TALKING POINTS

Editor’s Note

Due to an earlier deadline of 8 p.m. throughout the pandemic, some games might not make it into the print edition of your Valley Press. Please find the following full stories on our website at www.avpress.com: National Hockey League: Wild vs. Kings, Ducks vs. Golden Knights. Men’s College Basketball: Washington vs. USC.

Goff to start for Rams in Green Bay; Wolford inactive

THOUSAND OAKS — Quarterback Jared Goff will start the Los Angeles Rams’ playoff game at Green Bay on Saturday, and John Wolford will be inactive.

Coach Sean McVay announced his decision Thursday ahead of the final workout for the Rams (11-6) before they travel to face the top-seeded Packers (133) at Lambeau Field.

Wolford started the Rams’ last two games, but the second-year pro was injured early in Los Angeles’ 30-20 win at Seattle last Saturday. Wolford left the stadium in an ambulance with a neck stinger after a hit from the Seahawks’ Jamal Adams, and he hasn’t practiced this week.

Goff has been the Rams’ starter for the past 4 1/2 years, but he sat out their regular-season finale after breaking his right thumb, missing a game due to injury for the first time in his career.

Goff then was the Rams’ backup in their first playoff game, but he relieved Wolford in Seattle and led Los Angeles to victory with 155 yards passing.

“He’s been able to get a lot of good individual work,” McVay said of Goff’s health. “He’s making good progress. The further you get away from that, the more normal — I know he’s been painfree, but I think the more functionality and feeling like yourself.”

Wolford will still travel to Green Bay with the Rams, but he won’t play. Veteran Blake Bortles, who returned to the Rams in Week 17 after Goff’s injury, will be Goff’s backup against the Packers, and rookie third quarterback Bryce Perkins also might be active.

Knebel ($5.25M), Floro ($975,000) agree with Dodgers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — New Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Corey Knebel agreed to a $5.25 million, oneyear contract on Thursday that avoided salary arbitration, and pitcher Dylan Floro agreed to $975,000.

The 29-year-old Knebel was acquired from Milwaukee on Dec. 2 ahead of the deadline for teams to offer 2021 contracts to unsigned players on their 40-man rosters. He earned $1,898,148 in prorated pay last year from a $5,125,000 salary.

Knebel was an All

Star in 2017 and a key part of the Brewers’ bullpen during their run to the 2018 NL Championship Series. The right-hander missed the 2019 season with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow and struggled after returning last season.

Knebel’s best season came in 2017, when he went 1-4 with 39 saves and a 1.78 ERA in 76 appearances. He had a 6.08 ERA in 15 games last season.

The 2013 first-round draft pick has a career ERA of 3.31 with 57 saves in 239 relief appearances. He pitched eight games for Detroit in 2014 and had been with Milwaukee ever since.

Floro, 30, was 3-0 with a 2.59 ERA in 25 relief appearances last year and had a 5.06 ERA in six postseason appearances for the World Series champions. He earned $219,815 in prorated pay from a $593,500 salary, and he was eligible for arbitration for the first time.

Five players remain eligible to exchange proposed arbitration salaries with the World Series champion Dodgers on Friday: outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger, shortstop Corey Seager, right-hander Walker Buehler, catcher Austin Barnes and left-hander Julio Urías.

LA Galaxy sign former West Brom goalkeeper Jonathan Bond

CARSON — Former West Brom goalkeeper Jonathan Bond has signed with the LA Galaxy.

The MLS club announced the move Thursday.

Bond has made only seven appearances for West Brom, all in cup competitions, since signing in 2018. The 6-foot5 Englishman began his pro career with Watford in 2010, and he went on loan to several clubs before signing with Reading in 2015.

After getting relatively little playing time for nearly every season of his club career in England, the 27-year-old Bond could take a prominent role immediately with the Galaxy. David Bingham, last season’s top goalkeeper, is not expected to return to compete with Bond and Jonathan Klinsmann for playing time.

The Galaxy are retooling their roster for new coach Greg Vanney, who was hired last week after seven successful seasons with Toronto FC.

Earlier this week, the Galaxy acquired defender Jorge Villafaña from Portland to begin the rebuild of its perpetually leaky defense. Bond’s arrival also should boost the defensive aptitude of the Galaxy, whose 46 goals allowed last season were the second-most among MLS’s 26 teams.

Bond will not occupy an international roster spot for the Galaxy because he holds a U.S. passport.

Healthy Herman gets to Hawaii and starts well at Sony Open

HONOLULU — Jim Herman made it to Hawaii a week later than he had hoped and was happier than ever. He recovered from the Coronavirus and had his lowest score in his 10th appearance at the Sony Open to get his year off to a good start.

Peter Malnati had the early lead on a windy Thursday morning at Waialae with nine birdies for an 8-under 62, two shots better than anyone in his half of the field.

Herman and Vaughn were each at 64.

Herman was looking forward to starting his year on another island. He qualified for the Sentry Tournament of Champions by winning the Wyndham Championship, his third career victory. But his COVID-19 test came back positive as he prepared to go to Maui, and self-isolation for 10 days left him no time to get to Kapalua.

Stefanski out of basement, back with Browns after COVID-19

CLEVELAND — Browns coach Kevin Stefanski doesn’t plan a trip downstairs to his basement any time soon.

“Those walls were closing in on me,” he said.

Stefanski returned to the team’s facility Thursday, 10 days after the first-year coach tested positive for COVID-19 and he was forced to miss Cleveland’s playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

Instead of being on the sideline at Heinz Field, Stefanski was 135 miles away in his Ohio home, where he nervously paced in front of his TV as the Browns built an early 28-0 lead and held for a 4837 victory — Cleveland’s first in the postseason in 26 years.

Stefanski will make his playoff debut on the sideline this week when the Browns play the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

“It’s great. He deserves to be back,” said special teams coordinator Mike Priefer, who filled in as acting coach against the Steelers. “Anytime your leader comes back to the building and he’s going to lead us into battle this weekend, it’s a great thing for our football team.”

There’s plenty of work to be done, but Stefanski, who only had mild symptoms of the virus, was taking a moment to savor the company of his team and staff. He missed everything.

Leonard leads Clippers past short-handed Pelicans 111-106

LOS ANGELES — Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points, Paul George added 27 and the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans 111106 on Wednesday night.

The Pelicans were missing starters Zion Williamson, Lonzo Ball and Eric Bledsoe. Together, they account for 46.1 points and 15.6 rebounds per game. New Orleans coach Stan Van Gundy said Williamson was ruled out because of inconclusive test results.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the Pelicans with 37 points and eight rebounds, both career highs in his first start of the season.

Virginia, San Jose State latest women’s teams to end seasons

The injury-depleted Virginia women’s basketball team has opted out of the remainder of the season, becoming the second Atlantic Coast Conference team to make that decision.

Virginia announced Thursday that the women’s team will not complete the remainder of the season due to health and safety concerns. San Jose State also announced Thursday its women’s program would not complete the season due to COVID-19 issues. The Spartans had previously paused basketball activities twice during the pandemic.

Two other women’s programs have also announced they would not complete the season: Duke said in December that the Blue Devils would not continue playing, which was followed days later by SMU opting out the rest of the season.

Lions agree to deal with Rams executive Brad Holmes as GM

The Detroit Lions agreed to terms with Brad Holmes on Thursday to be their general manager.

Holmes led the Rams’ college scouting department for eight years and started his 18-year career with them as a public relations intern in 2003.

“Several weeks ago when we embarked on this process, it was critical that we find the right person to fit our vision for this team,” Lions principal owner and chairman Sheila Ford Hamp said in a statement issued by the team. “It was evident early on that Brad is a proven leader who is ready for this opportunity. We are thrilled to introduce him to our fans as a member of our football family.”

Holmes had a second interview in Detroit on Wednesday, meeting with the franchise’s leaders in person, and was impressive enough to land the job.

Jones among 4 Alabama underclassmen declaring for NFL draft

Four stars from Alabama’s national championship team, including Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Mac Jones, are leaving early to enter the NFL draft.

Jones, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, cornerback Patrick Surtain II and defensive lineman Christian Barmore announced their intentions to leave on Thursday — all are considered potential firstround picks.

Jones arrived as a skinny recruit along with much more heralded prospect Tua Tagovailoa, a No. 5 overall pick by the Miami Dolphins last season. Both played behind young quarterback Jalen Hurts, now with the Philadelphia Eagles.

“It’s just been a great journey,” said Jones, who finished third in the Heisman voting.