ATLANTA -- Retaking the No. 1 spot in the College Football Playoff rankings wasn't a goal of LSU coach Ed Orgeron and his players after they beat No. 4 Georgia 37-10 in the SEC championship game on Saturday.

Orgeron said his team isn't concerned with whether the selection committee sees fit to have them retake the top spot from Ohio State, which leapfrogged LSU from No. 2 to No. 1 two weeks ago. The Buckeyes also finished the season 13-0 after rallying to beat No. 8 Wisconsin 34-21 in the Big Ten title game later Saturday night.

"I think we're a darn good football team," Orgeron said. "We don't know. I've told the team it doesn't matter. It don't matter where they rank us, where they tell us to go. We've got to win the next game. That's all that matters."

LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, who transferred from Ohio State before the start of last season, said it doesn't matter where or whom the Tigers play in the first round of the playoff.

"We'll play anybody, anywhere," he said. "I said in the postgame, you can take us to Canada, and we'll play on a gravel lot."

However, a tweet from the team's official account took a more declarative stance on the matter, calling LSU "second to none."

Complete. Team. pic.twitter.com/Rmtboxb0pa

— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) December 8, 2019

Beating Georgia gave LSU its fifth win over an AP Top 10 team this season, which ties a record in the AP Poll era (1936-present) for most Top-10 victories in a single season.

LSU defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko said the committee is entitled to its opinion and, "We just have to learn to play football."

"It doesn't matter at this point," he said of finishing No. 1 or 2. "We're still going to have postseason play. We as a team, regardless if we're No. 1 or No. 4, it doesn't matter who we play or where we play, if we play to the LSU standard of performance then I think we'll be fine."

The Buckeyes claimed an unprecedented third straight outright league title and enter the postseason with a 19-game winning streak. Unlike Orgeron, first-year Ohio State coach Ryan Day was already lobbying for the top spot before leaving the field.

"They came out and played unbelievable in the second half. This team is unbelievable," he said. "I think we deserve to be No. 1.''

Asked if his team has done enough to retain its hold on the top playoff seed, Day told ESPN's Michele Steele, "I don't know what else we could do. I mean to get three wins like this, playing against Wisconsin to beat them again. As we all know, that's not easy to do. They're a top-10 team, they're one of the best-coached teams we play against year in and year out. I don't know what else you want more of these kids."

Buckeyes receiver Austin Mack echoed his coach.

"We should still be No. 1, honestly, but if not, we'll be ready. ... 13-0," Mack said. "Back-to-back-to-back performances against top-15 teams. Just a tough team, very talented, and 13-0, Big Ten champs."

Mack went on to say that he would relish a potential meeting with Burrow and LSU, which likely wouldn't come until the College Football Playoff National Championship.

"Absolutely, I want to see them," he said. "It's going to be bittersweet, it's going to be great, they're a really good team. I'm pretty sure we're not going to play them in the first round, so we're going to see who we've got for the first round and go from there."

Mack also looked forward to a possible revenge game against 12-1 Oklahoma, which according to the Allstate Playoff Predictor has a 55% chance to make the CFP.

"Oklahoma got us pretty good, the whole [Baker Mayfield] flag stuff on our turf, so I would love to see them again, get a little payback for that," he said.

With LSU and Ohio State both boasting perfect records, it would be a surprise if No. 3 Clemson moved up, even though they also improved to 13-0 with a dominant 62-17 win over Virginia in the ACC title game on Saturday.

But Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence isn't overly concerned about the rankings heading into the national semifinals. Asked if he thought the defending champions are the best team in the country, he replied: "I think so, but hopefully in a couple weeks we will get the chance to prove it."

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said he has "no idea" where his team will land in the rankings "and really don't care."

"I mean, just as long as we can be somewhere in the top four, I think we deserve that. We've earned that," Swinney said.

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg and David Hale and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Here's how our experts see the bowl matchups, just in front of the season's final College Football Playoff rankings.

All times Eastern.

College Football Playoff National Championship
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans
8 p.m., Jan. 13, ESPN
Bonagura: LSU vs. Ohio State
Schlabach: LSU vs. Clemson

College Football Playoff Semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
4 or 8 p.m., Dec. 28, ESPN
Bonagura: Ohio State vs. Clemson
Schlabach: Clemson vs. Ohio State

College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
4 or 8 p.m., Dec. 28, ESPN
Bonagura: Oklahoma vs. LSU
Schlabach: LSU vs. Oklahoma

Bowl schedule

Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl
Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, Nassau, Bahamas
2 p.m., Dec. 20, ESPN
Bonagura: Buffalo vs. Charlotte
Schlabach: Buffalo vs. Charlotte

Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl
Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas
7:30 p.m., Dec. 20, ESPN2
Bonagura: SMU vs. UAB
Schlabach: SMU vs. Southern Miss

Celebration Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Noon, Dec. 21, ABC
Bonagura: Alcorn State vs. North Carolina A&T
Schlabach: Alcorn State vs. North Carolina A&T

New Mexico Bowl
Dreamstyle Stadium, Albuquerque, New Mexico
2 p.m., Dec. 21, ESPN
Bonagura: Marshall vs. San Diego State
Schlabach: Nevada vs. Western Kentucky

Cure Bowl
Exploria Stadium, Orlando, Florida
2:30 p.m., Dec. 21, CBS Sports Network
Bonagura: Georgia Southern vs. FIU
Schlabach: Liberty vs. Arkansas State

Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl
FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, Florida
3:30 p.m., Dec. 21, ABC
Bonagura: Ohio vs. Tulane
Schlabach: Cincinnati vs. Central Michigan

Camellia Bowl
Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, Alabama
5:30 p.m., Dec. 21, ESPN
Bonagura: Toledo vs. Louisiana
Schlabach: Kent State vs. Georgia State

Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
7:30 p.m., Dec. 21, ABC
Bonagura: Washington vs. Boise State
Schlabach: Boise State vs. Arizona State

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans
9 p.m., Dec. 21, ESPN
Bonagura: Appalachian State vs. Louisiana Tech
Schlabach: Appalachian State vs. Louisiana Tech

Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
2:30 p.m., Dec. 23, ESPN
Bonagura: Temple vs. Western Kentucky
Schlabach: UCF vs. UAB

SoFi Hawai'i Bowl
Aloha Stadium, Honolulu
8 p.m., Dec. 24, ESPN
Bonagura: BYU vs. Hawai'i
Schlabach: BYU vs. Hawai'i

Walk-On's Independence Bowl
Independence Stadium, Shreveport, Louisiana
4 p.m., Dec. 26, ESPN
Bonagura: Florida Atlantic vs. Miami
Schlabach: Miami vs. Florida Atlantic

Quick Lane Bowl
Ford Field, Detroit
8 p.m., Dec. 26, ESPN
Bonagura: Western Michigan vs. Boston College
Schlabach: Boston College vs. Western Michigan

Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Maryland
Noon, Dec. 27, ESPN
Bonagura: Pittsburgh vs. UCF
Schlabach: Pittsburgh vs. Temple

New Era Pinstripe Bowl
Yankee Stadium, New York
3:20 p.m., Dec. 27, ESPN
Bonagura: Michigan State vs. Wake Forest
Schlabach: Michigan State vs. Wake Forest

Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl
NRG Stadium, Houston
6:45 p.m., Dec. 27, ESPN
Bonagura: Texas A&M vs. Kansas State
Schlabach: Oklahoma State vs. Texas A&M

San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl
SDCCU Stadium, San Diego
8 p.m., Dec. 27, Fox Sports 1
Bonagura: USC vs. Iowa
Schlabach: Iowa vs. USC

Cheez-It Bowl
Chase Field, Phoenix
10:15 p.m., Dec. 27, ESPN
Bonagura: Washington State vs. Air Force
Schlabach: Air Force vs. Washington State

Camping World Bowl
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
Noon, Dec. 28, ABC
Bonagura: Notre Dame vs. Texas
Schlabach: Notre Dame vs. Texas

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Noon, Dec. 28, ESPN
Bonagura: Memphis vs. Wisconsin
Schlabach: Memphis vs. Wisconsin

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Gerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas
12:30 p.m., Dec. 30, ESPN
Bonagura: Southern Miss vs. Kent State
Schlabach: Marshall vs. Toledo

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee
4 p.m., Dec. 30, ESPN
Bonagura: Mississippi State vs. Louisville
Schlabach: Louisville vs. Tennessee

Redbox Bowl
Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
4 p.m., Dec. 30, Fox
Bonagura: California vs. Illinois
Schlabach: California vs. Illinois

Capital One Orange Bowl
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
8 p.m., Dec. 30, ESPN
Bonagura: Virginia vs. Florida
Schlabach: Florida vs. Virginia

Belk Bowl
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
Noon, Dec. 31, ESPN
Bonagura: Kentucky vs. Virginia Tech
Schlabach: Virginia Tech vs. Mississippi State

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, Texas
2 p.m., Dec. 31, CBS
Bonagura: Arizona State vs. North Carolina
Schlabach: North Carolina vs. Washington

AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Memphis, Tennessee
3:45 p.m., Dec. 31, ESPN
Bonagura: Navy vs. Iowa State
Schlabach: Iowa State vs. Navy

NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, Arizona
4:30 p.m., Dec. 31, CBS Sports Network
Bonagura: Nevada vs. Georgia State
Schlabach: Georgia Southern vs. Wyoming

Valero Alamo Bowl
Alamodome, San Antonio
7:30 p.m., Dec. 31, ESPN
Bonagura: Utah vs. Oklahoma State
Schlabach: Kansas State vs. Utah

Vrbo Citrus Bowl
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
1 p.m., Jan. 1, ABC
Bonagura: Alabama vs. Michigan
Schlabach: Alabama vs. Michigan

Outback Bowl
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
1 p.m., Jan. 1, ESPN
Bonagura: Auburn vs. Minnesota
Schlabach: Auburn vs. Minnesota

Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
5 p.m., Jan. 1, ESPN
Bonagura: Oregon vs. Penn State
Schlabach: Oregon vs. Penn State

Allstate Sugar Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans
8:45 p.m., Jan. 1, ESPN
Bonagura: Baylor vs. Georgia
Schlabach: Baylor vs. Georgia

TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl
Legion Field, Birmingham, Alabama
3 p.m., Jan. 2, ESPN
Bonagura: Florida State vs. Cincinnati
Schlabach: Florida State vs. Tulane

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Florida
7 p.m., Jan. 2, ESPN
Bonagura: Tennessee vs. Indiana
Schlabach: Indiana vs. Kentucky

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Albertsons Stadium, Boise, Idaho
3:30 p.m., Jan. 3, ESPN
Bonagura: Central Michigan vs. Utah State
Schlabach: Ohio vs. Utah State

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, Texas
11:30 p.m., Jan. 4, ESPN
Bonagura: Liberty vs. Wyoming
Schlabach: Florida International vs. San Diego State

LendingTree Bowl
Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama
7:30 p.m., Jan. 6, ESPN
Bonagura: Miami (Ohio) vs. Arkansas State
Schlabach: Miami (Ohio) vs. Louisiana

There was a time -- a month ago, in fact -- when LSU's defense was bad.

It wasn't a crazy narrative. Ole Miss -- before mimicking dogs or firing coaches or hiring Lane Kiffin -- put up a mind-boggling 614 yards on LSU's defense. Sure, the Tigers won easily, but boy that defense. No way this was the No. 1 team in the country.

And now?

Derek Stingley's second interception of the game in Saturday's SEC championship (a 37-10 LSU win) sealed what was assuredly one of the most impressive defensive performances of the season for a College Football Playoff contender, an utter dismantling of Georgia's entire game plan in which Jake Fromm, the same QB who nearly upended Alabama in each of the past two years, looked overwhelmed.

That bad LSU defense has now given up only 42% completions, 2.6 yards per rush and racked up 12 sacks in the three games since the Ole Miss debacle. Yes, this is probably the country's No. 1 team.

Meanwhile Saturday, Ohio State made the case a bit easier for the committee, too. The Buckeyes had dominated Wisconsin in the teams' previous meeting this season, but they looked lost in a woeful first half that ended with a 21-7 Badgers lead and a flurry of analysts wondering what this all means. But, of course, Ohio State is still Ohio State, and for another year, the committee dodged a bullet. There are no worries about whether Ohio State still deserves its bid or whether Wisconsin might get in with two losses or even whether the Buckeyes should remain atop the poll.

For yet another year, the committee's job is pretty simple.

What awaits in the playoff is a mystery. There are at least three very good teams moving forward, and that makes for an interesting field.

What happened Saturday, however, tied up the regular season quite nicely.

Is Joe Burrow the easy Heisman vote? Answer: Absolutely. Burrow was dominant against a tough UGA defense, and the Heisman trust might as well start polishing his trophy now.

Is LSU's defense good enough to win it all? Answer: For sure. There's an adjustment period for any defense when the offense starts scoring the way LSU has this season. The tempo changes, the approach changes, the foundation of what LSU wanted to do defensively changed. But Stingley is still a superstar, Grant Delpit is still a first-round NFL talent and Dave Aranda still knows how to coach 'em up. The Tigers are hitting their stride at just the right time.

Is Ohio State No. 1? Answer: Nope. That's no knock on the Buckeyes, but their game Saturday showed flaws we hadn't seen before. It showed strengths, too, to come back and erase that Wisconsin lead to pull away with what was ultimately a fairly easy win. Still, this is nitpicking time, and comparing the résumés of Ohio State and LSU requires a magnifying glass to parse. The slow start against Wisconsin is enough to push LSU -- with its wins over Texas, Florida, Auburn, Alabama and Georgia -- into the top spot.

Is Clemson still a real contender? Answer: No doubt about it. The Tigers couldn't have looked much better as Trevor Lawrence and Tee Higgins offered a prime-time reminder that, yes, this is still the team that destroyed Alabama less than a year ago to win a national championship.

Does anyone want the No. 4 spot? Answer: Oklahoma by default. The Sooners' win Saturday wasn't their most dominant, but it was a win -- and that's all that matters thanks to Utah's loss on Friday and Wisconsin's second-half slump Saturday. Oklahoma will not be favored entering the playoff, but Jalen Hurts has been here, the defense has made strides and the No. 4 seed has more titles in the past five years (2) than the No. 1 seeds (0).

Saturday's theatrics mean Sunday will have little drama. The committee has four clear-cut cases. That's a good thing because there's a strong case to be made that this is, in fact, the best four-team playoff field we've had yet.

Who wants Clemson?

There are two facts that have largely dictated the narrative surrounding Clemson all season. The first is simple enough. The Tigers are the defending champs, and it's awfully hard to doubt a team filled with players who just won it all less than a year ago. On the other hand, with the Tigers' 62-17 evisceration of Virginia on Saturday -- and the ensuing likelihood UVa falls from the top 25 as a result -- Clemson will not own a win against a ranked opponent.

Ask Dabo Swinney about those two narratives, however, and he'll argue with both of them. Last year, he has said repeatedly, is over. This is a new team. Clemson isn't defending anything, but rather trying to win a new title. But listen to Swinney complain about the media, the committee and the voters over the past week, and it's pretty clear he's not a fan of anyone doubting Clemson because of that weak schedule, either.

What is perhaps the most relevant talking point on Clemson was the one on display Saturday. Trevor Lawrence, after some early-season hiccups, threw for 302 yards and four TDs and now looks every bit as dominant as he was during last year's playoff run, perhaps even better. Travis Etienne, who ran for 114 yards against Virginia, is still the country's most explosive back. Tee Higgins put on a performance Saturday that rewrote the ACC championship game record book. Xavier Thomas, Justyn Ross, Isaiah Simmons -- they're all still quite good.

So while Clemson's dominance Saturday meant, once again, there was little drama in the ACC championship game, there was assuredly some nail-biting among Ohio State and LSU fans who would much rather not see the Tigers on Dec. 28.

Heisman Five

1. Joe Burrow, LSU

How do you put an exclamation point on your Heisman résumé? How's four TDs and 390 yards versus one of the best defenses in the country in a dominant win in the SEC championship game? Yes, that'll do nicely. It might not have been the guy everyone was talking about preseason, but for the third straight year, the Heisman will go to a transfer QB.

2. Justin Fields, Ohio State

He looked shaky in the first half, but whatever Ryan Day told the team at halftime certainly worked for Fields, who finished Saturday's come-from-behind win with 299 passing yards and three touchdowns. It's not enough to overtake Burrow, but Fields is more than deserving of runner-up status.

3. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson

It was Deshaun Watson's unfortunate fate, too, that his Heisman campaigns in 2015 and 2016 only heated up late, and so it is for Lawrence, who might have a real shot to win if the voting were done after the postseason. As it is, his past six games: 76% completions, 11.14 yards/attempt, 22 total touchdowns and no turnovers.

4. Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma

Seven turnovers in his final five games probably ended Hurts' Heisman campaign, and only one TD in a too-close-for-comfort Big 12 title game wasn't a great final note to voters, but Hurts will probably be plenty happy with a conference championship and possible playoff bid now.

5. Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State

The QBs were at the top of the Heisman talk all season, but it's worth noting that this has been one heck of a year for tailbacks, too. In any other year, Hubbard is a clear-cut Heisman finalist. Heck, in any other year, Jonathan Taylor would be, too. Or maybe J.K. Dobbins. Or Travis Etienne. Or AJ Dillon. It's been a heck of a year for the runners, but there's just too much QB talent ahead of them.

A game of "what if"

Nick Saban went ballistic when officials put one second back on the clock at the end of the first half against Auburn last week, and that second translated into a field goal for the Tigers, and that field goal was the difference in the game.

But the impact of that one second is still being felt now.

With Utah's loss in the Pac-12 title game and Georgia's loss to LSU in the SEC title game, it's entirely possible -- heck, likely -- that one second cost Alabama a playoff bid. It'd be down to Oklahoma or Alabama, with the Tide's lone loss coming in a relatively close game to an elite LSU, as opposed to the Sooners falling to Kansas State. Given the history at Alabama, it might not have been a long conversation in the committee room about putting the Tide in and leaving the Sooners out.

Instead, Auburn won the Iron Bowl thanks to a minor tweak of the clock, and the reverberations echoed all the way to Norman, Oklahoma.

So long, farewell

Memphis head coach Mike Norvell has landed at Florida State, while the Lane Train is pulling out of the station at Florida Atlantic to take the head coaching job at Ole Miss.

And both guys went out on a high note.

Norvell and Memphis erased a slim Cincinnati lead in the fourth quarter to upend the Bearcats for the second time in the past two weeks to win the American Athletic Conference title.

Meanwhile, Lane Kiffin's offense exploded for 585 yards, 29 first downs and the defense held UAB to only 84 passing yards in a 49-6 win.

For Kiffin, it was his second Conference USA title in his three years at FAU.

Classy move by Matt Rhule

For the second time in a month, Baylor lost a heartbreaker to Oklahoma. This one also ended the Bears' hopes for the playoff, as they fell 30-23 in overtime. But Matt Rhule wasn't going to play the role of sore loser, instead offering a gracious message to Lincoln Riley and the Sooners.

Thank you @BUFootball fans for showing up today. I know you're disappointed but I hope you're Proud as well.

Congratulations to @OU_Football on their Win today. The @Big12Conference plays DEFENSE and great football

We look forward to cheering the Sooners in the @CFBPlayoff ✊��

- Matt Rhule (@CoachMattRhule) December 7, 2019

Big bets and bad beats

• The Sun Belt wrapped its season with a bang -- for bettors of the over, at least. The total for the game closed at 58, which seemed reasonable considering only 24 points were scored when Appalachian State and Louisiana met in the regular season in a 17-7 Mountaineers win. Saturday was a different story, with 28 points on the board before the first quarter ended, a 35-17 App State lead at the half and the total going over midway through the third quarter.

• Cincinnati had a strong drive going in the final minute against Memphis in the AAC championship game, setting up with a first down at the Memphis 21 with 43 seconds to play. A touchdown would have been a win for Cincinnati -- and it would have pushed the game over the total of 58.5. Instead, the drive stalled, and the Bearcats turned it over on downs, with the under covering by 5.5 points.

• Ohio State was a cover machine in first halves this year, which made Saturday's slow start (OSU trailed 21-7 at halftime) vs. Wisconsin even more shocking. Through the first 12 weeks of the season, the Buckeyes had covered their first-half spread 11 times -- the lone exception being the Rutgers game, when Ohio State led 35-7 at the half. In fact, entering Saturday, no team in the country averaged more in the first half than Ohio State's 30 points per game before the break, nor had anyone led by a wider average margin than the Buckeyes (25.5 points per game).

Under-the-radar play of the day

Baylor was down to its third string QB, but Jacob Zeno announced his arrival with his first pass of the game, a laser to Trestan Ebner that turned into an 81-yard TD. Zeno's next throw was nearly as impressive -- another laser, this time to Chris Platt for 78 yards that set up a tying field goal. The only problem? He didn't complete another pass the rest of the way.

Under-the-radar game of the day

Didn't get enough FBS drama Saturday? Northern Iowa and South Dakota State offered plenty more at the FCS level, with UNI booting an 18-yard field goal with 2:10 to play to win 13-10 in what was either a terrific defensive battle or, perhaps, a showcase of offensive ineptitude. Neither team cracked 240 yards of offense, and South Dakota State blew a 10-0 lead thanks to three turnovers. UNI now moves on to face 12-1 James Madison in the FCS quarterfinals.

PHILADELPHIA -- What would Brett Brown like for Christmas? One 3-point shot per game from his All-Star point guard.

After his Philadelphia 76ers routed the hapless Cleveland Cavaliers 141-94 at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday night, Brown was asked about Ben Simmons taking -- and making -- his second 3-pointer of both the season and his career.

And, in response, Brown said he'd like to see Simmons take at least one of them a game -- every game -- moving forward.

"This is what I want," Brown said, ''and you can pass it along to his agent, his family and friends. I want a 3-point shot a game, minimum. The pull-up 2s ... I'm fine with whatever is open. But I'm interested in the 3-point shot. The mentality that he has where he's turning corners and taking that long step, that gather step, and bringing his shoulders to the rim and trying to dunk or finish tight, will equal higher efficiency, or getting fouled. That's the world that interests me the most. Those two things."

When Simmons made his second career 3-pointer in the second quarter, the game was already well out of reach, with the Sixers going up by 40 points in the first half and over 50 at times in the second while spending the final 24 minutes on cruise control. Philadelphia's win, along with Dallas' 46-point rout of New Orleans earlier Saturday, marked the first time in NBA history two teams won by at least 45 points on the same day, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

But on a night that was spent almost exclusively waiting for the final buzzer to sound, the sight of Simmons cleanly and calmly catching in the corner in front of Cleveland's bench, rising up and burying a triple was the one meaningful moment to come out of it.

"I'm getting more comfortable," Simmons said after scoring a career-high 34 points to lead the Sixers, who are now 11-0 at home heading into Sunday's game here against their Atlantic Division rivals, the Toronto Raptors. "Obviously, throughout time I'm getting more comfortable with the game, and just learning my spots. And just adjusting."

What hasn't adjusted is the reaction to Simmons making a 3-pointer from the hometown fans. Like when he made one in the preseason, as well as the one he made against the Knicks, the crowd erupted after he hit it, and fans yelled at him to shoot more 3s during the game.

That Simmons has succeeded as much as he has without a 3-point shot thus far -- he won Rookie of the Year in 2018, made an All-Star team last season and signed a max contract extension with Philadelphia this summer -- is an indication of his natural talent level.

And while the fan reaction to him making a simple catch-and-shoot corner 3 is over the top, there is no arguing the importance of that shot to a Sixers team that is desperate for any kind of shooting it can get.

"The drama of it is overblown," Brown said. "The reality [is] that he can shoot and it's ultimately going to need to come into his game in a pronounced way from an attempt standpoint, that's not overblown. I think the drama surrounding it is completely overblown. When I put on my coaching hat and I'm looking at a 23-year-old young man trying to grow his game, it's completely, first, in his wheelhouse. And, secondly, he will be liberated. His world will open up.

"And I think, in many ways, so will ours."

NEW YORK -- Before the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers faced off at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, Mike Miller -- the man tapped to replace David Fizdale as New York's interim coach -- walked into the news conference room in Madison Square Garden, placed both hands on the wooden podium and addressed reporters.

The men who fired Fizdale -- team president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry -- did not.

Miller opened with diplomatic pleasantries saying, "I would like to thank coach Fiz for the opportunity to be a part of his staff." He was asked why the decision to fire Fizdale was made Friday. He was asked what the players thought about it. He declined to answer those questions.

In truth, Miller wasn't the man to answer those questions. Those who were -- Mills and Perry -- decided not to.

The normal thing to do when a front office fires a coach is to explain why the decision was made, and what will happen next.

This, though, is The Garden -- where abnormal things happen.

So Mills and Perry decided they need not address the media Saturday evening -- despite the fact the two of them made the surprising decision to hold a press conference after a blowout loss at home to the Cleveland Cavaliers last month. That press conference, one source within the organization said, all but marked the end of Fizdale's tenure.

All that was left to be determined was when he would be fired. That turned out to be Friday -- but only after Fizdale oversaw a practice, spoke to the media and said hello to Mills and Perry in front of the cameras.

It was all just another reminder of how the Knicks have spent the past two decades lurching from one self-inflicted mess to another under James Dolan's ownership -- all while turning the league's most valuable franchise into one of its biggest laughingstocks.

After Miller was done, the locker room opened, and it was the players' turn to explain Fizdale's firing from their vantage point. Taj Gibson and RJ Barrett said the front office called them to notify them of the coaching change. Gibson said that Fizdale teared up when the two hugged goodbye.

The morning before Fizdale was fired, Marcus Morris Sr. gathered the team for a players only meeting. The meeting, Morris said, was about "the direction we're trying to go as a team."

The players said they also discussed ways that they could alleviate some of the pressure on Fizdale. 22-year-old Dennis Smith Jr. -- who was acquired in the front office's deal to send out Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks in February -- said that the team felt they could've done more to help their former coach hang onto his job longer.

"We didn't want it to all fall on him," Smith Jr. said. "We talked about that actually, we gotta start taking responsibility. It's not 100 percent all him. It's tough."

Morris Sr. added: "Fiz is the type of guy that stands in front of everything. That's why I looked up to him a lot."

Fizdale was fired hours after the players' discussion concluded. Julius Randle represents this team's marquee offseason acquisition; he had to speak on an early season coaching change as well.

"Fiz was a great person, great human being, great coach. It is tough, but we have a long season ahead. We have to keep moving along," Randle said.

Once the game began on Saturday, Dolan took his customary seat on the baseline next to the New York bench and folded his arms across his chest.

The Knicks had a chance to win the game despite trailing Indiana by 11 points in the fourth quarter. New York's defense didn't allow the Pacers to score in the final 5 minutes and 17 seconds. Randle, who was fouled with 0.1 seconds remaining in regulation, had a chance to force the game into overtime. He made his first free throw, and the Knicks players that had been sitting on the bench rose to their feet and put their arms around each other in silent prayer.

In the end, as Dolan has so many times over the past two decades, he proceeded to watch Randle's second free throw bounce off the back iron to seal a New York loss.

"It is pretty difficult. We played hard. We gave them everything we had. Came up short," Randle said after the Knicks missed 14 of their last 16 shots in the 104-103 loss.

Now, after a day and night when the Knicks did nothing to address their future, the wait begins for them to do so.

SEBRING, Fla. – The fourth annual Historic Sportscar Racing Classic Sebring 12 Hour hit the halfway mark early Saturday night at Sebring Int’l Raceway.

Four Run Groups of vintage and historic sports cars will keep the close competition going on the legendary 3.74 mile road course until just before Midnight.

All four Run Groups having completed their first two of four rounds in the 12 Hours of Sebring tribute race that is officially named the HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour, Pistons and Props, presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network.

Early contenders have emerged and at least won reigning HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour winning team has moved its title defense off to a solid start.

Group A has once again turned into an all McClendon International Lola battle with the 1970 No. 20 Lola T165 of Marco Fumagalli and the 1970 No. 77 Lola T70 of Toni Seiler running one-two in the competitive class.

Last year at Sebring, Seiler – who took Group A honors in the No. 77 in last month’s HSR Classic Daytona 24 Hour race – just edged his Lola T165 teammates for the 2018 Classic 12 Hour Group A win. A victory this weekend would be Seiler’s third-straight HSR Classics victory, but he faces a strong challenge from his McClendon stable mate.

Fumagalli swept each of Group A’s opening races in the No. 20 T165 to build a more than two-minute and 30-second lead over Seiler at the halfway point.

Gray Gregory and Randy Buck co-drove the Phil Reilly and Co. 1974 No. 29 Chevron B26 to the Group B victory in the 2018 Classic 12 Hour and are halfway home to a repeat win this year.

Winning both opening rounds, Gregory and Buck have built an 80-second lead at midrace, but a more than capable competitor looms in second place.

Alain Rüede – fresh off the Group B victory in the HSR Classic Daytona – trailed the No. 29 Chevron to the finish in both opening rounds in his 1982 No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro IROC. Rüede finished second to Gregory and Buck last year in the Classic 12 and will no doubt keep the pressure on to the finish again as he looks for a 2019 HSR Classics sweep.

Group C, which is home to modern prototypes and GT machines that are the fastest cars in the race, has produced some of the closest racing of this year’s HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour.

Michel Frey, in a 2008 No. 15 Lola B07/18, and David Porter, in his GMT Racing2007 No. 7 Peugeot 908 HDi FAP, split the first two Group C races.

Frey won the opening round by 8.8 seconds over Porter who then used a well-timed pit stop under yellow to take the race two win in the Peugeot. Frey pitted under green before the race two caution and then lost additional time in the ensuing safety car period. Porter now holds a nearly two-minute and 30-second lead over Frey at the halfway point.

Featuring more modern GT and sports cars, Group D has seen several Porsche GT3 Cup cars step up to set the top-three pace in the tightest battle of the race. The leader is the Ebimotors 2012 No. 561 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup of Gianluigi Candiani and Sabino de Castro that swept both opening races.

The Zotz Racing 2010 No. 119 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup of Chris Ruppel and Eric Zitzafinished second to the No. 561 in race one by a slim 1.8 seconds and now trails the Ebimotors entry by just 23 seconds at the halfway mark.

NEW YORK -- Julius Randle missed a free throw with 0.1 seconds left, sending New York to a 104-103 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night in the Knicks' first game since firing coach David Fizdale.

The Knicks were much more competitive under interim coach Mike Miller than they had been in recent games under Fizdale, who was fired Friday. They chased after rebounds and loose balls throughout the fourth quarter, erasing an 11-point deficit and giving themselves a shot at overtime when Randle was fouled while trying to put back the rebound off a scramble.

He calmly made the first free throw but the second was well long, sending New York to a ninth straight loss and a 4-19 record.

T.J. Warren scored 25 points and Domantas Sabonis had 19 points and 15 rebounds for the Pacers. They bounced back from a loss at Detroit on Friday.

The Knicks lost by 44 and 37 in their last two games under Fizdale and he was fired Friday after running practice. The Knicks offered no details about the decision in their press release announcing the firing, and team executives didn't speak Saturday.

Players responded with a good effort in the first game since the change but couldn't overcome their 40.6% shooting.

TIP-INS

Pacers: Sabonis, who had a 12-for-12 shooting game here last season, made his first five and finished 8 for 11. ... Malcolm Brogdon sat out with an injured right hand.

Knicks: Keith Bogans was added to the staff as an assistant coach after previously serving as an assistant for Westchester. The Knicks also fired assistant Keith Smart on Friday. ... G Wayne Ellington missed the game with a sore left Achilles tendon.

UP NEXT

Pacers: Host the LA Clippers on Tuesday.

Knicks: Visit Portland on Tuesday to open a four-game trip.

PHILADELPHIA -- Ben Simmons hit his second career 3-pointer and scored a career-high 34 points, and the Philadelphia 76ers didn't need Joel Embiid's help to rout the Cleveland Cavaliers 141-94 Saturday night.

Simmons made 12 of 14 field goals, including his only 3-point attempt, and hit 9 of 12 free throws to help Philadelphia improve to 11-0 at home.

Embiid sat out with a left hip contusion.

Darius Garland had 17 points for the Cavaliers, who have lost six in a row and 12 of 13.

Philadelphia has been projected to be an NBA title contender, but the 76ers haven't been able to consistently field its starting five of Simmons, Embiid, Josh Richardson, Tobias Harris and Al Horford. They have only started nine games together due to injuries and Embiid's two-game suspension for fighting Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns.

The 76ers needed little more than Simmons in a dominant first half that ended with them ahead 77-36.

Simmons attacked the basket often and showed off a rarely seen mid-range game when he drained an 11-foot jumper with 6:04 left in the second quarter. That had 76ers fans cheering, but it was just an appetizer for Simmons.

With 3:41 left in the half, Simmons took a cross-court pass from Trey Burke and knocked down a 3 from the left wing, his second this season after going 0 for 17 during his first two seasons. That send the sold-out crowd into a frenzy, and the roars continued when Simmons finished an alley-oop dunk from Burke on Philadelphia's ensuing possession.

Simmons received a standing ovation at the next stoppage.

Simmons finished the tremendous four-possession sequence with assists on Philadelphia's next two trips, first to Horford for a 3-pointer and then to James Ennis III for a jumper.

Finally, Simmons ended the first half scoring with a 9-foot jumper for a 41-point lead entering the break.

TIP-INS

Cavaliers: Cleveland set a season low for points in a half, worse than the 40 the Cavaliers scored against Orlando on Dec. 6. ... Cleveland's previous largest margin of defeat this season was 42 points, 143-101 at Dallas on Nov. 22.

76ers: Richardson (right hamstring tightness) missed his fifth straight contest. He'll also sit out Sunday's game against Toronto and then be re-evaluated. ... Philadelphia improved to 3-2 without Embiid. ... Simmons hits his first 3-pointer Nov. 20 against the Knicks. His previous career best in points was 32, set Feb. 22, 2018 at Chicago. ... Matisse Thybulle injured his right ankle in the first half and didn't return.

UP NEXT

Cavaliers: At Boston Monday night.

76ers: Host Toronto Sunday night.

Lionel Messi celebrated his sixth Ballon D'Or award with a brilliant hat-trick as Barcelona moved back top of La Liga with an emphatic 5-2 victory over Real Mallorca on Saturday.

Real Madrid had climbed three points clear after beating Espanyol, but Ernesto Valverde's side were at their vibrant best as they dispatched visitors Mallorca at the Camp Nou.

Antoine Griezmann dinked home the opening goal after being played through by Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, six-times Ballon d'Or winner Messi twice curled home from outside the area and Luis Suarez netted a brilliant backheel.

Ante Budimir scored with a deflected effort for Mallorca in the first half and doubled his tally by nodding home, but Messi smashed a shot in late on to complete his treble and round off an impressive win for the Catalans.

"Each game (we get along) better," said Griezmann of his strike partners. "Today was a special night for Leo and we wanted to have a good game for him.

"I'm happy to help them win the game, it was important to win and play well, we had a great first half."

Messi presented his sixth golden ball award to the supporters before the game, before putting on a show which highlights why he is considered the best player on the planet.

Barcelona sizzled in attack, with Griezmann dinking the ball over Manolo Reina to break the deadlock after seven minutes.

The Catalans constantly threatened and Messi whipped home the second from distance 10 minutes later, curling the ball effortlessly into the top left corner.

Budimir pulled one back for Mallorca with an effort that deflected off Clement Lenglet, but Messi soon stroked home a second.

Suarez scored the pick of the bunch two minutes before halftime, powerfully back-heeling past Reina after being set up brilliantly by Frenkie de Jong.

"I knew that I had a tight angle and it was a last resort," Suarez said of his backheel. "I had to hit it hard so that it flew. If not it's impossible that the ball goes there. It was hard to beat the keeper and it was the best goal of my career."

Budimir headed in a second with Ter Stegen out of position but Messi wrapped up the win by rifling home his third, a record 35th La Liga hat-trick.

It was Messi's 12th goal of the season, making him the division's top scorer, completing an excellent week for the forward after his success at the gala in Paris on Monday.