Great success, significant scandal, fragile health and inability to go at anything other than full speed led to Ohio State coach Urban Meyer's resignation.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As a boy in Ashtabula, Urban Meyer would scamper through the snow belt flurries and squalls when Christmas neared. His eyes were on presents, but his ears were attuned to the Ohio State-Michigan game's play-by-play floating through the wintry air from shopping center loudspeakers. 

Those days are past, but they were preludes in a way to his announcement Tuesday that he will retire after Ohio State's Jan. 1 Rose Bowl game against Washington.

A turbulent season

This 12-1 season was hard. Troubled by a brain cyst aggravated by his emotions and tension during games, he was also suspended for three games for protecting the football program instead of showing compassion for an aide's battered wife, then lying rather than taking action.

At age 54, Meyer now leaves coaching, a profession he considers not just a job, but  his life's mission, a second time. He couldn't handle success. His only mechanism to do so was all-out commitment.

He tried to change

He often spoke at Ohio State of faithfully attending team victory meals after skipping them at Florida, but the only thing on the menu for him was his hunger to win more.

He intended to moderate his work, be home at dinner, take care of himself, and for God's sake not do compulsive, monomaniacal things like locking himself into a stadium room and calling recruits minutes after winning the national championship, as he did with the Gators.

The drive he had gave him almost everything, an .851 lifetime winning percentage, a preposterous 82-9 record with the Buckeyes.

But it also took away his health. It checkered his career by the compromises he made in disciplining star players at Florida and in lying about domestic violence allegations against now-fired aide Zach Smith. It eroded Meyer's support from Ohio State's top administrators. And it worsened an already controversial national reputation.  

Daring innovator, doomed by his devils

As Ohio State's coach, he was daring in the big games, something new after Woody Hayes' conservatism, John Cooper's suffocating tightness, and Jim Tressel's reliance on defense and glorification of the punt.

Meyer was one of the innovators of the spread offense, devising it over long hours beneath a leaky roof in his first head coaching job at Bowling Green.

"That is not a good job," he said as a Notre Dame aide to Lou Holtz, who was a mentor.

"Of course not. That's why they're offering it to you," snapped Holtz.

Meyer's other mentor, former Ohio State coach Earle Bruce, screamed "What in hell was that?"  when he watched an early BG practice with Meyer.

"Coach, it's off-tackle power only with spread concepts," Meyer said. 

He brought more room to the field of play, but his ambition and shortcuts crowded him of it; he sought balance in runs and passes, an idea dropped because of current quarterback Dwayne Haskins, but lost it between job and family.

The tidings of the season

In his seven seasons in Columbus, Meyer  won five Big Ten division championships and three conference titles, the last on Saturday against Northwestern. Twice, the Buckeyes made the College Football Playoff with him, winning the inaugural edition in 2014.

Another Christmas season approaches, Meyer more than ever knows gifts are not really free, or even what he wanted.

The Cleveland Cavaliers (5-18) will host the Golden State Warriors (16-9) on Wednesday night, the first meeting between the two teams since Golden State's sweep in the 2018 NBA Finals.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers (5-18) will host the Golden State Warriors (16-9) on Wednesday night, the first meeting between the two teams since Golden State's sweep in the 2018 NBA Finals.

When: 7 p.m.

Where: Quicken Loans Arena

TV: FoxSports Ohio 

Radio: WTAM 1100 AM; WMMS 100.7 FM, La Mega 87.7 FM.

Online: FoxSports Go apps

Last meeting: The Cavs lost to the Warriors 108-85 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 8, 2018. 

Cavs minute: The Cavaliers are 3-4 in their last seven games after escaping Brooklyn with a 99-97 win on Monday. ... The Cavs have lost seven straight against Golden State. ... Cleveland's bench has tied or outscored its opponents' reserves on 17 occasions in 2018-19, including Monday's win at Brooklyn. ... Tristan Thompson recorded his third consecutive double-double and 13th of the season against the Nets, tallying 19 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Thompson has registered a double-double in 11 of his last 14 games. ... Jordan Clarkson recorded his first double-double of the season Monday night, scoring 20 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench. Clarkson became the first Cavs bench player to post at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in less than 30 minutes played since April 16, 2014, when Tyler Zeller did it. ... Thompson (4,955) is 45 points shy of becoming the 18th player in franchise history to record 5,000 career points. 

Warriors minute: Stephen Curry returned from a groin injury recently. The Warriors went 5-6 without him in the lineup. ... Curry scored 30 points in Monday's win against the Hawks. It was his seventh 30-point game of the season, and the Warriors are 6-1 when he hits that mark. ... In the first quarter of that game,  Curry scored 18 points, outscoring the Hawks (17 points) by himself. In the last five seasons, Curry has outscored an opponent in a quarter 11 times, the most in the NBA in that span according to the Elias Sports Bureau. ... Kevin Durant scored 28 points Monday night, making it the 13th straight game with 20-plus points -- his longest streak since joining the Warriors. ... Durant ranks second in the NBA in scoring, averaging 30.0 points. He is averaging 40.0 points over the last five games. ... Draymond Green will miss his 10th straight game with a sprained right toe. The Warriors are 6-6 without Green this season, including the one game he missed because of suspension. ... Klay Thompson has scored 20-or-more points in 15 of the last 16 games, including the last nine -- his career-best streak. ... The Warriors are 1-2 on the current five-game road trip, suffering losses in Toronto (131-128 in OT), Detroit (111-102) and getting a win on Monday in Atlanta (128-111).

Probable starters:

Cavs

F Cedi Osman

F Rodney Hood

C Tristan Thompson

G George Hill

G Collin Sexton

Warriors

F Kevin Durant

F Andre Iguodala

C Kevon Looney

G Klay Thompson

G Stephen Curry

See Cavs stats

See Warriors stats

One of the league's most talked about and storied rivalries is officially dead. Watch video

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- The Golden State Warriors make their lone trip to Cleveland Wednesday night. 

It used to be a marquee game, one saved for Christmas or perhaps the newly-popular Martin Luther King Jr. Day slate. Instead, it will tip on a random Wednesday night at 7 p.m. It's not even one of the two matchups for the Cavaliers that will air on national television this season.

One of the league's most talked about and storied rivalries is officially dead. 

"It's in the past. New season. New team. Our ballclub is different and they've made some changes, but predominantly the same. That's all the last four years," Tristan Thompson said following Wednesday morning shootaround. "That was great for the NBA, that was great for you guys to talk about. That was great for you guys to show old highlights and stats or whatever you want to do with it. It's in the past. It's a new team now. We're in a new chapter for our organization. You guys can put that for ESPN Classics."

The 2018 NBA Finals averaged a 10.0 rating and 17.7 million viewers on ABC. The previous three Finals matchups were the most watched in NBA history. Never before had two teams played in four consecutive Finals before, forever linking Cleveland and Golden State, and leading to plenty of heated exchanges.

The bad blood spilled over into a Cavaliers Halloween party with tombstone cookies referencing the imagined deaths of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson and other digs about the Warriors blowing a 3-1 lead.

LeBron James antagonized the Warriors with an "Ultimate Warrior" T-Shirt that he wore getting off the plane after a Game 7 win in 2016. Draymond Green, one of Golden State's vocal leaders, returned the favor during back-to-back parades with his wardrobe choice. Curry once talked about the visitor's locker room smelling like champagne.

For four years, the two teams didn't like each other.

Warriors players drummed up old memories in a conversation with The Athletic leading up Wednesday's game.

"Oh, yeah. Ha!" Golden State's Thompson told The Athletic, referencing the Halloween party. "That was funny. Look how that turned out. Psssh. Bums. That was crazy. I forgot about that. Well, look at what pettiness gets you. Gets you 1-8 in the Finals. Idiots."

Fans are just as triggered by the Golden State sharpshooter's comments as ever. Take a look at social media after the story dropped.

So the passion still exists to a degree. It has to given the history between the two teams, right? From the Cavs standpoint, it may, but Cleveland's Thompson isn't letting it be known.

"Uh, I don't know. If you're not on my team I really don't like you anyways," Thompson said when asked if he still dislikes the Warriors. "I don't like a lot of people."

The Cavaliers center also said there's a difference between regular-season hate and Finals-level hate. He said he's looking at the Warriors as just another opponent.

Thompson has continued to downplay what would seem like significant matchups this season. Perhaps that's the best approach after his boast about the East running through Cleveland backfired quickly. Maybe that's the best recourse when the Cavs have a 5-18 record, the fourth-worst in the NBA this season. 

"Another game. Good challenge for us," Thompson said. "Good players. Klay, Steph, KD (Kevin Durant). It's a good test for our guys to go out there and compete against three All-Stars."

That comment right there could add a bit of spice. Was Thompson dissing Green by excluding him from the list of All-Stars?

Thompson and Green reportedly had a confrontation this off-season, one that carried over from the Finals when the two players jawed constantly and received technical fouls. Green even made comments about Thompson being able to meet him anywhere and anytime during the summer.

So was that purposeful from Thompson on Wednesday night, a sign of his venom towards the mouthy Green, or was it simply an exclusion because Green will miss another game with a toe injury?

Only Thompson truly knows. His comments later in his session with reporters about playing against three "active" All-Stars may provide that answer. But in the past with this matchup, every comment, every tweet, every shirt, every cookie, everything imaginable seemed to have a deeper, pettier message attached. 

Even if the Warriors seem to be continuing that and still throwing shade, Thompson wasn't interested getting into a war of words. 

"We were successful winning one championship and they won three of them so it's all in the past for us," Thompson said. "You don't really start hating guys until about Game 4 in the playoffs. We'll have to wait quite a long time to see them there. It'll be the Finals to see them."

Well, that's not happening.

LeBron left for Los Angeles in July, changing Cleveland's future. Apparently, he took the rivalry and animosity with him. Or so Thompson says.

Guess we'll find out for sure Wednesday night. 

In his first matchup against the NBA champions, Sexton showed plenty of other glimpses. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Late in the fourth quarter, as the clock started ticking down, rookie Collin Sexton looked over at head coach Larry Drew for instructions. Sexton could've taken the final shot. He didn't. He dribbled out the game, the buzzer sounded and the Warriors walked off the court with an impressive 129-105 win.

It may seem small. But Drew considers that a sign of growth.

"In that situation, there was no need to take another shot. He had the awareness to turn and look at me see if I wanted him to shoot it. That shows growth," Drew said. "That's something we look for and we point it out to him when those types of things happen."

In his first matchup against the NBA champion Warriors, Sexton showed other positive glimpses.

Sure, his counterpart Stephen Curry poured in 42 points and canned 3-pointers from everywhere, even a bomb from 33 feet away with Sexton retreating. Curry lost the youngster a few times darting around screens. That will happen. It's why Curry is a two-time MVP.

His flurries often seem to be worth more than just a few points on the scoreboard. They test the will of an opponent. The deep launches often have a carry-over effect to the next possession.

On Wednesday night, Sexton kept squatting down in his stance. He kept charging forward.

"One thing about Collin, he's not going to back down. This kid is a fearless competitor and he will accept any challenge," Drew said. "I thought tonight he did a good job against a pretty good guard in Curry. Collin kept competing. The message I was hearing from him in the huddles was, 'Hey guys, let's keep playing hard and let's keep going at it.' That's a sign of growth.

"One of the reasons why we were so intrigued about bringing him in here was because his competitive nature and he doesn't care who he plays against. That's a great sign of a good point guard."

On Friday night, Sexton received praise from Kyrie Irving. The former Cavalier had just put on a show, a window into what greatness looks like.

Early Wednesday morning, Warriors All-Star Kevin Durant became the latest to compliment Sexton.

"I saw him play Houston -- he was going at Harden. He was trying to go at Kyrie. He was trying to go at every player," Durant said. "You could tell he's circling the big point guards and the big matchups on his calendar and he wants to show everybody who he is. He has a bright future."

Sexton scored 21 points on 7-of-14 from the field in 35 minutes. He overcame a sloppy start and got more comfortable with the Warriors' size and athleticism as the game progressed. He tallied 17 of his 21 in the final three quarters.

He even made a trio of 3-pointers -- the most in a game this season. That's another big step forward, as Sexton had taken a higher percentage of midrange shots -- the most inefficient look in basketball -- than any NBA player.

"Oh yeah, I'm comfortable shooting it," Sexton said of 3-pointers. "Shooting at a pretty good percentage. Just have to shoot more of them."

After the game, Thompson wasn't interested in reflecting on the now-dead rivalry. It was about moving forward. The unquestioned leader of the Cavaliers, that's the message he's preached since the season's start. 

"What's most important is to get that experience for Collin, get that experience against Steph Curry," Thompson said. "At the end of the day, he's going to be a starting point guard in this league, he wants to be a top-tier point guard, tier one, you've got to get your feet wet with those guys. So you've got to learn from them and there's going to be many more battles with him and Steph Curry."

Wednesday night was the end of Sexton's All-Star gauntlet of facing Jeff Teague, Russell Westbrook, Irving and Curry. Kyle Lowry would have been in there too, but his back flared up and was held out of Saturday's Raptors victory.

Each night's result wasn't what mattered most to the Cavs. He's at a different point in his career than those guys. What matters is where he goes next.

"Those teams right there are championship teams," Sexton said. "I feel like us competing against them will help us get to the next game so we can improve and watch film. Those teams are building blocks of where we want to be in the future."

Those point guards, including Curry, illuminate the path for Sexton to follow.

Dwayne Haskins played just one season at Ohio State as a starter, but in it he rewrote the school and Big Ten records and might be the conference's best ever. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Woody Hayes took a Dust Bowl offense to the Rose Bowl, three yards at a time.  But the game was changing by the 1980s.

"Mark Herrmann has thrown for 439 yards. What's happening at your game?" a Purdue publicist said in a phone call to the Ohio State press box on Nov. 8, 1980.

The unspoken question was, "How are Art Schlichter and Dave Wilson doing?" Those quarterbacks and Herrmann were taking the Big Ten on its fledgling flights into the modern era.

Wilson threw for an NCAA record 621 yards for Illinois that day, including six touchdown passes, but Ohio State and Schlichter won a breathless exchange of big plays, 49-42.

"Call me when you've got something," said Ohio State publicity aide Steve Snapp, hanging up.

Something new and different

The Buckeyes had something else, someone very special,  this year in redshirt sophomore Dwayne Haskins, who is not only the best quarterback in Ohio State history, but also, even in only a small, one-season sample, might be the Big Ten's best ever. 

That doesn't mean Haskins will win the Heisman Trophy Saturday night, although he is a finalist.  He will probably finish third behind front-runner Tua Tagovailoa of Alabama and Kyler Murray of Oklahoma.

The sweep of Big Ten history

Although the great Browns' quarterback Otto Graham finished third in Heisman  voting at Northwester in in 1943, he played in a different era. He was also 6-1, 196.  Haskins is 6-4, 220. 

Bob Griese and Len Dawson at Purdue were at their best  in the NFL and so was Michigan's Tom Brady, who was drafted 199th by the Patiots on his collegiate merit, or lack thereof.

Purdue's Mike Phipps, infamously acquired for Paul Warfield, by the Browns, barely completed more than half his passes and had a career 37-34 TDs to interceptions comparison. He was still second in 1969 Heisman voting. Standards were lower then.

Schlichter in his best year threw for 17 touchdowns, 2,551 yards, with 10 picks. completing 54 percent of his passes.

In his lone year at Wisconsin, Russell Wilson had 72.8 percent completions for 3,175 yards, 33 TDs and only four picks.

Haskins this season has 47 TD passes and eight interceptions and has completed 69 percent of his passes for 4,580 yards.

I make Haskins better than any of the top modern era passers at OSU - Bobby Hoying, Joe Germaine and Heisman winner Troy Smith.   

Haskins smashed Drew Brees' 1998 one-season touchdown pass conference record of 39 in the same number of games, 13. If you are known  for  the comparisons you keep, few are better than Haskins to Brees. But the Purdue star had 20 picks that season. 

Going, going, and probably gone

Although Ohio State coach Urban Meyer says of the NFL's three-year-rule, "might as well play them if they're going to leave anyway," his loyalty to and infatuation with J.T. Barrett kept Haskins on the bench except for mop-up duty until the 2017 Michigan game

Finally, with  the wind wailing in the eaves of the Big House and thwarting Barrett all day, Haskins stepped in when Barrett was injured and sparked a drive to take the lead.

With one whipcrack of his right arm, Haskins connected with a leaping Austin Mack to convert a third-and-13 in a  "window" that was more like a peep hole.

This is what Haskins does, and what few others could match -- exploiting openings in football the way Kyrie Irving redefined geometry in basketball with spinning, caroming theorems all his own.

Rating the Heisman contenders

This season, Haskins led comebacks at Maryland, where the Buckeyes twice trailed by 14 points, and at Penn State, where they trailed by 12 midway through the fourth quarter.

In the 49-20 upset loss at Purdue, Haskins completed 49 of an incredible 72 passes for 470 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Lack of a running game in the red zone killed the Buckeyes that night.

For the record, Wilson was 43 of 69 on his huge day in 1980.

Haskins' highlights include: 

• 499 yards in the Big Ten Championship Game against Northwestern.
• 11 touchdown passes combined Big Ten Championship and against Michigan the previous week.
• 8 interceptions in 496 attempts this season.
• He threw for more yards (4,580) than Tagovailoa (3,353) and Murray (4,053) at Oklahoma, which has the only offense better than Ohio State.

Because Haskins was so integral, indeed irreplaceable, for Ohio State, I rank him ahead of Tua, whose team is ridiculously loaded, but behind Murray, whose 853 yards rushing made him the most versatile threat.

Give him a hand, if not the Heisman

I'm semi-retired and  intend to act like it. So I will no longer  vote for the Heisman or the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Please. Hold your applause. Better yet, give it to Haskins, whose like we had not seen before and will be a long time seeing again.

According to a league release, the incident happened at the end of the game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson has been fined $15,000 for making an "inappropriate gesture" toward a spectator during Monday's 99-97 win against the Brooklyn Nets. 

According to a league release, the incident happened at the end of the game. 

Thompson, one of the holdovers from the LeBron James era, has become the target of opposing hecklers this season, receiving the loudest boos during pregame introductions and hearing it throughout the game. During Monday's contest in Brooklyn, raucous Nets fans seated near the media section were even referencing Khloe Kardashian in their taunts. 

That night, Thompson scored 19 points to go with 14 rebounds, helping the Cavaliers snap a four-game losing streak. 

The Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle is destroying offenses and may be the best player in the league. Watch video

The NFL MVP race is heating up as the season winds down. While Patrick Mahomes and Drew Brees are getting intense consideration, many feel there is a legitimate candidate on the defensive side that isn't getting a lot of love -- Aaron Donald. The Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle is destroying offenses as an interior lineman and may be the best player in the league. Still, the Rams are 19th in the league in scoring defense and he doesn't deserve the award if that's the case. What do you think?

PERSPECTIVES

Twelve games into the season, Aaron Donald had 16.5 sacks to lead the NFL -- as an interior lineman. That kind of dominance and production is rarely seen from defensive tackles.

It's not like this came out of nowhere. Donald has been getting doubled and tripled team all season and is still getting those numbers. His speed and power in the middle of the line open up so many opportunities for his other teammates to succeed. Not only is Donald the best defensive player in the league, but he has also done enough to prove he is the MVP of the league.

Donald has been an unstoppable force on the Rams' defensive line, but that's still not enough for MVP honors. If Donald was truly the MVP, why is the rest of the defense so bad? MVPs are supposed to lift their team up, and while he has been getting numbers, the Rams defense is ranked 19th in points against three-quarters of the way through the season. No one's expecting Donald to make the Rams the best team on the defensive side of the ball, but those stats are way too low to be considering an MVP award.

Plus, Donald may not even be the MVP on his team. Running back Todd Gurley and quarterback Jared Goff have made up for the defense's shortcomings by running up the score on opponents. Donald is a Defensive Player of the Year shoo-in, but he's no MVP.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers (5-19) will continue their three-game homestand on Friday night, as they welcome the Sacramento Kings (12-11) for the only this season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers (5-19) will continue their three-game homestand on Friday night, as they welcome the Sacramento Kings (12-11) for the only time this season. 

When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: Quicken Loans Arena

TV: FoxSports Ohio 

Radio: WTAM 1100 AM; WMMS 100.7 FM, La Mega 87.7 FM.

Online: FoxSports Go apps

Last meeting: The Cavs lost to the Kings 109-95 on Dec. 27, 2017. 

Cavs minute: The Cavs have won five of the last seven meetings against Sacramento. ... Six players reached double figures in the loss against the Warriors Wednesday. It's the 11th time that's happened this season. ... Behind Tristan Thompson, who ranks second in the NBA in offensive rebounds, the Cavs are averaging 12.1 as a team, which is good for the sixth-best mark. ... Thompson (4,661) is nine rebounds away from moving past Hot Rod Williams (4,669) for fourth-most in franchise history. ... Cleveland had its highest scoring total in any second quarter this season with 39 points in the second versus the Warriors. ... Collin Sexton has now scored in double figures in 20 games so far this season, which is tied for the second-most among rookies. ... The Cavs ended a four-game streak of single-digit 3-pointers against Golden State, canning 11 -- their most since Nov. 23. 

Kings minute: Sacramento has rebounded from a season-long 3-game losing skid by winning two straight. ... Buddy Hield leads a balanced scoring attack, with six players averaging double figures. ... Friday's matchup is the first of a back-to-back for the Kings. They have been swept in each of their last two back-to-backs and their record is 4-6 in back-to-back games this season. ... The Kings are now 12-11 through their first 23 games, marking the latest in the season that Sacramento has been above .500 since the 2005-06 campaign -- the last Kings team to make the playoffs. ... The Kings are averaging 114.7 points per game, which is the highest points per game average through 23 games in the Sacramento Era. ... Point guard De'Aaron Fox is averaging 17.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He is one of five players with averages of 17.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game in 15.0 or more minutes per game. That list includes Rockets guard James Harden, Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday and Washington's John Wall. ... Of all the players on the Kings regular season roster, only four of them have four or more years of service in the NBA. ... The Kings rank second in 3-point field goal percentage (38.8 percent).

Probable starters:

Cavs

F Cedi Osman

F Rodney Hood

C Tristan Thompson

G George Hill

G Collin Sexton

Kings

F Iman Shumpert

F Nemanja Bjelica

C Willie Cauley-Stein 

G Buddy Hield

G De'Aaron Fox

The first-round pick is protected, according to a source, and is most likely to be conveyed in 2022.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers agreed in principle Friday to a trade that sends George Hill, Sam Dekker and a 2021 second round pick (Washington's via Utah) to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Matthew Dellavedova, John Henson and a pair of future draft picks -- a 2021 first-rounder and 2021 second-rounder, league sources told cleveland.com. 

The Washington Wizards joined this deal late as a third team and the Bucks will re-route Dekker to the Wizards in exchange for forward Jason Smith. The Cavs will also be getting a 2022 second-round pick from Washington. 

"First and foremost, I'd like to thank George Hill," said general manager Koby Altman. "He helped us get to the NBA Finals last year and has been a consummate professional on the court and in our community. Both George and Sam Dekker went about their work here with professionalism and class and we wish them the best. At the same time, we're very pleased to bring Delly back to Cleveland and want to welcome John Henson as well.

"This deal satisfied several important aspects for us in terms of having both long and shorter term benefits and assets involved. We will continue to look for ways to improve and strengthen our position for the future, while enhancing our ability to compete and grow in the short-term also."

The Cavs also created a $2.76 million trade exception that will be available to use for one year. 

The 2021 first-round pick is protected, according to a source, and is most likely to be conveyed in 2022 or 2023 because of a previous deal between Phoenix and Milwaukee involving Eric Bledsoe and the NBA rules in place about a team going two straight years without a first-rounder. 

In 2021, the pick is protected 1-14. In 2022, the pick would go to the Cavs unless Milwaukee finishes among the 10 worst teams. In 2023, it's top-10 protected and protected 25-30. In 2024, it's top 8 protected. 

If the first-round pick is not conveyed by 2024, Milwaukee will be forced to give up its 2024 and 2025 second-rounders. 

Teams had shown plenty of interest in acquiring Hill in recent days after the veteran point guard returned from a sprained right shoulder. The Cavs determined this deal with Milwaukee was the best fit, as it comes with the desired future first-rounder they wanted as a result of taking on the money owed to Dellavedova and Henson. 

According to a source, the Cavs remain willing to take on extra salary in exchange for draft picks. While many teams are eyeing the 2019 free agent class, the Cavs have set their sights on the summer of 2020.

Henson and Dellavedova are each set to make over $9 million next season. That's when they will be in the final years of their respective deals. 

For the 2019-20 season, Cleveland is right at the cap with $108 million in guaranteed contracts, including the $3.87M that is owed to JR Smith.

Smith remains away from the team while the Cavs seek a trade. 

A Cleveland fan favorite, Dellavedova played his first three NBA seasons with the Cavs and was part of the 2016 NBA championship team. He signed with the Bucks in free agency that summer and has averaged 6.0 points on 38.2 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from 3-point range in 22.2 minutes. 

For the season, Dellavedova, who has been dealing with an ankle injury, is averaging a career-worst 1.7 points in 8.1 minutes. 

Henson, a 6-foot-11 forward, is averaging 5.6 points and 5.1 rebounds in 14 games with the Bucks this season. He has missed the last eight contests following wrist surgery last month.

A 2012 first-round lottery pick, Henson holds career averages of 7.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 405 games (152 starts). 

Just like the earlier matchup against Oklahoma City on Nov. 27 -- the night Kyle Korver was traded to Utah -- the Cavaliers wore down as the game progressed, losing 129-110 to the Sacramento Kings.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- For the second time in less than two weeks, the Cleveland Cavaliers made a trade hours before tipoff, leaving them shorthanded.

By the time the final buzzer sounded, Cleveland's tank was empty. 

Just like the earlier matchup against Oklahoma City on Nov. 27 -- the night Kyle Korver was traded to Utah -- the Cavaliers wore down as the game progressed, losing 129-110 to the Sacramento Kings on Friday night.

It was Cleveland's sixth loss in seven games.

The Cavs played the Kings even for one half, using a late second-quarter push to tie the game at 66 thanks to a Jordan Clarkson buzzer-beating triple. But the Kings, who play at the league's second-fastest pace, sprinted away in the second half. 

George Hill's departure around 5:45 p.m. -- a three-team deal agreed to in principle between the Cavs, Bucks and Wizards -- forced head coach Larry Drew to shuffle his starting lineup, opting for the two-big group featuring Tristan Thompson and Larry Nance Jr.

That seemed to play a pivotal role in the Cavs' sloppy start. After being outscored 7-2 in the first 90 seconds of the opening quarter, Drew called a quick timeout.

The Cavs were able to regroup. The slow start wasn't the problem. It was once again their inability to find the energy needed to close. 

Hill had started the previous three games alongside Collin Sexton and was averaging 30.0 minutes over the last two. Tough to remove him so close to the start. Rookie Sexton sizzled in the first half, scoring 18 points on 7-of-11 from the field. He finished with 23 points in 35 minutes, missing three of his five shots in the second half. 

Clarkson seemed to run out of energy as well, cooling off after a 17-point first half. He tallied 26 points in 30 minutes. 

Cedi Osman scored nine points in the first half, only to finish with 10. 

Hill's one-time protege, De'Aaron Fox, who spent half his rookie season with the veteran in Sacramento, scored a game-high 30 points on 12-of-16 from the field and 4-of-5 from 3-point range. He added 12 assists, leading the Kings who finished with 31 as a team.

That snappy ball movement led to Sacramento shooting 57.1 percent from the field and 44.8 percent from beyond the arc. 

While the trade netted the Cavs Matthew Dellavedova, John Henson and a pair of draft picks, it also left Drew with essentially eight players for his rotation, including two-way player Jaron Blossomgame, who was completely overmatched in his 17 ineffective minutes, scoring his lone bucket in the final seconds.

Channing Frye, Jalen Jones and Ante Zizic popped off the bench when Drew raised the white flag, needing to keep his guys as fresh as possible for Saturday's game against the Wizards. 

The Cavs were outscored 63-44 in the second half, including 33-21 in the fourth quarter. 

The front office has a job to do, needing to acquire assets for this lengthy rebuild. But the trade of Hill on Friday night -- and the earlier one involving Korver -- combined with the missing players already sidelined because of injury, certainly put the Cavs at a disadvantage. 

That's life in the NBA.

Rodney Hood leaves early

Hood suffered a right foot injury after playing 15 minutes in the first half. He did not return after the halftime break, replaced to start the second half by Alec Burks. Hood's injury left the Cavs with just six regulars for the final 24 minutes.

Short one

NBA official Ben Taylor was unavailable Friday night because of an illness, leaving just two referees -- Scott Foster and Haywoode Workman. 

Tristan Thompson's streak ends

Thompson had recorded a double-double in four straight games. That streak ended against the Kings. Thompson finished with four points and six rebounds in 29 minutes. 

Up next

The Cavs will host the Washington Wizards in the second game of a back-to-back on Saturday night. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

A glow could be seen when Tristan Thompson and Channing Frye were discussing old teammate Matthew Dellavedova's return.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It was an emotional night all around for the Cleveland Cavaliers, forced to say goodbye to a teammate for the second time in less than two weeks before getting belted by the Sacramento Kings 129-110.

Tristan Thompson and Channing Frye, the two non-injured/exiled players still remaining from the 2016 NBA title team, were sad to see George Hill go. Yet the other side of those feelings could be seen in the glow when discussing old pal Matthew Dellavedova's return.

"I'm glad my Aussie brother is back," Thompson said. "He brings us veteran leadership, a guy that has won before, a guy who is going to push Collin (Sexton) and control the game for the second unit. He will make shots and he's good at throwing lobs to me."

Dellavedova became a treasured teammate during his three years in Cleveland before signing with Milwaukee in the summer of 2016.

Known for his grit, determination and hustle, the former undrafted free agent turned into a key piece of the team's rotation and cemented his status as a Cleveland cult hero with each dive, 3-pointer and defensive stop. During playoff runs, chants of "Delly" echoed through Quicken Loans Arena and those roars will return the first time he's announced.

Thompson was asked to reflect on his favorite Dellavedova memory. He went back to Game 3 of the 2015 NBA Finals -- a night that ended with Dellavedova in the hospital after pushing himself to the point of exhaustion while trying to contain Golden State star Stephen Curry.

"He left it all out on the line and he had to get an IV after the game," Thompson said. "That was a crazy Delly heroic moment."

Fueled by coffee, Dellavedova's pregame beverage of choice and what he sometimes chugged down at halftime, his non-stop hustle became infectious, part of Cleveland's identity. The new Cavs are hoping to tap into that.

"Delly is great. Glad to have him back," Frye told cleveland.com before leaving the arena. "I think of his toughness and his ability to change the pace of the game and his familiarity. He's a champion, consummate professional, good for our locker room and glad he's going to bring the good coffee beans to the facility."

Beyond the improved cups of joe (Dellavedova once had his own coffee line called G'Day Mate) and the impending lobs for Thompson, the Cavs believe Dellavedova will be an important -- and necessary -- cultural piece as the team trudges through this arduous rebuild.

Statistically, Dellavedova has been dreadful in Milwaukee this year in part because of an ankle injury. He's averaging just 1.7 points in 12 games, as playing time has been hard to come by. Still, head coach Mike Budenholzer said Dellavedova has been "great" for the Bucks.

Like Alec Burks, a player the Cavs acquired recently for Kyle Korver, Dellavedova will get a bigger opportunity and should give the Cavs a traditional point guard to run the second unit -- a role that has been shared by combo-guards Jordan Clarkson, Burks and sometimes even Cedi Osman, depending on how his minutes are staggered.

Getting Dellavedova back, along with John Henson and a few picks in a three-team deal that also involved Washington, came at a cost. It meant the Cavs moving on from Hill. That, of course, always seemed likely given his contract situation. But it still wasn't easy.

"I'd like to thank George Hill," general manager Koby Altman said. "He helped us get to the NBA Finals last year and has been a consummate professional on the court and in our community."

Hill has been instrumental in Sexton's growth, taking the youngster under his wing just as Hill did with Kings sophomore De'Aaron Fox.

"We lost George. He was my vet," Sexton said of Hill. "He helped me the most just like preparing for the game and how I should come into the game, pretty much like knowing the other team's scouting report and knowing what they are going to do, making sure that you go out there and execute. He's just a great guy to talk to and lean on since Day One. He helped me in that starting role. Big influence on me."

The Cavs acquired Hill from Sacramento at the trade deadline last season -- a day they sent out six players in Altman's season-saving overhaul.

Hill started the first 10 games this year before a shoulder injury sent him to the sideline for about three weeks.

When Hill returned, head coach Larry Drew opted to place him right back in the starting lineup alongside Sexton, to further the rookie's growth as an away-from-the-ball player. It probably had a side effect as well -- a chance for Cleveland to showcase Hill and let other contenders like Milwaukee see he was healthy and effective.

In speaking with The Athletic, Hill lamented a missed free throw in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals. His first Finals game, Hill's miss preceded JR Smith's epic blunder, as Smith grabbed the rebound and dribbled out the clock in a tie game instead of taking one more shot at the basket.

Hill was brought here to help the Cavs win a championship in LeBron James' final season. They came up short, getting swept by the Warriors. Then James left.

So here the Cavs are -- sending away veterans in exchange for draft picks, the exact opposite approach to the previous four years.

Korver was the first casualty. Hill became the latest. 

"He's a good dude, great guy, great vet," Frye said. "At this point, the organization has gone in a different direction and I think they put him in a situation where he's going to be very successful. Glad that we have met and become friends so that won't stop. He wants to win, we all have that competitive spirit and that was just a sign that our locker room is really good regardless of our record."

It might even get better with Dellavedova's arrival.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will wrap up their three-game homestand on Saturday night, as they host the Washington Wizards.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers (5-20) will wrap up their three-game homestand on Saturday night, as they host the Washington Wizards (11-14). 

When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: Quicken Loans Arena

TV: FoxSports Ohio 

Radio: WTAM 1100 AM; WMMS 100.7 FM, La Mega 87.7 FM.

Online: FoxSports Go apps

Last meeting: The Cavs lost to the Wizards 119-95 on Nov. 14. That game was also the second of a back-to-back.  

Cavs minute: The Cavs have won the season series against Washington three times in the past five seasons. ... Collin Sexton once again reached double figures in scoring Friday night, making it the 15th straight game. ... After hitting the mark on Friday against Sacramento, Jordan Clarkson has reached double figures in 23-of-25 games thus far. ... Led by Clarkson's 26 points, the Cavs bench tallied 58 points versus Sacramento, their sixth 50-plus point performance this season. ... Cleveland ranks last in the NBA in assists. ... The Cavs shot a season-best 53.1 percent from the field in Friday's loss against Sacramento. It was the fifth game the Cavs shot 50 percent or better. ... Alec Burks hit season-highs in points (22) and rebounds (seven) in 38 minutes off the bench. He also dished out a career-high nine assists. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he became the first player in franchise history to record at least 22 points, seven rebounds and nine assists off the bench.

Wizards minute: The Wizards have won three straight games. ... Bradley Beal has scored 20-plus points in 18 of 25 games to start the season. ... The Wizards have not won back-to-back games against the Cavs for the past three seasons. They will have a chance to change that Saturday night. ... Head coach Scott Brooks won his 100th game with Washington on Nov. 26. Brooks is trying to become the third coach in Wizards history to win 40-plus games as a head coach in their first three seasons. ... John Wall and Beal are looking to repeat as All-Star teammates for the second consecutive year. The last time the Wizards had the same players return as All-Stars two seasons in a row was when Elvin Hayes and Phil Chenier were named to the 1973-74 and 1974-75 All-Star teams. ... Washington currently averages 112.4 points per game, the most points per game average since the 1978-79 season (114.9).  

Probable starters:

Cavs

F Cedi Osman

F Larry Nance Jr.

C Tristan Thompson

G Alec Burks

G Collin Sexton

Wizards

F Otto Porter Jr. 

F Tomas Satoransky

C Thomas Bryant

G Bradley Beal

G John Wall

It boils down to chairman Dan Gilbert's willingness to take on extra salary now for the team's future benefit while also trying to keep Sexton, the 2018 eighth-overall pick, in the best situation to blossom into a franchise building block.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Most everything with the Cleveland Cavaliers nowadays is about Collin Sexton -- and draft picks. Let's not forget those.

Hence the deal with the Milwaukee Bucks late Friday night. 

The full trade included three teams, five players and four total picks, including the two the Cavs netted from Milwaukee. 

But it really boils down to chairman Dan Gilbert's willingness to take on extra salary now for the team's future benefit while also trying to keep Sexton, the 2018 eighth-overall pick, in the best situation to blossom into a franchise building block.

On the one hand, the Cavs sent away Sexton's mentor George Hill. He went to the Bucks in Friday's emotional trade and that loss will sting initially. 

"We lost George. He was my vet," Sexton said of Hill. "He helped me the most just like preparing for the game and how I should come into the game, pretty much like knowing the other team's scouting report and knowing what they are going to do, making sure that you go out there and execute. He's just a great guy to talk to and lean on since Day One. He helped me in that starting role. Big influence on me."

But the Cavs brought in Matthew Dellavedova, who will take on that same leadership role as he pushes Sexton every day in practice -- the same way Dellavedova did Kyrie Irving. 

No, Delly doesn't deserve full credit for Irving becoming one of the league's most venomous offensive players. Irving was oozing with talent when he arrived in 2011 and was already on his way to becoming All-Star by the time Dellavedova joined the Cavs. But the legendary and heated practice sessions challenged Irving. There's little doubt that he benefited greatly from dealing with pesky Dellavedova each day. 

Tristan Thompson was around for those tussles, playing peacemaker nearly every day. The rivalry started in a summer pick-up game, carried over into training camp when Dellavedova was scrapping to make the team and then grew from there.

Irving hated Dellavedova. It was never personal. Just two competitors going at it. Eventually that level of competition brought out the best in both. They even built a tight bond. 

The Cavs are hoping history repeats with tenacious Dellavedova and Sexton, who teammates already say goes just as hard at practice as he does on game day. 

"Pick up 94 feet. He will be good for Collin on the days that we do practice, he will be good for Collin because of the way he plays, how scrappy he is," Thompson said of Dellavedova. "When he gets in, it's those kinds of plays that he makes, it's momentum swings and high energy so we will definitely embrace that."

The trade with Milwaukee wasn't as much about Dellavedova or John Henson. For the Cavs, it was about that coveted first-round pick that comes with protections.

The Bucks wanted to move move money, gaining financial flexibility in their quest to surround star Giannis Antetokounmpo with the pieces to compete for a title. That opened up the possibility for Cleveland to land an asset for its rebuild -- another important trade chip if the Cavs eventually go star-hunting or a valuable selection to eventually add another promising piece to this growing nucleus.

But don't think Dellavedova's inclusion was an accident. 

"Delly will be great for Collin," one member of the front office told cleveland.com before the trade was made official. 

Recently, head coach Larry Drew has been experimenting with Sexton off the ball. Having Dellavedova will allow that to continue if wanted.

A true point guard, Dellavedova can run with the starters alongside Sexton or can anchor the second unit, offering a more reliable backup ball-handler while keeping some of that pressure off their rising rookie.  

Sexton doesn't know Dellavedova. He's only heard stories. Part of the message being delivered to the teenager on Friday night was about how delightful Dellavedova can be and the importance of bringing him into the locker room. As Drew said recently, this organizational shift is a test of character. It's not for everyone. They believe Dellavedova can help them through it. 

The other part of the message for Sexton was simple: Be ready.

Dellavedova has built a reputation as a high-energy nuisance, one who challenges opponents with non-stop effort. He does the same with his own teammates. 

"Oh, yeah I can't wait," Sexton said. "They say he practices hard, too. Going to have some battles. We will see what's up."

Purple Raiders have 13 national titles since 1993

ALLIANCE, Ohio - So, what's new?

Mount Union will play in a Division III national championship football game for the 21st time since 1993, and will try to win it for the 14th time.

"I told our team that this is a great win, but not the greatest," Mount Union coach Vince Kehres said after the Purple Raiders' 28-20 home win over Johns Hopkins in a national semifinal game on Saturday.

"The toughest game is the one that's looming. We'll be turning the page quickly. It's a short week. It's final exams week, and that has to be the guys' focus. We'll just try to be prepared to face a great team."

The Purple Raiders (14-0), ranked first in the nation, will play in the Stagg Bowl national championship game on Friday night in Shenandoah, Texas, against the winner of Saturday's game between No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) and No. 4 Wisconsin-Whitewater.

No. 13 Johns Hopkins, of Baltimore, finished 12-2. 

Kehres, in his sixth season, is 2-2 in title games, including a 12-0 win last Dec. 15 over Mary Hardin-Baylor. He succeeded his father, Mount Union athletic director Larry Kehres, as coach. Larry Kehres' Mount Union teams won 11 of 16 national championship games.

Mount Union's first drive, for 89 yards, was capped by D'Angelo Fulford's 39-yard touchdown pass to Justin Hill, who made the catch after coming open near the right sideline inside the Blue Jays' 20. Cory Barnett then made the first of his four extra points.

"We stuck to our route routines," Hill, who caught five passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns, said of the Purple Raiders' passing attack. "Our coaches knew they were going to give us the outside. We'd run routes to the outside, go inside and back to the outside."

Fulford, who began the game with the third-highest passer rating in college football, regardless of division, completed 12 of 23 passes for 210 yards and the two scores, though he threw a career-high three interceptions.

The Purple Raiders began their next four drives at their own 10-, 8-, 13- and 16-yard lines, and had to punt each time. Mount Union stayed ahead, though, with the work of its stout 3-4 defense.

"That was a real challenge. They have a great offensive unit," Vince Kehres said of Johns Hopkins, which had averaged 47.8 points in its previous games. "They have a lot of balance. A lot of weapons.

"Our defense saw that in the videos. They were locked in. A great opponent - you hope it brings that out of you."

The Mount Union defense produced two touchdowns on interception returns: a 90-yarder by safety Trevor Cox and a 76-yarder by cornerback Gabe Brown.

Tackle Ethan McComb and linebacker Mitch O'Hara stopped the Blue Jays' Stuart Walters for a 1-yard loss on a fourth-and-one play at the Mount Union 12 to thwart a Johns Hopkins threat.

The Blue Jays marched to the Purple Raiders' 16 the next time they got the football. Brown deflected a short David Tammaro pass, though, and Cox grabbed the football and sprinted 90 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown and a 14-0 Purple Raiders lead with 9:29 left in the second quarter.

Johns Hopkins got its own defensive touchdown moments later, when linebacker Robert Fletcher forced a Fulford fumble, recovered the football and ran 25 yards for the score. Louis Berry then blocked the Blue Jays' extra point, and Mount Union took a 14-6 lead into halftime.

Fulford completed 5 of 5 passes for 91 yards on a drive that began at the Mount Union 8 and ended on Fulford's 14-yard fade pass to Hill in the left side of the end zone, extending the Purple Raiders' lead to 21-6. On the two previous plays, Fulford connected on medium deep throws to Luke Herrington and fullback Joe Fornaro for 26 and 31 yards, respectively. 

Fulford's third interception led to a 51-yard Johns Hopkins drive capped by Stuart Walters' 7-yard touchdown run, but Brown's pick and 76-yard scoring dash built the Purple Raiders' lead back to 28-13 with 4:51 left in the game. Berry and end Roesch both got to Tammaro as he unloaded his errant throw.

Walters' 1-yard touchdown plunge cut the Mount Union lead to eight points with 1:56 to go, but Herrington recovered the Blue Jays' onside kick to clinch the win.

The Purple Raiders' Josh Petruccelli rushed for 110 yards on 28 carries.

Hood suffered the injury during Friday's game against the Sacramento Kings and did not play in the second half.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Rodney Hood will not play in Saturday night's game against the Washington Wizards because of soreness in his right foot. 

Hood suffered the injury during Friday's game against the Sacramento Kings and did not play in the second half.

Head coach Larry Drew said Alec Burks would get the start in his spot.

As for the rest of the starting group, Drew was unsure about two hours ahead of the game, still pondering whether he wanted to go big or small with the Wizards using Otto Porter Jr. at power forward.

The Cavs will also be without David Nwaba against the Wizards. The 25-year-old swingman hasn't played since Nov. 24. Drew said Nwaba started taking contact in practice and his return should be coming soon.

Saturday will be Nwaba's seventh straight missed game. 

Army had the corps bouncing in front of the president and kept the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Army had the corps bouncing in front of the president and kept the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.

The No. 22 Black Knights recovered two fumbles in the fourth quarter, Kelvin Hopkins Jr. had two rushing touchdowns and Army beat Navy 17-10 on Saturday to win its third straight game in the series.

President Donald Trump attended the 119th game between the rivals and flipped the coin before spending a half on each side in a show of impartiality. No matter his view, Army (10-2) always had the edge.

Army retained the CIC Trophy -- awarded to the team with the best record in games among the three service academies -- after winning it for the first time in 22 years last season and snuffed a late Navy (3-10) rally to retain possession of the patriotic prize

With Navy down 10-7, quarterback Zach Abey lost a fumble on fourth-and-12 deep in its own territory. Hopkins would score on a 1-yard run to make it 17-7 and give Army the cushion it needed to win in front of 66,729 fans at Lincoln Financial Field.

Army hopped and waved hands in celebration during a replay timeout and got the cadets in the stands to bounce along. They had good reason to celebrate: Army has regained its grip in a series that had gotten out of hand. Navy had a series-best 14-game winning streak from 2002-2015 and leads the series leads 60-52-7.

Trump sat on the Army side in the first half and crossed the field to the Navy side at halftime. Trump officiated the coin toss and was introduced by public address announcer Dan Baker to a cheering crowd. Navy called "tails," and that's what it was when Trump's flipped coin landed on the turf. Navy elected to kick off.

That was a mistake.

Kell Walker ran 51 yards to the 10 on the fourth play from scrimmage and Hopkins dashed in for the TD on the next play for a 7-0 lead.

In a series steeped in tradition -- the "March On" and drumline battles, among them -- perhaps none is more engrained than the running game. Last year's game had a combined three pass attempts and quarterbacks for each team are usually the leading rushers. But Army and Navy passed on the rush and tried to throw, with mixed results. Army safety Jaylon McClinton had an interception in the first half. Army also dropped a key third-down pass that led to John Abercrombie's missed 33-yard field goal in the second quarter.

Abercrombie rebounded to kick a 33-yarder in the third for a 10-0 lead.

Last season's game was an instant classic and was decided by a field goal: Bennett Moehring narrowly missed a 48-yarder in the snow on the final play and Army held off Navy 14-13.

Moehring made the extra point on Lewis' score and he kicked a 45-yard field goal with 29 seconds left. Malcom Perry's 43-yard run to the 5 set up Garret Lewis' 1-yard rushing TD with 7:10 left in the game that pulled Navy to 10-7.

There were reminders all around the Linc, home of the Super Bowl champion Eagles, that this was no ordinary game. The Navy "Leap Frogs" parachute team earned a roar from the crowd with each safe landing on the field. Bill the Goat, Navy's mascot, was safely leashed and secured from a possible abduction attempt from overzealous cadets. And each side safely returned "captives" in the Prisoner Exchange -- when seven midshipmen and seven cadets swap service academies for a semester. The Army prisoners spelled out "3-PEAT on the back of their uniforms.

THE TAKEAWAY

Army: Got to sing second as the winner.

Navy: Had 0 yards passing and 64 yards rushing through three quarters. ... Lost a key fumble inside the 10 in the fourth when it was still 10-0.

MR. PRESIDENT

Trump was the 10th sitting president to attend Army-Navy, a tradition that began with Theodore Roosevelt in 1901. Barack Obama was the most recent president to attend the game, in 2011 at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland. Trump also went to the 2016 game when he was president-elect.

Trump and Defense Secretary James Mattis stood silent during an invocation and a moment of silence for former President George H.W. Bush, who died recently died at age 94.

--By Dan Gelston, AP Sports Writer

Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray has won the Heisman Trophy, edging Alabama's Tua Tagvailoa.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Kyler Murray replaced a Heisman Trophy winner by becoming a Heisman Trophy winner.

The Oklahoma quarterback won college football's most prestigious individual award Saturday night, edging Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa and setting up a College Football Playoff matchup of Heisman winner versus runner-up.

The fourth-ranked Sooners play the top-ranked Crimson Tide in the Orange Bowl semifinal Dec. 29 in the seventh bowl matchup of Heisman winner and runner-up, and first since second-place finisher Vince Young and Texas beat Reggie Bush and Southern California in the 2006 Rose Bowl.

This season, Murray stepped into the starting job at Oklahoma held by last year's Heisman winner and first overall NFL draft pick, Baker Mayfield. Oklahoma is the first school with have Heisman-winning quarterbacks in consecutive seasons and the fifth overall with winners in back-to-back years.

Tua Tagovailoa didn't win the Heisman, but he still reinvented Alabama football

Unlike most seasons, the winner was far from a foregone conclusion, but Murray (517 first-place votes and 2,167 points) ended up with a fairly comfortable margin of 296 points over Tagovailoa. Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins, the other finalists, was a distant third with 783 points. Three more quarterbacks followed: Will Grier of West Virginia, Gardner Minshew II of Washington State and McKenzie Milton of Central Florida.

Murray was named on 92 percent of the Heisman ballots, third most all time. Tagovailoa's 1,871 points received was the most for a runner-up in the 84-year history of the Heisman.

Tagovailoa was the Heisman front-runner for most of the season, but Murray surged late as the Sooners turned to him and its offense to bailout a leaky defense down the stretch. Meanwhile, Tagovailoa picked a bad time to have his worst game of the season, throwing two interceptions in the Southeastern Conference championship against Georgia and leaving early with a sprained ankle.

Murray's first season as a starting quarterback in college is set up to also be his last. He has already signed a $4.66 million contract with the Oakland Athletic after he was selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft in June. Listed at 5-foot-10 and 195 pounds, Murray is small for an NFL quarterback but talented enough to be an intriguing prospect if he ever decided to give it a try.

Oklahoma's late-season Heisman campaign for Murray harkened back Bo Jackson, the 1985 Heisman winner who went on to star in both the NFL and MLB, and his Bo Knows Nike ads.

"I'd like to do both (baseball and football) if possible," Murray said Friday. "But I don't know how possible that is."

Draft analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic called Murray a potential top-50 NFL draft pick.

"The NFL hasn't had a 5-10 or shorter quarterback have sustained success in a long time, but Murray has a rare skill-set with his arm talent, mobility and instincts," Brugler said.

--By Ralph D. Russo, AP College Football Writer

A third-quarter bomb, which gave the Cavaliers a 29-point lead, their largest of the game, was symbolic of Sexton's career night. It was one of the many highlights during an exciting 116-101 win.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cavaliers rookie point guard Collin Sexton stared down Washington Wizards All-Star John Wall before dribbling from right to left and between his legs. Then Sexton stepped into a 3-pointer from the right wing -- in Wall's face.

Splash.

That third-quarter bomb, which gave the Cavaliers a 29-point lead, their largest of the game, was symbolic of Sexton's career night. It was one of many highlights during an exciting 116-101 win against the Wizards. 

"I saw Collin very aggressive early and he didn't let up," Cavs head coach Larry Drew said. "He was in the attack mode I think the entire game. When you get into a rhythm like that when you are making shots and getting to the basket good things happen. Tonight was Collin's night."

These are the games Cleveland's promising rookie has circled. Another opportunity to test himself against one of the league's premier point guards.

Saturday night was supposed to be his latest bit of education. Only the pupil turned into the professor. Sexton matched his career-high with 29 points on 13-of-23 from the field and 3-of-7 from 3-point range to go with a season-best six assists.

Wall, meanwhile, scored one point on 0-of-5 from the field and 0-of-3 from 3-point range in 26 forgettable minutes. His first scratch didn't come until late in the third quarter when he split a pair of free throws. 

Saturday night was Wall's 566th career game. It was just the ninth time he had been held scoreless at halftime. Sexton's tenacious defense -- and perhaps Wall's own illness that kept him from participating in morning shootaround -- played a big part in Wall seeming out of rhythm for a big chunk of the night. 

"This kid doesn't back down from a challenge," Drew said. "I don't care who it is. He's had some pretty tough matchups thus far through the course of the season and whether win, lose or draw in those matchups, I can always say at the end of day, he has never backed down and tonight was another example playing against a guy like John Wall who is as tough as they are from a talent standpoint.

"He accepted the challenge tonight and he played a phenomenal game on both ends of the floor and it says a lot about who he is."

Games like this are why the Cavs have been so gleeful when discussing Sexton's potential. It's why they are invested in Sexton's growth. Why they traded for Matthew Dellavedova to be a mentor and dogged practice partner.

Most everything with the Cavs these days is about Sexton. He's the face of this new era and the linchpin of the rebuild. Sexton is starting to look the part. 

The teenager is still learning more about the game each night. He's figuring out how to best attack defenses, when to pass versus when to seek his own shot and even how to make his teammates better. As Drew said before Saturday's game, Sexton still has a ways to go.

That's the most exciting part.  If this is how Sexton looks already when playing against a seasoned five-time Eastern Conference All-Star, then what's to come in the future?

Sexton did something on Saturday night that not even Kyrie Irving accomplished as a rookie. Sexton tallied double figures in scoring for a 16th straight game, hitting that mark by the end of the first quarter.

Irving's longest streak in his first year was 15. The last rookie to have a stretch like the one Sexton added to: LeBron James. 

"That's pretty good," Sexton said. "I feel like I'm getting comfortable."

Tristan Thompson helps set tone

Sexton got plenty of help from Thompson, who rebounded nicely from a brutal performance against the Sacramento Kings one night earlier.

Thompson scored 23 points and grabbed 19 rebounds.

With his board in the second quarter, Thompson passed Hot Rod Williams for fourth on the franchise's all-time rebounding list.

"Workhorse. He sets the tone for us. When he comes out with that type of energy, we feed off that," Drew said. "He's been terrific every game he has played. Again, it's not all about scoring. When we do get scoring from him it's a plus. We really rely on him to get on that glass. We rely on him to be the anchor for our defense. We rely on him to set the tone for us. I thought tonight he really played well and played with energy and set the tone very early for us. We just rode him."

Spot start

With Rodney Hood sidelined because of soreness in his right foot, Drew inserted Alec Burks into the starting lineup. Drew also pondered how he wanted to fill out the rest of his starting group all the way up to tip.

Ultimately, Drew decided on two-way player Jaron Blossomgame.

The Wizards went small, using Otto Porter Jr. at power forward, and it left Drew without much of a choice. He didn't want to use the two-big group with Thompson and Larry Nance Jr, David Nwaba remains sidelined because of a sore knee, JR Smith is exiled and Sam Dekker was part of Friday's three-team trade. 

That gave Blossomgame his first NBA start. He scored six points in 20 minutes.

Burks reached double-digits again, tallying 14 points to go with seven rebounds and four assists in 34 minutes. 

Dellavedova's debut put on hold

Dellavedova walked into Quicken Loans Arena wearing a black suit shortly before 6:30 p.m. The fan favorite was officially back.

Only he couldn't play. Not yet anyway. Not until all other members of Friday's three-team trade completed their paperwork and took their physicals.

Despite the Wizards being in town, Dekker had to fly to Washington D.C. for his paperwork and physical. George Hill wasn't set to arrive in Milwaukee until later Saturday night, after the deadline for the Cavs to determine their actives/inactives against the Wizards.

That meant Dellavedova's debut was put on hold. He still received a standing ovation and a mini-tribute in the first quarter, being shown on the jumbotron as the song "Reunited" played over the loud speakers.

Dellavedova doesn't know for sure when he will suit up for the Cavaliers. He believes it will be Monday, back in Milwaukee where he spent the last two-plus years.

Up next

The Cavs head to Milwaukee to play the Bucks for the first time this season on Monday night. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m.

The Cleveland Cavaliers (6-20) will head to Milwaukee to play the Bucks (17-8) on Monday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers (6-20) will head to Milwaukee to play the Bucks (17-8) on Monday night. 

When: 8 p.m.

Where: Fiserv Forum

TV: FoxSports Ohio 

Radio: WTAM 1100 AM; WMMS 100.7 FM, La Mega 87.7 FM.

Online: FoxSports Go apps

Last meeting: The Cavs beat the Bucks 124-117 on March 19, 2018. 

Cavs minute: This will be the first of four matchups against Milwaukee this season. ... Cleveland will play Milwaukee again Friday night, making it two meetings against the same team in a five-day stretch. ... The other two games against Milwaukee follow that same pattern. ... Monday marks the Cavs' first game at Fiserv Forum. ...  Last season, Cleveland went 3-1 against the Bucks, which was their fourth straight year winning the regular season series. ... The Cavs have scored at least 100 points in 14 straight games against the Bucks. ... Tristan Thompson (4,996) is four points shy of becoming the 17th player in franchise history to record 5,000 career points. ... Thompson scored 23 points to go with 19 rebounds against Washington, his third career 20-point, 15-rebound game. ... In Saturday's 116-101 win over Washington, Cleveland shot 47-of-89 (52.8 percent) from the field, marking the first time this season it has hit at least 50 percent in back-to-back games. ... Saturday night was Collin Sexton's third consecutive outing with at least 20 points. The last Cavs rookie to have three consecutive 20-plus point scoring performances was Dion Waiters in March 2013. 

Bucks minute: Milwaukee holds the Eastern Conference's second-best record. ... The Bucks have not lost to a Central Division opponent yet this season. ... Through 25 games, the Bucks are outscoring opponents by 9.6 points -- the best point differential in the league. ... Milwaukee has the second-best offensive rating. ... Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo averages 18.3 points in the paint, which is No. 1 in the NBA. ... The Bucks have reached the 100-point mark in 24 of 25 games, only failing to get there against the Golden State Warriors. ... Milwaukee has outrebounded its opponent in all but three games this season. ... Startin shooting guard Malcolm Brogdon and Golden State's Stephen Curry are the only players in the NBA shooting better than 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 90 percent from the free-throw line.

Probable starters:

Cavs

F Cedi Osman

F Jaron Blossomgame

C Tristan Thompson

G Alec Burks

G Collin Sexton

Bucks

F Khris Middleton

F Giannis Antetokounmpo

C Brook Lopez

G Malcolm Brogdon

G Eric Bledsoe

Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray was dragged for homophobic statements he posted on Twitter as a teenager less than 24 hours after winning the Heisman Trophy.

Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray was dragged for homophobic statements he posted on Twitter as a teenager less than 24 hours after winning the Heisman Trophy. Some believe athletes need to be held accountable for insensitive views to show that ignorant behavior, no matter when it was posted, is unacceptable. Still, others think beliefs held or expressed as a child should not be held against someone when they're an adult. People mature and ideas evolve. What do you think?

PERSPECTIVES

It doesn't matter how long ago any racist tweets were posted. That kind of behavior is unacceptable and should never be normalized. If an athlete has truly "learned their lesson," they should have deleted those tweets long before they were discovered.

Keeping old, insensitive tweets online is bad for the player, their team and the league. It negatively impacts the money that fuels these sports, whether the player wants to believe it or not. Leagues need to suspend, fine or punish players for that kind of behavior, rather than silly slap on the wrist like sensitivity training.

Mammas and daddies, please teach your kids homophobia, racism, misogyny is just not funny. Really, it is not that hard.
Kyler Murray apologizes for homophobic tweets that resurfaced after he won Heisman Trophy https://t.co/HEG2s77Emm

-- Ana Navarro (@ananavarro) December 9, 2018

You can't punish the man for the mistakes of a child. Kyler Murray was a victim of ignorance before he had his eyes open to a diverse world. Having old tweets exposed in an effort to damage the livelihood of an athlete is nothing more than a witch hunt. Athletes should not be punished for those mistakes. Being publicly humiliated is enough.

I did a lot of dumb stuff at 14,15,16. If u have an issue with Kyler Murray because of his tweets remember what u did when u were that age and move on with ur day. Congrats on winning the Heisman. @TheKylerMurray I wasn't a believer at first but now I am Good luck to u

-- Booger (@ESPNBooger) December 9, 2018

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