Friday’s Sports In Brief

FOOTBALL

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes finished a full week of practice on his ailing right ankle Friday, and Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid pronounced his All-Pro quarterback ready to go for the AFC championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Mahomes sustained a high ankle sprain in the first quarter last week in a divisional-round victory over Jacksonville, returning after halftime to polish off the victory. That sent the Chiefs to their fifth consecutive AFC championship game, where they will face the AFC North champions Sunday night in a rematch of last year’s overtime loss to the Bengals.

Mahomes has had perhaps his best season, throwing for a career-high 5,250 yards with a league-leading 41 touchdown passes, and garnered 49 of 50 first-place votes in All-Pro voting. He is among five finalists for league MVP.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol and will not participate in the Pro Bowl, a person with knowledge of the matter told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the decision has not been announced officially.

Tagovailoa was diagnosed with his second concussion of the 2022 season more than a month ago, after a Dec. 25 loss to Green Bay. He missed Miami’s final three games, including a playoff loss to Buffalo.

Tagovailoa had been selected as a Pro Bowl first alternate and would have replaced either Joe Burrow or Patrick Mahomes, one of whom will play in Super Bowl LVII after Sunday’s AFC Championship game.

The Pro Bowl will be held Sunday, Feb. 5, a week before the Super Bowl.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams hired former New York Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur to join Sean McVay’s quest to fix one of the least productive offenses in the league.

LaFleur spent the past two years with the Jets in his first stint as an NFL offensive coordinator, but New York struggled statistically in both years while missing the playoffs twice. He parted ways with the Jets three days after the regular season ended.

LaFleur will follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Matt, by becoming Los Angeles’ offensive coordinator under coach Sean McVay, who has called the Rams’ plays and been in near-complete control of the offense throughout his six-year tenure.

Offensive coordinator Liam Coen left the Rams after one season to return to Kentucky, where he spent a successful 2021 season as the Wildcats’ offensive coordinator.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — At least four more Michigan State football players facing misdemeanor charges for a skirmish inside the Michigan Stadium tunnel will likely have their cases dismissed in exchange for community service and other conditions, lawyers said.

Scuffles broke out in the tunnel after Michigan beat Michigan State 29-7 on Oct. 29. Video showed Michigan State players pushing, punching and kicking Michigan’s Ja’Den McBurrows.

Seven players were charged, though only one, Khary Crump, faced a felony. That charge was dropped in early January in exchange for a guilty plea to a misdemeanor. His record will be scrubbed clean if he stays out of trouble while on probation. Grose, Itayvion Brown, Brandon Wright and Justin White returned to court Friday and agreed to sign up for a special program, MLive.com reported.

TENNIS

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic put aside some shaky play in the early going and took over his Australian Open semifinal against unseeded American Tommy Paul, winning 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 to close in on a 10th championship at Melbourne Park and 22nd Grand Slam title overall.

Djokovic’s parents and brother are in town for the tournament for the first time since he claimed major trophy No. 1 there back in 2008, but his father stayed away from this match after getting caught up in a flap connected to spectators who brought banned Russian flags on site earlier in the week.

Forget about that potential distraction. Forget about the heavily taped left hamstring that was an issue last week. Forget about how Djokovic produced twice as many unforced errors, 24, as winners, 12, in the opening set. Forget that he dropped four games in a row in one stretch. As usual, Djokovic summoned what it took to extend his Australian Open winning streak to 27 matches, the longest in the Open era, which dates to 1968.

There was a pause in that string of victories a year ago, of course, when Djokovic was deported from Australia before competition began because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19. He still has not gotten the shots, but the strict border controls established by the country during the pandemic have been eased.

On Sunday, No. 4 seed Djokovic will take on No. 3 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who eliminated Karen Khachanov 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-3 to reach his first final at Melbourne Park and second at a Slam.

GOLF

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jon Rahm made an impressive charge up the leaderboard at Torrey Pines with a 6-under 66 to pull within two shots of leader Sam Ryder after the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open.

Rahm, ranked No. 3 in the world, is 18 holes away from potentially winning his third straight start and taking over at No. 1 for the first time since March 20. He began Friday at 4 under and tied for 14th, and moved into sole possession of second place after an eagle on the par-5 ninth hole that capped his second stretch of playing four holes in 5 under in two days.

While Rahm heated up on a gorgeous, calm day on the municipal course overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Ryder parred his last 12 holes for a 72, missing a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th. Ryder was at 12-under 204 through 54 holes while Rahm was 10 under.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed had big first-round finishes at the Dubai Desert Classic in what could lead to an intriguing showdown as the competition heads to a Monday conclusion.

LIV Golf series players Richard Bland and Ian Poulter shared the lead at 8 under when second-round play was suspended because of fading light. It was the second straight day of disrupted play at Emirates Golf Club.

McIlroy and Reed, another LIV golfer, were in the news after some pre-tournament friction between two of golf’s most high-profile players, and both completed their rounds at 6-under 66 in brief appearances on opposite ends of the course.

The competition will conclude Monday, organizers said. Play had been suspended Thursday because of fading light following earlier delays from overnight rain that left the course unplayable.

FIGURE SKATING

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Teen star Isabeau Levito needed a near-flawless free skate to win the U.S. Figure Skating Championships after Bradie Tennell’s beautiful performance minutes earlier.

And the 15-year-old Levito accomplished just that, delivering a dazzling 149.55 score for a 223.33 total and her first women’s national championship. The New Jersey skater drew a rousing standing ovation from an audience wowed by her poise under pressure on the big nationals stage.

Two-time U.S. champion Tennell scored a 139.36 in the free skate and finished second at 213.12.

Earlier, Rising star Ilia Malinin had a personal-best 110.36 in the men’s short program. The 18-year-old finished second to Olympic champion Nathan Chen in his senior nationals debut last year but was passed over for the Olympic team in favor of the more experienced Jason Brown.

BASKETBALL

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic will sit out at Utah on Saturday after spraining his left ankle at Phoenix on Thursday night.

Doncic’s absence leaves the Mavericks without their top two scorers. Christian Wood is recovering from a broken left thumb.

Doncic was trying to make a move close to the basket against Phoenix’s Cam Johnson, but stepped on Mikal Bridges’ foot.

TRACK AND FIELD

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt told reporters he’s baffled over how $12.7 million of his money has gone missing from a local private investment firm that authorities are investigating as part of a massive fraud that began more than a decade ago.

Bolt also said he has fired his business manager. Bolt’s attorneys have said the athlete’s account with Kingston-based Stocks and Securities Limited dwindled from nearly $12.8 million to some $12,000. They had given the company until Friday to return the money or face civil and criminal action.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether any action had been taken as of late Friday. Attorney Linton P. Gordon did not return a message seeking comment.

BASEBALL

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker, coming off the team’s fifth consecutive NL East title, signed a contract extension that runs through the 2025 season.

The 67-year-old Snitker guided the Braves to the 2021 World Series championship before the team won 101 games last season.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Reliever Pete Fairbanks and the Tampa Bay Rays agreed to a $12 million, three-year contract that could be worth up to $24.6 million over four seasons.

The deal announced includes a club option for 2026 which, along with performance escalators and potential bonuses, could significantly increase the amount the right-hander earns.

HOCKEY

TORONTO (AP) — Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews will miss at least three weeks because of a sprained knee.

The team announced the reigning MVP’s anticipated absence Friday, two days after Matthews was injured in a victory ocver the New York Rangers.

After being voted an All-Star by fans, Matthews is now out of the event scheduled for Feb. 3-4 in Sunrise, Florida. The league announced Aleskander Barkov from the host Florida Panthers will take Matthews’ place on the Atlantic Division All-Star roster.

SOCCER

BUENOS AIRES (AP) — Copa América will be played next year in the United States and will include six CONCACAF teams.

South American soccer body CONMEBOL said its 10 national teams will play the tournament out of their region after a deal with the confederation for North and Central America and the Caribbean.

The six guests for the 2024 Copa America will secure their spots according to their performances in the next CONCACAF Nations League.