Pablo López and the Twins aim to stop playoff skid when they host the Blue Jays in Wild Card Series

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:16 GMT

Pablo López and the Twins aim to stop playoff skid when they host the Blue Jays in Wild Card Series MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Pablo López is a newcomer to the Minnesota Twins who was just an 8-year-old in Venezuela when this record postseason losing streak began.He’s heard all about it, and he’s eager to help make it disappear.“I feel like, just like anything in life, nothing lasts forever,” said López, who will start Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series for the Twins on Tuesday afternoon at Target Field against the Toronto Blue Jays. “This group is as good as any to go out there and give the team, the fans, the community the opportunity to celebrate something.”With 18 consecutive losses in the playoffs, the Twins have the longest skid in major North American professional sports history. Their last postseason victory was over the New York Yankees on Oct. 5, 2004, and it’s been 21 years since they won a series.“The majority of us have not been a part of that unfortunate streak, but I know our fans have,” López said. “We’re embracing that, and we’re going to use it as motiva...

The Patriots are 1-3 again, and a path to a winning record isn’t obvious

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:16 GMT

The Patriots are 1-3 again, and a path to a winning record isn’t obvious FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Bill Belichick has never been a fan of moral victories.But a day after suffering the worst loss of his 29-year career, the longtime Patriots coach was adamant that it wasn’t an accurate reflection of his team.“I feel like we’re better than what we played (Sunday),” Belichick said. “I definitely believe that. That wasn’t our best game. So, we’re capable of more than that. We’ve got to work to do better than that.”Whether they’re capable remains to be seen.New England’s 38-3 loss to Dallas dropped it to 1-3 for the third straight season. The Patriots finished below .500 in two of those years (7-9 in 2020 and 8-9 in 2022).Any potential they have of recovering to make the playoffs like they did in 2021 is hard to spot right now, following another loss that was rife with turnovers and self-inflicted mistakes.Quarterback Mac Jones had his worst outing of the season, throwing a pick-6 and losing a fumble that was returned for a touchdo...

Derrick Rose, Marcus Smart want to win, not babysit Grizzlies’ All-Star Ja Morant

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:16 GMT

Derrick Rose, Marcus Smart want to win, not babysit Grizzlies’ All-Star Ja Morant MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Former NBA MVP Derrick Rose and 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart made clear Monday they’re no babysitters for new teammate Ja Morant.Their goals involve helping the Memphis Grizzlies win now and push Morant when the two-time All-Star returns to the court Dec. 19 from his 25-game suspension.“I care for him as a human and as a teammate,” Smart said Monday at the Grizzlies’ media day. “And I want to see him succeed because if he’s not succeeding, I tell you one thing. This team’s not going to succeed. And we know that. And I think everybody in the NBA world knows that.” Rose, who played his lone college season at Memphis, said he reached out to both Morant and the guard’s father during the offseason. Rose said he hopes Morant has learned patience and discipline.“That’s the biggest thing with any young man, about a real man,” Rose said. “Being able to make the adjustment, to have discipline to remind yourself or...

The 49ers turn their attention to showdown against the Cowboys after winning their 4th straight

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:16 GMT

The 49ers turn their attention to showdown against the Cowboys after winning their 4th straight SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers hadn’t had time to bask in the glow of their fourth straight win to open the season when the attention turned to next week.Sure, a 4-0 start with at least 30 points in every game was reason for encouragement for the 49ers, who beat Arizona 35-16 on Sunday.But they know that won’t mean much if they can’t win next Sunday night in a showdown against the Dallas Cowboys.“That’s OK,” star left tackle Trent Williams said of the team’s fifth 4-0 start in franchise history. “As soon we finish one game, we’ve got to look forward to the next one. Yeah, you celebrate wins. … But at the end of the day you got the Dallas Cowboys rolling in and resting on a four-game winning streak doesn’t really seem like the thing to do right now.”The Niners are hitting on all cylinders ahead of their matchup against one of the NFC’s leading contenders and the team they knocked out of the playoffs the past two seasons.Behind a...

Concerns raised after teen boy shot, killed outside of Southlands Mall in Aurora

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:16 GMT

Concerns raised after teen boy shot, killed outside of Southlands Mall in Aurora AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) -- Aurora police have stepped up patrols around Southlands Mall after a 15-year-old boy was shot and killed in the parking lot on Saturday night at about 9:30.Witnesses told police they saw four to five male suspects leaving the scene in a black four-door sedan. Officers found the vehicle but have not arrested or identified any suspects."I've never considered this to be a dangerous place, to be honest," said Gabriel Hichens."It's worrisome," said Dr. Tom Fawell. When will Denver see the first snow of the season? There were students celebrating homecoming weekend in the area that night and families are concerned."It's a very popular area," said Kalyn Crockett, who lives in a nearby neighborhood. "It just kind of makes you think twice when you are going to areas with your kids especially."The shooting happened in Council Member Francoise Bergan's ward. "My heart goes out to the parents of that child," Bergan said. "I’m hearing from a lot of my constituents ...

Officer kills man at Westminster apartments after days of repeat police visits

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:16 GMT

Officer kills man at Westminster apartments after days of repeat police visits DENVER (KDVR) -- A man was shot and killed by a Westminster police officer at an apartment complex Sunday night. Neighbors say the shooting followed days of escalation, including several recent police visits to the man's home.According to the Westminster Police Department, officers were called to the 1400 block of 116th Avenue about a man who was being held down by residents. 1 killed in Lakewood shooting, suspect in custody When officers arrived at the apartment complex, they found the suspect on the ground wrestling with several other people. WPD said an officer deployed a Taser, but it was not effective.The police department said the man displayed a handgun during the struggle with one of the residents, and after ordering him to drop the weapon several times, an officer fired his gun and hit the man.Police said officers began CPR and other emergency first aid. The man was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.Police visited man's home 5 times since FridayFOX31...

Nuggets gear up for title defense, guard against complacency

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:16 GMT

Nuggets gear up for title defense, guard against complacency DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic couldn’t take his gaze off the NBA championship trophy sitting next to his arm.The Denver Nuggets big man stared and stared at the list of teams engraved on the shiny gold prize before something suddenly hit him.“They didn’t put our name on here,” he said Monday at media day.Actually, it was — on the very front, where Jokic couldn’t quite see. Charlie Blackmon and Colorado Rockies agree to $13 million contract for 2024 What the two-time NBA MVP and the Nuggets can see quite clearly is a path toward repeating, despite losing veteran leader/sixth-man Bruce Brown through free agency.That's provided, of course, they can guard against one thing — complacency.“No one cares what you did last season,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone, whose team beat Miami in five games to win the NBA title. “We had success in that moment. But that moment is gone. We have a new opportunity and challenge in front of us.”Nuggets trust Jokic to be his triple-double ...

Foo Fighters announce national tour with Denver stop at Empower Field

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:16 GMT

Foo Fighters announce national tour with Denver stop at Empower Field DENVER (KDVR) -- The Foo Fighters announced a national stadium tour for next summer that includes one night at Empower Field at Mile High.This is an extension of the band's "Everything or Nothing At All" tour, which began earlier this year and has primarily comprised festival appearances, including Jazz Aspen Snowmass Labor Day Experience last month. ‘All I Want for Christmas is you’: Mariah Carey announces Denver holiday performance The Denver show is scheduled for Aug. 3, about halfway through the 12 announced shows.Other stops include two nights at Citi Field in New York, two nights at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles and single nights at Fenway Park in Boston, Hersheypark Stadium in Pennsylvania, Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Target Field in Minneapolis, Petco Park in San Diego, Providence Park in Portland, Oregon and T-Mobile Park in Seattle.The openers at Empower Field will be Pretenders and Mammoth WVH. Other stops will have different openers, including The Hives, Amyl ...

Truck crashes into building in Billerica 

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:16 GMT

Truck crashes into building in Billerica  Emergency crews responded in Billerica Monday after a truck crashed into an electronics store near the intersection of Boston Road and Floyd Street. The crash happened around 7:20 p.m. Roughly two hours later, crews were still on scene working to shore up the damaged building before removing the truck, which ended up wedged inside the structure. Officials speaking with 7NEWS said one person was in the truck at the time of the crash. The person was taken to a hospital but was alert and conscious and was not seriously hurt, officials said. Officials said the building that was hit had been for sale, with parties closing on a deal on Monday, hours before this crash.While authorities investigated this crash, one witness said the truck appeared to have traveled down Floyd Street, through the intersection with Boston Road before hitting the building.No further information was immediately available. This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for t...

Chicago Bulls say they welcome new Eastern Conference challenges posed by Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:16 GMT

Chicago Bulls say they welcome new Eastern Conference challenges posed by Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics The Chicago Bulls opened a new season during Monday’s media day ahead of a first-ever off-site training camp, which will take place this week in Nashville, Tenn. But the biggest NBA news of the week happened 90 miles up the road in Milwaukee, where the Bucks landed Damian Lillard in a blockbuster trade that shifts the dynamics of the entire Eastern Conference.With the Boston Celtics adding Jrue Holiday as a result of the Bucks’ trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, the top two teams in the conference are cemented into an even stronger position.Ahead of his third season in Chicago, All-Star DeMar DeRozan welcomed the new challenge.“I love it,” DeRozan said. “You gotta get more hungry, understanding you want to go against those big teams like that and compete. You want to be ready, you want to be ready and prepared, you want to try and put in all the effort you need to be ready for those moments because that should bring the best out of you every si...