BASKETBALL
The NBA G League is delaying the start of its regular season until Jan. 5 to allow more time for teams to replenish their rosters after NBA call-ups and players going into health and safety protocols.
The Maine Celtics, who had the second-best record during the Showcase Cup portion of the schedule before Christmas, were scheduled to play five games in the next two weeks, including home games against the Long Island Nets on New Year’s Eve and against the Capital City Go-Go on Jan. 2.
Now, their regular-season opener will be Jan. 9 against the Wisconsin Herd at the Expo.
Three Maine players have signed 10-day NBA contracts in the last week – Theo Pinson with the Dallas Mavericks, Luke Kornet with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Juwan Morgan with the Toronto Raptors.
HOCKEY
NHL: The NHL pushed back its return from an already extended holiday break an extra day, postponing its entire 14-game Monday schedule for COVID-19 testing reasons.
The league said it now plans to resume play Tuesday in a decision that increases the total of postponed games this season to 64.
Teams are still scheduled to resume practicing Sunday but won’t be allowed to take the ice until players, coaches and traveling officials are cleared following a round of COVID-19 tests. The decision to delay the resumption of play will allow what the NHL called “an adequate opportunity to analyze league-wide testing results and to assess clubs’ readiness to play.”
The NHL said it will provide further updates on its return to play plans Sunday.
The move comes after the NHL opened its annual holiday break on Wednesday, two days earlier than scheduled, because of a significant jump in players landing in the league’s COVID-19 protocols, and with 10 teams’ schedules paused.
The Boston Bruins have had five games postponed since they last played on Dec. 16 – a 3-1 loss to the New York Islanders. As of Tuesday, Boston had 10 players in COVID-19 protocols, including top forwards Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron and goalie Jeremy Swayman.
COLLEGES
FOOTBALL: Darren Grainger passed for 203 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 122 yards and a fourth TD to lead Georgia State (8-5) to a 51-20 victory over Ball State (6-7) in the Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama.
Grainger completed 15 of 19 passes and carried 11 times, including a play fake midway through the third quarter when he scampered 34 yards untouched into the end zone. It was the first 100-yard rushing game of his career, and he was named the game MVP.
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