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The Brooklyn Nets announced Tuesday that Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and LaMarcus Aldridge had cleared the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

Aldridge has been in the protocols for two weeks, while Durant and Irving both entered 10 days ago.

Brooklyn had a massive outbreak across its roster, with more than 10 players entering into the protocols at the same time. That caused the NBA to postpone three Nets games in a row — home games against the Denver Nuggets and Washington Wizards, and a road game against the Portland Trail Blazers — before Brooklyn returned to the court for Saturday’s Christmas Day win over the Los Angeles Lakers and Monday’s victory over the LA Clippers.

The Nets will next play Thursday at home against the Philadelphia 76ers — the last opponent Durant played against before going into the protocols. He scored 34 points to go with 11 rebounds and eight assists to lead the short-handed Nets to a 114-105 victory.

While Durant will likely be on the court for that game, Irving will not be, as he still is unable to play in games at either Barclays Center or Madison Square Garden due to his failure to comply with New York City’s vaccine mandate.

Given he’s unvaccinated, Irving can only play in games outside of New York and Toronto — meaning the first time he could take the court this season will be Jan. 5 in Indianapolis against the Pacers. Nets coach Steve Nash said recently Irving will need “a week or two” to ramp back up after exiting the protocols.

Irving hasn’t officially been with the team since the preseason, when Brooklyn decided to send him away rather than playing him in only road games. The Nets changed their minds recently, however, saying the circumstances of the season — and so many players being out due to COVID-19 sweeping through the league — led them to reverse course.

Irving entered the protocols the following day.

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Nikola Vucevic was a man of his word.

After hitting rock bottom in an early season of several low points, the Bulls big man sat visibly frustrated at the interview table in Miami, and promised a commitment of putting his head down and working even harder on his game.

Not because he wasn’t working hard up to that point, but that’s just always been his mindset. That’s all Vucevic knows.

“I got here by working my way up to it,” Vucevic said that night. “Talent is part of it, but I worked my way to the level that I am, and now that I’m going through a tough time the only way I know is to work myself out of it.”

In his four games since that dismal 3-for-15, 10-point performance in the blowout loss to the Heat?

How about 32-for-64 (50%) from the field, 44% from three, 19.3 points per game, as well as 12.8 rebounds per contest. Impressed? Oh by the way, over that span 15 total assists and nine blocks.

Yes, getting back in the lab and getting in extra work while the Bulls were battling with postponements was huge, but give an assist to coach Billy Donovan.

Vucevic sure did.

“I took advantage of the time that we didn’t have games to put the work in, extra work on my game all around,” Vucevic said of his turnaround. “I also took time to look at a lot of game tape, see things that I was doing well and if there were things I could improve on.

“One thing that when I spoke to Billy that has stuck out and helped me is he knew I was frustrated with shooting the ball and he was like obviously as a player you want to shoot the ball well, but his main thing was I shouldn’t let that affect the rest of my game.”

An issue that was on full display in the Miami loss.

Not only did he carry his offensive frustrations to the defensive end, but even seemed disinterested in rebounding that night.

“When I looked at that [Heat] game I really felt that was the biggest thing,” Vucevic continued. “Obviously I didn’t shoot the ball well, but I wasn’t doing whatever else I had to do as a player on the court. I let that affect the rest of my game and I’m too good of a player to do that. I’ve been in this league too long to let a bad shooting night — or even if it was a couple of games it shouldn’t matter — affect my whole game in general.

“I think I was able to regroup and come back and focus on playing well, doing the things that I could control, and letting the rest follow through.”

That was the model in the Atlanta win on Monday night.

Vucevic was 2-for-6 with five points at the half against the Hawks, but had six rebounds, four assists and two blocks. With Atlanta making a run in the fourth, Vucevic balled out, scoring 13 points in that final stanza, as well as hitting three threes and grabbing five more rebounds.

He saved his best for last.

“I didn’t get going much until the second half, but I was able to do other things that kept me in the game, kept me in a rhythm,” Vucevic said.

Not that Vucevic’s teammates were the least bit surprised.

“I know how hard Vooch works,” veteran forward DeMar DeRozan said. “I would never let a period of time of him struggling depict who he is as a player. He’s a dominant force at his position, one of the most skilled big men inside and out that we have in this league. His career speaks for it. It was only a matter of time.”

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The Chicago Bears enter Week 17 with a record of 5-10 and a future that should include plenty of change — or so we think.

This is now year number four in the Matt Nagy experiment. At first, it was cute. It was actually rather positive. Nagy came in and breathed some fresh air into the room, and Bears fans appreciated the energy and positivity.

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Please send scores and corrections to [email protected].

Tuesday, December 28, 2021

NON CONFERENCE

Medina (OH) at Austin, 2:00

BHRA-HERITAGE

IMSA vs. Armstrong-Potomac, 10:00

IMSA vs. Georgetown-Ridge Farm, 5:30

BLOOMINGTON / NORMAL

Small Schools

Calvary (Normal vs. Winnebago, 2:00

Olympia vs. Providence-St. Mel, 12:30

Tri-Valley vs. Rock Falls, 11:00

Annawan vs. Bloomington Cent. Cath., 9:30a

Sacred Heart-Griffin vs. McNamara, 4:00

Aurora Christian vs. Rockford Lutheran, 5:30

St. Joseph-Organ vs. Notre Dame (Quincy), 7:00

El Paso-Gridley vs. East Dubuque, 8:30

13th Place Semi-Final, 8:00

13th Place Semi-Final, 5:00

Large Schools

North Chicago vs. Lincoln-Way West, 2:00

Harlem vs. Mahomet-Seymour, 12:30

Joliet Central vs. Springfield, 11:00

University High (Normal) vs. Bradley-Bourbonnais,

Normal vs. North Lawndale, 4:00

Wheaton-Warr. South vs. Brother Rice, 5:30

Rock Island vs. Metamora, 7:00

East St. Louis vs. Peoria Central, 8:30

13th Place Semi-Final, 6:30

13th Place Semi-Final, 3:30

CENTRALIA

Mt. Vernon vs. Dyett, 8:30a

Confluence (MO) vs. Champaign Central, 10:00

Romeoville vs. Glenwood, 12:30

Vashon (MO) vs. Lausanne (TN), 2:00

Evanston vs. Cahokia, 3:30

Carmel vs. Muhlenberg (KY), 6:15

Centralia vs. Kipp (MO), 7:45

Marist vs. Belleville West, 9:15

COLLINSVILLE

Belleville East vs. Edwardsville, 10:00

Althoff vs. Alton, 11:30

Oakville (MO) vs. Wasilla (AK), 1:00

Triad vs. Rockford East, 2:30

Madison vs. MacArthur, 10:00

Quincy vs. Lincoln, 11:30

Mundelein vs. Collinsville, 1:00

O’Fallon vs. Granite City, 2:30

13th Place Semi-Final, 5:00

13th Place Semi-Final, 9:30

Consolation Semi-Final, 6:30

Consolation Semi-Final, 8:00

5th Place Semi-Final, 5:00

5th Place Semi-Final, 9:30

Semi-Final, 6:30

Semi-Final, 8:00

DE KALB

West Chicago vs. LaSalle-Peru, 1:30

Belvidere North vs. Ogden, 12:00

Geneseo vs. DeKalb (JV), 10:30

Dundee-Crown vs. Freeport, 9:00a

DeKalb vs. Yorkville, 7:30

East Moline vs. Huntley, 6:00

Geneva vs. Guilford, 4:30

Plainfield East vs. Naperville Central, 3:00

EAST AURORA

Clemente vs. Wheaton Academy, 1:00

East Aurora vs. Neuqua Valley, 2:35

Plainfield Central vs. Clemente/Wheaton Acad, 4:

EASTLAND

West Carroll vs. Eastland, 10:00

Galena vs. Pecatonica, 11:30

Sherrard vs. South Beloit, 1:00

Forreston vs. Byron, 2:30

EFFINGHAM / TEUTOPOLIS

at Teutopolis

Pleasant Plains vs. Lincoln-Way East, 3:00

Centennial vs. St. Anthony, 4:30

Newton vs. Charleston, 6:00

Lutheran North (MO) vs. Teutopolis, 7:30

at Effingham

Mattoon vs. Knoxville, 3:00

Oak Lawn vs. Horizon-Southwest, 4:30

Brooks vs. Belvidere, 6:00

Dixon vs. Effingham, 7:30

HINSDALE CENTRAL

Oak Forest vs. Willowbrook, 11:00

Richards vs. Glenbard East, 12:30

Morton vs. Lincoln-Way Central, 2:00

Auburn vs. St. Charles East, 3:45

St. Rita vs. Marian Catholic, 5:15

Stevenson vs. Homewood-Flossmoor, 7:00

Oswego East vs. Hinsdale Central, 8:30

IC CATHOLIC / WESTMONT

at IC Catholic

Elmwood Park vs. Perspectives-MSA, 3:00

Walther Christian vs. Reavis, 4:30

Evergreen Park vs. St. Edward, 6:00

Esienhower vs. IC Catholic, 7:30

at Westmont

Westminster Christian vs. Aurora Central, 3:00

Westmont (BYE)

Hoffman Estates vs. Glenbard South, 6:00

Christ the King vs. Taft, 7:30

JACOBS

Streamwood vs. Jefferson, 9:00a

Johnsburg vs. Grayslake Central, 1:30

Grant vs. Jacobs, 10:30

Crystal Lake South vs. Prairie Ridge, 3:00

Cary-Grove vs. Marian Central, 12:00

Waubonsie Valley vs. South Elgin, 4:30

Loyola vs. Bartlett, 6:00

Larkin vs. Barrington, 7:30

JULIAN

Harlan vs. Urban Prep-Englewood, 10:00

Richards (Chgo) vs. Holy Trinity, 12:00

Julian vs. UC-Woodlawn , 2:00

Crane vs. Butler, 4:00

KANKAKEE

Small Schools

Manteno vs. St. Anne, 9:00a

Momence vs. Cissna Park, 12:00

Clifton Central vs. Adams-Friendship (WI), 3:00

Herscher vs. Grant Park, 6:00

Large Schools

Jones vs. Shepard, 10:30

Dimond (AK) vs. Schurz, CNL

Lindblom vs. Bremen, 4:30

Kankakee vs. Legal Prep, 7:30

KISSIMMEE (FL) – GAYLORD PALMS RESORT

Chicago Christian vs. Thrall (TX), 2:30

MAINE EAST

Kennedy (BYE)

McHenry vs. Argo, 4:00

Ridgewood vs. Vernon Hills, 4:00

Bulls (BYE)

Maine East vs. Elk Grove, 3:00

Lane vs. Addison Trail, 4:30

Westinghouse vs. Metea Valley, 6:00

Niles West vs. Antioch, 7:30

MARSEILLES

Hall vs Woodland, 9:00a

St. Bede vs Indian Creek, 10:30

Wilmington vs Dwight. 12:00

Gardner-So. Wilmington vs Earlville, 1:30

Putnam County vs Somonauk, 3:30

Kewanee vs Flanagan-Cornell, 5:00

Seneca vs. Serena, 6:30

Marquette vs. Reed-Custer, 8:00

MINNEAPOLIS (MN) – NORTH CENTRAL U.

Orr vs. Park Center (MN), 7:30

NORTH BOONE

Alden-Hebron vs. Harvard, 1:00

Durand vs. North Boone, 12:30

PEKIN

Richwoods vs. Pekin (JV), 9:00

Pekin vs. Limestone, 10:30

Comer vs. Pekin (JV), 12:45

Limestone vs. Normal West, 2:15

Richwoods vs. Comer, 6:30

Pekin vs. Normal West, 8:00

Morton vs. Moline, 9:00a

Lamphier vs. Washington, 10:30

Boylan vs. Lake Zurich, 12:45

Mount Carmel vs. Pattonville (MO), 2:15

PINE BLUFF (AR)

De La Salle vs. Fort Bend Hightower (TX), 2:00

PLANO

Coal City vs. Hinckley-Big Rock, 10:30

Morris vs. Sandwich, 9:00a

Plano vs. Mendota, 12:30

Streator vs. Newark, 2:00

Burlington Central vs. Ottawa, 3:30

Lisle vs. Yorkville Christian, 5:30

Northridge vs. Longwood, 7:00

Kaneland vs. Notre Dame (Peoria), 8:30

PONTIAC

Lockport vs. West Aurora, 9:00a

New Irier vs. Manual, 10:30

Simeon vs. Plainfield North, 1:00

Warren vs. Oak Park-River Forest, 2:30

Danville vs. St. Charles North, 4:00

Curie vs. Bloomington, 6:00

Benet vs. Pontiac, 7:30

Bloom vs. Joliet West, 9:00

PRINCEVILLE

DePue vs. Peoria Heights, 2:00

Galva vs. Henry-Senachwine, 3:30

Ridgewood (IL) vs. Elmwood, 6:30

Midland vs. Princeville, 8:00

PROVISO WEST

Lincoln Park vs. Morgan Park, 11:00

Zion-Benton vs. Crete-Monee, 12:30

Proviso West vs. Clark, 4:00

Hammond Central (IN) vs. Kenwood, 5:30

Farragut vs. Proviso East, 7:00

Morton vs. Young, 8:30

RICH

Bowen vs. Dunbar, 12:00

Marshall vs. Phillips, 9:00a

Thornridge vs. Rich, 10:30

Hillcrest vs. Agriculutral Science, 7:00

Thornwood vs. Perspectives-Lead, 1:30

Thornton vs. Thornton Fr. South, 5:30

Hyde Park vs. Fenger, 4:00

WHEELING

Glenbrook North vs. Hampshire, 10:30

Buffalo Grove vs Waukegan, 12:15

Wheeling vs Maine West, 2:00

Deerfield vs. Glenbrook North/Hampshire, 3:45

Notre Dame vs. Prospect, 5:15

Glenbrook South vs Glenbard North, 7:15

Fremd vs Libertyville, 8:45

WILLIAMSVILLE

Roanoke-Benson vs. Deer Creek-Mackinaw, 9:00a

YORK

Hinsdale South vs. Palatine, 8:30

Stagg vs. Naperville North, 11:30

Minooka vs. St. Laurence, 1:00

Wheaton North vs. St. Ignatius, 9:00

Schaumburg vs. Providence, 12:00

Montini vs. Timothy Christian, 1:30

Lake Forest vs. Tinley Park, 3:00

Lemont vs. Rolling Meadows, 4:30

Batavia vs. Leo, 6:00

St. Patrick vs. Glenbard West, 7:30

Lyons vs. Conant, 3:30

Highland Park vs. Sandburg, 5:00

St. Francis vs. Bolingbrook, 6:30

Andrew vs. York, 8:00

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Back in April when the Chicago Bears held the no. 20 overall pick, fans were desperately waiting to watch them move up. After all, the team had moved on from Mitchell Trubisky and were searching for their franchise quarterback.

As the first few picks of the opening round went by, the Bears looked like they would be in position for a move up — and finally, at no. 11, it happened.

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The city has been seeing so much red over the past few months because the Chicago Bulls are so good. In fact, they are one of the best teams in the entire NBA. They defeated the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night by a final score of 130-118 to extend their winning streak to four. They are now 21-10 on the season which is extremely nice.

This was one of those games where Bulls players put up video game numbers. DeMar DeRozan led the way with 35 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds. Zach LaVine wasn’t far behind as he had 30 points with nine assists and four rebounds to go with a steal. To round out the big three on the night, Nikola Vucuevic had 24 points, 17 rebounds, and six assists to go with four blocks and a steal.

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Monday Night Football is always a lot of fun. The National Football League puts two teams in the spotlight once a week to play every Monday night and it is glorious. This week, it was the New Orleans Saints and the Miami Dolphins in a battle of two 7-7 teams trying to make it to the postseason. It also had a bit of Notre Dame flare to it.

Ian Book was the starting quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. They made him a fourth-round pick in 2021 after a great career with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team where he was one of the best they’ve ever had.

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Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the team announced on Monday.

He joins teammate Jae Crowder and head coach Monty Williams in the protocols. Elfrid Payton, who entered protocols on Sunday, returned in Monday night’s 114-113 home loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

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5hAdrian Wojnarowski and Baxter Holmes

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The NBA on Monday agreed to reduce the length a vaccinated, asymptomatic player must quarantine from 10 to six days, according to a memo obtained by ESPN.

The Suns (26-6) hosted the Grizzlies on Monday night and play the Oklahoma City Thunder at home on Wednesday night before traveling to Boston on Dec. 31.

Backup center JaVale McGee started in place of Ayton. He had six points and fouled out after playing just 22 minutes.

Ayton, 23, has averaged 17 points and 11 rebounds in 24 games this season.

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Hawks All-Star guard Trae Young was cleared from the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols on Monday and returned to the starting lineup as host Atlanta lost 130-118 to the Chicago Bulls.

Young, who entered the game leading the Hawks in scoring (27.3 points per game) and assists (9.3 per game), had 29 points, 9 assists, 1 rebound and 2 turnovers in 40 minutes in his return.

Young had missed three games while in the league’s health and safety protocols after a positive COVID-19 test. Atlanta was 1-2 without him. He returned two negative tests to be eligible to return.

The Hawks’ roster has been depleted by COVID-19 issues. Atlanta still had 10 players listed out for virus reasons for Monday’s game against the Bulls.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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