Jordan: Tapping Monk on head was out of 'love' Hornets owner Michael Jordan says lightly smacking the back of second-year guard Malik Monk's head in the closing seconds of Wednesday night's win against the Pistons was a "tap of endearment."

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Source: Wentz's scan inconclusive, set for MRI Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz is unlikely to play Sunday after a scan on his back came back inconclusive Wednesday. He is undergoing an MRI on Thursday to help diagnose the issue.

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In most humbling moment, Joe Flacco handles benching with class This officially begins the Lamar Jackson era, but there was no drama or controversy because Flacco chose not to make this an awkward transition.

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History repeating? Nick Foles could lead another underdog charge It was a year ago in L.A. where Foles stepped in for an injured Carson Wentz and started his Super Bowl ride, which might come full circle on Sunday.

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Goff to L.A., Wentz to Philly: How they became the top two picks in 2016 The duo may not get a shot at a rematch Sunday because of Wentz's back issue, but they'll forever be linked by the intrigue of the 2016 draft.

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After disastrous start, Scott Frost thinking big for future The Cornhuskers and Scott Frost believe they turned the corner with four wins after an 0-6 start in 2018.

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Hart vows to be better in rematch with 'Zurdo' Ramirez Since Jesse Hart left the ring following his decision loss to "Zurdo" Ramirez in 2017, he has had one thing on his mind: a rematch.

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Everything you need for every bowl game Before we get beyond Christmas to the playoff, there will be plenty of action worth watching, including Fresno State's Marcus McMaryion against Arizona State and a Wisconsin-Miami matchup in which both teams have a lot to prove.

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Andy Reid has waited his entire career for the 2018 Chiefs This is the team Andy Reid has always wanted to coach, one that is so dynamic offensively it can overcome any obstacle.

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Can a fully healthy Joey Bosa put Chargers atop the AFC? Joey Bosa missed the Chargers' first nine games with a bruised foot, but after a slow start, he has four sacks in the past three games.

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Inside the weirdest winter meetings yet This year's winter meetings were supposed to be a major event, a coronation for Vegas' hometown hero. Instead, even the rumor market crashed. The problem? Reality.

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How to make the winter meetings great again The week went by with very little Las Vegas flair. Here are some ideas to turn baseball's annual offseason snoozefest into a spectacle worthy of its billing.

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What’s lurking in your stadium food? Slime, roaches and mice ESPN's Outside the Lines reviewed food-safety inspection reports for all 111 North American pro sports venues. Find your stadium and see how it fared.

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Ten big NBA trades we'd like to see What deals do our experts think should happen before the deadline?

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Canseco makes pitch to be Trump chief of staff Jose Canseco tweeted to Donald Trump that he would be a good chief of staff.

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Durant: Raptors not up-and-coming, 'they're here' After the Raptors swept the season series from the Warriors on Wednesday, Kevin Durant emphasized that they aren't just some young, up-and-coming team. "They're here," he said.

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Curry: Shaq 'dead wrong' on Lakers beating GSW Stephen Curry isn't a fan of comparing teams from different eras, but after hearing Shaquille O'Neal say his 2000-02 Lakers could "easily" beat Curry's Warriors, the Golden State superstar had to chime in, telling ESPN, "Oh, he's dead wrong."

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Carr: Not knowing Raiders' '19 home 'just weird' Raiders quarterback Derek Carr acknowledged that it's "just weird" dealing with the possibility the team might be playing its final game in Oakland on Christmas Eve.

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Barnwell's rookie QB report cards: All the good, bad and ugly All five first-round signal-callers are now starters, but their results have been hit-and-miss so far. Here's what you need to know.

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NHL Power Rankings after Week 10 How high have the Flames climbed? Plus, looking ahead to the big free-agent contract negotiations next summer.

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Three-point revolution? LeBron's noticed LeBron James, deep 3-point sniper? It's not the first image that comes to mind when thinking about The King.

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Going deep with an NFL chain crew Football is a game of inches, and there's a team of men and women at each NFL game that measures every last inch.

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We rank the best athletes of 2018 Comebacks? Records? Those are nice. But Peter Keating says the 20 most dominant athletes of 2018 made our list by redefining the impossible.

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Streaming exclusively on ESPN+, Episode 1: The Brotherhood null

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Coach K, Duke focused on the bigger picture After 10 games, it's obvious the Blue Devils are really good. But it's just the start. Finding the next layers can make it a truly special team.

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The legendary QB breaks down the signal-callers of today's game null

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Keeping up-to-date with the big (and small) stories of the week null

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News and analysis presented with Matthew Berry's smart, irreverent style null

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Breaking down the MMA weekend and looking ahead to the biggest cards null

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Max Holloway can't rise past Cormier, Khabib in rankings UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway put on an uplifting performance, but he could not move up in ESPN's pound-for-pound men's MMA rankings. New flyweight champ Valentina Shevchenko did get a boost.