Sports News Roundup: Eagles S Mills put on COVID; Rockets prevail in Wall's debut and more

Beal became the first player in franchise history to start a season with at least 25 points in the team's first six games. He led Phoenix to its first NBA Finals appearance a year later and averaged 20.6 points over six seasons with the team.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Eagles S Mills put on COVID list, will miss finale

The Philadelphia Eagles put Jalen Mills on the reserve/COVID-19 list, ending the safety's season. It's unclear if Mills tested positive or came into close contact with someone who did. Mills, who becomes a free agent after the season, will miss the Eagles' final game against Washington on Sunday night.

NBA roundup: Rockets prevail in Wall's debut

James Harden shook off a sluggish shooting start and took control late, leading the host Houston Rockets to a 122-119 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday. Harden finished with 33 points and eight assists, and he had a hand in the final 18 points for the Rockets, who won for the first time this season.

Tournament of Champions field expanded; McIlroy opts out

The Sentry Tournament of Champions will have a record field of 42 players when it begins Thursday at the Kapalua Plantation course in Lahaina, Hawaii. Typically, the field is made up of winners from the previous year. But because of the number of tournaments lost due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the top 30 players in the FedExCup standings from last year also were invited.

NBA roundup: Beal posts 31 in Wizards' first win

Bradley Beal scored 31 points to lift the Washington Wizards to their first win of the season, 130-109 over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday in Minneapolis. Beal became the first player in franchise history to start a season with at least 25 points in the team's first six games.

Celtics seek better start in rematch with Pistons

The revisions made to the NBA schedule to decrease travel give the Boston Celtics a swift shot at redemption in Detroit. The Pistons collected their first victory of the season at the Celtics' expense, 96-93, on Friday. The two Eastern Conference clubs will match up once again in Detroit on Sunday afternoon.

NFL-Browns shut down training after another staff member tests positive for COVID-19

The Cleveland Browns closed its team facility on Saturday after another member of the coaching staff tested positive for COVID-19, a day ahead of their critical regular-season finale. The team had been cleared to return to practice on Friday after they had been forced to shut down due to players and a staff member testing positive for the coronavirus. But 24 hours later those plans again changed.

Pope calls Maradona a fragile poet; decries doping cheats

Pope Francis has hailed fellow Argentine Diego Maradona as a "poet" on the pitch, but also acknowledged his frailty away from the sport. In a wide-ranging interview with Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport published on Saturday, Francis recalled his own days playing soccer as a child with a ball made of rags and laid bare his scorn for doping cheats.

NBA-Paul Westphal, Hall of Fame player turned coach, dies at 70

Paul Westphal, a Basketball Hall of Fame guard and later a successful NBA coach, died on Saturday at the age of 70, the Phoenix Suns said, months after he was diagnosed with brain cancer. The five-time NBA All-Star and former first-round pick won the NBA championship early in his career with the Boston Celtics in 1974, before joining the Suns in 1975. He led Phoenix to its first NBA Finals appearance a year later and averaged 20.6 points over six seasons with the team.

NFL-Floyd Little, 'The Franchise' of Denver Broncos fame, dies at 78

Hall of Fame running back Floyd Little, whose on-field heroics for the Denver Broncos earned him the nickname "The Franchise," died on Friday at the age of 78. A first-round draft pick out of Syracuse in 1967, Little captained the Broncos for all nine seasons of his career, earning Pro Bowl honors five times to become an icon early in the franchise's history.

NHL planning two outdoor games at Lake Tahoe - report

The National Hockey League (NHL) is planning to have two regular season outdoor games without fans at Lake Tahoe in Nevada, according to multiple reports on Friday. The Vegas Golden Knights will face the Colorado Avalanche on Feb. 20 followed by a Feb. 21 clash between the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers at the picturesque Edgewood Tahoe Resort, the reports said.

(With inputs from agencies.)