Elias Says...
Special to ESPN.com
NBA
JENNINGS IS BUCKS' LEADING SCORER AGAIN
Brandon Jennings led the Bucks with 25 points in their overtime loss to Dallas. Jennings has been the Bucks' leading scorer (tied or outright) in six of their eight games this season. The last rookie to lead his team in scoring in six of the team's first eight games of a season was Detroit's Grant Hill in 1994-95.
HAWKS TIE SUNS FOR BEST RECORD IN THE NBA
The Hawks beat the Blazers in overtime to improve their record to 9-2, tying them with Phoenix for the best record in the NBA. The last time the Hawks had the best record in the NBA (tied or outright) 11-or-more games into a season was in December 1997.
JACKSON IS IN GOOD COMPANY
The Warriors traded disgruntled forward Stephen Jackson to Charlotte on Monday. Jackson is one of eight players to average at least 20 points, four rebounds and four assists per game in both 2007-08 and 2008-09. The other seven players in that club: Kobe Bryant, Caron Butler, Vince Carter, LeBron James, Joe Johnson, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade.
NHL
PARK IS A HELPER
Richard Park had assists on each of the first three goals by the Islanders in their 4-1 win at Boston. The three assists equaled Park's career high and they were the most assists by an Islanders player in a road game since Oct. 18, 2007, when defenseman Chris Campoli had four assists in a 5-2 Isles win at Washington.
ROOKIE SCORES GWG FOR FLYERS
James van Riemsdyk's third-period goal provided the margin of victory for the Flyers in their 3-2 win over the Devils. Van Riemsdyk is the first Flyers rookie to score a game-winning goal against the Devils since defenseman Jason Bowen notched the third Philadelphia goal in a 4-2 victory on April 12, 1994. It was the second and last goal of Bowen's brief NHL career and his only game-winner.
STAAL SHORTY IS GAME-WINNER
Jordan Staal's shorthanded goal in the second period proved to be the game-winner for the Penguins against the Ducks. Staal led the NHL with seven shorthanded goals in his rookie season, 2006-07, but his goal on Monday night was only his second SHG in three seasons since then.
GARON IS THE KING OF THE SHOOTOUT
The Oilers probably knew their chance to win Monday's game at Columbus had slipped away once it went to a shootout. Blue Jackets goaltender Mathieu Garon won his 13th consecutive shootout, extending his own NHL record, by stopping three of Edmonton's four attempts while Fedor Tyutin and Jakub Voracek scored for Columbus. Garon's shootout win streak began with his perfect 11-0 mark in tiebreakers during his two seasons with the Oilers.
MLB
COGHLAN WINS N.L. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR WITH A GREAT SECOND HALF
Chris Coghlan was named the 2009 National League Rookie of the Year Monday. Coghlan, who was batting .245 at the All-Star Break, led the major leagues with a .372 batting average after the break. Only one other rookie led the major leagues in batting average after the break: Boston's Wade Boggs in 1982 (.349). Boggs finished third in the American League Rookie of the year voting that season, behind Cal Ripken and Kent Hrbek.
BAILEY WINS A.L. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Andrew Bailey won the 2009 American League Rookie of the Year Award. Bailey (26 saves, 1.84 earned run average) is only the fourth rookie to save at least 25 games with an earned run average under 2.00. The three others were Baltimore's Gregg Olson in 1989 (27 saves, 1.69 ERA), Baltimore's Jorge Julio in 2002 (25, 1.99) and Boston's Jonathan Papelbon in 2006 (35, 0.92).
NFL
YOU CAN'T SPELL BROWNS WITHOUT AN "O"
The Browns have scored only five offensive touchdowns over their last 15 games. They are the first NFL team since the 1933-34 Cincinnati Reds to have scored only five offensive TDs over a span of 15 regular-season games. That team, whose 15-game stretch was from Oct. 15, 1933 to Nov. 6, 1934, was suspended by the NFL for defaulting on payments. The league then brought an independent team, the St. Louis Gunners, into the league to play the three remaining games on the Reds' schedule. The Reds never played another NFL game.
RAVENS FEED ON RICE
Ray Rice scored the Ravens' first touchdown in their win over the Browns. Rice has seven touchdowns in his last seven games played after failing to reach paydirt in any of his first 15 games in the NFL. Only three players have more touchdowns than Rice since week three: Maurice Jones-Drew (11), Michael Turner (nine) and Joseph Addai (eight). Reggie Wayne, Adrian Peterson, Randy Moss and Vernon Davis also have seven touchdowns over that span.
SCORELESS AT THE HALF
The Ravens and Browns were scoreless at the half Monday night. It's only the second game since the start of last season that was scoreless through 30 minutes of action, both involved the Browns. The other was October 19 of last season at Washington.
Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens
REVOLVING DOOR AT QUARTERBACK FOR THE BROWNS
Brady Quinn started for the Browns against the Ravens Monday night, marking the seventh time that Cleveland has changed starting quarterbacks since Quinn first replaced Derek Anderson for a short stint last November. That's three more starting quarterback changes during that time than any other team in the NFL. The Lions, Bucs and Seahawks have five each.