Harbaugh said told reporters that people knew the names to which he was referring, but didn't get specific when asked about it.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- You've probably heard the rumors that Jim Harbaugh is considering making the jump back to the NFL. 

Those rumors aren't true. 

And Harbaugh has a theory as to how they started: Other schools creating them to negatively recruit against Michigan. 

"I'm not leaving Michigan," Harbaugh told reporters on Tuesday. "Not even considering it. A lot of this talk is coming from our enemies, from coaches, you know the names. You probably know the names of the top three I'm referring to. They like to say that to the media. They like to tell that to the recruits, to their families, try to manipulate them into going to some other school besides Michigan.

"We know them as jive turkeys. Say it like it is. That's the way it is."

Harbaugh told reporters that people knew the names to which he was referring, but didn't get specific when asked about it. It sounds like that's what Harbaugh told his team, too, when discussing the rumors and his intentions to stay at Michigan. 

"Unfortunately distractions (are) caused, some of it's by other teams," lineman Erik Magnuson said said. "It really hurts recruiting if they're saying Jim Harbaugh's going to go to the NFL.

"Some recruits could think there's instability in the coaching job at Michigan, so that could hurt him. So a lot of it is created for distraction in that aspect as far as recruiting. I couldn't see him going anywhere. This is where he wants to be."

Check out Tuesday's boys basketball scores from around the OHSAA, courtesy of The Associated Press.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Here are Tuesday's boys basketball scores from The Associated Press.

Akr. Buchtel 68, Akr. Kenmore 54

Akr. Coventry 69, Mogadore Field 65

Akr. Ellet 84, Akr. Garfield 54

Akr. Firestone 70, Akr. North 47

Akr. Hoban 68, Macedonia Nordonia 54

Akr. Springfield 52, Ravenna 47

Ansonia 65, Bradford 56

Apple Creek Waynedale 72, Akr. Manchester 71

Ashtabula St. John 62, Vienna Mathews 54

Atwater Waterloo 53, Ravenna SE 40

Avon 82, N. Olmsted 52

Barberton 66, N. Royalton 53

Bascom Hopewell-Loudon 69, Kansas Lakota 52

Batavia 62, Fayetteville-Perry 48

Batavia Amelia 59, Mt. Orab Western Brown 48

Bay Village Bay 77, Rocky River 58

Beaver Eastern 69, Lucasville Valley 52

Bedford 68, Lyndhurst Brush 61

Bellville Clear Fork 68, Caledonia River Valley 47

Berea-Midpark 61, N. Ridgeville 49

Bethel-Tate 66, Mowrystown Whiteoak 46

Brecksville-Broadview Hts. 82, Strongsville 58

Byesville Meadowbrook 59, Zanesville Rosecrans 56

Canfield 56, Austintown Fitch 47

Castalia Margaretta 50, Norwalk St. Paul 49

Centerville 56, Kettering Fairmont 39

Chagrin Falls Kenston 68, Eastlake N. 48

Chillicothe 72, Clarksville Clinton-Massie 69

Cin. Christian 67, Cin. N. College Hill 49

Cin. Elder 57, Cin. Purcell Marian 41

Cin. La Salle 70, Cin. NW 37

Cin. Moeller 66, Cov. Catholic, Ky. 51

Cin. Mt. Healthy 67, Cin. Western Hills 58

Cin. Oak Hills 42, Cin. Princeton 35

Cin. Sycamore 59, Middletown 58

Cin. Turpin 43, Cin. Glen Este 32

Cle. E. Tech 55, Cle. Rhodes 47

Cle. Glenville 82, Cle. Whitney Young 35

Cle. Hts. Lutheran E. 73, Warrensville Hts. 56

Cle. John Adams 74, Cle. Collinwood 70

Cols. Africentric 70, Cols. Briggs 65

Cols. East 43, Cols. Centennial 40

Cols. Eastmoor 69, Cols. West 38

Cols. Linden McKinley 74, Cols. Mifflin 71

Cols. Marion-Franklin 74, Cols. Independence 45

Cols. Northland 73, Cols. Beechcroft 60

Cols. Ready 66, Shekinah Christian 32

Cols. South 53, Cols. Walnut Ridge 50

Cols. St. Charles 78, Pataskala Watkins Memorial 48

Cols. Whetstone 53, Cols. International 38

Columbia Station Columbia 48, Medina Buckeye 46

Copley 81, Alliance 67

Corning Miller 71, Belpre 65

Cortland Lakeview 68, Hubbard 54

Covington 62, Newton Local 45

Creston Norwayne 56, Doylestown Chippewa 52

Cuyahoga Falls 57, Hudson 50

Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit 52, Akr. East 41

Day. Chaminade Julienne 55, Hamilton Badin 35

Day. Christian 74, Troy Christian 67

Delaware Hayes 50, Marysville 38

Elyria Cath. 76, Parma 59

Fairborn 66, Riverside Stebbins 47

Fairfield 41, Cin. Colerain 38

Findlay 80, Holland Springfield 55

Franklin Co., Ind. 56, Hamilton Ross 54

Ft. Loramie 51, Sidney Fairlawn 43

Gallipolis Gallia 53, Chesapeake 31

Garfield Hts. 65, E. Cle. Shaw 52

Garrettsville Garfield 66, Hartville Lake Center Christian 46

Gates Mills Gilmour 69, Mentor Lake Cath. 67

Gates Mills Hawken 68, Independence 36

Glouster Trimble 62, Crown City S. Gallia 47

Goshen 61, Cin. Madeira 48

Grafton Midview 63, Amherst Steele 54

Greenfield McClain 51, Washington C.H. 35

Greenwich S. Cent. 69, Lucas 41

Grove City Cent. Crossing 50, Pataskala Licking Hts. 39

Groveport-Madison 58, Grove City 46

Hamilton 56, Liberty Twp. Lakota E. 46

Hicksville 55, Bryan 47

Houston 50, Botkins 46

Ironton 57, Wheelersburg 50

Jackson Center 42, Anna 37

Kenton 78, Bellefontaine Benjamin Logan 68

Kings Mills Kings 68, Cin. Anderson 57

Kinsman Badger 80, Heartland Christian 57

Lancaster 64, Logan 53

Lancaster Fisher Cath. 68, Cols. Horizon Science 49

Lawrenceburg, Ind. 32, Harrison 31

Leavittsburg LaBrae 72, Youngs. Liberty 47

Leesburg Fairfield 84, Manchester 74

Legacy Christian 45, Spring. Emmanuel Christian 30

Lewis Center Olentangy Orange 57, Hilliard Darby 51

Lewistown Indian Lake 72, DeGraff Riverside 39

Lima Sr. 66, Tol. St. John's 55

Loveland 49, Milford 32

Lynchburg-Clay 73, W. Union 47

Marion Elgin 56, Dola Hardin Northern 40

Mason 72, W. Chester Lakota W. 51

Massillon Jackson 70, Can. Glenoak 43

Massillon Perry 73, Green 57

Massillon Tuslaw 65, Millersburg W. Holmes 53

McArthur Vinton County 78, Athens 59

Medina Highland 63, Wadsworth 56

Mentor 72, Brunswick 64

Miami Valley Christian Academy 28, Cin. Gamble Montessori 25

Minford 63, Franklin Furnace Green 38

Newton Falls 56, Girard 49

Norton 73, Lodi Cloverleaf 45

Olmsted Falls 65, Lakewood 54

Painesville Harvey 71, Chesterland W. Geauga 52

Pandora-Gilboa 47, Kalida 40

Parma Hts. Holy Name 81, Parma Padua 62

Peninsula Woodridge 47, Streetsboro 45

Piqua 48, Tipp City Tippecanoe 44

Plain City Jonathan Alder 45, Cols. Franklin Hts. 33

Pomeroy Meigs 53, Albany Alexander 49

Portsmouth W. 76, New Boston Glenwood 50

Proctorville Fairland 59, Ironton Rock Hill 26

Reedsville Eastern 50, Stewart Federal Hocking 32

Ridgeway Ridgemont 71, Fostoria St. Wendelin 58

Ripley-Union-Lewis-Huntington 61, Augusta, Ky. 53

S. Point 58, Coal Grove Dawson-Bryant 49

Sarahsville Shenandoah 55, Woodsfield Monroe Cent. 48

Seaman N. Adams 61, Chillicothe Huntington 59, OT

Sidney 83, Troy 64

Solon 110, Willoughby S. 85

St. Bernard Roger Bacon 68, Cin. Aiken 38

Struthers 74, Jefferson Area 45

Sullivan Black River 68, Brooklyn 59

Tol. Start 47, Fremont Ross 44

Tol. Waite 78, Oregon Clay 41

Twinsburg 55, Kent Roosevelt 29

Uniontown Lake 62, N. Can. Hoover 58

Urbana 52, Day. Carroll 39

Vincent Warren 61, Beverly Ft. Frye 48

W. Jefferson 71, Mechanicsburg 40

Wahama, W.Va. 63, Racine Southern 62

Warren Champion 70, Brookfield 65

Warren JFK 81, Cortland Maplewood 57

Washington C.H. Miami Trace 77, Hillsboro 53

Waverly 52, Jackson 50

Wayne, W.Va. 71, OVC 62

Wellington 73, Oberlin 63

Wellston 61, Bidwell River Valley 41

Westlake 59, Avon Lake 51

Whitehall-Yearling 53, Cols. Bexley 43

Wickliffe 71, Geneva 46

Williamsburg 67, Sardinia Eastern Brown 46

Willow Wood Symmes Valley 64, Rose Hill Christian, Ky. 43

Wilmington 69, Lees Creek E. Clinton 40

Youngs. East 73, Warren Howland 60

Amanda-Clearcreek vs. Ashville Teays Valley, ppd.

Baltimore Liberty Union vs. Circleville, ppd. to Dec 15.

Cameron, W.Va. vs. Shadyside, ppd. to Dec 14.

Canfield S. Range vs. Leetonia, ppd.

Carrollton vs. Alliance Marlington, ccd.

Circleville Logan Elm vs. Bloom-Carroll, ppd. to Dec 19.

Crooksville vs. New Concord John Glenn, ppd.

E. Can. vs. Sugarcreek Garaway, ppd.

Hundred, W.Va. vs. Beallsville, ppd. to Jan 7.

Lancaster Fairfield Union vs. Cols. Hamilton Twp., ppd. to Dec 15.

Lisbon Beaver vs. Salem, ccd.

Lowellville vs. Hanoverton United, ccd.

McConnelsville Morgan vs. Philo, ppd.

Mineral Ridge vs. Columbiana Crestview, ppd.

Navarre Fairless vs. Zoarville Tuscarawas Valley, ppd.

New Lexington vs. Thornville Sheridan, ppd. to Dec 15.

New Middletown Spring. vs. Wellsville, ccd.

Newcomerstown vs. Berlin Hiland, ppd.

Niles McKinley vs. Poland Seminary, ccd.

Steubenville vs. Youngs. Boardman, ppd. to Dec 16.

Strasburg-Franklin vs. Bowerston Conotton Valley, ppd.

Uhrichsville Claymont vs. Zanesville, ppd. to Dec 20.

W. Lafayette Ridgewood vs. Malvern, ppd. to Feb 21.

Warsaw River View vs. Coshocton, ppd.

Waynesville vs. Blanchester, ppd.

Williamsport Westfall vs. New Hope Christian, ppd.

Zanesville W. Muskingum vs. Zanesville Maysville, ppd. to Dec 23.

That's right. Irving will not be in the lineup Wednesday against the Grizzlies either, the second night of a unique back-to-back. He won't even make the trip. Neither will LeBron James or Kevin Love.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers were in a similar position last year: playing at home against the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies.

And Memphis, missing four starters, somehow pulled the 106-103 upset.

That was the central theme of head coach Tyronn Lue's pregame message Tuesday, reminding his team not to overlook the Grizzlies despite them being without reigning Western Conference Player of the Week Marc Gasol, point guard Mike Conley Jr. and free agent pickup Chandler Parsons.

Here are five observations:

Resting - The Cavs were missing a big piece as well. Lue didn't play Kyrie Irving, who complained of heavy legs after Saturday's win against the Hornets.

"If his body was hurting that much, legs were tired, makes sense to give him a little extra rest," Lue said.

Wait. Body hurting?

A few questions later, Lue clarified, trying to squash any chatter of something being wrong with his star point guard.

"He wanted to play," Lue said. "I just said take another game off and he'll be ready to go, that will give him seven days to work on his game, get his legs back, get his rehab and hopefully he'll be ready to go come Saturday."

That's right. Irving won't be in the lineup Wednesday against the Grizzlies either, the second night of a unique back-to-back. He won't even make the trip. Neither will LeBron James or Kevin Love.

"I think more and more teams do it," Love said. "I think you look to get guys rest when you can and I guess my opinion is we are looking forward. And obviously right now in the meantime trying to win as many basketball games as you can and be first in the East and have the best record but we also want to look long term as well."

Lue's decision - The choice to sit the Big Three was made prior to Tuesday's game, with Lue and the training staff meeting to discuss the best possible plan.

Along with Irving, Love has been gutting through a tight lower back and James' workload is higher than needed in December, averaging 38.8 in the seven games. 

Lue's primary responsibility is doing what's best for his team. And it has to be. This game made the most sense.

He's trying to balance numerous things during a rigorous regular season and it will be hard to constantly please everyone. He has already said a few times that the rest nights for his stars are more likely to take place on the road so he doesn't rob Cleveland fans the opportunity to see the champs at full strength.

"Come home and win this home game," Lue said when asked why he wouldn't space out the rest days, preventing a situation where all three sit for the same game. "We're home, to play in front of our fans so, with two of the Big 3 I know we can win that game. It will be hard to go down and travel, and to ask one person to try to carry the team, especially the way the offense runs."

It's tough for Grizzlies' fans that already purchased tickets and it's the Cavs' only trip there, but that's the risk with sporting events and things happen. Injuries. Rest. It's all part of it. 

"I do whatever my coach asks me to do," James said. "My coach wants me to rest, I don't buck my coach. That's what he wants and that's what we gonna do.

"I've been in this league 14 years. I shouldn't have to explain me sitting out a game or not playing games. I've played in every arena, including Seattle that's no longer here. It's not like it's my first year. I've got 14 years. I've paid my dues and more than a lot of guys in this league. But I'll ride with my coach."

Side note: Poor Mike Dunleavy. How far has he fallen? He can't even start on a night the Cavs will be missing their top three players?

Offense delivers late - Back to Tuesday's game. The Cavs led by 15 points going into the half, scoring 58 on 20-of-42 (47.6 percent) from the field. The offense looked in rhythm and it appeared another rout was on the horizon.

Then came the ugly, sloppy third quarter.

"We turned the ball over and got away from what we were doing," Love said. "So we just can't get complacent."

The Cavs scored 15 points on 5-of-20 (25 percent) from the field in the period. They also committed five turnovers.

However, they were able to regain their rhythm in the fourth, going 12-of-19 (63.2 percent) from the field en route to another 30-point quarter.

Smith uses old routine - During pregame, Smith was hoisting shots one-handed.

"One of my routines I've been doing since I was a kid," he said. "Whenever I struggle I tend to go back to it a little bit."

He's tried a plethora of tricks to bust out of his early-season shooting funk, going 32.8 percent from beyond the arc. The latest maneuver paid off.

Smith scored 10 points in the first quarter, going 4-of-6 from the field, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range. It was his first game reaching double digits since scoring 17 on November 11 against Washington.

"Felt great," he said. "Finally hit some shots. Felt like I was getting back to my old self a little bit."

Smith finished with 23, his highest scoring total since April 9, 2016, a stretch that includes the entire postseason last year. He also buried a season-high six triples, moving into 14th place all-time, passing Dale Ellis on the NBA's 3-pointer list.

"It's a great honor," Smith said. "Just trying to make shots. You play long enough you're going to break a lot of records. Hopefully I can play 20 years and be No. 1."

Highlight of the night - Late in the fourth quarter, James pushed the ball, stopped near the top of the key and bounced an incredible on-target pass that he made look entirely too easy.

LeBron with the no-look pass to Kevin Love!#DefendTheLand pic.twitter.com/87QtbEsIe2

-- NBA (@NBA) December 14, 2016

"I seen one guy playing two," James said of the play. "J.R. is such a great 3-point shooter he's got to respect that. I seen Kev running and whatever decision the defender made, it was going to be the wrong decision. If he took Kev, we was going to get J.R. for a clean look. If he took J.R., I got Kev for an open look. He didn't have the choice to make the right decision on that play."

Even Lue chuckled when talking about James' latest beauty.

"Well just he's a great player so nothing seems to amaze me, but just some of the timely passes that he makes and you know all on target, in traffic, over the top, bounce passes," he said. "It doesn't amaze me but it shows how great he is."

Fired by Nebraska, tempestuous Bo Pelini, a one-time Ohio State starter and captain, returns to his hometown of Youngstown and leads Youngstown State to the FCS semifinals, while teaching his players the city's values.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - It's not that Bo Pelini, now in his second season as Youngstown State's football coach, got out of this city, although outsiders would think that is a big goal.

It's that he came back to make it and himself better. He needed the city, whose values formed his ethical core, as much as Youngstown needed him.

If you're from here, you're family, and they take you back and have your back. It doesn't matter if you made it elsewhere, because you already had it made, right here, in your own backyard, just as the movie with the song about going over the rainbow said.

Return of the native

Pelini made it back after being the stormiest sideline persona in the Big Ten at Nebraska since Ohio State's Woody Hayes. Pelini played for Hayes' Old School successor, Earle Bruce, and his successor, John Cooper. At OSU, Pelini was a starter at free safety and a team captain.

He also made it back from blunt words, crude ones really, about his former boss, the Cornhuskers' athletic director. You've heard their likes before. The president-elect once used one of them and dismissed it as "locker room banter."

Asked how surprised he was that Pelini took the Penguins' job, Youngstown State president and former OSU coach Jim Tressel said, "Not at all. You'd have to know him. He's a Youngstown guy through and through. What interests him is coaching, whether at the pro level (as an assistant at San Francisco, Green Bay, New England) or at Nebraska, LSU and Oklahoma. He seemed interested in beng back home and improving in his ability to be a head coach."

"His son is a senior at Cardinal Mooney and is a good player," said Tressel. "He has a couple of daughters, and he loves raising them in the hometown of both he and his wife."

The Youngstown culture

This is not a story about a coach who is damaged goods in a broken town at all. It's about success, maybe even redemption. There's gold here, but rainbows come and go. You have to dig it out the hard way, with your own hands.

Like all politics, perhaps all sports are local. Said Tressel, "As long as the Buckeyes and Penguins are winning, people here can live with what the Browns do."

Pelini takes the 11-3 Penguins to 12-1 Eastern Washington in the FCS national semifinals Saturday. Youngstown State made the playoffs for the first time in 10 years this season. It is only the second time since Tressel's final season in 2000.

Tuesday was Pelini's 49^th birthday. He still lives by the old Steel Valley Conference's values.

"Youngstown is a place where high school football is important, especially in our generation," said Pelini. "We played where it was important you learned the right way. You learn certain principles to do it the right way.

"Like anything else in our society, it starts at home," Pelini added. "There's a certain culture in Youngstown - blue-collar work ethic, attention to detail. The way we were brought up, that equates in football to success. Nothing magical. Understand the importance of a hard day's work. Stick to your principles. And try to extend that through a football game."

The quiet man?

"Bo is a quiet guy, " said Tressel. "I know that's a surprise to folks who only see him sidelines. "

Pelini's problems were with the media and the fans at Nebraska. He never won fewer than nine games. But he had volcanic outbursts on the sideline and often berated critical fans. He drew two consecutive 15-yard penalties in a loss this year to fellow Missouri Valley Conference member and top playoff seed North Dakota State.

Tuesday, amid rumors of player suspensions to be handed down before the Eastern Washington game, Pelini said, "I find it ironic that guys miss games for all kinds of reasons, and it's not a story. Now all of a sudden we're having success, and it's a story. I show up Monday night for a radio show, and all of sudden I see people I haven't seen in two years."

Pelini does not publicly discuss player suspensions. It is his policy.

• Youngstown State roster

Tough task

If you ever saw an Eastern Washington game on ESPN, you know it is the school that plays on a red field. "We'll work out Friday and see if there's any problem with the background on it," said Pelini.

It also will be cold enough to test a real penguin's mettle. "The weather forecast is for a high of zero," said Pelini.

The game falls at the end of finals week for the YSU players. Asked if that would affect his preparation, Pelini said, to a ripple of laughter, "Not at all. I graduated, believe it or not. You can check with Ohio State."

He also graduated from Youngstown. And that has made all the difference.

Ohio State announced on Tuesday that its 2017 season opener against Indiana will be played on Thursday, Aug. 31.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Move over, SEC. The Big Ten wants a piece of the college football opening night action.

The SEC has played a conference game on the first Thursday night of the college football season in four of the last five years. The 2017 season will be the Big Ten's turn to get some of that shine, with Ohio State and Indiana announcing on Tuesday that they'll play next year's season-opener in Bloomington, Ind., on Thursday, Aug. 31.

This is new territory for the Big Ten, and Ohio State.

Last year Indiana and Minnesota each opened on the first Thursday of the season, but those were nonconference games. We've seen other Big Ten programs open up with nonconference opponents on non-Saturdays in the past. That includes Ohio State, which opened the 2015 season on Labor Day night at Virginia Tech.

Playing a Big Ten conference game on the opening night of the college football season is different.

"It's part of the Big Ten's initiative to get some of our conference games earlier in the year. They ran it by us and Indiana, and we agreed to do it," Martin Jarmond, Ohio State's Deputy Director of Athletics told cleveland.com.

The 2017 season will be the Big Ten's second playing a nine-game conference slate, and some of those games are moving up in the calendar. No more waiting until the end of September or the beginning of October for a Big Ten game.

The Buckeyes and Hoosiers will play in Week 1 next season. Purdue and Northwestern are scheduled to play in Week 1 in 2018. Not every Big Ten team will be playing conference games in the first two weeks of the season, but this is a minor tweak to the schedule that will be a little different, and perhaps jarring to old school Big Ten fans.

The conference's decision to start playing some games on Friday nights next year and beyond as part of its new TV deal with ESPN and FOX was met with mixed reaction and concern about what it would mean for high school football in the Big Ten footprint.

OHSAA 'disappointed' in Big Ten Friday games

The Big Ten views this as changing course to catch up to the rest of college football. Eight Power 5 teams opened on Thursday night last year.

"This is an unbelievable platform for the Big Ten," Jarmond said. "Ohio State sees the big picture and is very in lockstep with the Big Ten for what's best for the conference."

Jarmond said the Big Ten approached Ohio State and Indiana in recent weeks about changing the game, which was originally scheduled to be played on Sept. 2. Had either side not been for it, the change wouldn't have occurred.

We saw when the Big Ten's Friday games were announced earlier this year that Michigan refused completely to play on Fridays, home or away. Penn State said it won't play Friday night home games. Ohio State said it's up for playing Friday night road games, and will play a Friday night home game every three years but only during the university's fall break.

Which Big Ten teams will play on Friday in '17?

So among the big brands, the Buckeyes have been a little more willing to play ball with the Big Ten as the conference tries to expand its visibility with games on off nights.

As it stands now, Ohio State vs. Indiana is the only Power 5 conference tilt scheduled for Aug. 31, 2017. Minnesota, Utah and maybe Iowa State are scheduled to play nonconference games on that day. The TV time and channel for Ohio State vs. Indiana won't be announced until we get closer to the season, but expect it to get prime placement.

If this is jarring to you as an Ohio State or Big Ten fan, know that the Buckeyes aren't diving in completely.

Would Ohio State ever again open the season at home on a Thursday night, as it did against Marshall in 2010?

"I don't see that happening any time soon," Jarmond said. "A lot has to go into hosting a home game, and to change that can be disruptive on campus. That's not to say if the Big Ten asked us, I'm sure we would consider it. But I don't see that happening in the immediate future, opening up on a non-Saturday."

The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers have made significant changes over the past two seasons. Here is a look at six moments that shaped the Christmas Day matchup.

Kevin Love led all scorers with 29 points and the Cavs beat a depleted Grizzlies squad Tuesday night. The two teams play again Wednesday in Memphis.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavs have shown they can't win without LeBron James.

But they don't seem to have that problem when Kyrie Irving doesn't play.

Irving didn't play for the first time this season Tuesday night and Cleveland won anyway, knocking off the Memphis Grizzlies 103-86.

How will the Cavs play without Irving, LeBron James, or Kevin Love? We're about to find out. Coach Tyronn Lue said none of the Big 3 would even travel to Memphis for the rematch Wednesday.

Irving, who complained last Saturday of tired legs, was given the game off to rest in this weird wrinkle in the schedule. He will have had a week away from game action when the Cavs return to play the Lakers at The Q this Saturday.

Lue said James wouldn't play simply because he didn't want his biggest star out there for the back-to-back, and Love wasn't going because his back has been tight. James missed a game already this season; it will be Love's first.

Cleveland, which has won five straight, is trying to improve on its 4-16 record on nights when James doesn't play. Good luck with that.

"Come out and see how (the rest of the players) compete, (if) they play hard," Lue said, when asked what he could reasonably expect from the Cavs Wednesday. "Guys get a chance to play some extended minutes and see how they really are, if they can crack the rotation or if we need them, how they can play."

Lue said DeAndre Liggins, Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith, Tristan Thompson and James Jones would be his starting five in the rematch.

Dating back to the start of last season, the Cavs (18-5) are 21-9 on nights when Irving doesn't play. James has a lot to do with that record, and on Tuesday contributed 23 points, six rebounds, and eight assists.

Love led the Cavs with 29 points and 13 boards. For the first time in a while, Smith got it going with a season-high 23 points on six 3-pointers. He hadn't scored in double figures since Nov. 11 and entered play just 10-of-48 from the field over his last seven contests.

It wasn't always pretty for Smith -- he opened the game 4-of-6 shooting and at one point was 6-of-14 -- but he finished 8-of-17 from the field and 6-of-10 from deep with five rebounds. With his first three treys of the night, Smith passed Dale Ellis (1,719 3-pointers) for 14th in NBA history in 3s.

The Grizzlies (17-9) were not only without Marc Gasol, who was left home to rest, but also missed Mike Conley Jr., Chandler Parsons, James Ennis III and Brandan Wright with injuries.

Don't take too much away from the Cavs, though, as this depleted-Memphis group knocked off the Golden State Warriors Saturday night and had won six straight. Also, the Grizzlies came to The Q in March with similar injury woes and eked out a three-point win. Cleveland was cognizant of a letdown this time.

Veteran forward Zach Randolph made his first start this season and led the Grizzlies with 18 points.

Liggins, who started for Smith last week while he was out with an injury, played point guard in Irving's place. He was 1-of-7 shooting for three points, but is in there for his defense anyway.

With the Cavs ahead by 12 at 5:51 of the fourth quarter, Liggins raced back to put himself between a cherry-picking Tony Allen and the basket, and drew a charge. He also contributed five rebounds, two steals and one block.

After going 5-of-10 on 3-pointers during his 44-point outburst Saturday, James was 0-of-4 from deep in this one. He also committed six turnovers -- perhaps his legs were a little heavy after his whirlwind trip to New York Monday to accept Sports Illustrated's Sportsperson of the Year award for 2016.

Then again, the reigning Eastern Conference player of the week shot 9-of-17 overall and contributed three steals in 36 minutes.

The Cavs and Grizzlies take this thing to Memphis Wednesday for a game that starts at 8 p.m. Cleveland has a similar back-to-back situation with Milwaukee next week.

The defensive tackle's comments prompted a few laughs from Joe Thomas. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -  Bills nosetackle Marcell Dareus guaranteed Wednesday that the 6-7 Bills won't be the first team to lose to the Browns this season.

Never mind that the Bills have lost five of their last seven games and that their coach, Rex Ryan, is on the hot seat.

DT Marcell Dareus said it's "a guarantee" the #Bills will not become the first team to lose to the #Browns this season.

-- Vic Carucci (@viccarucci) December 14, 2016

When informed of Dareus' guarantee, Browns left tackle Joe Thomas joked that he was furious.  

"I hate that guy, I'm going to kill him,'' he said with a laugh. "That's great. The mindset we're going to have is just the same way. We're going to make them the team we break the streak on so I think that's, as a football player, our competitive nature.  That's the way we train ourselves to think every single week because you want to go in on that Sunday expecting to win."

Thomas acknowledged that the Browns are getting everyone's best shot, because no one wants to own the dubious distinction of losing to them.

"That's one of the challenges when you go this long without winning a game,'' he said. "You've gone from maybe a team that other teams are going to overlook to the team that you're definitely not going to get overlooked because teams don't want to be the team that lost to you and they are going to circle that game. ... They are going to elevate their emotions and their preparations almost like it is a playoff game so that makes it tougher to get that first win, but that's OK.

"That's the challenge we've put ourselves in and we've accepted it and we're going to do what we can to win on Sunday."

Robert Griffin III agreed that the Browns are a marked team.

"No one is just going to walk out there on the field and give us a win and say, 'Here you go. We feel sorry for you. We will give you guys a win,''' said Griffin. "Everyone is trying to kick us while we're down so we're going to have to go take it. We're going to get everybody's best shot because nobody wants to lose to us.

"It's just a matter of us going out and putting a full game together, a full team game - offense, defense, special teams - and when we do that, we will all be celebrating in the locker room."

As for the half-empty FirstEnergy Stadium Sunday, Thomas said, "Well, we did that to ourselves. We're the ones that didn't win the games.

"If we would be 13-0, I guarantee it would be packed, they'd be selling tickets for a thousand bucks a pop. So it's not discouraging any more than the record that we have is discouraging. That's the nature of the NFL, if you don't win, people don't want to watch you.''

Thomas sees signs of improvement, including the Browns' 169 rushing yards against the Bengals.

"I see that young guys we have are starting to make some more plays, they're starting to do the right things,'' he said. "You're not always seeing it pop up on Sunday because typically the only things you notice on Sunday are the big scoring plays or the big hits or big plays on defense. Where a lot of times having a good team is all about putting the little things together. I think you're seeing some of those little things come together. To me, that's what's really improved.''

But enough to prove Dareus wrong?

Former Villa Angela-St. Joseph star turned Kansas basketball player Carlton Bragg was arrested Friday on suspicion of domestic battery. Five days later the charges were dropped.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Former Villa Angela-St. Joseph star turned Kansas basketball player Carlton Bragg was arrested Friday on suspicion of domestic battery. 

Five days later, the charges were dropped, according to Kansas beat writer Jesse Newell of Kansas City Star. 

Lawrence DA has dismissed the battery charge against Carlton Bragg.

-- Jesse Newell (@jessenewell) December 14, 2016

Bragg, 20, was recruited by Ohio State. 

According to a story written by Newell, Bragg pleaded not guilty and his attorney argued self defense in court. 

"The motion by attorney Hatem Chahine, filed in Douglas County District Court, says Bragg was at a party at the Delta Upsilon fraternity house near the KU campus when the alleged victim, a 19-year-old KU student, grabbed his arm around midnight walked him into a stairway, where she accused him of sleeping with her best friend. When Bragg started to speak, according to the defense motion, the alleged victim yelled at him and struck him with an open palm on the right side of his face." 

There was a survellience tape that confirmed that. 

DA says surveillance video showed female "shoving & slapping the male in the chest numerous times and placing her hands near the neck."

-- Jesse Newell (@jessenewell) December 14, 2016

Through five games this season, Bragg is averaging 7.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. 

The Indians, despite reports to the contrary, will keep the Chief Wahoo on their caps as part of their home and away uniform.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Indians will continue to wear Chief Wahoo on their caps for the 2017 season.

Despite reports to the contrary, Chief Wahoo will appear on the team's caps (blue hat, red bill) when they wear their home white uniforms. Chief Wahoo will also appear on the team's hats (blue caps, blue bills) when they wear their alternate road uniforms - blue tops, gray pants.

It was incorrectly reported that the Indians were taking Chief Wahoo off their caps for 2017. Confusion apparently arose when cleveland.com reported that the team would no longer wear its cream colored home uniforms, but would keep the hat from that uniform (red cap, blue bill, blue block C) as part of its alternate home uniforms for next season. The alternate home uniforms for 2017 will feature blue tops, white pants and the blue block C cap.

The Indians' main road uniform for next season stays the same - gray top, gray pants, all blue cap with a red block C.

Chief Wahoo will still appear on the left shoulder of all Indians' jerseys for 2017.

The Chief Wahoo logo has drawn protests from Native Americans for years. Commissioner Rob Manfred told reporters during the Indians-Cubs World Series in November, that he would meet with team owner Paul Dolan to discuss the logo. That meeting has not taken place.

Terrelle Pryor doesn't appreciate being portrayed as a hothead who fights with his quarterback when all he wants to do is win a game. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Terrelle Pryor agrees with Bengals cornerback Adam Jones that he was garbage during Sunday's 23-10 loss to the Bengals, but insists it's rubbish that he fought with Robert Griffin III during the game.

"Listen, I'm talking to my quarterback and that's it,'' Pryor said Wednesday. "It's nothing fighting or anything about that, so don't pump it up to be anything more than what it is. You can't assume 'cause me and Rob wasn't arguing.""

Pryor regretted the media portrayal of him of being a hothead who argues with teammates during games. He and Griffin did have a heated exchange with 10:11 left in the third quarter after they were forced to burn a timeout. Both pointed fingers at the other and exchanged words, but Griffin explained that Pryor just 'wanted to run the play that was called. We scored on that drive so it all worked out."

Pryor, who declined to talk after the game, said Wednesday that suggestions he was arguing with his QB make him look like a bad person and are "trying to break up this team and all we're trying to do is come in here and fight for a win.''

Pryor insists he's the ultimate team player and competitor.

"You can ask all of my teammates,'' he said. "I'm not a guy that causes any beef or drama on the team. That's not me. Am I on the sidelines fiery? Am I in the game fiery? Absolutely. I wouldn't think that the fans or my coaches or anyone else would want me to not play that way.

"And if I play any other way and just shut up and didn't do anything, I don't think I'd play as well, so I'm just continuing to try to get better. I've got to get better and that's all I'm looking forward to.''

Despite playing with as much or more fire than anyone on the team --  he respects Hue Jackson's mandate to rein in the venting.

"He's the head coach and somebody that I look up to as a leader and somebody that I aspire to be (like as) a leader, so of course, anything he says, it's his team and it's his go at the end of the day,'' said Pryor.

Pryor says 'emotions run high' during 0-13 skid

As for Jones repeatedly calling him 'garbage' after the game, Pryor, who leads the Browns with 63 catches and 858 yards, couldn't argue.

"He had the right,'' said Pryor. "I was garbage that day. I had one catch, three yards. He was right. It was an accurate statement."

But Pryor believes a public war of words is harmful. "A lot of kids look up to me,'' he said. "I'm a role model to a lot of kids. I get a lot of messages, a lot of letters, hundreds of letters every week from kids and stuff like that. I want to teach my son you don't win battles, you don't win games by talking.''

But during the game?

"It's different because I'm in my sanctuary along with the other players,'' he said.

But Pryor disputed Jones' claim that he told Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther that he was going to get Jones cut after the game.

"I don't recall that,'' said Pryor. "Some people are story tellers. I don't know anything about that.''

Jones isn't the only cornerback who's verbally attacked Pryor this season. The game before, the Giants' Janoris Jenkins did the same thing. But as far as Pryor is concerned, sticks and stones....

"Words don't never do anything, you know?'' he said. "I'm a Godly man. I just live my life every day being humble and being kind. I live off of that.''

Pryor said he chose not to talk after the game because he was too upset. He remained on the field long after everyone else went in and threw his helmet as he walked off.

"Obviously I was frustrated,'' he said. "I didn't do anything to help the team."

Jackson, who cares about the team's image, talked to Pryor.

"Terrelle understands," Jackson said. "We have common ground. I support Terrelle 100 percent, but there are certain things that he knows I want our players to emulate, and it's not that. We'll move from there, and he gets it. We'll grow from it.

"Terrelle's passion is wanting to win. It doesn't come from a bad place. He's not a belligerent young man or anything like that. I just think sometimes energy gets directed the wrong way and energy needs to stay on the field and do what we need him to do be successful."

It's not the first time he's talked to Pryor about keeping his emotions in check.

"I'll have it several more times if I need to, until we get it right," Jackson said. "But I think there's a line and he knows that, that we're not going to cross. ... So I feel very comfortable that the more he grows in this, the better he's going to be."

Griffin confirmed that he and Pryor are as good as gold.

"I love TP's passion,'' he said. "TP's my boy. ... The bond that we've been able to forge over this time in here with the team has been incredible.

"It's not any animosity there, and he wants to win. ... It's just about obviously making it look that way on the field so that we don't have an encounter like that and everyone's questioning it.''

Get the latest updates and analysis from the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 24 against the Memphis Grizzlies.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers face the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday in Game 24 of the 2016 NBA regular season.

Follow along in the comments section as Joe Vardon brings you observations and analysis throughout the game.

Make sure to follow Vardon on Twitter.

Game 24: Cavs (18-5) vs. Grizzlies (17-9)

Tipoff: 8 p.m. at FedEdxForum.

TV/radio: FoxSports Ohio; WTAM 1100 AM; 87.7 FM (ESP).

Cavs probable starting lineup: Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith, DeAndre Liggins, James Jones, Iman Shumpert.

Grizzlies probable starting lineup: Troy Williams, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, Tony Allen, Andrew Harrison.

FREQUENTLY REFRESH this page to get the latest updates. If you're viewing this on a mobile app, click here.

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Lue made news Tuesday night when he announced that James, Irving, and Love all would not play in Memphis.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Tyronn Lue apologized to Memphis fans who won't get to see LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, or Kevin Love tonight in the process of (re) explaining why he's choosing to sit the Big 3.

"I'm sorry to the fans who have to go through this because you get a chance to see LeBron, Kyrie and Kevin one time a year," Lue said. "I understand that, but it had nothing to do with the decision."

Lue made news Tuesday night when he announced that James, Irving, and Love all would not play in Memphis. Love (29 points, 13 rebounds) and James (23 points, eight assists, six rebounds) led the way in Cleveland's 103-86 win over the Grizzlies Tuesday night, while Irving rested his tired legs.

He reiterated it was all a matter of timing and confluence of events -- Love's stiff back, James' high minutes and the Cavs' plan to periodically rest him in games on consecutive nights, and Irving's tired legs from over the weekend.

Irving could've played tonight, but Lue said Irving would've handled the ball so much (and the Grizzlies would've loaded up on him defensively) to the point where he might've ruined the rest he gained by sitting out Tuesday.

Lue's decision sparked outrage in some fan and media corners across the league.

"Of course you want to see LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love play," Lue said. "But we have 11 other professionals in the locker room that are also professional players and will also give you everything they got. So hopefully they will give you a good game. Those guys in there are NBA champions also.

"So, I understand the fans' reaction, but it was nothing toward the Memphis fans or the organization, or (Grizzlies coach David) Fizdale, who's my guy."

Lue also said Mike Dunleavy and Channing Frye would be in his patchwork starting lineup tonight and Tristan Thompson will only play a few minutes against the Grizzlies.

Immediately after his announcement Tuesday, Lue said he would start DeAndre Liggins again at point guard (for Irving), Iman Shumpert (for James) and James Jones would start too.

Now Dunleavy, who hasn't played the last two games, and Frye are starting.

"Well cause y'all asked me and I didn't know, I didn't have a chance to think about it," Lue said. "Asked me on the spot and I didn't have a chance to think about it."

Thompson has played in 393 consecutive games. Lue said he wanted to protect Thompson's streak -- it's the longest currently in the NBA -- but would play "five or six minutes" against Memphis All-Star Marc Gasol.

Hue Jackson believes it's too early to write off RG3 after only one game back from his fractured shoulder. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Most folks are ready to end the Robert Griffin III experiment after his dawg of a game in Sunday's 23-10 loss to the Bengals, but Hue Jackson isn't.

"I am not giving up on it," he said. "I am going to work through it and see where we are. That is the whole part of him playing so we can evaluate where we are and have a good feel about it when the season is over."

Jackson brought Griffin here in the off-season and believed he could resurrect his career. He was supposed to have a full season to try to coax a winning QB back out of him, and disagrees with those ready to throw in the towel after one game back from the fractured shoulder.

"I'd challenge a lot of those people getting under center for the first time in a long time and try to do what he was doing. It's tough," Jackson said. "I don't think you write people off if things don't go well right away. I just don't believe in that.

"Let's go through this week and see where he is and see if he improved or not before we just write him off."

 Jackson acknowledged that Griffin's fractured shoulder in the opener splintered not only the season, but likely the Browns' QB plans.

"It impacts everything,'' he said. "When you go into training camp, you start down a road, and you name a quarterback and you play to his strengths. The offense is built to his strengths. After the first week, it changes. Now, somebody else is playing.

"You have to adjust and adapt. Then after that week, somebody else was playing. Then we had to adjust to them, too, three weeks after that. It just has been the nature of how it has been. I said a long time ago, I don't think we have really truly played our offense yet.''

Still, Jackson needs to see much better than the 38.4 rating Griffin earned against the Bengals. He completed only 12 of 28 passes for 104 yards with one interception off an ill-advised flea-flicker out of his own end zone.  

"There needs to be a jump in performance,'' Jackson said. "Last week, I tried to temper this whole room that it may not go well because I knew that could happen. Now this week, I can't say that. ... Now, you need to go play well. I expect that everything will be better from that standpoint."

Pryor: It's "rubbish" he fought with RG3

Griffin, who connected only three of 11 times with Corey Coleman, believes he can take that quantum leap that Jackson seeks.

"Just going back and watching the tape, I saw a number of areas that I can play better in," he said. "I will play better. I know I can. I know my teammates have seen me do it time and time again. ... I will definitely have to knock off a lot of the rust and the conditions and will put out a better product."

Bills coach Rex Ryan still sees where Jackson is going with the RG3 experiment. But the Bills will be a load. They're fifth in the NFL with 33 sacks and fourth in the AFC with 229.6 passing yards allowed per game.

"The first thing you see is this guy still has that athleticism, which is almost rare for the position to have somebody with that kind of athletic ability,'' said Ryan. "Now, you're going to see two quarterbacks on Sunday (including Tyrod Taylor) that can absolutely fly, and that is rare, but he still throws the ball well.

"I know the conditions last week make it tough. Ben Roethlisberger had a 37 quarterback rating in our game. That was tough. Unfortunately, they ran the ball all over us, but I am just saying that his numbers might not have looked good this past week, yet I see a guy that still looks dangerous.''

Jackson admitted this week that he's starting Griffin over a healthy Cody Kessler because he saw Kessler for seven games. Griffin is still an unknown heading into the pivotal off-season.

"I don't see it so much as Robert being over Cody as opposed to here is a chance to evaluate a guy in a real football game under adverse conditions and see what he can do,'' he said.

Extra Point

The Browns claimed running back Darius Jackson off waivers from the Cowboys. He was a sixth-round pick out Eastern Michigan, where he had 16 rushing TDs last year. They waived linebacker Corey Lemonier to make room. ... Jackson moved practice inside after he fell on the icy outdoor field. ... John Greco underwent surgery to repair a Lisfranc midfoot injury, which is about a year-long recovery.

Martell is a 2017 quarterback committed to Ohio State Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State quarterback commit Tate Martell got a surprise from a Buckeye legend on Wednesday when he was presented with the Gatorade National Player of the Year award.

Watch the video above to see Eddie George present the award to Martell in his Las Vegas home.

Martell is a four-star prospect from Bishop Gorman in Vegas, ranked the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback in the country. He threw 41 touchdown passes with one interception, and rushed for another 21 touchdowns this season for Bishop Gorman.

He plans to enroll early at Ohio State in January. Martell is the second Ohio State commit to ever win the Gatorade National Player of the Year award, which has been handed out since 1986. Former Buckeye Robert Smith won the award in 1990.

It's truly an honor being named Gatorade National Player of the Year! I want to thank everyone who has been apart of this process! pic.twitter.com/TcVAw41dnZ

-- Tate Martell (@TheTateMartell) December 15, 2016

The NBA and its players have agreed in principle on a new collective bargaining agreement, one that still needs to be ratified by players and owners in the coming weeks.

MIAMI -- The NBA and its players have agreed in principle on a new collective bargaining agreement, one that still needs to be ratified by players and owners in the coming weeks.

The league announced the tentative agreement Wednesday night, one day before the sides faced a deadline for opting out of the current deal.

That deadline for opting out has now been extended to Jan. 13, with the NBA saying that's "in order to give both sides enough time to review the terms of the agreement and vote to ratify."

With both sides signing off, getting players and owners to pass the deal would likely be no more than a formality.

A person briefed on the terms said the deal extends for seven seasons, with an opt-out possible after six. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because neither side was releasing exact details.

If the deal is ratified, the start of the season would be moved up a week, preseason games would be capped at six and there's a hope that one of the most dreaded elements of the schedule -- the four-game-in-five-day stretches -- would be eliminated.

Other details of the new proposed CBA include increases in values of rookie-scale contracts, minimum salaries and exceptions. The rookie deals will be proportionate to the salary cap, either rising or falling as that does. Two-way contracts will be in play for the first time in the NBA, which would figure to enhance player development. And contracts would be able to be extended for five, or in some cases, six years.

Neither NBA Commissioner Adam Silver nor NBPA executive director Michele Roberts spoke publicly after the tentative deal was announced. Some players reacted quickly on social media, including Golden State's Draymond Green -- who said "one day we will get it right.... maybe."

Phoenix's Jared Dudley said he wasn't sure what Green meant. "I really don't know anything about the deal," Dudley tweeted.

News broke of the tentative agreement just as Wednesday's games were starting. In San Antonio, before the Spurs played Boston, Celtics coach Brad Stevens reacted cautiously.

"I don't have any reaction until I know things are completed," Stevens said. "Once that is a thing and we're made of it aware of it, I'll talk about it. I think the NBA is in a great place. I think we're all hopeful that something like that would happen."

Talks have gone on for weeks, and unlike those surrounding the most recent deal between the league and its players, these were mostly amicable. Most of the major issues -- such as keeping the split of basketball-related income the same as it is in the existing deal -- were agreed upon weeks ago.

Still, some issues needed to get ironed-out, including ones related to licensing and marketing. The sides considered extending the opt-out deadline even before coming to the tentative agreement, and now only the voting remains before labor peace is ensured for up to seven more years.

NBA officials and players expressed optimism throughout the process, pointing to the league's skyrocketing revenue and salaries -- thanks to a massive new television deal -- and rising TV ratings.

From the outset, these talks seemed much different than the unfriendly discourse that went on five years ago, when the league and its players were so far apart that the 2011-12 season wound up getting shortened from 82 games per team to 66. The players were locked out for 161 games, resulting in a shortened season and plenty of frustration.

"I think they will get to a decision that's good for everybody," Miami guard Goran Dragic said in recent weeks.

Another issue previously known to be addressed in this proposed CBA was a deal where the league would help fund programs to help retired players with education and medical expenses.

T.J. Tynan scored in overtime Wednesday to lift the Cleveland Monsters past the Iowa Wild, 4-3.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- T.J. Tynan scored a power-play goal in overtime as the Cleveland Monsters slipped past the Iowa Wild, 4-3, in an American Hockey League game on Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena.

Tynan scored his fourth goal of the season at 2:27 of the overtime session, assisted by John Ramage and goalie Anton Forsberg. It was Forsberg's first assist of the season.

The Monsters are now 12-11-1-1 while Iowa is 11-14-1-1. The Monsters defeated Iowa in the only other meeting this season, 7-3, on Oct. 25.

• Monsters-Wild summary
• AHL standings

After allowing the Wild to take a 1-0 lead on a goal by Alex Tuch at 8:22 of the first period, the Monsters stormed back to take a 3-1 lead by the end of the first. The Monsters were outshot in the period, 9-6, but scored on half of their shots.

Joe Pendenza got the Monsters on the board with a goal at 9:46 and less than three minutes later, Daniel Zaar gave them the lead with his team-leading seventh goal of the season.

Alex Broadhurst made it 3-1 when he scored his sixth of the season on a power play with just nine seconds left in the period. Dalton Prout assisted on the first two goals and Sonny Milano helped on the second two.

Iowa made it 3-2 at 5:12 of the second period on a goal by Nick Saracino, then gained a measure of revenge by scoring on a power play with one second remaining in the period. Mike Reilly's goal made it 3-3 entering the third period.

Neither team scored in the third period, forcing overtime.

Forsberg stopped 26 of 29 shots to improve to 8-6-1. Iowa's Alex Stalock had 22 saves.

New face: The Monsters added veteran defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron to the roster Tuesday after he signed a 25-game professional tryout contract. Bergeron, 36, posted 0-1-1 with a -1 rating and four shots on goal in four preseason appearances for the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets. Bergeron posted 82-153-235 with 214 penalty minutes and a -12 rating in 490 career NHL appearances spanning 10 seasons from 2002-13 with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes. He had been playing for Zurich SC of Switzerland's NLA the past three season.

Up next: The Monsters and Wild play again Friday at 7 in the Q, then the Monsters are at the Chicago Wolves on Saturday at 8. ... Cleveland will be home for two games next week before Christmas, facing the Charlotte Checkers on Tuesday and Thursday, both games at 7 p.m. Click here for the Monsters complete schedule.

Why was Tristan Thompson playing his usual 28 minutes when Tyronn Lue said he'd play five or six?

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- There's little intrigue in a Cavs loss on a night when LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love don't even make the trip.

But let's clean up the few loose ends from Cleveland's 93-85 loss to Memphis and move on quickly to the Cavs playing with their real team on the court (Saturday at home against the Los Angeles Lakers.)

WHY WAS TRISTAN OU THERE?: Here's what Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said before the game about playing Thompson Wednesday night.

"We're going to play him limited minutes," Lue said, followed by "we're going to play him tonight short minutes and get him out of there," and, "about five or six minutes" against Marc Gasol, Memphis' starting center.

Thompson wound up playing 28:28, precisely his season average.

"I know but he was in here begging me to play. Let me play, let me play," Lue told cleveland.com.

He grabbed 11 boards, improving on his career-best 10.1-boards average. Gasol played exactly three seconds more than Thompson. 

Cavs lose sans Big 3

BAD J.R., DIFFERENT J.R. -- This was J.R. Smith's first back-to-back since his knee injury, and it didn't go well. He was 4-of-15 for eight points in about 25 minutes.

Smith, as you'd expect, came into this one looking to shoot the ball without any of the Big 3 out there with him. He jacked up 20 percent of Cleveland's shots, but only three 3-pointers (missed them all). He also had the ball in his hands more. He had to create for himself and for others, instead of waiting for James or Irving to zip him the ball on the perimeter.

"I was looking for shots and I was trying to make plays for others," said Smith, explaining that he had to play a different role tonight. "I was into pick-and-rolls, trying to find that weakside-corner guy. It was something I hadn't done in three years, something I was trying to do. But, fortunately that's over so I can get back to my normal game."

JONESIN -- James Jones entered play Wednesday averaging five minutes in the 14 games (out of 24 for the Cavs) in which he's appeared.

Not only did he lead the team with 15 points, but he's now 14-of-19 from 3-point range.

Jones, 36, obviously doesn't play very much now in this his 14th season. But, goodness, 73.6 percent from 3-point range?

Ohio State is putting together its best recruiting class ever, but the Ohio presence is low.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State is putting together its best recruiting class maybe ever, certainly its best class in the modern era and of Urban Meyer's tenure in Columbus.

So this isn't a criticism of being good at recruiting. We're looking at the numbers and asking the questions: Is it possible for Ohio State to become too national in its recruiting? And is a program better served by having a couple of three-star or "developmental" guys in its class?

Ohio State has the No. 2 class in the country (awesome), six five-star prospects and probably more on the way (awesome), but also only four players from Ohio out of 17 commits and no three-star diamond-in-the-rough-types like a Darron Lee or Malik Hooker.

Is that last part OK? Just bring on all the five stars? Maybe. Probably. But is there something to be said about making sure there's always a decent Ohio presence in a Buckeyes recruiting class? We discussed that in our latest Buckeye Talk Podcast, which you can listen to below:

Please subscribe to and rate Buckeye Talk: Ohio State podcast by cleveland.com on iTunes. Leave comments there and here about how we can make this podcast better for Ohio State fans.

-- Follow cleveland.com's Ohio State coverage on Facebook and Instagram

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I expect the Chicago Bears to keep it close enough at home against the Green Bay Packers as part of NFL Week 15.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Buffalo Bills (over the Cleveland Browns), Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Denver Broncos will be among NFL Week 15 winners against the spread.

At least that is how I see it -- for entertainment purposes only, of course.

I am picking NFL ATS for the second straight year. In 2015, I went 122-127-7 in the regular season and 4-6-1 in the postseason. I did manage to win the Super Bowl (Denver +5 1/2).

In this space, I decline to take the easy route when picking ATS. I pick all of the games, not a select few "hot ones'' each week. Leave that to a video. At the same time, I am realistic. I think batting .500 is an accomplishment, and I make no guarantees. (And don't yell at me too loudly when I have a bad week(s) because this is, after all, for entertainment purposes only.)

I have researched each team/matchup, but I plan on relying more on gut than anything else this season. 

For continuity's sake, each week I will use the MGM Mirage lines from vegasinsider.com as of Wednesday afternoon unless noted. Games are listed as I came upon them, not by order of certainty. I do not adjust picks even if injuries occur and/or lines change between Wednesday afternoon and Sunday.

• Week 1: 9-6-1
• Week 2: 8-8
• Week 3: 7-9
• Week 4: 8-7
• Week 5: 7-6-1
• Week 6: 5-10
• Week 7: 10-5
• Week 8: 6-6-1
• Week 9: 6-6-1
• Week 10: 5-9
• Week 11: 11-1-2
• Week 12: 9-6-1
• Week 13: 9-6
• Week 14: 9-7

Week 14 recap: A fourth straight above-.500 week should have been cause for celebration.

It wasn't in this case. I'm still furious with myself for three picks that prevented a monster week.

* I had @ Indianapolis (-6) over Houston. Texans won, 22-17. I second-guessed myself before, during and after -- too many points to give a solid opponent. And the Colts can't be trusted, regardless of venue.  

* I had @ Browns (+6) over Cincinnati. Bengals won, 23-10. Even though I predicted the Bengals would win outright, I should have known better about the margin because the Browns are, after all, winless.

* I had @ Los Angeles (+6) over Atlanta. Falcons won, 42-14. Arguably my worst pick of the season because the Rams are a joke and the Falcons are good. Mercifully for Rams fans, coach Jeff Fisher got canned.

Week 15 predictions: Winner (against spread, not always outright) listed first:

Thursday night

Los Angeles (+15 1/2) over @ Seattle

Skinny: Every fiber of my being wanted to go with the Seahawks because my dislike of the Rams is so intense. The spread simply is too large. Seahawks, 27-13.

Saturday night

@ N.Y. Jets (+2 1/2) over Miami

Skinny: No feel on this one. Dolphins QB Matt Moore, in for injured Ryan Tannehill, does not do enough to support his defense. Jets, 23-22.

Sunday

Tampa Bay (+7) over @ Dallas

Skinny: Buccaneers and QB Jameis Winston are playing well; a game in Jerry's World provides additional motivation. Buccaneers keep it close throughout. Cowboys, 24-19. 

@ Giants (-4 1/2) over Detroit

Skinny: I am bullish on the Lions, but I wonder how QB Matthew Stafford's finger will hold up. Giants, 19-14.

Philadelphia (+6) over @ Baltimore

Skinny: My instinct is not to trust the Ravens to win by more than three. Oh, well. Ravens, 23-20.

@ Chicago (+6 1/2) over Green Bay

Skinny: Bears plus significant points = recent success for me. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers has a gimpy calf, and the Packers might let down on the road after a stirring home victory against Seattle. Packers, 26-20.

@ Minnesota (-4) over Indianapolis

Skinny: This pick is based solely on Colts' egg-laying last week. (Of course Colts QB Andrew Luck will rebound and play great. Of course.) Vikings, 24-17.

@ Buffalo (-10) over Cleveland

Skinny: I'm now willing to be left on the side of the road if the Browns figure it out. Bills, 27-10.

@ Kansas City (-5 1/2) over Tennessee

Skinny: Why do I think I'm giving away one too many points? Still....Chiefs, 24-17.

@ Houston (-6) over Jacksonville

Skinny: This is more about my dislike for the Jaguars than like of the Texans. Texans, 23-16.

@ Arizona (-2 1/2) over New Orleans

Skinny: No feel. I'll go with the home team. Cardinals, 24-20.

@ Atlanta (-13 1/2) over San Francisco

Skinny: I make this pick with trepidation because the Falcons seemingly can't be expected to secure back-to-back blowout victories. Falcons, 30-13.

Denver (+3 1/2) over New England

Skinny: Patriots' D picks up QB Tom Brady, who isn't quite himself, but Broncos find a way to stay close. Patriots, 24-21.

Oakland (-3) over @ San Diego

Skinny: Raiders, coming off a defeat at Kansas City, are not going to lose two in a row when the second loss is the Chargers. Raiders, 22-18.

@ Cincinnati (+3 1/2) over Pittsburgh

Skinny: I wanted to take the Steelers, but I repeatedly see this as a field-goal game. Steelers, 23-20.

Monday night

@ Washington (-4 1/2) over Carolina

Skinny: Redskins QB Kirk Cousins puts on another show on national TV. Redskins, 26-16.