PRO FOOTBALL NEW YORK (AP) — Dallas Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliott was granted another legal reprieve Tuesday night in the running back’s fight to avoid a six-game suspension over domestic violence allegations. A federal judge granted a temporary restraining order
PRO FOOTBALL
NEW YORK (AP) — Dallas Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliott was granted another legal reprieve Tuesday night in the running back’s fight to avoid a six-game suspension over domestic violence allegations.
A federal judge granted a temporary restraining order blocking the league’s suspension, clearing Elliott to play Sunday at San Francisco.
U.S. District Judge Paul Crotty’s ruling comes five days after a federal appeals court overturned a Texas court’s injunction that had kept Elliott on the field.
Crotty granted the request for a temporary restraining order pending a hearing before the presiding judge, Katherine Polk Failla, who is on vacation. He ordered the league to appear before Failla by Oct. 30 to argue why the suspension should not be blocked until courts in New York and Texas can rule on challenges the players’ union brought against the suspension.
Elliott, last year’s NFL rushing leader as a rookie, was barred from the team’s facility Tuesday as players returned from their off week. The NFL placed him on the suspended list Friday, a day after the ruling from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.
PRO BASKETBALL
CLEVELAND (AP) — Just five minutes into his Boston career, new Celtics star forward Gordon Hayward gruesomely broke his left ankle, an injury that may end his season.
Hayward, who signed a four-year, $128 million free agent contract this summer, went up for an alley-oop pass midway through the first quarter and collided with LeBron James. Hayward’s leg twisted underneath him as he came back to the floor. The 27-year-old collapsed under the basket and looked in horror as his left foot was pointing outward.
He put his hands to his face and dropped back to the floor as a hush fell over the charged sellout crowd inside Quicken Loans Arena, which had come to boo Kyrie Irving in his return to Cleveland after being traded to Boston this summer.
Hayward’s new teammates huddled in prayer at their bench as a distressed James covered his mouth and several Cleveland players nearby looked away. Hayward had his leg placed in an air cast, and James came over and consoled him before the he was pushed from the floor on a stretcher and taken for treatment.
Cleveland’s crowd gave Hayward a roaring ovation as he left.
The Celtics later confirmed that Hawyard’s left ankle was broken. It’s a devastating blow for the Celtics, who had overhauled their roster with the signing of Hayward and acquisition of Irving in hopes of closing the gap on the Cavs in the Eastern Conference.
Now, they will be without Hayward for an extended period as he will likely need surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
STORRS, Conn. (AP) — UConn and Providence will play an exhibition game next week to benefit the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
The schools say the NCAA has granted a waiver to allow the extra exhibition game next Wednesday, provided the proceeds are donated to hurricane relief.
The game will be played at the Mohegan Sun arena in Uncasville, the home court of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun.
Officials say ticket prices will range from $10 to $50 for courtside seating.
The two teams have not played each other since the old Big East conference split in 2013.
The have played 72 times in a series that dates back to 1928, with UConn holding a 44-28 edge.
WNBA
NEW YORK (AP) — Las Vegas is getting a WNBA franchise.
The San Antonio Stars are moving to the gambling mecca after being bought by MGM Resorts International, the league said Tuesday.
The team will join the NHL as a second professional team in Las Vegas — with the NFL soon to follow. The Stars begin play next season with home games at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Bill Laimbeer will be the team’s president of basketball operations and coach.
The move has been in the works since the Stars ownership group told the league they were interested in selling the team. Borders said she approached MGM about purchasing the team.
MGM will not be the first company with casino holdings to own a WNBA team. The Mohegan Sun owns the team in Connecticut.
This will be the first professional basketball team in Las Vegas, which has become a coveted target for sports franchises over the past few years.
