Still the beginning for some, NBA preseason nears its end

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Still the beginning for some, NBA preseason nears its end

2020-12-18 10:41 Last Updated At：10:50

A preseason that's just beginning for some players is already ending for others.

James Harden suited up in Houston for only the second time, with newcomer Christian Wood getting his first — and only — action. The Rockets' game Thursday against San Antonio was the finale of their four-game exhibition slate, so the rest of their preparation for the regular season will have to come in practices.

That's not ideal for a rookie coach such as Stephen Silas, but it isn't much easier even for a veteran like the Spurs' Gregg Popovich, whose team was playing its last of three games.

“I would think any coach would say he’s said he was more ready in the past,” Popovich said.

Before, there was more time between the opening of training camps and the start of the regular season, more opportunities to schedule games. This time, with everything shortened because of the coronavirus pandemic, four tune-up games is all anyone could get, and some opted for only half that.

Popovich said that's prevented coaches from putting in all the schemes they want, and Silas was more concerned with keeping his players healthy than strategy, anyway. He rested newcomers DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall.

Wall's old team, the Washington Wizards, got Bradley Beal on the floor for the first time but are still waiting to see Russell Westbrook, who was swapped for Wall.

Preseason play ends Saturday after barely a week of action. Coaches will then have just a couple days from there to finalize rosters before real games begin.

“Fortunately everybody’s in the same boat, so there’s nobody ahead of anybody else,” Popovich said.

Thursday's games:

PISTONS 97, WIZARDS 86

At Washington, Josh Jackson scored 17 points off the bench for Detroit.

Jerami Grant scored 15 points and Delon Wright added 13 as the Pistons (2-1) led by as much as 26 points.

Beal scored 10 points in 16 minutes. Troy Brown Jr. led Washington (0-2) with 14 points.

HORNETS 123, MAGIC 115

At Orlando, Florida, Terry Rozier scored 20 points and rookie LaMelo Ball came off the bench to add 18 more.

Devonte' Graham also had 18 for the Hornets (1-2), while Miles Bridges finished with 17. Charlotte made 18 3-pointers, with Ball and Graham knocking down four apiece.

Nikola Vucevic had 27 points and 12 rebounds for the Magic. Markelle Fultz added 14 points, six rebounds and six assists.

Lions beat playoff-bound Bears 19-16 on Bates' 42-yard field goal as time expires

CHICAGO (AP) — Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions entered the season with their sights set on the Super Bowl. Finishing a frustrating year by beating their division winner was at least some consolation.

Goff led five scoring drives, Jake Bates kicked a 42-yard field goal as time expired and the Lions regrouped to beat the NFC North champion Chicago Bears 19-16 on Sunday after blowing a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter.

“It feels good to kind of get back to who we are and see it in live-speed reality,” Goff said.

What doesn't feel good? Missing the playoffs.

“It’s frustrating,” coach Dan Campbell said. "So that’s what fuels you. We don’t want to be doing that again next year. That’s not where we want to be. We have got to get in.”

The Bears (11-6) stumbled into the playoffs with back-to-back losses, though they secured the No. 2 seed in the NFC with Washington beating Philadelphia. Chicago will host Green Bay in a wild-card game next week and would have home-field advantage in the divisional round if it beats the Packers.

“We’re going to use this frustration,” said Caleb Williams, who set the franchise’s single-season passing record. “We’re going to get on a roll here this week, starting this week and that’s the focus.”

Williams threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes as the Bears wiped out a 16-0 deficit.

The Lions (9-8) started the final drive at their 37 after Chicago punted on fourth-and-5 at the 31. Bears coach Ben Johnson considered going for the first down but decided against it, figuring he had three timeouts and would probably get the ball back.

That didn't happen, and Detroit ended a disappointing season on a winning note when Bates nailed a 42-yarder. A 26-yard pass from Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown helped set up the field goal and Detroit came out on top after losing three in a row.

Goff shook off his worst game of the season by throwing for 331 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The four-time Pro Bowler completed 27 of 42 passes after setting season highs with two interceptions and three fumbles and matched one by getting sacked five times last week at Minnesota.

St. Brown had 139 yards on 11 receptions. Gibbs ran for 80 yards and had a touchdown catch. Avonte Maddox intercepted Williams in the end zone in the third quarter.

“I still believe the nucleus of this team is right,” Campbell said. “I really do. But we are going to need to make a few changes. Not just talking about that. It will be collectively. We’re going to have to work through some things to get the best version of ourselves.”

Williams threw for 212 yards, giving him 3,942 this season to surpass Erik Kramer’s franchise mark of 3,838 in 1995. Chicago remains the only team without a 4,000-yard passer.

Colston Loveland caught 10 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. Kevin Byard had his league-leading seventh interception.

“They fought their tails off, but came up short,” Johnson said. “We’ve got to play better going forward, we’ve got to coach better going forward as well and we’re turning the page, though. We got the No. 2 seed, we’ve got a home game next week and we’ve got a new season on the horizon. Our guys should be reinvigorated by that. I know I certainly am.”

The Bears hadn’t made the playoffs since 2020. But they won the division in Johnson’s first season after finishing last a year ago.

Chicago trailed 16-0 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter when Williams connected with Jahdae Walker for a 25-yard touchdown and broke Kramer’s record. A 2-point conversion run by Kyle Monangai cut it to 16-8.

After the Lions punted, Chicago went 88 yards for a touchdown, with Williams finding Colston Loveland in the end zone from the 1. A lunging Cole Kmet then hauled in the 2-point conversion pass in a crowd, tying it at 16 and whipping the crowd into a frenzy.

The Lions then had the ball at the Chicago 35 when Goff attempted to zip a pass to St. Brown. The Bears’ Jaquan Brisker tipped the ball and Byard picked it off at the 5.

Lions: WR Tom Kennedy (rib) was hurt returning a punt in the third quarter.

Bears: The Bears held out LT Ozzy Trapilo (knee/quad) after he was limited in practice during the week. ... LB Ty Summers (foot) left after he was injured on the opening kickoff. ... C.J. Gardner-Johnson (concussion) left after he was hurt on the winning drive.

Lions: Start the offseason.

Bears: Host Green Bay in a wild-card game next weekend.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl