Rotoworld: Oregon RB LaMichael James and Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon among top 10 players who are being overhyped for the 2012 draft.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
The Detroit Red Wings equaled an NHL record with their 20th straight win at home, beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 Sunday night on the strength of Johan Franzen's tiebreaking goal early in the third period.
PBT: Boston's Rajon Rondo continues to be named in trade talks, which is madness. The Celtics guard creates offense and makes everyone around him better, which was evident in Sunday's win over the Bulls.
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods both greeted Sunday with unbridled optimism. But the day would end happily only for Mickelson.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
NBAE/Getty Images
HOUSTON - The Houston Rockets have wanted Kyle Lowry since he came out of Villanova in 2006. They finally acquired him on Thursday, and gave away veteran point guard Rafer Alston to do it.
The Rockets traded Alston to Orlando and acquired Lowry from Memphis and forward Brian Cook from the Magic on Thursday, reshaping their roster for the stretch run after Tracy McGrady announced he was out for the season.
The Magic, meanwhile, needed an experienced point guard after All-Star Jameer Nelson underwent season-ending surgery on the torn labrum in his right shoulder Thursday. Nelson suffered the injury Feb. 2 and had been contemplating rehabilitation.
Alston led Houston with 5.3 assists this season, but Rockets general manager Daryl Morey bluntly said Lowry is a better player.
“Upgrading that position was a goal going into the deadline,” Morey said. “We feel like we accomplished it. Kyle’s going to be a guy this town really loves. He’s a really tough competitor, up-tempo player, a winner.”
Memphis also received center Adonal Foyle, guard Mike Wilks and the Magic’s first-round draft pick in the deal. The Grizzlies drafted Lowry with the 24th overall pick in the 2006 draft.
Houston was eyeing Lowry then, but took Rudy Gay with the eighth overall pick. Later on draft night, the Rockets traded Gay to Memphis for Shane Battier, but couldn’t get Lowry.
“We felt like he’s a player who would fit well here, could really contribute” Morey said. “He’s going to do exactly what Coach (Rick) Adelman tells him to do. We feel like it’s a young player who can help us now and who we can build around for the future.”
The 6-foot Lowry averaged 7.6 points and 3.6 assists in 49 games for the Grizzlies this season.
“He has been an important part of our team the last three seasons. With the emergence of Mike Conley, we decided that getting Orlando’s unprotected first-round pick was a good move to make. We now will enter the upcoming draft with two first-round selections and three picks overall, likely inside the first 37 picks,” Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace said.
The three-team swap came one day after McGrady announced on his Web site that he’ll have season-ending microfracture surgery on his troublesome left knee.
But Morey said McGrady will meet with another doctor this weekend in Chicago before having the procedure. While McGrady seems set on having microfracture surgery, Morey said the Rockets want to meet with him soon after his appointment to discuss all possible courses of treatment.
“I’m not a doctor, I don’t know which one is the best one,” Morey said. “I just believe in hearing all the options and then deciding.”
The Rockets are 33-21, second in the Southwest Division, but sixth overall in the Western Conference. Brooks and Lowry have less than five years of NBA experience between them, but Morey said he didn’t see the duo’s youth as a drawback.
Morey mentioned the Boston Celtics, who won last season’s NBA title with second-year pro Rajon Rondo starting at point guard.
“Basketball is about having the better player,” Morey said. “This gets us a little younger. But as long as the player is an upgrade, we don’t mind getting a little younger.”
Morey said he would let Adelman decide how to split time between Brooks and Lowry.
“We love Aaron’s future and Kyle’s future,” Morey said. “Both those guys can be guys we build around. Aaron’s played better than anyone at that spot with the starters this year. They’re two guys that give us great depth at that spot.”
PBT: Boston's Rajon Rondo continues to be named in trade talks, which is madness. The Celtics guard creates offense and makes everyone around him better, which was evident in Sunday's win over the Bulls.
Paul Pierce has been around long enough to know what Rajon Rondo's performance can mean for the aging Boston Celtics.
 | Special feature |
 |
ProBasketballTalk tweets |
|
Source: Twitter. For more, follow @basketballtalk. |
 | Video: NBA from NBC Sports |
 Knicks, Lin still streaking Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni and point guard Jeremy Lin discuss the team and Lin's recent success. |
 | Slideshow |
 |
more photos |
Ask the NBA expert: Ira Winderman |
Do you have a burning NBA question? Submit it now, and then check back for our reader mailbag. |  |
| Special feature |
 |
Who will be MVP? Interactive: Rank each player on a scale of 0 to 10 (10 = best player, 0 = barely worthy of consideration). NBCSports.com |
| Slideshow |
 |
more photos |
NBA’s Feb. 19 trade deadline |
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
Paul Pierce has been around long enough to know what Rajon Rondo's performance can mean for the aging Boston Celtics.