colorado, but the Cubs signed relievers Brandon Morrow and Steve Cishek before coming to an agreement with Duensing. Duensing, who turns 35 next month, played college ball at Nebraska before he was selected by Minnesota in the third round of the 2005 draft. He broke into the majors with the Twins in 2009 and is 43-38 with a 4.01 ERA in nine seasons.

BASKETBALL

Stevens wins 1,000th game

Barbara Stevens of Division II Bentley became the fifth women's basketball coach to reach 1,000 victories when her Falcons defeated Adelphi 78-66 in a Northeast-10 game Wednesday night at home at Waltham, Mass. Stevens (1,000-275) joined North Carolina's Sylvia Hatchell and Connecticut's Geno Auriemma as coaches reaching the milestone this season -- with both Hatchell and Auriemma getting there on the same night. The Falcons (17-1) had to defeat a nemesis to get Stevens to her milestone on the first try, as Adelphi (9-10) came in with four consecutive victories over Bentley. She has had 12 30-victory seasons. Bentley won the Division II national title in 2014 (with a 35-0 record) and was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

HOCKEY

Pioneer O'Ree honored

Hockey pioneer Willie O'Ree was honored in Boston on Wednesday on the 60th anniversary of the Bruins forward breaking the NHL's color barrier. At a news conference at the TD Garden before the Bruins game against the Montreal Canadiens, Mayor Marty Walsh declared Jan. 18, 2018 to be "Willie O'Ree Day." O'Ree made his debut in 1958 during a 3-0 victory against the Canadiens at the Forum in Montreal. A native of Canada, O'Ree, 82, had four goals and 10 assists in 45 games over parts of two NHL seasons. He spent a total of 21 years in pro hockey.

BASKETBALL

Rockets’ Ariza, Green suspended 2 games

Trevor Ariza said nothing happened. The NBA strongly disagreed.

Ariza and Gerald Green will both be suspended for Houston’s next two games, with the NBA coming down hard on both players Wednesday for what the league said was their “hostile, verbal altercation” in the Los Angeles Clippers’ locker room earlier this week.

No other players were disciplined, including Rockets guards James Harden and Chris Paul — both of whom left the Houston locker room with hopes of defusing the situation, the league said.

“You guys had a lot of different stories about what happened, none of them which were true,” Ariza said Wednesday in Houston, before the league announced the suspensions. “Everybody’s entitled to their own opinion. The people that were there know exactly what happened and know exactly what did not happen.”

So what happened?

“Nothing happened,” Ariza said. “That’s what happened. Nothing.” Later, though, he conceded “obviously, that’s not all that happened.”

Whatever it was that went on remains a mystery of sorts. The final minutes of the game — Paul’s first time facing the Clippers in Los Angeles as an opponent since the trade that sent him to Houston over the summer — were marred by some on-court feistiness, including the Clippers’ Blake Griffin appearing to exchange words with Rockets Coach Mike D’Antoni.

Griffin and Ariza were also ejected before the final horn, and some players seemed to be engaging in words with injured Clippers guard Austin Rivers, the son of Coach Doc Rivers.

“It’s over,” Paul said. “It’s in the past. We’re moving on.”

Ariza and Green will miss games against Minnesota today and Golden State on Saturday. Ariza has started all 40 of his appearances with Houston this season, and Green has played in 10 games with the team as a reserve.

The Clippers played Denver on Wednesday night. “I ain’t worried about it,” Clippers guard Tyrone Wallace said at the team’s gameday shootaround practice. “That’s not for me to worry about. I just focus on the game. We’ve got Denver, so that’s what I’m focused on. Everything else will take care of itself.”

The league said the investigation included more than 20 interviews with executives, staff, coaches and players from both teams, as well as arena personnel.

photo

AP/CARLOS OSORIO

In this Jan. 6, 2018, file photo, Houston Rockets guard Gerald Green runs up court during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons in Detroit.

Sports on 01/18/2018

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