Homecoming With A Purpose

TORONTO — The sacrifice by Terry Rozier is appreciated, one that Jimmy Butler acknowledges he would have had trouble with at midcareer and in midseason. “I’m not going to lie to you,” Butler said, “I don’t think I could do it. But kudos to him for doing whatever the team needs for him to do.” For a week now, after five weeks this season and four years before that of starting, Rozier has played off the Heat bench as part of Erik Spoelstra’s rotation reconfiguration. As the Heat headed into Sunday night’s game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena, the result largely had been positive. “Whatever role this is, he’s really important,” Spoelstra said.

TALLAHASSEE — Florida’s 31-11 win against Florida State capped the regular season for two programs headed in different directions during a major role reversal from the prior season. The Gators (7-5) beat the Seminoles (2-10) by larger margins during Willie Taggart’s two ill-fated seasons in 2018 and 2019, but Saturday night’s loss at Doak Campbell Stadium continued an alarming free-fall of Mike Norvell’s FSU program. Billy Napier won’t tolerate upstaging opponents After UF edge rusher George Gumbs Jr.

Four people were shot, two fatally, in the parking lot of an event hall on Hollywood Boulevard and Interstate 95 early Sunday, Hollywood police said. The shooting occurred outside Jaycee Hall, at 2930 Hollywood Boulevard, near Stan Goldman Park, according to a news release. WFOR-Ch. 4 reported that a baby shower was taking place at the event hall, while WPLG-Ch.

By KAREEM CHEHAYEB and FADI TAWIL TYRE, Lebanon (AP) — Israeli jets Sunday launched an airstrike over a southern Lebanese border village, while troops shelled other border towns and villages still under Israeli control, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported. The attacks come days after a US-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect.

ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum thinks the Hurricanes are frauds — again. After Miami’s devastating loss to Syracuse, Finebaum said he is “Paul in” (a play on “all in”) on the statement “Miami is a fraud.” “You just can’t do that when you have everything on the line,” Finebaum said. “This has been a tendency of Mario Cristobal’s teams at Miami.

SYRACUSE, N. Y. — The Hurricanes’ regular season ended in disappointment Saturday, as they fell to Syracuse 42-38.  With the loss, Miami lost its shot at an ACC title and may have cost itself a playoff position. Here are 10 things we learned from the defeat: 1. The defense can’t stick with top teams Syracuse did not have a top-tier offense entering Saturday’s game, but it was a potent passing offense.