Feb 7, 2022 3 min read

In the NFL

After giving David Culley just one year to prove himself, the Houston Texans on Monday hired Lovie Smith as their new head coach, adding a veteran with a track record of success to a team that faces questions about its hiring process.

Smith, who is Black, is the second minority candidate to be hired this offseason after the Miami Dolphins hired San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, who is biracial, on Sunday.

Smith spent last season as Houston’s associate head coach and defensive coordinator. He will take over for Culley, who is also Black, and was fired after one season.

• The New Orleans Saints have promoted defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to head coach, two people familiar with the decision said Monday.

The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Saints have not announced their chosen replacement for Sean Payton, who resigned nearly two weeks ago after 16 years with the club.

Allen, 49, is in his second stint with the Saints. He was their secondary coach when they won the Super Bowl in the 2009 season. He left New Orleans in 2011 to become Denver’s defensive coordinator before taking his first and only other head coaching position with Oakland Raiders in 2012.

He was fired by the Raiders four games into the 2014 season and returned to the Saints as a senior defensive assistant in 2015 before eventually taking over as defensive coordinator late that season when Payton fired Rob Ryan.

• New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara is out of jail after he was arrested over the weekend on a felony charge alleging he beat and injured a person at a Las Vegas nightclub.

Court and jail records showed Monday that Kamara posted bond and was released from the Clark County Detention Center. He has a March 8 court date on a charge of battery resulting in substantial bodily harm.

The records did not identify his attorney. A conviction on the charge could result in a sentence of one to five years in state prison.

Las Vegas police say a person at a hospital on Saturday reported having been beaten at a nightclub and detectives determined the attack involved Kamara.

Kamara was arrested Sunday, after playing for the NFC in the NFL Pro Bowl game.

In the NBA

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball and San Antonio Spurs guard Dejounte Murray were named to the NBA All-Star Game on Monday as injury replacements for Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green.

The league also announced that Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, who was selected as a reserve, will replace Durant as a starter.

The 71st NBA All-Star Game is scheduled for Feb. 20 in Cleveland.

• Bam Adebayo scored 21 points and Jimmy Butler had 19 as the Eastern Conference-leading Miami Heat cruised to a 121-100 win over the Washington Wizards.

In college basketball

Reece Beekman hit a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining as Virginia knocked off No. 7 Duke 69-68 Monday night.

It was just the second 3-pointer on 12 attempts for the Cavaliers.

Jayden Gardner scored 17 points, Kadin Shedrick posted a career-high 16 points – many coming on a variety of dunks – and Armaan Franklin had 11 points. Virginia (15-9, 9-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) has won three games in a row.