Sports News Roundup: NFL: Browns hungry to defy the odds in Pittsburgh; Harris English, Justin Thomas share early lead at Sentry and more

Joe Harris steps up as Nets down 76ers Reserve Joe Harris scored a season-high 28 points, Caris LeVert added 22 as the short-handed Brooklyn Nets led most of the way and recorded a 122-109 victory over the visiting Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night in New York.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

NFL: Browns hungry to defy the odds in Pittsburgh

In football there are underdogs - and then there are the Cleveland Browns. The team whose name was long synonymous with disappointment have clinched their first postseason berth since 2002, but now face the Herculean challenge of a Wild Card game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh, where they haven't won since 2003.

Harris English, Justin Thomas share early lead at Sentry

Harris English and Justin Thomas each shot an 8-under-par 65 on Thursday to share the opening-round lead at the star-packed Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua, Hawaii. Spain's Sergio Garcia and Patrick Reed were in a group of six two shots back as the PGA Tour resumed the 2020-21 schedule after a break for the holidays.

Mets' Francisco Lindor deal boosts World Series odds

Francisco Lindor landed with the New York Mets and oddsmakers swiftly boosted the franchise's 2021 World Series odds. Lindor, an All-Star shortstop with the Cleveland Indians, was traded to New York on Thursday.

Olympics-Prioritise athletes for vaccine so Tokyo Games can go ahead - IOC member

Athletes should be prioritised for the novel coronavirus vaccine so the beleaguered Tokyo Games can go ahead later this year, according to senior Olympics official Dick Pound. Canadian Pound, the longest-serving member of the International Olympics Committee (IOC), told Sky News in the UK that the Games could still go ahead with mass athlete participation, but only if they were vaccinated.

NBA roundup: Last-second put-back lifts Celtics past Heat

Rookie guard Payton Pritchard scored on a put-back with two-tenths of a second left to give the Boston Celtics a 107-105 win over the host Miami Heat on Wednesday night. The 6-foot-2 Pritchard followed up on a missed drive by Marcus Smart.

Trump awards Medal of Freedom to Sorenstam, Player, Zaharias

U.S. President Donald Trump, facing calls for his removal from office, turned from controversy to ceremony on Thursday as he awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to golfers Annika Sorenstam, Gary Player and Babe Didrikson Zaharias. With just 13 days left in his term, Trump gave the nation’s highest civilian honor to Sweden's Sorenstam, a 10-times major champion, and South African Player, winner of nine major titles.

NFL-Ahead of Wild Card round, Brees says he's playing each season like it's his last

After two decades in the NFL, quarterback Drew Brees has gotten good at deflecting unwanted questions. It's a valuable skill to have, as a particularly stubborn question swirls around the 13-time Pro Bowler ahead of his New Orleans Saints' Wild Card showdown against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Has he decided whether this season will be his last? NFL-Sanders still frustrated but not giving up on the Lions

The frustration that drove Barry Sanders into early retirement continues to hang over one of the greatest running backs in NFL history with his Detroit Lions no closer to a trip to a Super Bowl this year than when he graced the gridiron. One of only eight players to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season, Sanders played his entire 10-year career in Lions Honolulu blue and silver before shocking fans when, still in his prime, he announced after the 1998 campaign he was hanging up his cleats. Joe Harris steps up as Nets down 76ers

Reserve Joe Harris scored a season-high 28 points, Caris LeVert added 22 as the short-handed Brooklyn Nets led most of the way and recorded a 122-109 victory over the visiting Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night in New York. The Nets were without Kevin Durant due to COVID-19 safety protocols though coach Steve Nash said he could return for Sunday's home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Brooklyn also was without Kyrie Irving, who sat out due to unspecified personal reasons. Andre Drummond helps Cavaliers drop Grizzlies

Andre Drummond posted game-highs of 22 points and 15 rebounds, Larry Nance Jr. added 18 points on 7-of-7 shooting and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the host Memphis Grizzlies, 94-90 on Thursday. Both Cleveland and Memphis came into Thursday's matchup with injury-depleted rosters.

(With inputs from agencies.)