Butler Scores 23 Points, Bulls Beat Thunder 105-96

SALT LAKE CITY — Geography says there’s potential for a rivalry to develop between the Colorado Avalanche and Utah HC. It’s still on the players and teams, not map locations, to build a proper one. The Avs and their new Rocky Mountain neighbors got closer to making potential a reality Friday night.

The Nuggets’ loss on Christmas day was an outlier within the context of this season, in that their offense betrayed them. Their 149-135 loss to the Cavaliers two nights later was more akin to the trend — but in its most extreme form. Denver trailed by as many as 21 and fell to 8-5 at home this season in Friday’s loss to the NBA-best Cavs, who became the second team in league history to make 20 or more 3-pointers in four consecutive games.

By HALLIE GOLDEN Greg Gumbel, a longtime CBS sportscaster who broke barriers during his career calling some of the biggest sporting events, has died from cancer, according to a statement from family released by the network on Friday. “He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten,” his wife Marcy Gumbel and daughter Michelle Gumbel said in a statement. In March, Gumbel missed his first NCAA Tournament since 1997 due to what he said at the time were family health issues. Gumbel was the studio host for CBS since returning to the network from NBC in 1998.

Bo Nix turned, looked to his right and threw his hands in the air as a gaping hole came into his periphery. As Audric Estime plunged into the end zone to cap a bruising opening drive last week in Los Angeles, he did so over a right side that had been completely caved in. Right guard Quinn Meinerz watched Chargers defensive tackle Poona Ford shift from his outside shoulder to inside and knew he had the big man right where he wanted him. Same for Mike McGlinchey, who saw Joey Bosa move to his inside and collapsed him down right into the path of linebacker Junior Colson. That left little work for pulling left guard Ben Powers, who cleaned up Colson as Estime easily hit pay dirt. That’s $211.5 million in total contract value and $48.5 million in average pay per year paving the way at the point of attack for Denver. This is what the Broncos are built to do.

For both the veterans playing their last game in a Colorado State uniform to young players looking to make an impact, Saturday’s Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl is all about opportunities. CSU is going to Tucson to win a football game, but for the old and young alike still on the teams’ roster, the Rams’ first bowl experience since 2017 will be a chance to showcase not only the university on a national stage, but also the culmination of the team’s most successful season in a decade. The Rams (8-4) and Miami (Ohio) (8-5) will kick off at 2:30 p.m.

CINCINNATI — There is no mildness to his method. Aggression defines Sean Payton. He craves touchdowns like Homer Simpson does Duff beer. He defended his end-of-first-half clock management against the Chargers with exclamation points. Run out the clock? No chance. He had 17 seconds to go 55 yards for a field goal.