National Sports

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Jordan Poole is far from a finished product, and the fourth-year guard showed both signs of brilliance and struggles controlling his emotions on the big Christmas Day basketball stage.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Russell Wilson, ever the optimist, couldn’t find a way to rationalize the Denver Broncos’ dire 51-14 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. “Well, the bottom line is unacceptable, you know, and it starts with me,” he said.

BOSTON (AP) — Jaylen Brown knocked down his shots in the fourth quarter. And then he knocked down Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson got back together Sunday, near the end of their first season apart following a decade together. Wagner and his Los Angeles Rams were the only ones who enjoyed the holiday reunion.

DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks had trailed from the opening bucket when the crowd erupted at the sight of retired star Dirk Nowitzki on the video boards late in the first half.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Packers, beneficiaries of results from Christmas Eve games, did their part by beating the Dolphins 26-20 on Sunday.

Kevin Payne, who helped D.C. United become Major League Soccer's first dynasty and went on to serve as president of Toronto FC, has died. He was 69. The Washington Post reported that Payne died Sunday in Charleston, S.C., from a lung illness.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander knew the secondary needed to start playing better against the Miami Dolphins after defensive backs coach Jerry Gray surprisingly yelled at them at halftime.

Kathy Whitworth set a benchmark in golf no one has ever touched, whether it was Sam Snead or Tiger Woods, Mickey Wright or Annika Sorenstam. Her 88 victories are the most by any player on a single professional tour.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers weren't playing well, and worse than that, Joel Embiid thought he was playing soft. He and James Harden have the Sixers on too good a roll to stay down too long. “We just know how to play.