Sports News Roundup: Harden out for two games, Suspension upheld for Capitals' Wilson

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Woods-Mickelson pay-per-view match to charge $19.99

The $19.99 charge for the pay-per-view (PPV) exhibition between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson is likely to bring in enough viewers to make the event financially viable, two sports marketing experts said. Turner Sports announced on Thursday that viewers in the United States will be charged $19.99 to watch the 18-hole, $9 million "winner-take-all" showdown between Woods and Mickelson on Nov. 23, the day after Thanksgiving.

NBA notebook: Harden (hamstring) out for two games

Houston Rockets guard James Harden will miss at least two games with a hamstring strain, the team announced Thursday. An MRI showed Harden has a Grade 1-plus left hamstring strain. He will miss home games against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night and the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday and will be re-evaluated before the Rockets leave for a five-game road trip that begins Nov. 2 in Brooklyn.

Watson,Texans, stay hot, drop defenseless Dolphins

Deshaun Watson tossed a season-best five touchdown passes and the Houston Texans extended their winning streak to five games with a 42-23 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday at NRG Stadium. Watson delivered a performance reminiscent of his breakthrough yet injury-shortened rookie season, completing 16 of 20 attempts for 239 yards. He led the Texans (5-3) on three scoring drives that elapsed less than a minute on the clock, including a pair of two-play, second-half marches that sandwiched the second of three field goals from Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders.

NFL notebook: NFL fires official who blew obvious call

An NFL official has lost his stripes, having been fired for poor performance. Down judge Hugo Cruz was on the officiating crew in Week 6 when the Los Angeles Chargers played the Browns in Cleveland. Cruz failed to call a false start on Chargers left tackle Russell Okung, and while the Browns' defenders expected the play to be whistled dead, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers completed a 29-yard touchdown pass to Tyrell Williams.

Alpine skiing: Vonn eyes Stenmark feat as retirement looms

Champion skier Lindsey Vonn has set her sights on breaking Ingemar Stenmark's all-time mark for World Cup victories even as her career winds down to a close. The 34-year-old Vonn, who holds the women's mark for Cup victories at 82, is closing in on the ultimate record of Stenmark's 86 as she competes in the final season of her career. "I definitely think I can (break Stenmark's record)," Vonn told reporters on Thursday at the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Gold Medal Gala in New York.

NBA roundup: LeBron's triple-double lifts Lakers

LeBron James had 28 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists to record his first triple-double with his new team, and the Los Angeles Lakers knocked the visiting Denver Nuggets from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 121-114 victory Thursday. It was the Lakers' first victory at home this season. Los Angeles earned its first win overall Wednesday at Phoenix.

Dodgers turn to Buehler down 2-0 in World Series

Down 2-0 in the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers once again will rest their hopes on the right arm of a 24-year-old rookie. Walker Buehler will take the mound when the Dodgers host the Boston Red Sox in Game 3 of the best-of-seven series Friday night. The Red Sox won the first two games in Boston on the strength of two-out rallies and dominant pitching.

NHL roundup: Penguins blast Flames 9-1

Patric Hornqvist and Phil Kessel each scored twice Thursday for the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins in a 9-1 shellacking of the Calgary Flames. Sidney Crosby had a goal and two assists, and Bryan Rust, Jack Johnson, Jake Guentzel and Matt Cullen also scored for Pittsburgh, which won its third straight. Derick Brassard had three assists, and Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Dominik Simon two each.

NHL notebook: Suspension upheld for Capitals' Wilson

The 20-game suspension of Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson will stand, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has ruled. The NHL announced Thursday that Bettman has upheld the suspension, determining that the illegal check to the head of St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist in a preseason game was avoidable.

IndyCar's Wickens reveals his legs are paralyzed

Canadian IndyCar Series driver Robert Wickens, who was involved in a horrific crash on Aug. 19, announced Thursday that his legs are paralyzed. Wickens, 29, sustained a thoracic spinal fracture, a spinal cord injury and other serious injuries during the ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa.

(With inputs from Reuters)