SPORTS SHORTS

NFL: Cardinals fire OL coach Kugler

Cardinals offensive line coach Sean Kugler was dismissed by the organization because of an alleged groping incident on Sunday night in Mexico City after the team’s arrival for Monday’s game against the 49ers. Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury told the Arizona Republic that Kugler was sent back home to Arizona before Monday’s game.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers acknowledged Wednesday that he has been playing with a broken thumb for the past six weeks. Rodgers hurt his thumb on a foiled Hail Mary attempt on the final play of a 27-22 Green Bay loss to the Giants on Oct. 9.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford will miss his second game in three weeks after going back into the NFL’s concussion protocol. Stafford will sit out Sunday’s matchup in Kansas City.

NCAA: Michigan St. players charged

Seven Michigan State football players have been charged for their actions during the postgame melee in Michigan Stadium’s tunnel last month, according to a statement Wednesday from the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office. The most serious charge is against cornerback Khary Crump, who faces one count of felonious assault.

The charges against the six others; Itayvion “Tank” Brown, safety Angelo Grose, cornerback Justin White, defensive end Brandon Wright and defensive end Zion Young, are misdemeanors. Oumar Ballo dominated inside with 30 points and 13 rebounds for No. 14 Arizona, which held off No. 10 Creighton 81-79 to win the Maui Invitational for the third time.

Trevon Brazile had 20 points as No. 9 Arkansas beat No. 17 San Diego State, 78-74, in overtime in the third place game at the Maui Invitational.

NBA: Young, Hawks defeat Kings

Trae Young scored 35 points and the Hawks snapped the Kings’ seven-game winning streak with a 115-106 victory in Atlanta.

In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell scored 34 points to lift the Cavaliers to a 114-96 victory over the Trail Blazers.

In San Francisco, Andrew Wiggins scored a season-high 31 points as the Warriors beat the Clippers, 124-107.

NHL: Panthers halt Bruins’ win streak

Anton Lundell, Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk scored in the second period as the Panthers beat Boston 5-2 in Sunrise, Fla., snapping the Bruins’ seven-game winning streak.

In Washington, Alex Ovechkin scored the overtime winner for his 790th career goal and the Capitals beat the Flyers 3-2 to halt a four-game losing streak.

MLB: Phillies’ Harper has surgery

Phillies slugger Bryce Harper will miss the start of the 2023 season after he had reconstructive right elbow surgery in Los Angeles on Wednesday.