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A8 SPORTS
Tuesday 21 January 2025

Bills will face Chiefs in AFC title game; Eagles will host the

Commanders in NFC championship game

By ROB MAADDI the 22. Stafford then fired
AP Pro Football Writer an incomplete pass on
Josh Allen and the Buffalo fourth-and-11.
Bills will take on Patrick Ma- The NFC East rival Eagles
homes and the Kansas City and Commanders will meet
Chiefs in the AFC champi- for the third time this sea-
onship game for their fourth son with each team win-
playoff matchup in five ning at home. The Eagles
years. beat Washington 26-18 in
Allen ran for two touch- a Thursday night game on
downs and the Bills beat Nov. 14. The Commanders
Lamar Jackson and the rallied for a 36-33 victory on
Baltimore Ravens 27-25 in a Dec. 22 in a game where
divisional game on Sunday. Hurts sustained a concus-
Mark Andrews dropped sion in the first quarter.
a pass from Jackson on Backup quarterback Ken-
a 2-point conversion that ny Pickett had Philadel-
would’ve tied it with 1:33 phia in position to win that
remaining and Buffalo held game, but DeVonta Smith
on for the victory. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) carries the ball into the end zone to score a touchdown dropped a third-down pass
The Chiefs have defeated against the Baltimore Ravens during the second quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, that would’ve allowed the
the Bills three straight times Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. Eagles to run out the clock.
in the playoffs, including Associated Press Instead, Jake Elliott kicked
the conference title game It’ll be Jalen Hurts, Saquon a 28-22 victory over the Los Barkley ran for 205 yards, in- a field goal for a 33-28 lead
four years ago in Kansas Barkley and the Philadel- Angeles Rams on Sunday. cluding touchdown runs of and Daniels led another im-
City. But Buffalo was the phia Eagles hosting Jayden They’ll be home next week 62 and 78 yards and Phila- pressive comeback in the
only team to beat Kansas Daniels and the Washing- because the sixth-seeded delphia’s defense held on final two minutes, tossing a
City’s starters this season, ton Commanders in the Commanders upset the the final drive with Jalen 9-yard TD pass to Jamison
a 30-21 victory at home in NFC championship game. No. 1 seed Detroit Lions 45- Carter sacking Matthew Crowder with 6 seconds
Week 11. The Eagles advanced with 31 on Saturday night. Stafford for a 9-yard loss to remaining.q

Ball, Bridges each score 23 to lead Hornets over Mavs 110-105 for

3rd straight win

By STEVE REED CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — es each scored 23 points take over, knocking down Mavericks: Still adjusting to
AP Sports Writer LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridg- and the Charlotte Hornets two quick 3s while adding life without Luka Doncic,
held on to beat the Dallas another three points on who hasn’t played since
Mavericks 110-105 on Mon- free throws after luring Josh Christmas due to a left calf
day to extend their winning Green into fouling him on a strain, Dallas’ depth has
streak to a season-high 3-point attempt. been tested. They had just
three games. But the Hornets would bat- 14 points off the bench.
Nick Smith Jr. added 19 tle back to take the lead Hornets: Williams picked up
points and Mark Williams for good on Smith’s corner his fourth foul with 7:35 left in
overcame foul trouble to 3 with 4:16 left. the second quarter, forcing
finish with 13 points and 13 Ball, who had 20 points on the Hornets to lean heavily
rebounds for Charlotte (11- five 3s in the first half, had on Moussa Diabate.
28). a chance to put the game Key moment
Kyrie Irving had 33 points away with 13 seconds left Trailing by two with 26 sec-
and Daniel Gafford added but missed the tail end of a onds left, Irving drove the
a career-high 31 points and one-and-one. lane and had an open Naji
15 rebounds for the Mav- Klay Thompson tried to Marshall in the corner but a
ericks (23-20), who’ve lost send the game into over- bad pass resulted in a turn-

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) handles the ball against four of their last five games. time, but missed a 3 from over.
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) and guard Spencer The Mavericks trailed enter- the right wing. Green add- Key stat
Dinwiddie (26) during the first half of an NBA basketball game ing the fourth quarter but ed two free throws to seal The Hornets scored 23 points
on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. Irving who had 26 points the Charlotte win. off 13 Dallas turnovers.q
Associated Press after halftime began the Takeaways