Sincere Carry underwent surgery twice on his left knee, only to come back this fall and have his right knee suffer a similar fate within a month.

BRUNSWICK, Ohio – The second time Sincere Carry’s basketball season seemed derailed was the easy part.

Carry underwent surgery twice on his left knee, only to come back this fall and have his right knee suffer a similar fate within a month. This ACL injury also required surgery, but Carry said it wasn’t as serious.

The 6-foot junior point guard returned for Solon’s third game and has not lost much of a beat through the Comets’ 69-65 win Friday at Brunswick.

“The first time I got hurt, I was down and didn’t know what I was going to do,” Carry said. “The second time, I had already been through it, so it was easier. I had the support.”

Seniors Michael Bekelja and Jason Steele handled most of the point guard duties during scrimmages and the first month of practice.

Carry has played four games since his return and averaged 17 points. He provided seven assists Friday with a touch that sparked his teammates to productive nights, including junior guard David Gulley.

“Without Sin it’s obviously hard,” said Gulley, who scored 17 points and knocked down four 3-pointers Friday. “He just opens up a lot of open shots.”

Solon (5-1) is ranked No. 21 in the cleveland.com Top 25. Its only loss came in Carry’s return, when he came off the bench for 17 points against No. 9 Medina.

The knee injuries didn’t show Friday against Brunswick, as Carry zipped the basketball to teammates with ease.

“He’s much improved,” Brunswick coach Joe Mackey said. “He’s a lot more under control and a tough guard. It seems like he’s more of a leader for his team.”

Mackey just graduated a longtime starter at point guard in Michael Quiring and matched senior Keith Simmons, a smaller guard against Carry for their Greater Cleveland Conference game.

Simmons used his quickness and an outside shooting touch to score a game-high 25 points, but Mackey said his guard still has a way to go.

Meeting Carry provided a litmus test.

A season ago, Solon reached the Division I regional semifinals at Cleveland State. The Comets made it as a team hovering around .500 before their postseason run.

This time around, there is a different swagger around Solon.

Coach Tony DeCesare said he has noticed it.

So has Carry, a three-year starter.

Here is what else stood out Friday night in Northeast Ohio:

GAMES OF THE NIGHT

• A frantic comeback try for No. 5 St. Ignatius ended with Matt Davet’s 3-point shot clanking off the backboard in a 75-72 loss to unbeaten Canton McKinley.

The loss snapped a three-game win streak for the Wildcats, who clawed back from 21 down and got 31 points from Davet.

• Tyree Harris scored 21 points as No. 15 Maple Heights bounced back from its first loss with a 67-62 win at No. 22 Highland. Collin Rittman led the Hornets, who suffered their first defeat, with 24 points.

Maple Heights’ first loss came Tuesday at No. 9 Medina.

PERFORMANCES OF THE NIGHT

• R.J. Sunahara put up 35 points and 19 rebounds on the Quicken Loans Arena floor, helping No. 19 Bay to a 77-67 win against Northstar Christian Academy, a school from Rochester, N.Y. For Sunahara, a 6-6 junior, it is his seventh straight double-double.

@rsunahara23 had himself a game today. 35 pts. & 19 boards in @BayAthletics' 77-67 win over Northstar Christian Academy Knights @TheQArena. pic.twitter.com/D4At0pFtOm

— Eric Bonzar (@E_Bonzar) December 24, 2016

• Guards Va’shonne Hemmingway and DJ Dial combined for 53 points, as Dial and Brush beat Collinwood, 86-71. Dial scored 23 points, while Hemmingway had 30 for the Railroaders.

TOP 25 WATCH

• No. 6 Garfield Heights 111, John Adams 46: Shawn Christian scored 24 points, his best game since returning from a knee injury. Sophomore forward Brison Waller added 17 points, and junior Donovan Forte scored 14 in the frontcourt duo’s second game with the Bulldogs.

Garfield Heights is still awaiting senior Leonard Cottrell, a transfer from John Hay who must still sit out the first 11 games. He Tweeted out Friday his hoops withdrawal.

4 more games 😴🤐 pic.twitter.com/8wVsPC25cB

— Lack Of Worries 🎈 (@lowlifelen) December 24, 2016

• No. 8 Mentor 91, Strongsville 49: Jack Korsok scored 26 points and junior guard Shane Zalba added 21 for the Cardinals.

• No. 9 Medina 86, Euclid 60: The Bees remained unbeaten behind Jackson Sartain’s 22 points. The victory follows an emotional one Tuesday for Medina, which is mourning the loss of 17-year-old student Sierra Bland after her battle with ALS.

• No. 11 Archbishop Hoban 88, Warrensville Heights 56: Collen Gurley’s 21 points led a balanced Hoban effort that turned away Warrensville Heights. Brandon Rush paced the Tigers with 21 points, while Sha’Mar Latham added 20.

• No. 12 Benedictine 83, Youngstown Cardinal Mooney 35: The Bengals won their fourth straight game, as senior guards JaMari Patterson (18 points) and Ronnie James (13) led the scoring pace. Senior forward Marlon Moore returned, but did not score.

• Wadsworth 81, No. 16 Ellet 76: Jake Justice hit 8-of-9 shots behind the 3-point line, finished with 28 points and helped Wadsworth upset Ellet.

• No. 17 Central Catholic 91, Elyria Catholic 66: The Ironmen pulled away with a big second quarter to turn away the Panthers and Dorian Crutcher, who scored 28 points.

CLICK HERE FOR FRIDAY’S SCOREBOARD

FAST FORWARD

These games and events should be a holiday treat.

• Scholastic Play By Play Classic at Garfield Heights, Tuesday: Four games are on the slate for this one, beginning at 2:30 p.m. with No. 4 Cleveland Heights (4-2) and New Day Academy. John Hay (5-2) vs. Revere (2-2), No. 12 Benedictine (5-1) vs. No. 7 Villa Angela-St. Joseph (3-1) and No. 6 Garfield Heights (6-1) vs. No. 10 Brecksville (5-0) follow.

Plenty of guards will be on display for this event, which starts with the Tigers and junior Yahel Hill.

VASJ is awaiting junior Jerry Higgins' recovery, but the final matchup pits Garfield Heights seniors Marreon Jackson and Shawn Christian with Brecksville senior Matt Dimitrijevs and sophomore Kenny Ganley. 

• Holiday Classic at Sandusky, Tuesday and Wednesday: No. 3 Lorain (3-1), Elyria (5-1) and Oberlin (4-2) will participate in this two-day tournament.

• No. 20 Stow (4-1) at No. 21 Solon (5-1), Wednesday: This will include an intriguing matchup at guard with juniors Sincere Carry of Solon and the Bulldogs’ Coryon Rice.

• No. 19 Bay (5-2) at No. 8 Mentor (3-0), Thursday: Expect a high-scoring game when these nonleague foes meet up.

• North Royalton holiday tournament, Thursday and Friday: No. 14 Holy Name (4-1) faces No. 22 Highland (5-1), while Bedford (2-3) draws the host Bears (3-2).

• No. 2 St. Vincent-St. Mary (3-1) at No. 5 St. Ignatius (3-3), Saturday: A New Year’s Eve matchup, this one starts at 3 p.m. The Wildcats open the week with a Tuesday trip to Warren Harding. The Fighting Irish just faced Harding and West Virginia commit Derek Culver on Sunday at the LeBron James Classic.

CLICK HERE FOR NEXT WEEK’S SCHEDULE

Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.

Joey Bosa of the San Diego Chargers is perhaps the best NFL rookie this season and the Cleveland Browns will get a first-hand look today. He was written off as a top prospect by Terry Pluto.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I received a literary subpoena for a column I wrote before the 2016 NFL Draft about Ohio State defensive lineman Joey Bosa.

This was when the Cleveland Browns still had the No. 2 pick in the draft, and Bosa was one of the players under consideration.

Question: Didn't you write the Browns shouldn't take Bosa?

Answer: I wrote: "Should the Browns make Joey Bosa the No. 2 pick in the draft? Not unless coordinator Ray Horton plans to switch his defense from a 3-4 to a 4-3."

Q: What kind of defense does San Diego play?

A: Their base is a 3-4.

Q: How has Bosa played?

A: Somewhere between excellent and outstanding.

Q: In the 3-4 defense?

A: Well ... yes.

Q: How well has he played?

A: Hmm ... well ... great.

Q: Can you elaborate?

A: In his first 10 games heading into Saturday, Bosa has 7.5 sacks. He has 51 pressures, the most ever by a rookie. Profootballfocus.com has him rated right below Von Miller of the Denver Broncos and Khalil Mack of the Oakland Raiders in terms of pressuring the quarterback.

Q: What did you write about him?

A: I thought Bosa would have to switch to outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. He was a defensive end at OSU. He was 6-foot-5, 269 pounds and he ran a 4.86 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine -- well, I thought he'd be too slow ... or something.

Q: But didn't Bosa have the same 40-yard time as J.J. Watt at the Combine?

A: Yes, but I wrote about how Watt weighed 290 and was a natural defensive end in the 3-4.

Q: Where is Bosa playing for the Chargers?

A: Defensive end.

Q: What else didn't you like about him in college?

A: In 2014, he had 13.5 sacks. In 2015, it dropped to 5.0. I wondered if there was a problem, other than he was often being blocked by two players.

Q: What did you predict about Bosa?

A: I wrote: "My guess is Bosa will have a solid, 10-year career as a pro. He may be even better than that."

Q: But you didn't like him for the Browns?

A: No, because I failed to see Bosa as a defensive end in the 3-4.

Q: What if the Browns had taken him?

A: It's an interesting question. Bosa went No. 3 to the Chargers. So the Browns had to stay at No. 2 to grab him. And they'd have an impact pass rusher. The Browns have been criticized for passing on quarterback Carson Wentz at No. 2, but Bosa is having a far better rookie year. Wentz has been really struggling the last two months.

Q: So what did the Browns do with that No. 2 pick?

A: They traded down twice. In this draft, they picked Corey Coleman, Shon Coleman, Spencer Drango and Ricardo Louis. They have a first-rounder in 2017 (from Philadelphia) and an extra second-round pick. They also have a second-round pick in 2018 as part of those two draft day deals. It's a total of 12 picks. So they still have a lot of picks left from those trades. Now they need to make them count.

ABOUT HUE JACKSON

You can pick some issues with the Browns coach this season, but I really believe Hue Jackson has shown the type of leadership the team needs.

Did Jackson underestimate what it would take to revive the career of Robert Griffin III?

The coach certainly seems to know that right now.

Have some of his in-game moves been confusing?

Of course.

But let's face it. He took over a 3-13 team with a new front office, and they allowed several veterans to leave.

It was a total tear-down with the idea of building it up with young players.

Several times this season, Jackson has said, "I know what I signed up for."

WRONG!

I'd argue no coach of the Cleveland Browns since 1990 has had a real clue of what comes with the job of trying to win with this beleaguered franchise.

It's marrying into a wildly dysfunctional football family.

Former Browns coach Mike Pettine used to say, "This is a pass/fail league." The idea is winning is passing, losing is failing.

Or another football line is: "You are what your record is."

And that is the bottom line.

Only this season really wasn't about the record. No one in Berea planned to go winless. Everyone there knew it would be hard, and they'd lose a lot.

But this season has been historically awful. No coach ever believes he'll lose his first 14 games.

At times, Jackson has been shell-shocked by all the losing, the injuries and the times when his team has been overwhelmed by a lack of talent.

So why be positive about Jackson?

I believe his leadership skills have been strong.

Yes, there have been issues with Terrelle Pryor popping off on the sidelines, but we've not had players (other than Alvin Bailey) getting in trouble this season.

There is not a real sense of discontent in terms of a lot of players wanting out of Cleveland. Jackson does have respect in the locker room.

That's how the front office views Jackson, and I think it's the correct vision.

THE DECEMBER DOLDRUMS

December is an awful month for Browns coaches. Here are their records after December 1 since 1999:

• Chris Palmer: 0-7
• Butch Davis: 5-10
• Terry Robiskie, 1-4
• Romeo Crennel: 6-14
• Eric Mangini: 5-5
• Pat Shurmur: 2-8
• Rob Chudzinski: 0-5
• Mike Pettine: 1-9
• Hue Jackson, 0-2

Add it all up, and the coaches before Jackson are 20-64 in December.

In 2009, Mangini was 4-1 in December. Since then, Browns coaches are 4-28.

What happens?

1. You'd like to think a young team would improve over the course of the season. But most Browns teams lack depth. Injuries hit. The team has no idea how to win under the right circumstances, much less adversity.

2. Quarterbacks get hurt. December has brought Browns fans a chance to see the following quarterbacks make starts after opening the season as a third-stringer:

• Ken Dorsey
• Doug Pederson
• Luke (brother of Josh) McCown
• Bruce Gradkowski
• Colt McCoy
• Thad Lewis
• Connor Shaw
• Austin Davis

Only once (Tim Couch in 2001) did the same quarterback start all 16 games for the Browns since they returned in 1999.

When the Cleveland Cavaliers face the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day, watch how the two Kevins play -- Kevin Durant and Kevin Love.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The game is special.

The Cleveland Cavaliers vs. the Golden State Warriors.

The Cavs' Big Three vs. the Warriors' Big Four.

The two teams who have faced each other in the last two NBA Finals, only now the Warriors have added Kevin Durant.

Where would you rank Durant in the NBA galaxy of stars? In the top five? The top three?

No matter where you put him, he's behind LeBron James.

In the regular season, James has a 13-3 record vs. Durant. It's 8-0 when James wears a Cavs uniform, and that dates back to LeBron's first stint in Cleveland.

In the playoffs, James and Miami faced Oklahoma City and Durant in the 2012 Finals. Miami won in five games.

So that makes it 17-4 overall in favor of James.

You have to love the idea of stars colliding. You know that James lives for these games where he is in the national spotlight.

Meanwhile, Durant has never been surrounded with more talent -- or greater expectations.

The Warriors have a 27-4 record, the Cavs are 22-6.

A few things about the matchup:

1. The Warriors are sharing the ball. They lead the NBA by having 72 percent of their field goals come via the assist. Next is Boston at 64 percent. The Cavs rank 12th at 55 percent.

2. While the Warriors are extremely athletic, it could be wise to slow them down and make them play some isolation basketball. I think about how the Cavs won Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals by a 93-89 score, and they did it with defense and by controlling tempo. They turned the game a bit ugly.

3. But the Cavs are at their best when they run. Coach Tyronn Lue wants his team to run, and so my guess is they probably will try to run with the Warriors on Christmas Day.

4. In the seven-game 2016 NBA Finals, the Cavs averaged 100 points, Golden State averaged 99. The Cavs held the Warriors to 97-101-89 points in the last three games as their defense rose to the challenge.

5. The Warriors are averaging 117.4 points. They are shooting .494 from the field, .379 on 3-pointers. The player who has sacrificed his offense is Draymond Green. It's not drastic. He is averaging 10.6 points, compared to 14.1 points last season. He is taking about two fewer shots per game.

6. The Warriors have found a way to keep Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Durant and Green happy so far. Curry, Durant and Thompson are all averaging more than 20 points.

7. The Cavs will be tested. J.R. Smith is out for at least three months after thumb surgery. DeAndre Liggins will start in place of Smith at shooting guard.

8. It was Smith (10.6 points) rather than Kevin Love (8.5) who was the Cavs third leading scorer in the 2016 Finals. Tristan Thompson (10.3) averaged more points than Love in The Finals.

ABOUT KEVIN LOVE

Until Game 7, The 2016 Finals were a nightmare for Love. Here's what happened:

1. Love scored 17 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the opening game loss to the Warriors.

2. In Game 2, he suffered a concussion.

3. The Cavs lost the first two games of the series. Love missed Game 3 because he was in concussion protocol. The Cavs won Game 3 with Richard Jefferson starting in place of Love.

4. Love was eligible to play in Game 4, but the Cavs started Jefferson instead. It was the first time Love didn't start a game in his two years with the Cavs. They lost Game 4 at home, falling behind 3-1 in the series.

5. Love started Games 5 and 6. He was a non-factor. From Games 4-to-6, he played a grand total of 75 minutes. He scored 20 points and had 13 rebounds.

6. Game 7 turned out to be Love's day. Not as a scorer. He turned himself into a rebounder, a defender, a total team player. He set picks. He had a modest nine points, but grabbed 14 rebounds. He defended Curry on that last possession, when Curry missed a 3-point shot. James called that play "The Stop."

7. In Game 7, the Cavs outscored the Warriors by 19 points with Love on the court. It was the best plus/minus of any player on the court. It's the game where Love felt fully embraced by his new teammates.

8. Golden State presents a very tough matchup for Love. He'll probably open the game covering Zaza Pachulia, the Warriors center. That's not a major issue. But Pachulia plays only 18 minutes a game. He has taken the place of Andrew Bogut, who played only 17 minutes a game in the playoffs last season.

9. When the Warriors pull their center (Bogut last season or Pachulia now), they go with a smaller lineup. That's when Love has defensive problems. They often would replace the center with Andre Iguodola, a 6-foot-6 small forward. Suddenly, the 6-foot-10 Love was in a difficult spot keeping up with the action.

10. The Warriors are different now. Harrison Barnes and Bogut are gone. They have been replaced by Durant and Puchulia. In Game 7, Love spent a lot of time defending Draymond Green, and that will probably be his matchup on Sunday. I'm very anxious to see how he performs.

ABOUT THE CAVS

1. DeAndre Liggins will start in place of Smith. Liggins can be a good option as Smith recovers. Liggins is a determined defender against shooting and point guards. The sample size is small -- only 46 minutes. But the Cavs most efficient lineup this season has been with Liggins as a shooting guard when he is with the other four starters: Kyrie Irving, James, Thompson and Love.

2. Part of the reason for Liggins looking so good compared to Smith is Smith has had a tough time. He missed most of training camp as he was trying to get his contract extension settled. He was rusty in the early games. Then he had a mild knee injury. Then the thumb injury. The Cavs just want Smith to heal from the thumb surgery and be ready for the playoffs.

3. The NBA has so many stats and analytics, your head will explode. One of those is "Net plus/minus per 100 possessions." Liggins rated very high in this area when in the D-League the last two years. It's part of why the Cavs wanted the two-time D-League defensive player of the year. The stat is a way of giving emphasis to defense.

4. On the Cavs this season, the top six players in this "Net plus/minus" are: James (13.4), Liggins (12.4), Love (12.3), Smith (8.7), Irving (8.2) and Thompson (8.0). But part of the reason Thompson and Irving have lower numbers is they are not on the court as often with James as some of the other players.

5. Liggins actually fits in better with the starters. His lack of offense is not a problem, because others can score. His defense means a lot, because he serves the Matthew Dellavedova role of attacking the opponent who suddenly has a hot shooting touch in the backcourt.

6. The Cavs have another option in the backcourt. Iman Shumpert is playing his best since joining the Cavs in January of 2015. Shumpert is averaging 7.2 points and shooting 46 percent from the field. The 6-foot-6 guard also is an excellent defender. The Cavs have been very pleased with Shumpert's improved 3-point shooting (.436).

7. Between Shumpert and Liggins, the Cavs think they have shooting guard covered with Smith out. They would like to add another point guard. Shumpert and Liggins have played some point guard, but it's obvious they aren't very comfortable when they have to handle the ball often.

Watch our version of Jingle Bell as we wonder if the Browns can follow in the footsteps of the Cavaliers and Indians. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In the spirit of the holidays, we come not to pile on the Browns, but to help.

The Cavs know know how to win. 

The Indians know how to win.

So Cleveland should have some people who can help the Browns learn how to win.

Along those lines, get ready for a version of Jingle Bells aimed at improving the football fortunes in this city.

We tried. Watch the video and sing along.

Dashing down the court

Looking for a dunk

The Cavs just won it all

But one team's in a funk

The Indians are great

With Kluber and Lindor

But still there is a franchise here that leaves us wanting more, hey

Help the Browns

Help the Browns 

Hue show them the way

All they need's a quarterback who's healthy and can play, hey

Help the Browns

Help the Browns

Get a lineman too

One just like Joe Thomas no you better make it two

Make this wish on Christmas and save the Browns for Hue! 

The Cleveland Indians have made a major investment in Edwin Encarnacion. Will the fans respond?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians ownership has made a major statement about winning with the signing of free agent power hitter Edwin Encarnacion. Here are some key points:

1. Encarnacion's deal is $60 million guaranteed. I heard he will average about $18 million annually for the first three seasons. There is a fourth year worth about $20 million, with $5 million guaranteed.

2. Encarnacion gambled on finding a larger deal. His agent quickly turned down the $80 million, four-year offer to stay with the Toronto Blue Jays. That was not long after the season. When free agency first opened, the Houston Astros offered him $66 million for three years. When Encarnacion turned that down, the Astros quickly signed Carlos Beltran to a one-year deal. Most "experts" thought Encarnacion would receive a $100 million deal, and he was operating on that assumption.

3. The Indians quickly targeted Encarnacion. They knew the first baseman/DH liked the Indians. He wanted to stay in the American League. He saw how the Tribe played when they knocked his Blue Jays out of the playoffs. The Indians do have a realistic chance to return to the World Series, especially with his bat in the middle of the order.

4. At first, the Indians were offering a two-year deal with an option for a third season. About a week ago, ownership gave the green light to a third guaranteed season. The Indians wanted to limit the guarantee to about $60 million.

5. In the meantime, another team offered something close to the Tribe's $60 million. I heard it was the Oakland A's. The Indians were doing a good job recruiting Encarnacion. Anyway, there was another team, another three-year offer much like the Tribe. He picked Cleveland.

6. The Indians estimate their payroll will rise to about $135 million this season. They were at $98 million last season. The Indians were the only team not in the top 15 in payroll to make the playoffs in 2016. The only other team not in the top 15 (or top 50 percent) with a winning record in 2016 was Houston.

7. The Tribe's rise in payroll should put them close to the middle of the pack, although some experts have estimated the average team payroll will be about $140 million this season.

8. It's doubtful the Indians will do much else in free agency, unless it's a minor move. So they probably won't re-sign Rajai Davis unless the veteran comes back for far less than his $7 million contract in 2016.

ABOUT POSTSEASON MONEY

I was told the Indians received about $15 million to $20 million in postseason revenue. That sounded very small, but the reason is how baseball uses that cash.

I received this information from a top MLB financial guy:

1. There is something called the "players pool." It's cash that goes to the players who take part in the postseason. The Cubs divided up $28 million for winning the Series, the Indians chopped up $18 million.

2. This money comes from 60 percent of the revenue from the first three ALDS games, and the first four ALCS games. The longer the series, the better for the owners. But the Indians wiped out Boston in three games in the first round, and took out Toronto in five games in the ALCS.

3. Obviously, the Indians didn't care about not playing those extra playoff games -- it was their ticket to the World Series. But it's just how the system works.

4. The real money from making the World Series comes from selling merchandise and tickets sales for the next season.

ABOUT THE FANS

Now, the question is how will the fans respond?

The Indians have had four consecutive winning seasons.

They have a two-time Manager of the Year in Terry Francona. Their front office is considered one of the best in baseball. They went to the playoffs in 2013, and to Game 7 of the 2016 World Series.

They will be the favorite to win the AL Central Division, and you can be sure many experts will predict them to return to the World Series.

Ownership with the Dolan family and minority partner John Sherman have made a major commitment by signing Encarnacion and jacking up the payroll.

The Indians have not been higher than 28th in attendance since 2012.

Part of the narrative was, "Ownership won't spend."

Even as the Indians won 92 games in 2013 ... and had winning records after that ... it was the same thing, "The Dolans are cheap."

They made a significant addition to the payroll last year when they added Andrew Miller ($9 million annually through 2018). Now, it's Encarnacion.

They have signed Corey Kluber, Jason Kipnis, Carlos Carrasco and Yan Gomes to significant contract extensions.

EARLY RETURNS

I've heard the following about Tribe ticket sales:

1. Season tickets are approaching 9,000. They were at about 7,500 a year ago.

2. The Indians sold about 100 season tickets in the first 12 hours after word of Encarnacion's signing came out.

3. It's been at least 10 years since the Indians have sold 10,000 season tickets. That appears to be a very realistic goal right now.

4. Tickets in the lower bowl of Progressive Field have already sold out for some weekend games during the summer.

THE BASIC PAYROLL

Here's an estimate on what some of the top players will be paid in 2017:

• Edwin Encarnacion: $18 million
• Carlos Santana: $12 million
• Jason Kipnis: $9 million
• Chris Johnson: $9 million (being paid off as part of the Nick Swisher/Michael Bourn deal with Atlanta in 2014)
• Andrew Miller: $9 million
• Michael Brantley: $8.3 million
• Cody Allen: $7.7 million (estimate)
• Corey Kluber: $7.7 million
• Carlos Carrasco: $6.5 million
• Yan Gomes: $4.5 million
• Bryan Shaw: $4.5 million (estimate)
• Lonnie Chisenhall: $4 million (estimate)
• Danny Salazar: $4 million (estimate)
• Trevor Bauer: $4 million (estimate)
• Josh Tomlin: $2.5 million
• Brandon Guyer: $2 million (estimate)
• Zach McAllister: $2 million (estimate)

That adds up to about $115 million, not counting players such as Jose Ramirez, Francisco Lindor and others who are not arbitration eligible -- and probably will make about $600,000 annually unless they sign extensions.

ABOUT GREG ALLEN

I was talking to some of the top people with the Tribe about Greg Allen, who emerged as one of their top prospects last season. He becomes even more important because it's not likely the Indians will bring back Rajai Davis after the signing of Encarancion.

The 23-year-old Allen split the season between Class A and Class AA, batting .295 (.830 OPS) with 7 HR and 44 RBI. But here is the intriguing part:

1. Allen is a superb defensive center fielder.
2. He is a natural leadoff hitter. His on-base percentage was .416. He stole 45 bases.
3. He is a switch hitter.

Allen was part of the deal to Milwaukee for Jonathan Lucroy that fell apart. Baseball America rates Allen as the Tribe's No. 10 prospect, and its best defensive minor league outfielder.

There are no plans to open the season with Allen. He has yet to play in Class AAA.  Along with Brad Zimmer, Allen was named to the All-Arizona Fall League team. He batted .269 (.829 OPS) with 12 steals in 14 attempts.

Zimmer batted .259 (.935 OPS) with 4 HR and 16 RBI, he was 8-of-9 in stolen bases.

Tyler Naquin and Davis played center last season for the Tribe.

Fangraphs rated the top 20 defensive center fielders in the American League in 2016. Naquin was No. 16, Davis was No. 10. Most scouts believe Naquin is best suited for right field.

Some of the Tribe's brass believe Allen is developing quickly, and he could be big league ready by the middle of the summer.

Meanwhile, the door will be wide open for Yandy Diaz to the make the team. He can play third and the outfield, and he is a potent right-handed hitter.

LeBron James scored 19 points and the Cavs ripped the Brooklyn Nets in their final tuneup before a Christmas Day showdown with the Golden State Warriors.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The NBA did the Brooklyn Nets no favors by scheduling them against the Warriors and Cavs on consecutive nights.

The Nets' rugged back-to-back went as expected, a home loss to the Warriors Thursday followed by a 119-99 beatdown at The Q that was worse than the final score might indicate.

Brooklyn is the league's worst team at 7-22. The Cavs' 46-point lead late in the third quarter was their largest at any point this season. It speaks to just how bad Cleveland's backups were in the fourth quarter, but nevermind that for now.

Cleveland's won four in a row and nine of 10.

Now, the NBA's two best the past two seasons, the Cavs and Warriors, can have it out amongst themselves. The 2015 and 2016 Finals rivals play each other here at 2:30 p.m. on Christmas.

You're aware that the Warriors won it all in 2015, and the Cavs came back from a 3-1 deficit to beat them last June. Of course the two teams played last Christmas -- always the NBA's marquee day of the regular season. The Warriors won that one 89-83 in Oakland.

LeBron James scored 19 points to go with six assists and five rebounds in 26 minutes against the Nets. Tristan Thompson added a season-high 16 points to go with 11 boards.

Kevin Love, after missing the past two games with a left knee bruise, couldn't shoot straight. He was just 4-of-14 from the field, but bullied his way to 14 points and 15 rebounds nonetheless. Kyrie Irving contributed 13 points and 10 assists, giving him double-digit assists in three of the past four games. He also tied a career high with six steals.

The Big 3 was out of the game for good with 3:57 left in the third quarter and the Cavs ahead by, let's see here...42 points! 

Mike Dunleavy scored a season-high 14 off the bench, with 12 in the first half. Channing Frye added 12 points and six rebounds.

If you're wondering, the Toronto Raptors also had to play the Cavs and Warriors on consecutive nights this season. Like the Nets, the Raptors lost both games; unlike Brooklyn they were in it each time. Toronto (a contender in the East, unlike the Nets) lost by four to the Cavs and by six to Golden State.

The Nets blew a 16-point halftime lead to the Warriors and lost by 16. Hey, that's a 32-point swing.

It only got worse once they boarded the plane for Cleveland.

Brook Lopez paced the Nets with 16 points. Rookie Trevor Booker didn't play (rest). Anthony Bennett, whom the Cavs made the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 draft, scored 11 points in garbage time during the fourth quarter.

Former Cav Joe Harris was welcomed back to Cleveland with 4:57 left in the third quarter when James finished an alley-oop from Irving by dunking in the general vicinity of Harris' forehead.

The Cavs (22-6) have now won three games since J.R. Smith broke his thumb near the end of the first half Tuesday in Milwaukee. The team announced Friday that their starting shooting guard may be out 12 to 14 weeks.

The Cleveland Browns' unsuccessful season crimps attendance but some fans remain loyal to the end.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland Browns fans had to wait nearly the entire season to see a victory, but loyalists who attended Saturday's final home game against the San Diego Chargers had a wide range of opinions going into the contest.

Tom Yeats of Painesville loves the Browns because he was raised that way, and would follow them no matter what.

"My dad and uncles drilled that into my head going back to when Jim Brown was running the ball," he said while tailgating in one of the Cleveland parking lots by the Shoreway.

"My one fear is that they will win today and beat the Steelers next week," he said. "The 49ers have one loss and would get the first pick in the 2017 draft."

San Diego missed a potential, game-tying field goal as time expired, preserving the Browns' 20-17 victory in FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns improved to 1-14, and finish the season Jan. 1 in Pittsburgh.

Yeats, his daughter and a friend had no trouble getting their usual parking spot in Lot G, because they were one of a half dozen parked there before the game.

"If they were winning, we'd have had to get here at 7 a.m.," Yates said.

The lots closest to the stadium were closer to capacity, but none actually was full.

Dave Taylor of Perry was in the same lot and the only reason he was going to Saturday's game was because he had season tickets.

Tommy Pruchinski of Broadview Heights said he had season tickets when the Browns were winning, but came with friends and no season tickets because, "We love Cleveland," he said.

John Brown of Columbus came with sons Derek, Justin and Nathan "because it's in the genes,'' he said. "I'm loyal to a fault and ticket prices were good."

There were reports of tickets selling for as little as $6 apiece, or about the price of a beer in the stadium.

Mike and Kathy Wilk came from Rochester Hills, Mich., to see the game.

"We grew up in Parma," Mike said. "Although, they (the Browns) are pushing a person's ability to be a fan."

Meder's late block allowed the Browns to hold on for their first win. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Where were you when Jamie Meder blocked a Chargers field goal attempt late in the fourth quarter of Week 14, saving the Browns from the embarrassment of a winless season?

Probably on your couch, because not many fans were at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Either way, you were lucky enough to witness the biggest play of the season for the Browns, who held on to defeated the Chargers on Saturday, 20-17.

Chargers kicker Josh Lambo was 18-of-18 on field goals attempts from inside 40 yards until he lined up for a 32-yarder with 3:29 left in the game. But Meder busted through the line and got his right hand on the ball, causing it to careen off course.

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The play allowed the Browns to hold their lead, and a last-second missed field goal attempt by Lambo sealed things.

Oh, and Jamar Taylor gets a nod for this play in the end zone shortly before Meder's block.

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The Browns won a game but (maybe) lost ground in the NFL Draft.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Browns finally won a game. So now what?

Up until Saturday's 20-17 win against the Chargers, the Browns were virtually on the clock for the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. After a being tied with the 49ers for a few hours, the Browns are still in line for the No. 1 pick. 

Here's what Saturday's win means:

1. What pick will the Browns get in the first round?

The NFL Draft order is set by regular season record, and ties are broken first by strength of schedule (SoS), which is the aggregate winning percentage of a team's opponents. The team having the lower SoS gets to pick first.

The 49ers have had the easier SoS for weeks, and would likely get the No. 1 pick over the Browns in event of their records being tied. Entering this week, the Browns' SoS was .564, the 49ers' .was 513.

However, the 49ers rallied to defeat the Rams on Saturday, making then 2-13 this season. 

If both teams end up with the same record and SoS at the end of the regular season, the tie would be broken with a coin flip because the Browns and 49ers are in different conferences.

2. What about the second round?

The NFL Draft procedure changes the order of tied teams by round. So, if the Browns and 49ers are tied, and the 49ers get the No. 1 overall pick due to tiebreakers, the two teams would switch spots for the second round, then continue to switch back and forth throughout the rest of the draft.

The Browns would pick before the 49ers in the second, fourth and sixth rounds.

3. Are the Browns or 49ers likely to win again this season?

That will be the big question for Week 17. The 49ers host the Seahawks (9-4-1) while the Browns finish on the road against the Steelers (9-5).

4. What happens of the Browns beat the Steelers?

If the Browns finish with two wins, they can't fall beyond the No. 2 pick. The Jaguars' win against the Titans on Saturday made the Browns and 49ers the only teams with fewer than three wins. 

Quarterback Robert Griffin III's strong first half helped the Cleveland Browns topple the San Diego Chargers, 20-17, Sunday in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Quarterback Robert Griffin III went 17-of-25 for 164 yards in the Cleveland Browns' 20-17 victory over the San Diego Chargers on Sunday afternoon at FirstEnergy Stadium. Griffin scrambled and rushed for a total of 42 yards and was sacked seven times before exiting in the second half because of a head injury. Cody Kessler replaced him and was 2-of-3 for 11 yards, plus two sacks.

Here is a capsule look at Browns dropbacks in a game that was televised by CBS:

Merry Christmas: The Browns (1-14) snapped a 17-game losing streak dating to last season. Hue Jackson earned his first victory as coach of the Browns.

Solid work: Griffin used his right arm and his legs to craft a superb first half. He orchestrated two 10-play touchdown drives and helped the Browns lead, 17-10.

Griffin did not accomplish much in the second half as his o-line did him no favors.

Griffin deserves plenty of credit for the first half, and for ultimately being one of the reasons the Browns avoided a potentially winless season. Final grade: B

(Kessler did not play long enough to receive a grade.)

FIRST QUARTER

First possession (Chargers, 7-0)

1st-and-10 @ Cleveland 28

• Result: Griffin, from under center, complete to RB Isaiah Crowell on left for minus-4 yards NULLIFIED by Chargers personal-foul facemask.
• Skinny: Easy call.

2nd-and-9 @ Cleveland 44

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, incomplete intended for WR Terrelle Pryor on left NULLIFIED by Chargers PI.
• Skinny: Questionable call on CB Casey Hayward.

1st-and-10 @ San Diego 43

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, sacked for minus-8 yards.
• Skinny: Griffin had no chance.

3rd-and-17 @ 50

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, scramble left for 11 yards.
• Skinny: Griffin did well to gain 2 yards, let alone 11. He gave the Browns a chance on fourth down because of it.

4th-and-6 @ San Diego 39

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to TE Gary Barnidge on middle/right for 10 yards.
• Skinny: Terrific throw under pressure.

2nd-and-5 @ San Diego 24

• Result: Griffin, from under center, incomplete intended for Pryor on right.
• Skinny: Hayward closed quickly for PBU.

3rd-and-5 @ San Diego 24

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Barnidge over middle for 6 yards.
• Skinny: Quality pass under pressure into tight window (double coverage).

2nd-and-8 @ San Diego 16

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, incomplete intended for WR Andrew Hawkins over middle NULLIFIED by Chargers roughing the passer.

(On the next play, Crowell rushed for TD. Possession: 36 yards gained by Browns, 36 yards gained from San Diego penalties.)

Second possession (Chargers, 10-7)

1st-and-10 @ Cleveland 41

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, incomplete intended for WR Corey Coleman on deep left.
• Skinny: Coleman tripped by Chargers CB, no call.

2nd-and-10 @ Cleveland 41

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to RB Duke Johnson Jr. over middle for 4 yards.

SECOND QUARTER

3rd-and-6 @ Cleveland 45

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, scramble left for 7 yards.
• Skinny: Fantastic play by Griffin to escape pressure and gain necessary yards for first down.

1st-and-10 @ San Diego 48

• Result: Griffin, from under center, complete to Crowell on right for 5 yards.

3rd-and-4 @ San Diego 42

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Johnson over middle for 17 yards.
• Skinny: Griffin took what defense gave him against four-man rush. Two Chargers slammed into each other attempting to tackle Johnson at time of catch. 

1st-and-10 @ San Diego 25

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to TE Seth DeValve over middle/left for 21 yards.
• Skinny: Griffin read coverage well. DeValve open on seam route and absorbed a hard hit.

(On the next play, Crowell rushed for a touchdown. Browns' first lead -- 14-10 -- since Week 10.)

Third possession (Browns, 14-10)

1st-and-10 @ Cleveland 30

• Result: Griffin, from under center, complete to Pryor over middle for 18 yards.
• Skinny: Griffin on-time and on-target to Pryor, who slanted from left.

2nd-and-13 @ Cleveland 45

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Barnidge on middle/left for 5 yards.

3rd-and-8 @ 50

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, scramble up middle for 8 yards.
• Skinny: Another superb play by Griffin.

1st-and-10 @ San Diego 42

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, incomplete intended for Crowell.
• Skinny: Pass behind Crowell and off gloves.

1st-and-10 @ San Diego 30

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, incomplete intended for Coleman on deep left.
• Skinny: Covered Coleman jumped and made catch near front pylon but landed out of bounds.

3rd-and-7 @ San Diego 27

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, sacked for minus-4 yards.
• Skinny: Chargers blitzed and swarmed Griffin.

(Brows kicked field goal.)

Fourth possession (Browns, 17-10)

2nd-and-10 @ Cleveland 24

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Hawkins on right for 21 yards.
• Skinny: Griffin on-time and on-target to Hawkins, who came from left on shallow cross. Hawkins broke tackle attempt for more yards along boundary.

(2:00 remaining)

1st-and-10 @ Cleveland 45

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Coleman on left for 6 yards.

2nd-and-4 @ San Diego 49

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, incomplete intended for Pryor on left NULLIFIED by Chargers illegal use of hands (LB Melvin Ingram vs. LT Joe Thomas).

1st-and-10 @ San Diego 44

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, incomplete intended for WR Rashard Higgins on short left.
• Skinny: Pass behind Higgins.

2nd-and-10 @ San Diego 44

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, incomplete intended for Pryor on deep right.
• Skinny: Griffin put the ball on Pryor's arms in end zone. Hayward PBU after hand-fighting with Pryor.

3rd-and-10 @ San Diego 44

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, incomplete intended for Barnidge on left.
• Skinny: Pass was high. Play likely would not have resulted in first down, anyway.

Fifth possession (Browns, 17-10)

1st-and-10 @ Cleveland 31

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, sacked by DE Joey Bosa for minus-11 yards.

(Griffin at half: 10-of-17 for 113 yards; five rushes for 43 yards; three sacks for 23 yards.)

THIRD QUARTER

Sixth possession (Browns, 17-10)

1st-and-10 @ Cleveland 34

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Pryor over middle for 11 yards.
• Skinny: Quality throw by Griffin after play-fake.

1st-and-10 @ San Diego 45

• Result: Griffin, from under center, complete to RB Danny Vitale on right for 15 yards.
• Skinny: Griffin play-faked and rolled right.

1st-and-goal @ 13

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, incomplete intended for Hawkins in right of end zone.
• Skinny: Hawkins, coming from left, was open. Griffin made bad throw and, as a result, missed a touchdown. Hawkins caught pass but landed out of bounds in back of end zone.

3rd-and-goal @ 7

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Crowell on right for minus-2 yards.
• Skinny: Griffin unsure of where to go after first option taken away.

(Browns kicked field goal.)

Seventh possession (Browns, 20-17)

2nd-and-6 @ Cleveland 29

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, sacked by Bosa for minus-4 yards.
• Skinny: Bosa came quickly from Griffin's right.

3rd-and-10 @ Cleveland 25

• Result: Pryor, from shotgun, complete to Pryor on left/middle for 7 yards.
• Skinny: Play had no chance for first down.

Eighth possession (Browns, 20-17)

2nd-and-7 @ Cleveland 24

• Result: Griffin, from under center, sacked for minus-5 yards.

3rd-and-12 @ Cleveland 19

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Barnidge on right for 12 yards.
• Skinny: Excellent play call. Barnidge caught short pass and sifted through Chargers for first down.

FOURTH QUARTER

1st-and-10 @ Cleveland 31

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, sacked for minus-5 yards.
• Skinny: Griffin had no chance.

3rd-and-16 @ Cleveland 25

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, incomplete deep right NULLIFIED by Bosa roughing the passer. Terrible mistake by Bosa because pass was up for grabs and sailed out of bounds.

2nd-and-13 @ Cleveland 37

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Crowell on right for minus-1 yard.
• Skinny: Griffin under pressure.

3rd-and-19 @ Cleveland 31

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, complete to Barnidge on left for 9 yards.

Skinny: Safe pass designed to shrink size of third-down hole.

Ninth possession (Browns, 20-17)

2nd-and-10 @ Cleveland 32

• Result: Griffin, from shotgun, sacked for 0 yards.
• Skinny: Griffin popped at end of play and forced to exit field (head). He eventually went to locker room.

(Cody Kessler enters.)

3rd-and-10 @ Cleveland 32

• Result: Kessler, from shotgun, incomplete intended for Coleman on right.
• Skinny: Covered Coleman dropped pass. He probably would have been tackled just short of first down.

Tenth possession (Browns, 20-17)

2nd-and-10 @ Cleveland 11

• Result: Kessler, from shotgun, complete to Crowell on right for 2 yards.
• Skinny: Swing pass.

3rd-and-8 @ Cleveland 13

• Result: Kessler, from shotgun, sacked by Ingram for minus-10 yards.
• Skinny: Ingram ran stunt with Bosa.

Eleventh possession (Browns, 20-17)

3rd-and-6 @ Cleveland 26

• Result: Kessler, from shotgun, complete to Coleman on left for 9 yards.
• Skinny: Kessler stayed calm against blitz and threw strike to Coleman, who made catch at Cleveland 34.

3rd-and-7 @ Cleveland 38

• Result: Kessler, from shotgun, sacked for minus-1 yard.

We've got raised arms, chest bumps and drooping helmets.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Browns got their first win of the season on Saturday, 20-17 against the Chargers. There were cheers, hi-fives and blank stares all around FirstEnergy Stadium.

When Josh Lambo's 45-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right as time expired on Saturday, CBS cameras caught the emotion of the moment from both sides. Below are the five best reactions we saw as the Browns finally ended their pursuit of an 0-16 record.

No. 5: The Browns bench: The highlights here are the mid-air chest bumps by multiple players.

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No. 4: The Haslams: Jimmy Haslam's reaction is good, but Dee really sells it by jumping out of her seat.

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No. 3: Lambo: He went with the classic kicker reaction of dropping the head. Tight end Sean McGrath adds a nice touch by trying to wave the ball through the goalposts.

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No. 2: Hue Jackson: The Brown coach is either executing an act-like-you've-been-there-before look, or trying to hold back tears.

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No. 1: This guy: Merry Christmas!

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Cleveland Browns win their own version of the Super Bowl by beating San Diego Chargers. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When it was over, about 20 Cleveland Browns players seemed to kneel down on the field, hands raised.

Relief? Victory? Elation?

All of the above and more.

And probably more than a few of them shed some tears.

Final score: Browns 20, San Diego Chargers 17.

It's been a long time since one victory seemed to feel so good for the Browns, partly because it's been so long since the Browns have won.

It's 377 days to be exact.

Some fans will talk about how the Browns possibly messed up a chance to have the top pick in the draft that is awarded to the team with the NFL's worst record.

Others have a twisted sense of Cleveland sports history, wanting the team to finish the season at 0-16.

If you're going to be awful, be historically awful, right?

Wrong.

The record is 1-14, but that feels so much different than not winning a game all season. Or at least it does to those Browns players and fans at FirstEnergy Stadium on Christmas Eve.

Perhaps the most refreshing part of the game was to hear the roar of the fans in the half-empty stadium as the Browns made several big plays to win the game.

It shows some people still care about the orange helmets, despite the franchise having the NFL's worst record since returning in 1999.

SHOWING SOME GRIT

It also demonstrated what Hue Jackson has been saying for months: "These guys haven't quit."

The joy and delight of seeing 300-pound men dancing around the field after winning for the first time in 15 games reminds us that the team is still engaged with Jackson.

There is a major lack of talent and experience. But there still is some desire and determination running through their football veins.

I think of Valley Forge product Jamie Meder, who broke through the heart of San Diego's line. The 308-pounder jumped as high as he could. He put up his big right paw and slapped away a 32-yard field goal attempt.

If the kick had been good, the score would have been 20-20. That was with 3:29 left in the game. San Diego kicker Josh Lambo was 18-of-18 on field goals inside the 40-yard line before that kick.

"I love a blue collar guy like that," said Browns veteran Joe Thomas. "He is the Perogi Prince of Parma. He fought his way up from the bottom (an undrafted free agent)."

I think of Jamar Taylor breaking up a possible touchdown pass in the end zone. Taylor is playing with a very painful groin injury.

I think of Robert Griffin III making some good throws, enduring seven sacks and helping to put 20 points on the scoreboard. The quarterback left the game in the middle of the fourth quarter with a concussion.

I think of Isaiah Crowell rushing for two touchdowns. Give the offensive line some credit. And this was the first time in seven games the Browns scored more than 13 points.

I think of the fans holding their breath as San Diego rushed its field-goal team onto the field to set up for a final attempt with the clocking running out. Lambo's 45-yarder was wide right.

I think of a Browns team that didn't want to join the 2008 Detroit Lions as the only NFL team ever to finish the season at 0-16, and I think of how Browns fans finally got a game to watch that ended with a smile.

MORE THAN ONE GAME

The Browns end the season next Sunday in Pittsburgh. That probably won't be much fun.

But this Saturday, it was special.

"I kept telling myself that I shouldn't be this happy," said veteran Joe Thomas. "You don't want to say it was like our Super Bowl, but it was. It was a chance to win for our coach and the fans. You could feel the emotion and energy the team was putting into the game today."

Thomas has played every offensive snap since joining the Browns in 2007. He is unofficial team captain, the most senior member of the team.

"There were a few tears in my eyes and I was looking around for people to hug (right after the game)," said Thomas.

Jackson has praised Thomas for his leadership all season.

After the game, he talked about the veterans -- Joe Haden, Gary Barnidge, Andrew Hawkins and Thomas -- praising them for keeping the team together.

"We're not playing for the playoffs this year," said Thomas. "But we are setting it up for next year. We want to show we made some progress and start building things for next year."

When Thomas left the podium, he was laughing then bellowed: "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight ... Ho, Ho, Ho!"

The Browns were eliminated from the playoffs weeks ago, but Saturday's win over San Diego was reason to celebrate: It ended the possibility of Cleveland becoming only the second team to go 0-16. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio --  Browns coach Hue Jackson cried after the game again, but this time they were happy tears. Joyful Christmas Eve tears. But he wasn't alone. The Browns finally won a football game and there was plenty of emotion,  hugs and "I love you, mans" to go around in the locker room after the game.

"You don't want to say it was like our Super Bowl, but it really was,'' said left tackle Joe Thomas, who wiped away tears of his own during Jackson's emotional postgame speech.

The Browns beat the Chargers 20-17 to improve to 1-14 and avoid joining the 2008 Lions as the only teams in the NFL to go 0-16. They also canceled the dreaded 0-16 parade.

But they needed some Christmas miracles to make it happen, and they got two: a blocked field goal by Parma Heights native Jamie Meder with 3:45 remaining; and a missed 45-yarder by San Diego's Josh Lambo as time expired.

The loyal crowd erupted in hugs and high-fives and some fans left the stands in tears. The 17-game losing streak dating back to Dec. 13 of last season was over.

"The Pierogi Prince of Parma' does it again,'' said Thomas. "That man is awesome. He's one of my favorites. I think he's playing in the polka band here this weekend on Christmas Day so if you guys get a chance, go out and watch him. He's the accordion player. I love a blue-collar guy like that. He's a man after my own heart.''

The gifts kept coming as Christmas Eve wore on: The 49ers beat the Rams to improve to 2-13 and keep the Browns atop the draft order for the No. 1 pick.

Jackson, who welled up after the Browns lost to the Giants to fall to 0-12, pulled some of the veterans to his side during his postgame speech and got choked up while crediting them with holding the team together. He hugged Andrew Hawkins and singled out Thomas, Gary Barnidge and others.

"I'm going to give all the credit to our veteran leadership players,'' said Jackson, whose voice cracked during his postgame presser. "This not for me. This is about them. It's a heck of a Christmas present to all involved because these guys worked so hard. They have given me everything they have. At least that monkey is off our back.''

Barnidge pressed a game ball into Jackson's hands in the locker room and "this one's for you'' while other players told him, "I love you, man.''

"We really wanted to get a win for Hue,'' said Thomas. "He's one of the best coaches in the NFL. He's been given a really difficult situation, but he's never lost his positive mindset. Most teams would have shut it down but this team, if anything, rallied together and got behind Hue and we got that win and it did feel really good.''

Thomas, who's never missed a snap, appreciated this victory more than many of the others in his 10-year career.

"I was looking around for people to hug,'' he said. "There were a few tears in my eyes. I was really happy. There was a genuine feeling of joy. The Christmas spirit was amongst us, for sure. I kept telling myself, 'I shouldn't be this happy. This is not that big of a deal. We just won a game and it doesn't even matter.' It definitely felt like it was more than just a win.

"Obviously, everybody knew the gravity of the situation that we were facing going down the stretch trying to get a win.''

Jackson got to bestow some presents of his own after the game, the last at home this season.

"I haven't given out any game balls (this season) because we haven't won a game,'' he said. "Today, everybody gets game balls.''

He also shared a special moment with Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, who has stuck by him.

"Yeah, afterwards I gave him a big hug,'' he said. "This is the way we want the locker room to be. This is the way we want our fans to be after a game, celebrating as opposed to being disappointed."

The Browns won the game despite Robert Griffin III leaving the game with a concussion with 10:30 left in the game on the last of his seven sacks. But he played his best game of the year, rushing for 42 yards and throwing 164 to put all 20 of the Browns points on the board, including two rushing TDs by Isaiah Crowell.

Cody Kessler replaced him and did enough to preserve the victory, including a clutch 9-yard pass to Corey Coleman to convert a third down with 2:52 remaining that shaved some much-needed seconds off the clock.

"Robert played a great game,'' said Kessler. "He did such a good job and I told him after the game, 'I was happy I could come in there and finish it off for you.' ''

The victory made good on linebacker Chris Kirksey's proclamation after  the loss to Dallas for an 0-9 mark that the Browns would not go 0-16.

"There wasn't a doubt in my mind,'' said Kirksey. "There wasn't a doubt in anyone's mind. We're competitors. I just knew the fight in the guys. It wasn't coming out of being arrogant or talking smack. It's happiness, man. In the Christmas spirit, we got this win. It's the best gift you can get.''

The Browns got a spirited effort from Crowell, who ran for 54 yards and scored from 8 and 4 yards. After the second TD, he leaped into the Dawg Pound and was embraced by fans.

"It was very meaningful,'' said Crowell. "My first year I did it a lot, so it brought back old memories. I appreciate the fans supporting us no matter what. I'm glad we were finally able to give them a win.''

As for the the 0-16 parade that's no longer?

"I would've hated that,'' said Crowell.

Defensive back Tramon Williams, who made a clutch third-down breakup in the fourth quarter and combined with Jamar Taylor to make a huge stop on third and 1 later in the quarter, also ignored the planned 0-16 parade.

"It didn't matter if there was going to be one or not, I wasn't going to show up,'' he said.

The Browns also got some huge plays from newly extended Taylor, who picked off Philip Rivers in the second quarter just after the Browns had gone up 14-10 -- their first lead since Nov. 10 against Baltimore. Taylor also had a game-saving breakup in the end zone to Tyrell Williams two plays before the block.  

"It feels good to have teammates and coaches that trust in me,'' he said. "It's good to be wanted. It's truly been a blessing.''

Williams appreciated Jackson crediting this one to the veterans.

"He was saying we shouldn't be associated with an 0-16 team,'' said Williams. "He said, 'if you come out and fight for anybody, fight for the guys who are playing next to you, guys like Joe Thomas, who hasn't missed a snap in his career.' We didn't want to go down in history for one of the worst things.''

It came down to the final seconds, when the Chargers -- with no timeouts -- rushed their field goal team on and Lambo pushed it wide right.

"I'm glad he missed it,'' said Jackson. "That's a nail biter right down to the end.''

Said Kessler: "I thought he made it. I was looking for my helmet for overtime.''

Browns receiver Terrelle Pryor felt like he was back at Ohio Stadium even though the holiday crowd was sparse.

"The way that crowd was jumping, man, it wasn't packed but you would've thought there were 100,000 people there,'' he said. "I'm excited, man.''

Finally, jolly ol' Thomas summed it up best.

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.''

 

Meder, a Parma Heights native and graduate of Valley Forge High School, made, perhaps, the biggest play of the afternoon in the Browns' first win. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It had to be Jamie Meder who made the play that might have ultimately saved the Browns from the infamy of an 0-16 season and ended their franchise record losing streak. Or, as left tackle Joe Thomas called Meder after the game, "The Pierogi Prince of Parma."

Meder grew up in Parma Heights and went to Valley Forge High School. He rooted for the Browns as a kid. So, yes, it had to be Meder who tunneled through the Chargers line to block Josh Lambo's 32-yard field goal attempt with 3:49 left in the game. The Browns were clinging to a 20-17 lead and were very much on their heels. Meder's block helped them dig those heels in just a little bit deeper.

"I felt something hit my hand," Meder said, "and it felt good after it."

"I didn't hear it, I saw it," linebacker Christian Kirksey said. "It was special. Special moment."

Meder used a swim move to squeeze in between Chargers long snapper Mike Windt and guard Kenny Wiggins. He stuck his right arm up and deflected the ball as he began to stand upright, sending the Browns' special-teams unit into a frenzy.

"I was staying away from him after because he was going to crush my head like he did earlier in the season," defensive lineman Carl Nassib said. "His celebrations are like the Tasmanian Devil."

Nassib, according to Meder, was responsible for freeing him up on the play.

"Carl executed it perfectly," Meder said, "helped free me up and (I) just was right there to make the play."

"It was mostly Jamie," Nassib said. "Jamie did a great job. It was funny, we were talking right before and he was not really making much sense -- he was like, you back out, no, I'll back out, alright, let's both go. Alright we're both going and then we blocked it, so it was really awesome."

Watch Jamie Meder's blocked field goal

Browns head coach Hue Jackson said he didn't have a good view of the play but he was amazed that it happened.

"I just heard 'pop,'" Jackson said. "You hear those things. Then all of the sudden, I heard the crowd then I knew all of the sudden something good happened for us."

"(Meder) is awesome," Thomas said. "I love a blue-collar guy like that. He is a man after my own heart. You do not hear a lot from the guy during the week, but he is a guy that has fought his way from the bottom and he has made a huge impact on this team. If he was standing here, I would love to give him a hug."

How Jamie Meder boxed, wrestled and studied his way to the Browns

If Thomas is handing out hugs, he may want to save one for cornerback Jamar Taylor, too. Two plays prior to the block, the Chargers appeared to have a go-ahead touchdown in the back of the endzone when quarterback Philip Rivers hit wide receiver Tyrell Williams from the 14-yard line on second down. Taylor, though, who was playing press coverage and got behind Williams, recovered to rip the ball out of his arms and preserving the lead.

"He actually had it but you've got to keep fighting," Taylor said. "I think that's what today reflected. We just kept fighting and I fought it and I got the ball out."

Positive momentum and good plays begetting good plays is something unfamiliar to the Browns this season. But it was evident on Saturday and Thomas gave Meder's block at least some of the credit for Lambo's miss as time expired.

"A lot of times people just want to say, 'The kicker missed,' but you force him into those misses with the pressure that you've brought before that with the block," Thomas said. "He's got those things moving through his head. When he has to perform in a pressure situation with the clock winding down, he doesn't get his normal rhythm of the kick. He feels that pressure coming from the edges and up the middle."

Meder, in fact, wasn't even on the field for that final kick. Special-teams coordinator Chris Tabor called for the defense to stay on the field as the Chargers were scrambling their special teams unit out to line up.

"I was just watching from the sideline hoping they'd miss," Meder said.

Meder and every other lifelong Browns fan who had been waiting more than a year for a win.

-----

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Rajai Davis led the AL in steals last season with 43 for the Indians. What was the overall benefit of his speed and how could it help whoever he plays for in 2017?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here or Tweet him at @hoynsie.

Hey, Hoynsie: It doesn't seem like there's much of a chance for the Indians to re-sign Rajai Davis. With speed being his main asset, do you know how many additional runs Davis generated in 2016? How many times did he steal a base and score a run because of that steal? - Dan Bonder, Orange Village.

Hey, Dan: As you know, Davis led the AL in steals with 43, setting the tone for the Indians to lead the league with 134 steals. He was second in the league with an 87.76 percent success rate (43-for-49).

In his 43 steals, Davis scored 18 runs, meaning that there was a 42 percent chance of him scoring when he stole a base. The Orioles are reportedly interested in signing Davis. In writing about his 2016 season, Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun tried to find a stat to quantify the impact of Davis' speed.

He used Fangraphs' baserunning stat BsR, which takes into account steals, caught stealing attempts, taking extra bases and getting thrown out on the bases. It quantifies that data into a plus-minus comparison to the average baserunner. Davis scored a 10.0 BsR, second only to Cincinnati speedster Billy Hamilton.

All I know for sure is that Davis was the fastest 35-year-old baseball player this side of Kenny Lofton that I've ever seen.

Hey, Hoynsie: Since the Indians forfeited their first round pick in the June draft with the acquisition of Edwin Encarnacion, how does that affect how much money they have to spend in the draft?  -- Rich Nosse.

Hey, Rich: Each team receives a bonus pool to sign the players they select in the first 10 rounds of the draft. Each player in those 10 rounds has a predetermined dollar amount attached to him. Since the Indians won't have a No.1 pick in June, it means their bonus pool is reduced by the slotting price of their first round pick.

When the Indians came to terms with Encarnacion, they had the 25^th pick in the first round. Last year the Padres selected Kent State lefty Eric Lauer for $2 million with that pick. That gives you an idea of how money will be subtracted from the Tribe's bonus pool for the2017 draft.

Hey, Hoynsie: Is there any concern among Indians' coaches and front office that Michael Brantley's shoulder injury is the same as Travis Hafner's? Hafner was never the same after injuring his shoulder following several great years of power production. - Keith Von Sup, Tannersville, Pa.

Hey, Keith: I don't think the injuries are the same. Brantley had a torn labrum repaired and the biceps tendon transplanted in his right shoulder in two operations. I don't remember Hafner's surgery as being that involved. Still, I think the Indians have to be concerned with Brantley until they see what he can do in spring training.

I know there are rumors about the severity of Brantley's injury and that he could miss part of the 2017 season after playing just 11 games last season. The Indians, however, have maintained that he is on course to be at full strength in spring training.

We'll just have to wait and see.

Tribe, Brantley refute report saying he'll miss part of 2017 season

Hey, Hoynsie: While I understand that the holiday spirit is to be thankful for what you have, I can't help but want more. I know the Indians have come to terms with Edward Encarnacion, but is there any indication that the front office will go all in and pursue another big name such as Andrew McCutchen or Charlie Blackmon? - Brian J., Newington, Conn.

Hey, Brian: I'm not sure I want to go to Las Vegas with you if you don't think acquiring Encarnacion is going all in.

Hey, Hoynsie: Tell the Dolans thanks for a great Christmas present. - Robert Cooke.

Hey, Robert: I think you just did a good job of that all by yourself.

Little Mermaid, Santa can't stop Tribe from landing Encarnacion

Hey, Hoynsie: Tyler Naquin struggled with the high fastball last season once pitchers figured out he couldn't hit it. Even though he had a terrific season overall, he didn't show up late when they needed it. How much of a leash do you see the Indians giving him in 2017? - Shawn Marshall, Garfield Heights.

Hey, Shawn: Naquin did have a fine rookie season in 2016. I don't think you can blame him for not hitting that much in the postseason. He wasn't the only Indians' hitter who struggled and if a team is counting on a rookie to carry the load in October, well, they're in more trouble than they care to admit.

Tribe's Naquin finished third in AL Rookie of the Year balloting

Just how much and where Naquin will play in 2017 depends on what the Indians do the rest of the offseason. Will he platoon with Abraham Almonte? Will the Indians re-sign Davis or another versatile outfielder who can help in center? There's still a long way to go before opening day.

Will the Browns be able to extend or re-sign Terrelle Pryor and Jamie Collins? How about the production of the rookies? Hey, Mary Kay!

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Hey, Mary Kay!

Hey, Mary Kay: Will the Browns be able to re-sign Terrelle Pryor? - Ben Jones, Macon, Ga.

Hey, Ben: Unfortunately for the Browns, it probably won't happen by the end of the season. They'll have to hope to get it done before he becomes an unrestricted free agent in March. Once players hit the market, it becomes difficult to re-sign them. Pryor's agents, Drew and Jason Rosenhaus, will not permit Pryor to settle for less than what another team will pay him. If the Browns can't reach a deal by then, they can always franchise him. Hue Jackson wants Pryor here and Pryor wants to be with Jackson, so I'm guessing the two sides will find a way to make it happen.    

Hey, Mary Kay: I have not observed any great wide receiver play out of the rookies, although Corey Coleman shows something. The offensive and defensive line play by rookies leaves a lot of concern. What is your expectation for these groups next year? -- J. Bruce Fox

Hey, J. Bruce: The lack of production out of the rookie receivers has been one of the biggest disappointments of the season. They thought they had restocked the position and will now have to add several wideouts. Corey Coleman gets a pass this year because he missed six games with the broken hand. By next year, he should be making a serious run at the Pro Bowl. Emmanuel Ogbah has lived up to his second-round status, but some of the other rookies, such as Carl Nassib, have been a disappointment. The Browns will have to add some talent through free agency and trades.

Hey, Mary Kay: Why all the adoration of Jimmy Garappolo? In his two starts, he played well on a potential Super Bowl team, but managed to get injured, something the pensioner Tom Brady has avoided most of his career. And, if he's a franchise QB, why would the Patriots part with him? Jacoby Brissett's injury could affect his career and he didn't exactly light the world on fire before he got hurt. I don't think there's an answer in this draft, but next year's QB class looks great. Save the pick(s) that Belichick would demand, build the O-Line and defense and let someone manage the game for another year. --  Ron Kincaid, Upper Arlington, Ohio

Browns are overcome with emotion after beating Chargers

Hey, Ron: The Browns need to upgrade the QB spot and Garappolo will be one of the hottest commodities. If they think he can be a franchise QB, they should take a chance on him. They have to keep taking big swings at QBs until they land a good one. If they like one of the draft prospects better, so be it. Or maybe they do both: draft a prospect and trade for Garappolo. I'd favor that option if they view the inexperienced Mitch Trubisky or one of the others as their QB of the future. I'd rather whiff on a potential franchise QB than settle for an above-average non-QB.   

Hey, Mary Kay: Has Jamie Collins performed well enough for the Browns to aggressively try to sign him to a long term contract?  -- Brad Stubbs, Janesville, Ohio

Hey, Brad: Yes, I think so. The Browns need impact players and Collins is one. What's more, they need some veterans to show the young players the way. Collins is a Pro Bowler who's played at a level. There are very few of those on the Browns right now, and they should try to extend or re-sign him. I think Collins will be even more effective in this scheme once he has an offseason in it. He might want to test the market before re-signing.

Hey, Mary Kay: Until the Brown's acquire the right people in the trenches no quarterback will be effective. In the day when the Browns were a perennial powerhouse, the offensive line was effective and in fact I am quite certain Gene Hickerson, John Wooten, and Dick Schafrath are all in the Hall of Fame. -- Don Maxam, Huron, Ohio  

Hey, Don: I agree that the Browns must upgrade both lines, especially the offensive line. They'll get an instant boost when left guard Joel Bitonio returns from his Lisfranc foot surgery, likely by the beginning of the season. It remains to be seen if John Greco will be back from his for the start of the year. Center Austin Reiter is also coming back from a torn ACL. They'll need to keep adding to the mix. The defensive line should be good next year with Danny Shelton coming on and Emmanuel Ogbah playing well. But the Browns must add some edge-rushers to make this defense work.

LeBron James and the Cavs are stopping way, way short of calling their Christmas game with the Warriors a measuring stick. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Rivalry, yes. Braggadocio? The Cavs and Warriors are apparently leaving that wrapped and under the tree.

Especially where Cleveland is concerned, expectations are tempered for the next installment of the Cavs-Warriors rivalry when two of the NBA's top teams meet today (2:30 p.m., ABC).

Leaving the records, the numbers, and the winning streaks out of it -- make no mistake, both teams are rolling right now -- the Cavs know they're a little exposed right now. They're without their starting shooting guard, J.R. Smith, for the next three months (thumb surgery) and they were already a player short without a true backup point guard.

And, well, like the rest of the NBA, this is their first look at the Warriors since they added Kevin Durant, who is now the best player on a team that, as you well know, already won the 2015 Finals and lost the next year in Game 7.

The Cavs aren't making excuses ahead of this Christmas showdown, but they're also backing far, far away from declaring this a measuring stick game. And there's precedence for it.

"We will be ready with the game plan that our coaching staff gives us," LeBron James said. "Are we ready to set ourselves up for a seven-game series between us and the Warriors? Hell no. Our starting two guard is out four months. And we have no sense of entitlement thinking we can even get to a seven-game series. We're not ready for that."

Cavs-Warriors the next Lakers-Celtics?

For a brief reset: the Cavs are the top team in the East at 22-6. They've won four straight and nine of 10. They're defending champs, of course, having come back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Warriors, and are the NBA's top team at home.

The Warriors are 27-4, which makes them the NBA's top team. They lead the league in scoring (117.5 points per game), and have won seven straight.

Like the Cavs, Golden State has three players -- Durant (25.9 points per game), Stephen Curry (24.4 ppg); and Klay Thompson (21.3 ppg) -- averaging at least 20 points. James (25.3), Kyrie Irving (23.8), and Kevin Love (21.9) are those players for Cleveland.

"We feel a little more comfortable going into this matchup with Kevin Durant on our team," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "It's been a great rivalry the last couple of years. LeBron is so good, so big, so strong, so smart. He's a phenomenal player and it's nice to be able to go back there with Kevin. Obviously, they'll guard each other quite a bit but we've got a lot of other guys we have to worry about, just as they have to worry about a lot of our guys."

The Warriors were the talk of the Cavs' locker room leading up to this game on Christmas last year. Golden State was 27-1 at the time, rewriting records, and had just defeated the Cavs in the Finals.

This time, the Warriors are seldom mentioned by or to Cavs players. They're champs, yes, but in general there is just less of a focus on their Bay-bread rivals, even if the numbers say Cleveland should maybe be paying even more attention to the Warriors.

Not only is Golden State the league's top team record wise and the NBA's highest-scoring bunch, but the Warriors also lead the NBA in assists, steals, blocks, shooting, assist-to-turnover ratio, and fast-break points. They're the league's third-best defensive team and are No. 1 guarding the 3-pointer -- notable because Cleveland is second in the NBA in making 3s.

"It's not really about how you stack up," Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said. "It's early in the season still. Last year they came in and beat us by 35 (34) on our court, and we was able to win the championship. I don't want to say stack up and see where you're at because we have a long way to go, and we know that. We're still working to get better."

Right, the Warriors did beat Cleveland by six on Christmas and then blew them out on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at The Q. And the Cavs won the Finals in seven.

So, it matters little in the grand scheme what happens today.

"We'll be as well-prepared as you can be for a regular season game," James said. "Teams like Golden State, San Antonio, Cleveland, it's too hard. You can't really game plan in one day. You get one day to game plan for those guys or one day to game plan for the Spurs? It's just too hard. You need a week to game plan for that and that's what you get when you're able to play in a series vs. teams like that.

Cleveland Cavaliers hope to foil Golden State's Grinch from stealing Christmas in rematch of last year's NBA championship teams

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This afternoon at Quicken Loans Arena, the first-place Cleveland Cavaliers take on the first-place Golden State Warriors in what is the first meeting this season between last year's NBA championship teams.

Golden State won the Christmas rematch in Oakland last year by six points, 89-83. This year, they've added Kevin Durant to their starting five and while their record isn't as good as last year, they still own the best record in the NBA this year.

The Cavs will attempt to show the 'Dubs' that Cleveland is still the top dog in the league and prevent Steph Curry and company from playing the role of Grinch by stealing a game on Christmas.

Crowquill, by Plain Dealer artist Ted Crow, appears three times a week on cleveland.com.

The Cleveland Browns beating the San Diego Chargers allows them to miss all the negative media attention of being a team likely to finish with an 0-16 record.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scribbles in my Cleveland Browns notebook after their 20-17 victory over the San Diego Chargers:

1. There are a lot of good things coming from the Browns winning at least one game this season. Let's start with the team avoiding an onslaught of national media attention this week about how the Browns are a disgrace. You can easily imagine the story lines.

2. I received some emails from fans who liked the idea of a parade for a 0-16 team as a form of protest against the franchise. I understand the frustration, but I just think a parade for an 0-16 team would have become another national joke on Cleveland -- even if fans have other motives behind it.

3. So the stigma of 0-16 is gone. The 0-16 parade is gone. The embarrassment for players such as Joe Thomas being on a team that finishes 0-16 is gone. It certainly doesn't define a career. But being on a 0-16 team makes you an instant expert on futility.

4. The Browns will try to sign Terrelle Pryor and Jamie Collins to contract extensions. At least they don't have to hear their friends say, "You want to sign with a team that can't even win a game?" Obviously, money speaks the loudest. But 0-16 is such a stigma.

5. After the season, the Browns are expected to try and sign Chris Kirksey and Joel Bitonio to contract extensions. They can't be free agents until the summer of 2018, but the idea is to extend their deals before they reach free agency.

6. Some fans don't believe it, but there is real respect and affection for Hue Jackson in the Browns dressing room. He comes across as a decent man who has dealt with an incredibly difficult football situation. After the game, so many players made a point to mention Jackson and how they appreciated him.

7. Several players are out there with significant injuries. Joe Haden started despite knowing he'll need surgery on his groin after the season. Not much has been said about it, but I'm told Jamar Taylor also is dealing with a very painful groin injury. Terrelle Pryor has a serious finger injury.

8. In a season where a team loses its first 14 games, it would be easy for some players to say they can't play. Taylor just signed a three-year contract extension. Haden has a long-term deal in place. Pryor is headed to free agency, and he could decide playing with a bad finger won't help his value if he starts dropping passes. But they played.

9. I love how Joe Thomas tweeted: "Sorry Lions, no company this year." He was referring to the 2008 Detroit Lions, the only 0-16 team in NFL history.

10. My guess is Cody Kessler will start the final game at Pittsburgh. Robert Griffin III suffered a concussion in the fourth quarter of Saturday's victory. I know Griffin had a concussion in his final preseason game in 2014 with Washington. It probably doesn't make a lot of sense to rush him back for the last game, but I bet Griffin will want to play.

11. I have been critical of Griffin and still have some major doubts about his future as a starting quarterback, but I do respect his toughness. He took a real pounding in the San Diego game. He was sacked seven times. He was knocked down on eight other throws.

12. Ohio State product Joey Bosa had two sacks, and another knockdown of the quarterback. Bosa has 9.5 sacks in his rookie season.

13. Some Browns fans will remember how Cody Parkey missed 3-of-6 field goals in his first game, a 30-24 overtime loss in Miami. Since then, he has made 16-of-17 field goals. He is booting himself into a job with the Browns next season.

14. Travis Benjamin torched Joe Haden for a 50-yard catch on San Diego's first play of the game. Benjamin is having a decent year. He entered the game with 47 catches (4 TDs) for an average of 13.9 per reception. With the Browns last season, he had 68 receptions (5 TDs) and a 14.2 average. Benjamin hoped signing with San Diego and playing with quarterback Philip Rivers would accelerate his career. He's played about the same.

15. A last thought on the victory: For months, the coaches have been pushing the players hard, insisting the hard work would pay off. When you lose every single week, the message gets old. This game at least gave some life to what has been such a long, dismal season.

LeBron James and the Cavs host Stephen Curry and the Warriors on Christmas. Settle in, folks. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavs (22-6) and the Warriors (27-4) lead the East and West, respectively, as they get set to meet today at 2:30 p.m. at The Q.

What's up with the Cavs: They're the NBA's best home team so far this season (.882 winning percentage) and have won four straight overall (nine out of 10). In those wins, they've scored at least 110 points each time and are 15-0 when they do that this season. Cleveland's shooting 40 percent from 3-point range, behind only San Antonio (.408). The Warriors are fifth (.380). LeBron James is averaging 27.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.7 steals in 10 Christmas games. This is his fourth home game on Christmas -- he's 3-0. Kevin Love needs one point for 10,000 in his career. Kyrie Irving has registered a points-assists double-double in three of his last four games. This is Tristan Thompson's 399th consecutive game.  

Cavs injuries: J.R. Smith (right thumb surgery) and Chris Andersen (torn ACL) are out.

What's up with the Warriors: They are ranked 1st in scoring (117.5 points per game), assists (31.3), steals (9.68), blocks (6.29), and shooting (.496), and have recorded at least 30 assists 21 times (20-1 in those games). The Warriors won seven straight and enter with the NBA's best record. At this point a year ago, Golden State was 27-1. Now the Warriors have Kevin Durant. His transition has been seamless. He's the only player in the NBA averaging at least 25 points while taking under 17 shots. He's also averaging 31.1 points on Christmas. Stephen Curry, meanwhile, is averaging 11.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 8.0 assists in five Christmas games.

Warriors injuries: None.

Probable starters:

Cavs

F LeBron James (25.3 ppg; 7.7 rpg; 8.7 apg)

F Kevin Love (21.9 ppg; 10.8 rpg; 1.7 apg)

C Tristan Thompson (7.0 ppg; 10.3 rpg; 0.8 apg)

G DeAndre Liggins (3.0 ppg; 1.9 rpg; 1.1 apg)

G Kyrie Irving (23.8 ppg; 3.4 rpg; 5.5 apg)

Warriors

F Kevin Durant (25.9 ppg; 8.4 rpg; 4.6 apg)

F Draymond Green (10.4 ppg; 8.9 rpg; 7.4 apg)

C Zaza Pachulia (4.7 ppg; 5.9 rpg; 2.2 apg)

G Klay Thompson (21.3 ppg; 3.5 rpg; 2.1 apg)

G Stephen Curry (24.4 ppg; 4.2 rpg; 5.9 apg)