Humpday Happenings You Might Have Missed
NFL
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, is participating in walk throughs and practices despite suffering a high ankle sprain in last weeks win against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He began treatment immediately after the game and the MRI he underwent on Sunday was negative for any structural damage. Mahomes saying to reporters:
“AFC championship week. I'm ready to go. The last few days has been an all-day thing, where you're doing treatment and rehab and watching film. You're trying to make sure you're prepared for the Bengals, a great football team, mentally and physically.”
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jow Burrows had a lot to say about going into Arrowhead this Sunday to face the Kansas City Chiefs. Burrow is 3-0 against the Chiefs in his career, including the playoffs last season. The 26-year-old Bengals qb saying to the media on Wednesday:
"We've been in these spots. We have the experience. We know what team we're playing. … They're the team to beat - and we're coming for them. We have the best coaching staff in the league. We make better adjustments than anyone. It's about attacking what we're seeing. They do an unbelievable job figuring out the best way to attack. Last year, we found a lot of different ways to win a lot of different games. I just think this year, we're a much more complete team from top to bottom."
San Francisco 49er's defensive lineman Charles Omenihu will play in the NFC title game despite his arrest Monday on a misdemeanor domestic violence allegation. He is accused of pushing his girlfriend to the ground during an argument. Head coach Kyle Shanahan saying on Wednesday that the organization will allow the legal process to play out:
“If he’s healthy, he’ll play this week. We’ve looked into it the last 48 hours, not necessarily myself but other people. We feel very good that the legal process will take care of itself. We don’t feel we should kick him off our team at this time.”
NBA
Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard scored a monster season-high 60 points on Wednesday, helping Portland beat the Utah Jazz-134-124. This was Lillard's 4th time in his career hitting the 60-point mark. The 32-year-old guard joined Luka Doncic and Donovan Mitchell as the only players to hit that mark this season.
Golden State Warriors narrowly got the win over the Memphis Grizzlies 122-120 on Wednesday night. The 4th quarter came with a bit of drama from Golden State star Stephen Curry, he was ejected from the game late in the 4th for throwing his mouthpiece into the crowd in response to an ill-advised shot by his teammate Jordan Poole. Curry taking responsibility after the game for making a poor choice and allowing his emotions to take over. The 34-year-old did score a game high 34-points and had 3 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steals:
"It was a crucial time in the game, and the way that our season has gone, questions about a heightened sense of urgency ... when you want something really bad ... I reacted in a way that put myself out of the game and put the team in a tough place."
Phoenix Suns Devin Booker had his 4-week re-evaluation of his groin strain. The current estimate after those results is that he will miss another week to continue rehab. Booker has not played since their Christmas Day game against the Denver Nuggets after having missed 3 games with groin soreness.
MLB
The Tampa Bay Rays and left-hander Jeffrey Springs have come to an agreement on a 4-year contract extension. The deal is reportedly worth $34 million, but could be worth up to $65.75 million with a 2027 option and incentives.