Reuters U.S. Sports Schedule at 2 PM EST on Friday, Dec. 12
Dec. 12 (Reuters) - Reuters U.S. sports schedule at 2 PM ET on Friday: - - - - The duty editor is Steve Ginsburg, 202-898-8427 - - - - NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Predicting the NFL playoff picture Division races heat up with three weeks remaining in the regular season. Which 12 teams will be standing after Week 17? We'll predict the field. (FBN-COLUMN/, expect by 4 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, by Jeff Reynolds, 1,000 words) - - Obama critical of NFL's handling of Rice case President Obama says NFL commissioner Roger Goodell seemed to be making up policy as he went along in handling player discipline such as the Ray Rice case. (FBN-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 375 words) - - Week 15 injury report The official NFL injury report for all Week 15 games. (FBN-NEWS/, expect by 6 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 1,200 words) - - Week 15 Preview: What to watch in every game Breaking down every game on the Week 15 schedule with players to watch, key matchups and who'll win. (FBN-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 3,500 words) -- Week 15 Preview: Cowboys at Eagles Can the Cowboys respond after the Eagles delivered a Turkey Day drubbing in Dallas? (FBN-EAGLES-COWBOYS-NOTES/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Jeff Reynolds, 425 words) - - Week 15 preview: 49ers at Seahawks The wounded 49ers could be dangerous to the Seattle Seahawks' playoff aspirations. (FBN-SEAHAWKS-49ERS-NOTEBOOK/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Derek Harper, 400 words) - - Week 15 preview: Broncos at Chargers Following a loss to Tom Brady and the Patriots, the Chargers draw Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in a game critical to San Diego's playoff chances. (FBN-CHARGERS-BRONCOS-NOTEBOOK/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Derek Harper, 400 words) - - Week 15 preview: Packers at Bills Buffalo leads the NFL in sacks but the Bills are not built to match Packers QB Aaron Rodgers score for score. (FBN-PACKERS-BILLS-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 3:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, by Jeff Reynolds, 425 words) - - NFL roundup News and notes from around the league. (FBN-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 7:45 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION TSX covers all NHL games, highlighted matchups below - - Trail Blazers at Bulls CHICAGO - Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls get a visit from first-place Portland. The Trail Blazers have won seven in a row from the Bulls including two straight at the United Center. (BKN-BULLS-TRAILBLAZERS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after 7 PM ET tipoff, The Sports Xchange, by Tom Musick, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - Clippers at Wizards WASHINGTON - The Wizards put their 10-2 home record on the line as the Los Angeles Clippers make their only trip to Washington this season. (BKN-WIZARDS-CLIPPERS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after 7 PM ET tipoff, The Sports Xchange, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - NBA Wrap: Bulls set for home clash vs. Trailblazers Former league MVP Derrick Rose, coming off one of his best games of the season since returning from injury, leads the Chicago Bulls into a home game against the Northwest Division-leading Portland Trail Blazers in one of the of 12 games on the National Basketball Association schedule. (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 800 words) - - Today's NBA schedule at a glance Portland at Chicago, 7 PM ET Los Angeles Clippers at Washington, 7 PM ET Orlando at Atlanta, 7:30 PM ET New York at Boston, 7:30 PM ET Philadelphia at Brooklyn, 7:30 PM ET Indiana at Toronto, 7:30 PM ET Charlotte at Memphis, 8 PM ET Oklahoma city at Minnesota, 8 PM ET Cleveland at New Orleans, 8 PM ET Detroit at Phoenix, 9 PM ET Miami at Utah, 9 PM ET Los Angeles Lakers at San Antonio, 9:30 PM ET - - NBA Roundup The latest moves and news from the NBA. (BKN-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 6 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - - - GOLF South African Grace builds big lead at Leopard Creek CAPE TOWN - South African Branden Grace continues his domination of the Leopard Creek Country Club course to establish a healthy lead at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. (GOLF-EUROPEAN/, moved, 200 words) - - - - MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL Rangers acquire Detwiler The Texas Rangers confirm they've acquired left-handed pitcher Ross Detwiler from the Washington Nationals for two minor leaguers. (BBO-RANGERS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 375 words) - - - - NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE TSX covers all NHL games, highlighted matchups below - - Foley confident in Vegas' NHL viability NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly tells The Sports Xchange there are bridges to cross before placing an NHL franchise in Las Vegas. Billionaire businessman William Foley is confident in his plan to do just that. (HKN-NEWS/, expect by 4 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, by Pat Martin, 550 words) - - Flames at Penguins PITTSBURGH - Top-scoring defenseman Mark Giordano leads the Calgary Flames in a meeting with Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins. (HKN-PENGUINS-FLAMES-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after 7 PM ET scheduled start, The Sports Xchange, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - NHL Wrap: Crosby's Pens look to douse Flames Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Calgary Flames while the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings visit the Montreal Canadiens in two of the four games on the National Hockey League schedule. (NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 450 words) - - Today's NHL schedule at a glance Calgary at Pittsburgh, 7 PM ET Los Angeles at Montreal, 7:30 PM ET Florida at Detroit, 7:30 PM ET Anaheim at Edmonton, 9:30 PM ET - - NHL Roundup The latest moves and news from the NHL. (HKN-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 6 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - - - SOCCER NCAA semifinal: UMBC vs. Virginia CARY, N.C. - A heavy underdog again, the Cinderella story UMBC Terriers have been a terror to heavy favorites to reach the national semifinal against national power and 16th-ranked Virginia. (SCR-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after 5 PM ET start, The Sports Xchange, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - - - JURISPRUDENCE Last messages of Hernandez's alleged victim not admissible FALL RIVER, Mass. - The jury at next month's murder trial of ex-New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez will not hear of the final text messages his alleged victim sent to his sister, a Massachusetts judge rules. (USA-PATRIOTS/HERNANDEZ (PIX), moved; will be led, 350 words) - - Former NFL All-Pro Sharper indicted on rape charges Former New Orleans Saints All-Pro safety Darren Sharper is indicted on two counts of aggravated rape and one count of simple rape for an alleged assault that occurred in New Orleans in 2013. (NFL-SHARPER/RAPE, moved; may be led, 150 words) - - - - ALPINE SKIING Maze wins Are giant slalom, American Shiffrin 10th ARE, Sweden - Slovenia's Olympic champion Tina Maze fights off jetlag to win a World Cup giant slalom and end a six-race streak of victories by the Austrian women's team. American Mikaela Shiffrin finishes 10th. (ALPINE SKIING-WOMEN/ (PIX), moved, 275 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (Expect by 8 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words)
