After rediscovering himself in Japan, right-hander Pierce Johnson has reached an agreement with the San Diego Padres on a two-year, $5 million deal with a club option for a third year, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Johnson, 28, struggled in the big leagues in his previous stint. The 2012 first-round pick by the Cubs made only one appearance for Chicago before being waived in 2017 and claimed by the Giants. He played for the Giants in 2018, posting a 5.56 ERA over 37 appearances.

He spent the 2019 season with the Hanshin Tigers in Nippon Professional Baseball, where he went 2-3 with a 1.38 ERA and 40 holds in 58 appearances.

As a good Canadian boy, Nathan MacKinnon should have known better. Earlier this month, his Colorado Avalanche were visiting the Toronto Maple Leafs, and in the visiting locker room, MacKinnon talked to a reporter from Forbes about his contract. MacKinnon said he has "no regrets" about inking his contract in 2016 that would pay him $6.3 million per year -- which turned out to be one of the league's best bargains -- and added, "on my next deal, I'll take less again."

The comments went viral.

"That blew up more than I thought it would," MacKinnon told me last week in Chicago. "I forgot I was in Toronto speaking. I'm used to being in Denver. If I said that in Denver it would have just been brushed aside."

Nonetheless, I wanted to know if MacKinnon stood by his comments. He did. Then I wanted to know something else. Did he get that mindset from the player he grew up idolizing, Sidney Crosby? The answer was yes again.

"We're really tight, he's like my brother -- my big brother," MacKinnon said of Crosby. "We get together in the summer and stay in touch during the season. I kind of just listen to whatever he tells me to do. Growing up, I was a huge fan of him -- the biggest fan you could find."

Crosby famously took $8.7 million -- an homage to his jersey number, 87 -- as his annual cap hit, below his market worth. And in turn, it helped the Penguins win multiple Stanley Cups. The 24-year-old MacKinnon took notice of the correlation.

"Absolutely," MacKinnon said. "I look up to Sid. That's kind of where I got it from. I tease him sometimes about it, but at the end of the day, [Kris] Letang and [Evgeni] Malkin wouldn't have [taken less] and who knows if they would have won another Cup after '09? They got guys like [Patric] Hornqvist, [Nick] Bonino, [Carl] Hagelin, [Phil] Kessel. If Sid took 12 [million] and Malkin took 12, then back then that would have crippled their team. Yeah, eight and a half [million] for Sid is ridiculous. Sorry, 8.7 is ridiculous for him. Best player in the world, especially when they were winning, he was a beast in the playoffs. But he took less and they won a lot.

"So that's where I get that mindset from. He's happy with what he has. He has three Cups. He's living a good life. He's fine. Trust me, he's fine."

MacKinnon's contract isn't up until after the 2022-23 season, but there's a reason he feels comfortable talking about it now, in another MVP-level campaign, where he trails only Edmonton's duo of Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid for the league lead in points (MacKinnon has 53 through 36 games).

The injury bug has bitten the Avalanche. They missed MacKinnon's linemates Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog for extended time, and more recently have managed injuries to their top two defensemen, Cale Makar and Erik Johnson. And yet, they've been able to string together wins. Part of it is because of MacKinnon's MVP-level play when his go-to wingers were out (in 14 games without both this season, MacKinnon had 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points). But part of it is due to the team's depth, a new facet this season.

"This is my seventh season, and I've never been on a team that might win the Cup or believes they can win the Cup," MacKinnon said. "In my previous six years, you say it, but you don't really mean it. You know deep down you're not going to win it. This year, it really feels like we have a chance."

So how does that pertain to his contract?

"Obviously, you want to be paid what you're worth," MacKinnon said. "But in a salary-cap world, what I might be worth might be too much for the cap, and I like having great players around me. We couldn't have signed [Pierre-Edouard] Bellemare or [Matt] Calvert or [Joonas] Donskoi. We have a lot of good players here. If Mikko and Landy both got hurt and we didn't have those guys, we would have struggled mightily.

"At the end of the day, I'm making a lot of money right now. I'm making enough money. And I'm happy."

Jump ahead:
What we liked this week | What we didn't like
Three stars of the week | Biggest games coming up

Emptying the notebook

If you watch the Avalanche, you'll see MacKinnon takes a ton of shots. In fact, the only player in the league who takes more is Alex Ovechkin. MacKinnon's total has gone up every season since his second in the league, and now that he's averaging 4.61 per game, he's on pace to break his personal best from last season and reach 378 by season's end. "I just try to be involved and be aggressive," MacKinnon said. "When I play my best, I do shoot a lot of pucks for whatever reason. I don't have the best shooting percentage out of everyone, but I do like to get a lot of pucks on net. I found when I do that, our whole line gets a lot of success."

Of Crosby, MacKinnon said: "He's a great guy, a funny guy. He doesn't give the media a ton, but he does have a ton of personality." So I asked MacKinnon how much his approach will be different, and how willing and comfortable he is to put himself out there. "I like doing that stuff when it's not me promoting it," MacKinnon said. "I'm not a big Instagram guy. I don't really promote myself. Maybe I should more. My agents would like that, I'm sure. But I enjoy doing TV shows. I've done some 'Trailer Park Boys' stuff, some different TV shows, a lot of commercials, like with Tim Horton's in Canada.

"I have a lot of fun doing that stuff, and I'm willing to put myself out there in that sense for sure. But I'm still not a big Instagrammer, I know it's the wave right now, but I just can't get into it."

The SM-liiga, or Finnish Elite League, announced new major punishments this past week to crack down on head shots. The rules were adopted at the board of governors meeting. As part of the sweeping disciplinary changes, all checks that are determined to be at the head will have an automatic suspension of a minimum five games. The disciplinary committee also has the ability to ban a player up to six games or nine months, depending on the severity of the head shot and injury to the victim -- which can go even longer, if the board of governors approves it.

What struck me in the comments from board chair Heikki Hiltunen was that he wants Finland to be on the forefront of safety in the international game. They're also setting up a "team of experts" to look into safety-enhancing rule changes and rule interpretations.

I asked my good friend Sami Hoffren, who moved back to Helsinki this year to cover the Finnish Elite League, how this was all being received in Finland. He said that the board of governors didn't consult the players before their decision, which the players did not appreciate. "But most players understand that's something they had to do," Hoffren said.

On Hockey Night in Canada on Sunday, it was reported that the Capitals and Braden Holtby will table any contract talks until after the season. Sportsnet's Elliott Friedman pointed out that it's not unusual for Washington to give out contracts over the summer for similar players (T.J. Oshie is one example). But I get the sense the Capitals are comfortable moving on from Holtby, and opting for the cheaper and younger option in Ilya Samsonov next season (he's 22 and has another full season on his entry-level contract). But we'll see how the season plays out.

What we liked this week

• Now that the Carolina Hurricanes winger has done it twice, the lacrosse goal has officially been renamed from the Michigan to the Svechnikov. Check out how the defenseman on the play, Winnipeg's Neal Pionk, anticipates Andrei Svechnikov about to pull off the move -- but still can't stop it:

At the start of the season, not one player had scored a lacrosse-style goal.

ANDREI SVECHNIKOV (@ASvechnikov_37) HAS NOW DONE IT TWICE. pic.twitter.com/PpEyWWGubz

— NHL (@NHL) December 18, 2019

• Patrik Laine is one of the low-key best personalities in the NHL today. His sense of humor is on full display in this deadpan interview:

Patrik Laine. Mr. Humble. ?

(@snseanreynolds is getting the all-time great interviews today! pic.twitter.com/yiPQ8Ebb4r

— JetsNation (@NHLJetsNation) December 21, 2019

• Don't look now (who are we kidding, it's Toronto, everyone in hockey is looking), but the Maple Leafs have won four straight games -- and are 10-4 under Sheldon Keefe -- to move into the second Atlantic Division playoff spot. They're tied for the most wins in the league in that span, and averaging a league-high 3.71 goals in that timeframe, too. And hey, they even won a game by starting a goalie not named Frederik Andersen. Big things happening up North!

• Things haven't been going great in Columbus this season -- besides suffering through the great comedown that was the all-in 2019 postseason run, the Blue Jackets have been barraged by injuries. But here's something to take solace in: Joonas Korpisalo has had a few strong starts lately, including becoming the first goaltender to shut out the Caps this season.

• I can't wait until Josh Ho-Sang is a full-time NHL player:

How'd you feel, Josh? "Gucci, dude. You can quote that." Yep, he's back. "This is just the start. Crashin' nets and cashin' checks."

— Michael Fornabaio (@fornabaioctp) December 22, 2019

What we didn't like this week

• Here's some sobering truth about the Los Angeles Kings. They might have won some Cups, but they have made poor financial decisions since (and locked up too many aging players to bloated contracts) and continue to pay for it:

The Los Angeles Kings have $11 million in cap space for next season tied up in Ilya Kovalchuk, Dion Phaneuf, and Mike Richards.

None of those people actually play for their team anymore.

— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) December 16, 2019

• Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are the first pair of teammates to reach 60 points in 39 team games or fewer since Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr in 1996-97. How dependent are the Oilers on their star forward duo? This is how dependent:

#Oilers haven't won a game when Connor McDavid & Leon Draisaitl both go pointless since November 28, 2017 vs Arizona

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) December 21, 2019

• Speaking of dependence, the Sabres are becoming scarily so on Jack Eichel, who has scored a point in every game in which he has played since Nov. 16 (just let that sink in). Buffalo was without its captain for one game this week, and the Sabres looked hapless and unorganized in a 6-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. Eichel is back, but the Sabres are back outside of the playoff picture. To get back in, GM Jason Botterill might need to acquire scoring help on the trade market. In a perfect world, the Sabres (hamstrung by carrying multiple players on LTIR) will look to unload defenseman Zach Bogosian in a deal. He has been unhappy after being a healthy scratch often this season, due to Buffalo's surplus in defenseman.

• Speaking of players asking for trades, according to several reports, Lias Andersson has asked out of the New York Rangers organization. Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that Andersson has been suspended by the Rangers after leaving the AHL's Hartford Wolfpack following his trade request. It has been a frustrating three years for the 2017 No. 7 overall pick, who has not looked comfortable at the NHL level (especially when he was demoted to a fourth-line role), and has not produced when he has been sent down, either. A fresh start is likely needed, but his value is not very high right now. Andersson recorded just one assist through 17 games this season, averaging less than 10 minutes per game. GM Jeff Gorton will shop Andersson's name around the league, but can't do anything until the holiday roster freeze is lifted on Dec. 27.

• This is frightening. Don't do this:

Mikhail Berdin everyone.
pic.twitter.com/1OPQz9Kgu2

— Essensa's Blocker (@EssensasBlocker) December 22, 2019

Three Stars of the Week

Noel Acciari, F, Florida Panthers

Have yourself a week, Noel Acciari. A pair of hat tricks against the Senators and Stars meant the former Boston Bruin matched his 2018-19 goals total in just two games. He had seven goals and an assist for eight points in three games this week.

Jonathan Huberdeau, F, Florida Panthers

Two Panthers on the list? Hey, the Panthers had a great week, with three wins (including against playoff-positioned teams in the Canes and Stars) as they climbed back into a top three spot in the Atlantic. Huberdeau, one of the league's most underappreciated forwards, had a whopping 10 points in three games.

Roman Josi, D, Nashville Predators

Perhaps no Preds player is having a better season than their captain and average minutes leader Josi, who also happens to be their leading scorer (33 points, while being tied for the team lead with 13 goals). Josi had six goals in four games this week, as Nashville went 3-0-1.

Games of the Week

Monday, Dec. 23: Carolina Hurricanes at Toronto Maple Leafs (ESPN+)

This one could provide offensive sizzle. The Canes get pucks on net as well as any team in the NHL (they average 33.9 shots per game), while the Maple Leafs are averaging nearly four goals per game since Sheldon Keefe took over. If Andrei Svechnikov can do another lacrosse goal -- this time in the hockey media capital of the world, Toronto -- you may never stop hearing about it.

Friday, Dec. 27: Minnesota Wild at Colorado Avalanche

To be honest, any Central Division showdown has become a must-watch for me. The division is that good and the competition in the middle is that tight. The Avs have separated themselves into the top tier, so this could be a good measuring test for the Wild. I'm still not sure what to make of the Wild, who gutted out an impressive 8-5 win over the Coyotes this week, but also looked listless in a 6-0 shutout against the Jets.

Saturday, Dec. 28: Nashville Predators at Pittsburgh Penguins (ESPN+)

This is the second of a back-to-back between these clubs, which means we'll have the potential for carry-over drama -- especially with it being a rematch of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final. The Pens are tied for an NHL-high seven wins this month, without Sidney Crosby. Meanwhile, both of these teams have interesting goaltender situations brewing. Predators veteran Pekka Rinne lost his job to Juuse Saros for a stretch earlier this season, and it looks like the Penguins' Matt Murray might have lost his to Tristan Jarry now.

Quote of the week

"Offense is like a cat. It comes and goes. Sometimes you lose it for a while, and then it comes back. Well, defense is is like your dog. He's loyal. He's always by your side. He's always backing you up." -- Calgary Flames interim coach Geoff Ward, who sounds like he might not be the best cat owner in the world.

Jan Vertonghen has condemned the racist abuse suffered by Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger at the hands of Tottenham supporters as a "disgrace" and said the incident is an opportunity to make a statement against discrimination.

Rudiger was involved in a 62nd-minute clash with Tottenham's Son Heung-Min in Chelsea's 2-0 Premier League win. The South Korea international was red carded after a VAR review and Rudiger indicated shortly afterwards he had been the victim of a monkey gesture from the home section.

"I didn't hear anything but if these things are still happening it is a disgrace and we should act strong against this," Vertonghen said postmatch.

"I have got no idea how people still talk this way. Sometimes you think people are smarter than this. I am very convinced it is just a minority but anyway it is very wrong.

"I just can't get my head around it how people do this. I've got no words for it and if any of their players are affected I apologise in the name of Spurs but like I said these are a minority of idiots. We don't identify with these people."

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Vertonghen added that this wasn't just a problem in England and called on UEFA and other football associations across Europe to tackle the problem better.

"I always see England as one of the countries that is ahead in the multicultural society," Vertonghen said. "I think [England] is ahead of other countries. It hurts and it is not just a problem in this stadium or in London or in the UK but it is everywhere in the world.

"I don't know how you fix these idiots but this is an opportunity for the right people to act strong against it. It's a problem everywhere and this is another opportunity to make a statement.

"My general feeling is that in England they act strong and maybe they have to act even stronger. Outside of the UK, I'm talking about UEFA and other FAs in European countries they can do better."

Negotiations between Barcelona and Konrad de la Fuente over a new deal have broken down with sources telling ESPN the American is keen to join former United States national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann at Hertha Berlin.

De la Fuente, 18, has been in talks with Barca over a contract extension for several months. The forward's terms expire in the summer but club sources said in November they were confident of striking an agreement with the U.S. youth international.

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However, De la Fuente's head has been turned by the interest shown in him by Hertha Berlin and the chance to play top-flight football in a league where many Americans have broken through.

German businessman Lars Windhorst recently upped his stake in Hertha to 49.9% after purchasing an additional 12.4% for €99 million. Germany's 50+1 rule prevents him from owning a majority stake in the club.

That transaction coincided with the appointment of Klinsmann as the first team's interim coach. It's his first major role since leaving the U.S. men's national team in 2016.

Windhorst's investment and subsequent cash injection means the club have money to spend on players in January, when a clear out of the squad is also anticipated.

Barca have offered De la Fuente a three-year deal with the option for another two years. During the first two years of the contract, he would be with the club's B team and then, in the third year, he would become a first-team player.

The Spanish champions believed he would accept those terms but learned earlier in December he was having doubts.

In a bid to get him to stay, he was promoted from the U19s to the B team for last weekend's game against La Nucia, which he started. But with the player still pushing for a move, despite the fact his parents and agents are in favour of him remaining at Camp Nou, he didn't feature for the U19s or the B team this past weekend.

Hertha are hopeful a deal can be done in January but for that to happen they must reach an agreement with Barca. Failing that, De la Fuente will be able to walk away next summer and the German club would only have to pay development rights of up to €700,000.

Germany has been a successful breeding ground for American and Canadian players in recent years. Christian Pulisic, Alphonso Davies and Tyler Adams are among several players to have enjoyed success in the country.

De La Fuente, who played for the U.S. at the U20 World Cup earlier this year, was born in Miami to Haitian parents, but moved to Spain when he was 10, eventually joining Barcelona's La Masia academy in 2014.

In an interview with ESPN earlier this year, he described himself as a "dynamic winger, who is fast, skillful, tricky and likes to take players on."

Australia batsman Matthew Wade has signed for the first half of Somerset's 2020 Championship campaign. Wade broke back into the Test team as a batsman earlier this year, scoring two hundreds during the Ashes, and will return to England for the start of the county season in April.

"When you're signing an overseas player, there are a number of criteria that you need to think about," Somerset's director of cricket, Andy Hurry, said. "You want your overseas to be a world-class performer, but you also need to look at what they will bring off the field. You want someone who is a leader on the pitch and someone who buys in to the Club ethos. Matthew Wade will tick every single box.

"He is a world-class performer, he is extremely driven and he is a leader. He has vast experience and has captained Tasmania as well as leading Victoria to two Sheffield Shields.

"He was outstanding for Australia this summer with the bat and his record speaks for itself. We are delighted to have secured a player of his calibre for our opening seven County Championship matches of 2020."

Wade's first game for Somerset is expected to be the Championship opener against Warwickshire - for whom is played T20 as an overseas signing in 2016 - and he will conclude his spell with the return fixture at Edgbaston before the start of the Vitality Blast at the end of May.

Wade said: "It's an exciting challenge and one that I'm looking forward to. I got a good taste of English conditions last summer and it'll be good to come back over and to hopefully contribute to Somerset winning matches in the County Championship.

"Somerset have got a excellent squad and I'm looking forward to meeting up with the guys and to getting out on the pitch with them. I'm told that Somerset have a bit of a history of Australian players doing well for the club, so hopefully I can add my name to that list."

Pakistan's days of hosting international cricket away from home are over, according to PCB chairman Ehsan Mani. Hours after Pakistan wrapped up a Test series win against Sri Lanka in Karachi, the first time any Test cricket has been played in the country since 2009, Mani insisted that there was "absolutely no doubt" Pakistan would play all home series within the country going forward.

Mani's comments came at a time when top figures in Pakistan cricket have taken a strong stance on the upcoming, but as yet unconfirmed, Bangladesh tour of Pakistan. Reports suggest Bangladesh are willing to play T20Is in Pakistan, but want the Tests at a neutral venue. On Sunday, head coach Misbah-ul-Haq said Bangladesh had "no excuse" not to tour, while Test captain Azhar Ali urged the ICC to get involved should such a scenario come up.

"No one should be under any misapprehension as to where Pakistan's home Tests will take place," Mani said at a press interaction. "All of Pakistan's matches, against Bangladesh or anyone else, will take place in Pakistan. I still hope the BCB will reflect on the matter and accept there is no reason for them not to visit Pakistan.

"If Sri Lanka can come - and bringing them was very high-risk - then it is safe. If anything even minor had happened, people would have said it isn't safe to come. But they trusted the people here and came and they [the ones that opted out] said they wished they had come for the limited-overs series as well, because what they've been told and the ground realities are very different."

"The Bangladesh women's team came to Pakistan, as well as the Under-16 team, and they went back very happy. So we don't want them to be in any doubt that if they play us, it will be in Pakistan" Ehsan Mani

After initial optimism about the tour of Bangladesh, as ESPNcricinfo has reported, the PCB has become concerned by the unresponsiveness of its counterparts in Bangladesh. Mani said he had read more about the tour in newspapers than via official communication from the BCB. "When they receive feedback from the Sri Lankans about how security matters were dealt with, hopefully they'll think again and decide to tour," Mani said.

Pointing out that the PSL draft had over 400 overseas players listed, Mani argued that individual players no longer had a problem with coming to Pakistan. Unlike the last few editions of the PSL, where a handful of games at the back-end of the tournament were played in Pakistan, the entirety of the tournament will take place in the country this year.

A lingering uncertainty, now that the PCB has become more forceful in its insistence that teams visit Pakistan for tour commitments, is what would happen if a visiting side refused to tour for a scheduled series. The PCB has, until now, opted against disclosing what its course of action would be, but Mani said the burden of proof had shifted from Pakistan to any team that believed it was unsafe to tour the country and hinted at the possibility of taking the matter to the ICC for resolution.

"I have been around with the ICC for a long time. I know the way it works," he said. "They will have to prove Pakistan is not safe. We think it's safe, and we've shown the world it's safe. Look at what happened in Christchurch [with the Bangladesh team], and incidents can happen in Australia and England, and all around the world. India is at present in far greater turmoil from a security perspective than Pakistan is. I will not take a risk with any players' safety or security. We will listen to everyone who is worried about coming here, but ultimately they'll have to prove it isn't safe to come here."

The PCB's tone might suggest discussions with the BCB have stalled, though Mani insisted talks had not been called off. While Mani stressed that nothing but a full tour would be acceptable to the PCB, he stopped short of suggesting that Pakistan would rebuff any other offer.

"We would absolutely have the right to dispute such a decision with the ICC," he said. "I don't want to say too much, because our discussions with the BCB are ongoing. When they formally tell us what decision they've taken, we'll see what we need to do. The Bangladesh women's team came to Pakistan, as well as the Under-16 team, and they went back very happy. So we don't want them to be in any doubt that if they play us, it will be in Pakistan."

Giannis Antetokounmpo showed the world why he's the favorite to repeat as MVP, dropping 34 points -- with a career-high five 3-pointers -- as the Milwaukee Bucks toppled LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in this season's most-anticipated game.

But that was all the way back on Thursday.

The real fireworks of the past week came less than 24 hours ago, when the defending champion and injury-riddled Toronto Raptors pulled off the near-impossible: rallying from a 30-point deficit -- 23 points in the fourth quarter -- to cap the biggest comeback in franchise history in beating the Dallas Mavericks.

Let's see where all 30 teams stand as we gear up for a Christmas Day feast of NBA basketball -- all day Wednesday on ESPN and ABC.

Throughout the regular season, our panel (ESPN's Tim MacMahon, Andre' Snellings, Royce Young and Bobby Marks, and The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears) is ranking all 30 teams from top to bottom, taking stock of which teams are playing the best basketball now and which teams are looking most like title contenders.

Previous: Week 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Camp | Free agency | Post-Finals

1. Milwaukee Bucks
Record: 27-4
Week 9 ranking: 1

The Bucks solidified their spot as the top team in the NBA with a convincing win over the Lakers on Thursday night. The Bucks have a tough matchup in Philadelphia on Christmas Day, but after that they play 10 straight games against teams with losing records and an overall win percentage of under 35. -- Snellings

This week: @PHI, @ATL, ORL

2. Los Angeles Lakers
Record: 24-6
Week 9 ranking: 2

LeBron James missed his first game of the season Sunday because of a thoracic muscle strain. Hopefully, James will not miss the next game in the big Christmas showdown against the LA Clippers. James has scored 321 points in 13 Christmas games, which has been bettered by only Kobe Bryant's 395 points in his NBA-record 16 games and Oscar Robertson's 377 points in 12 games. -- Spears

This week: LAC, @POR, DAL

3. LA Clippers
Record: 22-10
Week 9 ranking: 3

It has been a tad choppy lately for the Clippers, going 2-3 in their past five games. Some of that is by the nature of their choppy lineups, resting players along with other injuries. Their game Sunday in Oklahoma City featured a fourth-quarter stumble as the Thunder shut down Paul George and Lou Williams, and scored at will on the other end as Kawhi Leonard and Patrick Beverley sat. But it hopefully just means all the stars are properly aligned for Christmas Day against the Lakers, where everyone will certainly not overreact at all to that outcome. -- Young

This week: @LAL, UTAH

4. Miami Heat
Record: 21-8
Week 9 ranking: 4

Call the loss to the Grizzlies a trap game if you want, but following it up with a true statement win in Philly was the mark of a very good team. And for extended stretches, the best player on the floor that game was Bam Adebayo. Adebayo is putting together a strong early case for Most Improved Player, raising his level of play in every category. If the Heat are going to continue to ascend in the East, Adebayo's development is going to run parallel. -- Young

This week: UTAH, IND, PHI

5. Boston Celtics
Record: 20-7
Week 9 ranking: 6

The Celtics continued the next-man-up approach in wins over Dallas and Detroit last week. With Gordon Hayward sidelined once again, this time because of a left foot injury, Boston got a combined 82 points from Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in a road win at Dallas. When Walker struggled, going 0-for-6 two nights later at home against Detroit, rookie Grant Williams chipped in with 18 points. The win over the Pistons also saw fan favorite Tacko Fall score a career-high five points in his home debut. -- Marks

This week: @TOR, CLE, TOR

6. Toronto Raptors
Record: 21-8
Week 9 ranking: 7

The Raptors are beset by injury, with each of Pascal Siakam, Marc Gasol and Norman Powell out indefinitely. So what? Toronto has won five straight, with none more thrilling than the franchise-best 30-point comeback win Sunday over the Mavericks. Moving forward, Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet will be relied upon even more to provide offense from the backcourt, already averaging a combined 37.8 points as the team's second- and third-leading scorers. -- Snellings

This week: @IND, BOS, @BOS, OKC

7. Houston Rockets
Record: 20-9
Week 9 ranking: 10

Russell Westbrook has averaged 29.3 points on 50.7% shooting in his past seven games, highlighted by a 40-point performance in a road win over the Clippers. He attributed his drastically improved efficiency recently to better health, specifically regarding the fingers on his right hand that he dislocated during the preseason. The Rockets are 9-1 when Westbrook hits at least half of his shots from the field, with the lone loss coming on a buzzer-beater against the Kings. -- MacMahon

This week: @SAC, @GS, BKN, @NO

8. Denver Nuggets
Record: 20-8
Week 9 ranking: 9

So LeBron James wasn't playing, but it's impossible to not be impressed by the Nuggets' dominant second half at Staples Center on Sunday to win their sixth straight game. The brilliant balance of Denver was on full display, with six players in double figures. After a lull a couple of weeks ago, the Nuggets' offense has come alive, sending the firm reminder that this contender is still to be taken very seriously. -- Young

This week: @PHX, NO, MEM, SAC

9. Dallas Mavericks
Record: 19-10
Week 9 ranking: 8

The Mavs managed to go 2-3 without Luka Doncic against the beasts of the Eastern Conference (Miami, Milwaukee, Boston, Philadelphia and Toronto) and would have finished that run with a winning record if not for a meltdown after building a 30-point lead over the Raptors. "We're not looking to be a little better than expected," coach Rick Carlisle said after Sunday's loss. "We're looking to do exceptional things. So that's why this is really disappointing." -- MacMahon

This week: SA, @GS, @LAL

10. Philadelphia 76ers
Record: 21-10
Week 9 ranking: 5

According to Joel Embiid, the Sixers are "playing scared." Philly has lost three of four -- including games to a depleted Brooklyn team, Miami and Dallas. Those most recent losses came with the Heat and Mavericks employing a zone defense, something more defenses might copy as the season continues. Per Second Spectrum, Miami played 38 possessions of zone Wednesday -- the most by any team in a game this season -- and Dallas played 35 on Friday. -- Marks

This week: @DET, MIL, @ORL, @MIA

11. Indiana Pacers
Record: 20-10
Week 9 ranking: 11

The Pacers are one of the most under-the-radar teams in the NBA, winners of five straight games including a win over the Lakers before their loss in Milwaukee on Sunday night. The Pacers win with defense, ranking in the top six in the NBA in opponents' points, field goal percentage and 3-point percentage. -- Snellings

This week: TOR, @MIA, @NO

12. Utah Jazz
Record: 18-11
Week 9 ranking: 13

Utah is taking advantage of a soft stretch of schedule, winning six of its past seven games, with all the victories coming against teams with losing records. But the Jazz still have to figure out how to get much better production from the bench. It seems that the experiment of Joe Ingles as a sixth man has ended. He remained in the starting lineup when Mike Conley made his return (only to aggravate his hamstring in that game) with Royce O'Neale shifting to a reserve role. -- MacMahon

This week: @MIA, POR, @LAC

13. Brooklyn Nets
Record: 16-13
Week 9 ranking: 12

A 16-13 record won't generate much Coach of the Year attention, but Kenny Atkinson and his staff should receive high praise for keeping the Nets afloat. Besides Kevin Durant being out for the season, Brooklyn has dealt with injuries to Kyrie Irving, Caris LeVert, a Wilson Chandler suspension and now season-ending injury to reserve David Nwaba. It is also time to recognize that backup guard Spencer Dinwiddie is inching closer to earning a spot in the All-Star Game. Last week, Dinwiddie averaged 37 points as Brooklyn went 2-1. -- Marks

This week: NY, @HOU

14. Oklahoma City Thunder
Record: 15-14
Week 9 ranking: 15

Four straight wins put the Thunder on the right side of .500, but even more so, they're 9-3 dating to Nov. 29. They've found a rhythm and an identity, playing egoless, fun basketball. Dennis Schroder is making a strong case as an early front-runner for Sixth Man of the Year and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander set a career high with 32 points against the Suns, then matched it Sunday against the Clippers. -- Young

This week: MEM, @CHA, @TOR

15. Portland Trail Blazers
Record: 14-16
Week 9 ranking: 20

A 4-0 week has the Blazers right back in the playoff mix and feeling much better about themselves. They've won five of six, all against sub-.500 teams, but the Blazers hadn't been taking advantage of those kind of games before. Damian Lillard is looking healthy again, averaging 30.7 points on 47% shooting in Portland's winning streak. -- Young

This week: NO, @UTAH, LAL

16. Sacramento Kings
Record: 12-17
Week 9 ranking: 14

De'Aaron Fox returned to the starting lineup in Sunday's loss in Memphis after coming off the bench the past two games following an ankle injury. Fox averaged 18.6 points, 6.7 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 10 games as a starter this season. -- Spears

This week: HOU, MIN, PHX, @DEN

17. Orlando Magic
Record: 12-17
Week 9 ranking: 17

The Magic continue to have trouble against quality teams, having lost six straight games against teams that made the playoffs last season. The Magic have been solid on defense this season, ranking 12th in defensive rating with 107.2 points allowed per 100 possessions. Their struggles have come on the other end of the court, as they have scored only 105.0 points per 100 possessions for the sixth-worst offensive rating in the NBA. -- Snellings

This week: CHI, PHI, @MIL

18. San Antonio Spurs
Record: 11-17
Week 9 ranking: 23

Point guard Dejounte Murray has returned to the starting lineup with mixed results. He has been productive in four games since getting his starting job back, averaging 14.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists while shooting 61% from the field. But he has the Spurs' worst plus-minus during that 2-2 stretch, as San Antonio was outscored by 45 points in Murray's 110 minutes. -- MacMahon

This week: @MEM, @DAL, DET

19. Charlotte Hornets
Record: 13-20
Week 9 ranking: 18

Instead of focusing on the disappointing two-point loss at Cleveland, we will focus on the good -- the play of Malik Monk. Since entering the league in 2017, Monk has struggled with his consistency and role. Last week, the guard put together a strong stretch of games -- 10.3 points per game on 53.3% shooting and 41.7% from deep -- all coming off the bench. In the lone win against Sacramento, Monk scored 23 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and handed out 4 assists. -- Marks

This week: OKC, @MEM

20. Chicago Bulls
Record: 12-19
Week 9 ranking: 22

Zach LaVine and the Bulls are finally making a run after winning two straight and four of their past six. LaVine has been the key, averaging 29.0 points, 3.5 made 3-pointers and 6.5 made free throws over his past six games, including 35-, 31- and 33-point performances in wins over Atlanta, the LA Clippers and Detroit, respectively. -- Spears

This week: @ORL, ATL

21. Phoenix Suns
Record: 11-18
Week 9 ranking: 16

The Suns have dropped six straight games, and while injuries have stymied them, the biggest problem has been missing starting center Deandre Ayton. The No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA draft, who returned from a 25-game drug suspension Tuesday and recorded 18 points and 12 rebounds, has now missed the past two games because of a sprained ankle. -- Spears

This week: DEN, @GS, @SAC

22. Memphis Grizzlies
Record: 11-19
Week 9 ranking: 24

Memphis is 6-6 in December despite Rookie of the Year frontrunner Ja Morant missing five games this month. Jaren Jackson Jr. has been much more aggressive offensively this month, averaging 20.8 points and hitting 39.4% of his 7.8 3-point attempts per game. Jackson had launched at least seven 3s in only seven games in his career before this month. -- MacMahon

This week: SA, @OKC, @DEN, CHA

23. Detroit Pistons
Record: 11-19
Week 9 ranking: 19

Before Blake Griffin went down because of a knee issue last week, the Pistons had won three of four games and five of seven, capped by an upset victory over the Rockets in Houston. Since Griffin's injury, the Pistons have lost four straight games by an average of 15 points. Griffin played in one of those losses before returning to the shelf for the next two outings, and is considered day-to-day heading into this week's slate. -- Snellings

This week: PHI, WSH, @SA

24. Minnesota Timberwolves
Record: 10-18
Week 9 ranking: 21

The Timberwolves have lost 10 straight games with a defense that seems to have left the building; Minnesota is giving up 122.2 points per game during the losing streak. Of even more concern, though, is the health of big man Karl-Anthony Towns, who has missed three straight games and is day-to-day because of a left knee sprain. -- Snellings

This week: @GS, @SAC, CLE

25. Washington Wizards
Record: 8-20
Week 9 ranking: 25

The Wizards haven't held a team under 110 points since Nov. 4. In fact, they've held only three teams under 110 this season. What's interesting about them, though, as pointed out by Fred Katz of The Athletic, the Wizards are on pace to win almost 10 fewer games this season than last season. And yet there's a lot more optimism and positivity around them this season. Amazing what having an apparent plan and identity can do, even for a bad team. -- Young

This week: @NY, @DET, NY

26. Cleveland Cavaliers
Record: 8-21
Week 9 ranking: 28

For only the second time this season (Nov. 8-10 were the last), the Cavaliers won two games in a row: home games against Charlotte and Memphis. While the highlight in the Grizzlies' win was certainly the almost-spectacular dunk by Ja Morant over Kevin Love, reserve guard Jordan Clarkson quietly put together a 33-point performance in the win. Speaking of Love, in the two wins, the forward averaged 21 points, 13 rebounds and shot 45.5% from 3. -- Marks

This week: ATL, @BOS, @MIN

27. New York Knicks
Record: 7-23
Week 9 ranking: 27

The Knicks got a dose of reality in back-to-back losses to East juggernauts Miami and Milwaukee. After going 3-3 under interim head coach Mike Miller, including a 23-point win over Atlanta, the Knicks lost by a combined 36 points to the Heat and Bucks. For the season, New York has point differential of minus-9.3, second worst only to the Hawks. In the two losses, rookie RJ Barrett continued to struggle, averaging 9.5 points on 26.9% shooting. -- Marks

This week: WSH, @BKN, @WSH

28. New Orleans Pelicans
Record: 7-23
Week 9 ranking: 26

The Pelicans' franchise-record 13-game losing streak mercifully came to an end in Minnesota. With the playoffs already a pipe dream, the intrigue with the Pelicans revolves around the eventual debut of Zion Williamson and possible departure of Jrue Holiday. Williamson is still "a ways away," GM David Griffin said on the team's broadcast, despite the initial six-to-eight-week timetable for his recovery from a knee scope having passed. Holiday, a premier two-way guard in his prime, could be the biggest name moved in the trade market this season. -- MacMahon

This week: @POR, @DEN, IND, HOU

29. Golden State Warriors
Record: 6-24
Week 9 ranking: 30

Rookie forward Eric Paschall has cooled after playing like a Rookie of the Year candidate early. The former Villanova star is averaging 15.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 29.5 minutes per game this season. But Paschall is averaging 11.8 points after a drop in attempts in December of about four shots per game. -- Spears

This week: MIN, HOU, PHX, DAL

30. Atlanta Hawks
Record: 6-24
Week 9 ranking: 29

Trae Young is still flying high while the rest of the Hawks are grounded. The second-year guard has recorded four 40-point games this season and has scored 30 points in 16 of them. But help is on the way Monday night when center John Collins is available after serving a 25-game suspension. -- Spears

This week: @CLE, MIL, @CHI

NEW YORK -- Computer plate umpires could be called up to the major leagues at some point during the next five seasons.

Umpires agreed to cooperate with Major League Baseball in the development and testing of an automated ball-strike system as part of a five-year labor contract announced Saturday, two people familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The Major League Baseball Umpires Association also agreed to cooperate and assist if commissioner Rob Manfred decides to utilize the system at the major league level. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because those details of the deal, which is subject to ratification by both sides, had not been announced.

The independent Atlantic League became the first American professional league to let a computer call balls and strikes at its all-star game on July 10. Plate umpire Brian deBrauwere wore an earpiece connected to an iPhone in his pocket and relayed the call upon receiving it from a TrackMan computer system that uses Doppler radar.

The Atlantic League experimented with the computer system during the second half of its season, and the Arizona Fall League of top prospects used it for a few dozen games this year at Salt River Fields.

MLB has discussed installing the system at the Class A Florida State League for 2020. If that test goes well, the computer umps could be used at Triple-A in 2021 as bugs are dealt with prior to a big league call-up.

"It would change the game for the good. It would continue the effort to eliminate human deficiency," Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt wrote in a story for The Associated Press in October. "We have replay everywhere else in the game. Like it or not, replay gets the call right."

It is not clear whether the Major League Baseball Players Association would need to approve computerized ball and strikes.

"We are aware the umpires and MLB are in negotiations over a new CBA," said players' union head Tony Clark, a former All-Star first baseman. "MLB will have their negotiation with them, and they will need to discuss with us."

Several AFL prospects praised the TrackMan system for calls on the inside and outside corners but said it struggled with breaking balls low or high in the strike zone.

"This idea has been around for a long time and it's the first time it's been brought to life in a comprehensive way," Morgan Sword, MLB's senior vice president of economics and operations, said on the night the Atlantic League experiment started.

Humans still will be needed to determine checked swings and to make sure TrackMan doesn't call a strike on a pitch that bounces and goes through the strike zone.

"I think it's a little naive to think that simply letting computers generate strike or ball," Houston manager AJ Hinch said during the World Series. "It's incredibly naive to think that there's not going to be pitfalls in that scenario, as well."

And humans will make safe/out calls -- subject to video review back in the New York control room, a system that started on home run calls in 2008 and extended in 2014 to many umpire decisions.

There were 1,356 video reviews during the 2019 regular season, taking an average of 1 minute, 16 seconds. MLB said 597 calls or 44% were overturned, 277 or 20% confirmed and 463 or 34% allowed to stand because there was not enough evidence to confirm or overturn. The remaining 19 calls were for rules checks or record keeping.

As part of the labor contract, the sides agreed to raises in compensation and retirement benefits along with provisions to allow earlier retirement.

The starting pitcher market has been boiling atop the MLB hot stove the past few weeks. Just check out a list of the top 20 or so starters who have changed teams since the end of the 2019 season:

Gerrit Cole, Zack Wheeler, Corey Kluber, Madison Bumgarner, Dallas Keuchel, Cole Hamels, Wade Miley, Julio Teheran, Chase Anderson, Zach Davies, Tanner Roark, Gio Gonzalez, Brett Anderson, Jordan Lyles, Dylan Bundy, Kyle Gibson, Rick Porcello, Eric Lauer, Martin Perez, Kevin Gausman.

A few days ago, we did some estimates to create a snapshot of how wins have transferred around the majors so far this offseason. After this weekend's moves, which were headlined by the White Sox's signing of former Cy Young winner Keuchel to a three-year, $55 million deal, approximately 183 wins have changed hands this winter via trades or free agency. Of those, 36.5% are accounted for by starting pitchers.

There is still work to be done. Wannabe contenders like the Padres, Angels and Twins still need rotation help. On the free-agent market, lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu -- who finished second in NL Cy Young balloting last season -- is still out there. He's really the last pitcher from the top couple of tiers in free agency still on the market, holding out for a big, three- or four-year deal. The other top options -- think Homer Bailey, Ivan Nova, Rich Hill, Taijuan Walker et al -- are down-the-rotation value plays for the most part.

What do these things tells us? Well, when you've got a free-agent class nearly empty of impact starters who carry with them any degree of certainty, and you've got teams trying to compete that have rotation holes remaining, there is only one recourse. Well, there are two -- the Pacific Rim free-agent market often gets overlooked, though the top couple of options appear to have been snagged already. (That would be two pitchers out of Korea: Kwang Hyun Kim, who signed with the Cardinals, and Josh Lindblom, who signed with the Brewers.)

Basically, though, we're talking about trades. Expect the whisper mill on that front to get louder over the next few weeks. For now, while we wait to see where Ryu lands and which rumors gain traction, let's see how the rotations stack up.

British pole vault record-holder Holly Bradshaw offers advice to parents of sporty children

Often in life, people are so afraid to fail that they spend their lives running from it when actually, the greatest lessons you could ever learn are born from failure.

Do you want to know more about how someone can overcome adversity? Has your child already faced adversity and you want to know more? This article will aim to provide information that could help you to understand some of these things!

“What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger”. This well-known statement could actually be true. According to academic researchers and iconic celebrity figures, adversities that cause trauma can ultimately have benefits.

The academic model of post-traumatic growth (PTG) was created to show the process of how positive change can occur as a result of struggling and real-life examples show how incredibly successful people experienced adversity but found a way to succeed. How does growth arise?

We all feel stressed from time to time – it’s normal and all part of life’s journey of ups and downs! Experiencing stress as an athlete is completely normal, very common and nothing to worry too much about. However, as soon as a stressor becomes too severe for an athlete to overcome, this is when it becomes adversity.

As a parent of an athlete, it is good to be aware of the types of adversity you can expect your child to experience on their sporting journey.

As you can imagine these experiences will be rather troubling for most athletes, therefore, initial responses are likely to be very negative.

Olympic athletes’ responses to adversity:

You’ll be glad to hear your child could grow, develop and become a better athlete after experiencing adversity, providing that they have access to appropriate levels of support.

Andy Murray has appeared in 11 grand slam finals throughout his career with only three of them ending in victory.

In an interview, Murray said “failing is not terrible,” as he described how each of his defeats against Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer had contributed to his success and “learning from my losses is something I’ve done throughout most of my career.”

It is through the process of struggling with adversity that changes may occur that propel an individual to a higher level of functioning (physical, mental and personal). How an athlete grows following adversity has been investigated extensively and research has suggested there are three main areas of growth.

Intrapersonal

An improvement in an athlete’s mindset is the most noticeable area of growth. Gaining knowledge and learning more about the sport is often witnessed following adversity, specifically increased mental toughness and mental resilience, a realisation of opportunities, improved problem solving and sport-related intelligence. An increased motivation toward sport and healthier emotions such as confidence, optimism and a happier and grateful approach are also witnessed after adversity.

Interpersonal

Positive day-to-day changes in how athletes interact and approach others improve following adversity. Greater appreciation for others, being able to speak out and enhanced relationships with family and friends are the changes frequently identified.

Physical

Athletes can become physically better! You may think suffering trauma especially injury would result in physical deterioration but this is not the case. It is highlighted that better athletic functioning, superior performance and increased strength and fitness is often achieved after adversity.

Experiencing adversity alone isn’t enough for growth to occur, what is more important is how we deal with adversity, as this is the determining factor on whether growth occurs.

How does an athlete transition distress to growth?

Research in this area has identified a secondary response to adversity called the “transitional response”, whereby negative responses to adversity are transformed into growth through utilising multiple personal (searching for meaning, positive outlook and reflection) and situational (social support, access to sport, physical and informational resources) coping strategies.

The majority of elite athletes seem to possess the ability to naturally adopt some of these strategies without the help of others. However, younger, more inexperienced athletes need a helping hand in applying these strategies into daily life once an adversity occurs to help with the growth process.

When someone asks an elite athlete, “so who was your role model growing up?”, you will hear Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, David Beckham but you know who else is very common? It is the parents!

You are massive role models in your children’s lives and by addressing their concerns, sharing their lives and maintaining a constructive perspective, you can contribute to their growth and development and play a pivotal part in them overcoming adversity.

The chances are your sporty child may need a little extra help in adopting these coping strategies and your role as a parent is to support them where appropriate. Here are some tips to help your children work through adversity to grow.

Hopefully, now you as parents know what sporting adversities a child may face and the negative emotions associated with them.

Adversity isn’t bad and your child can develop positively following adversity. Finally, remember by using the PTG model, parents can help facilitate this growth in their child.