Comment on Neil Walker's versatility, production have been crucial

When Vivian Perez was growing up in the suburbs of Chicago as a first-generation Mexican American, sledding was the extent of her winter sports experience. Her parents weren’t raised with snow, so they couldn’t teach her skiing or snowboarding. Perez didn’t even entertain those activities as possibilities during her youth, which revolved around academics and helping her parents support her brother, who has nonverbal autism. “Our focus was elsewhere,” Perez said.

The kids in the GTW offices want the same thing at New Year’s that Santa didn’t bring us for Christmas: Shooters to play with Nikola Jokic. Several, now that you mention it. And while we dig the idea of a trade for Bulls sharpshooter Zach LaVine, he also only solves, theoretically, about half of this team’s problems out on the perimeter right now. Because it’s not just that the Nuggets don’t shoot 3s and don’t care to.

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.

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.