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National Sports Headlines: Sat., 12/27/14

Sports

December 27th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

ATLANTA (AP) — Jared Dudley came off the bench to score a season-high 24 points on 10 of 10 shooting as Milwaukee clobbered Atlanta 107-77. Dudley’s marksmanship included four 3-pointers that help the Bucks send the Hawks to their second-worst loss of the season. Brandon Knight added 16 points as the Bucks handed Atlanta just its third loss in 16 games.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Josh Smith scored 21 points and had eight rebounds in his Houston Rockets debut, a 117-111 win against Memphis in overtime. Smith shot 9 of 21 while playing 31 minutes off the bench, two days after he was officially released by the Detroit Pistons. James Harden finished with 32 points and 10 assists to help the Rockets overcome Marc Gasol’s (gah-SAHLZ’) 29 points.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Damian Lillard poured in 28 points and had nine assists as the Portland Trail Blazers whipped Philadelphia 114-93. Wesley Matthews hit seven 3-pointers and finished with 25 points to help the Trail Blazers improve to 13-2 at home. The Blazers shot 42 percent from 3-point range, hitting 18 of 43.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — North Carolina State shredded Central Florida’s top-10 defense for 488 total yards in a 34-27 victory at the Bitcoin Bowl in St. Petersburg. Jacoby Brissett threw for 262 yards and one touchdown, and Matt Dayes scored on runs of 24 and 15 yards to help the Wolfpack finish 8-5.

DALLAS (AP) — Houston Bates had 4 1/2 sacks against his former team and Kenneth Dixon scored one of his two touchdowns on an 80-yard reception as Louisiana Tech topped Illini 35-18 in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. Xavier Woods scored on a 69-yard interception for the Bulldogs, who also had touchdown runs from Jarred Craft and Blake Martin. Dixon became Louisiana Tech’s career leader in yards rushing, finishing with 63 for a total of 3,410 in three seasons.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Running back Ryan Mathews has been ruled out of San Diego’s game Sunday at Kansas City, which the Chargers must win to clinch a wild-card berth. Mathews will miss his third straight game with what’s believed to be a high ankle sprain. Also ruled out on Friday was punter Mike Scifres, who broke his left collarbone in the loss to New England.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith will miss Sunday’s game against the San Diego Chargers because of a lacerated spleen. Chase Daniel will start in his place. Team trainer Rick Burkholder said Friday that Smith was likely hurt on a hit during the third quarter of last weekend’s loss to the Steelers, but the quarterback didn’t have significant symptoms. If the Chargers beat Kansas City, they make the playoffs. The Chiefs would need to win and have Baltimore and Houston lose to earn a postseason berth.