Carmelo Anthony almost couldn't miss and Greg Oden missed when it mattered most. Anthony scored 19 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter and the Denver Nuggets were helped by Portland's trouble at the free-throw line for a 97-94 victory Thursday night. Oden missed a pair of free throws with 4.6 seconds left, squandering a chance for Portland to go ahead.
They dashed from the dugout and in from the outfield, swarming Alex Rodriguez in a sea of pinstripes only steps from his spot at third base. "I couldn't be more excited," he said. "I feel like a 10-year-old kid." Making it to the World Series for the first time after all those misses will do that to you.
Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings were anything but perfect. The Vikings couldn't gain a half-yard when it might have turned the game, then watched the Steelers' big-play defense end their unbeaten season with two long touchdown returns in the final 6 1/2 minutes. LaMarr Woodley's 77-yard fumble return and Keyaron Fox's 82-yard interception return on turnovers…
As great as Brett Favre was Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings quarterback was pretty sure he wasn't good enough. So sure that the Vikings were headed to their first defeat of the season, Favre couldn't even bear to watch as Baltimore kicker Steve Hauschka lined up for a 44-yard field goal with 2 seconds to play.
Rudy Gay listened as Grizzlies' teammate O.J. Mayo talked of the team's need to meld at practice and couldn't stop himself from piping in, "Practice?" Oh yes, the player who's been with the Memphis Grizzlies the longest has seen video of Allen Iverson's infamous 2002 rant during a feud with Larry Brown about missing practice and heard that word maybe 20 times in the…
Matthew Stafford held his head down on the bench for the final snap. Dominic Raiola couldn't watch, either, fearing a 20th loss in a row and 100th setback of his nine-season career. When Detroit's leaders looked up and saw Washington was out of time, they saw what they were hoping to see Sunday.
Matt Hasselbeck granted one little guy his wish Friday. He couldn't grant all other Seahawks fans theirs. Hasselbeck missed a third consecutive practice day because of a broken rib, so the Seahawks expect backup Seneca Wallace to start at quarterback for the three-time Pro Bowl passer on Sunday against Chicago.
The Houston Astros fired manager Cecil Cooper on Monday with 13 games left in another disappointing season. Third-base coach Dave Clark was named interim manager and things didn't change much Monday night as the Astros lost their eighth straight, 7-3 to the St. Louis Cardinals, to drop to 70-80. General manager Ed Wade said the change couldn't wait until the end of the season.