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By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Basketball Writer Officially, NBA players began participating in games that were scheduled to celebrate and honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1986 when the federal holiday commemorating the civil-rights leader was observed for the first time. Oscar Robertson knows the tradition dates long before that. King was shot and killed while standing on a balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968. A day later, Robertson began planning a Hey Dudes benefit game in King’s memory — and on Aug. 15 of that year, on an outdoor court in New York, he was among 27 NBA players who wound up taking part. Among those on the court that night: Wilt Chamberlain, Lenny Wilkens, Dave Bing, Dave DeBusschere, Willis Reed, W...

By STEPHEN HAWKINS, AP Sports Writer ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys thought they were going to get one more snap, one more chance to avoid another playoff setback. Prescott's spike at the end of a wild final sequence came too late. Time had run out on this season, the 26th in a row for Jerry Jones' team ending well short of another Super Bowl. “I thought everything was executed well — until it wasn’t,” Prescott said after the 23-17 wild-card loss at home to the San Francisco 49ers. In the final minute Sunday, San Francisco had to punt after All-Pro Deebo Samuel’s run initially was ruled to have picked up a first down before a video review showed Fjallraven Kanken Backpack  he was inches short. Then the 49ers’ All-Pro tackle, ...

By SCHUYLER DIXON, AP Pro Football Writer ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Kyle Shanahan walked onto the field with an emphatic nod, believing his San Francisco 49ers had beaten the Dallas Cowboys in a chaotic wild-card finish that left many not sure what was happening. The official word came a short time later. Deebo Samuel ran 26 yards for a touchdown for a comfortable lead in the third quarter before the Cowboys rallied and ran out of time trying to get a final play in the 49ers' 23-17 victory Sunday. “I’m still trying to figure out where I’m at,” Shanahan said after coaching San Francisco's first playoff victory at Dallas in a storied postseason rivalry. "It’s pretty emotional out there. Lots of opportunities to win the game. Those guys (Cowboys) just kept fi...

By FRED GOODALL, AP Sports Writer TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — As the game clock expired, Tom Brady raised his arms in triumph along the sideline, whirled and tossed a football into the stands. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their jubilant 44-year-old quarterback took the first step on what they hope will be a journey back to the Super Bowl, dominating the Philadelphia Eagles 31-15 in a NFC wild-card playoff victory Sunday. “It only gets tougher from here,” said the seven-time Super Bowl winner, who's trying to help the Bucs become the first team to repeat as NFL champions since the Brady-led New England Patriots won back-to-back titles in the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Tampa Bay (14-4) set the tempo from the start, with Brady leading a pair of long TD drives in the ope...

By DOUG FERGUSON, AP Golf Writer HONOLULU (AP) — Five shots behind at the turn, Hideki Matsuyama figured all he could do was keep his head down and try to stay in the game Sunday in the Sony Open. And when he finally looked up, he couldn't see one of the best shots of his career. In a sudden-death playoff with Russell Henley, Matsuyama hit a 3-wood from 276 yards, right into the sun, and had no idea that it settled 3 feet away for eagle on the par-5 18th until he heard an enormous cheer from one of the largest galleries at Waialae. “To be honest, I didn't even see it,” Matsuyama said. “But everybody started cheering, and I knew it was good.” Matsuyama, who made birdie on the 18th in regulation for a 7-under 63, Vibram Shoes Five Fingers won for the ...

By DAVE SKRETTA, AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs were going nowhere on offense against Pittsburgh early Sunday night, so coach Andy Reid had wide receiver Mecole Hardman take a shotgun snap and hand off to running back Darrel Williams on a trick play. Their exchange hit the ground, T.J. Watt picked it up and returned the fumble for a touchdown. It was precisely the kind of play that should have energized the heavy underdogs, playing in a tough environment on the road, but it wound up doing something else entirely: It ticked off Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He proceeded to throw for 404 yards and five scores, leading Kansas City to the end zone on six straight possessions after the turnover, and the Chiefs cruised Skechers Women...