Sports News Roundup: Nuggets win fifth straight; RSM Classic in Georgia and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

NBA roundup: Nuggets win fifth straight

Paul Millsap scored 23 points and hit all nine of his free throws, Will Barton and Jamal Murray added 22 points each, and the host Denver Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns 116-104 on Sunday night. Mason Plumlee had 14 points, Monte Morris finished with 10 and Nikola Jokic had eight points and 13 rebounds for the Nuggets, who have won five straight.

Duncan beats Simpson in playoff at RSM Classic in Georgia

Unheralded Tyler Duncan emerged from obscurity, making birdie at the second extra hole to beat fellow American Webb Simpson in a playoff at the RSM Classic in Georgia on Sunday. World number 387 Duncan displayed composure that belied his low ranking, sinking a 12-foot putt to capture his maiden victory in the final event of the year on the PGA Tour.

Shapovalov proud of Canada's run to final

Denis Shapovalov said he was proud to have played in Canada's first Davis Cup final although it "sucked" to lose after he succumbed to Rafael Nadal in Madrid's Magic Box on Sunday. The 20-year-old was handed mission impossible after team mate Felix Auger-Aliassime was beaten by Roberto Bautista Agut and although he pushed the 19-time Grand Slam champion hard, he went down 6-3 7-6(7) as Spain sealed their sixth title.

Tomlin mum on Steelers' starter after Rudolph benched

Head coach Mike Tomlin declined to say who the Steelers' starting quarterback will be moving forward after Devlin "Duck" Hodges replaced Mason Rudolph in the second half on Sunday and rallied Pittsburgh to victory. "We'll see what next week holds, next week," Tomlin told reporters afterward.

NHL roundup: Eichel, Sabres knock off Panthers

Jack Eichel had a goal and two assists, and Zemgus Girgensons scored twice, leading the Buffalo Sabres to a 5-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Sunday in Sunrise, Fla. Eichel is on pace for a career season, leading Buffalo in goals (14), and he is tied for the lead in assists with Rasmus Dahlin, who had his 15th assist Sunday.

NFL roundup: 49ers rout Pack, harass Rodgers all night

The San Francisco 49ers' defense held Aaron Rodgers to just 104 yards passing while sacking him five times en route to a 37-8 rout of the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night in Santa Clara, Calif. The 49ers solidified their spot atop the NFC pecking order with a 10-1 record, while sending the Packers back to Green Bay at 8-3.

Nadal delivers glory for Spain as Davis Cup starts new era

Spain's talisman Rafael Nadal sealed a sixth Davis Cup title for his country on Sunday when they beat Canada 2-0 in the final of the revamped event. After a week of relentless tension and late-night heroics it was perhaps asking too much for the first final in the Davis Cup's new guise to deliver a classic and so it proved as Spain became the last nation standing of the 18 who assembled in Madrid.

Blue Bombers tame Tiger-Cats to end Grey Cup drought

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers ended a 29-year Grey Cup drought by beating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 33-12 at Calgary's McMahon Stadium on Sunday to be crowned Canadian Football League (CFL) champions. Hometown boy Andrew Harris scored a pair of touchdowns and Justin Medlock booted six field goals to help give Winnipeg their first Grey Cup since 1990, ending the second-longest barren run in CFL history.

Horse racing: Australia and Hong Kong end quarantine stand-off

Australia has agreed to relax restrictions imposed on the travel of horses from Hong Kong, ending a two-year stand-off between the two countries, the South China Morning Post reported on Monday. The movement of horses between the jurisdictions was frozen in 2017 after the Hong Kong Jockey Club's (HKJC) addition of a training facility in mainland China, which sparked Australian concerns over biosecurity.

Solid start but Davis Cup needs tweaks to thrive

From the moment the International Tennis Federation (ITF) agreed in 2018 to a radical makeover of the historic Davis Cup, opinion among players, pundits and fans has been divided. The demise of the World Group, introduced in 1981 with home and away ties played on three separate weekends and culminating in a November final, in favor of a week-long, 18-nation event, was regarded as sacrilege by many.

(With inputs from agencies.)