LATEST TEXAS SPORTS

NBA PRESEASON RDP
Wade’s Bulls debut highlights Monday NBA preseason slate
(AP) – Dwyane Wade was in Chicago and Tim Duncan wasn’t with San Antonio as players and teams around the NBA began adjusting to new circumstances Monday.

The Oklahoma City Thunder played for the first time since Kevin Durant’s departure, losing to Real Madrid in Spain. Frank Vogel made his Orlando coaching debut against Memphis, which played its opener under David Fizdale.

The first full night of exhibition action featured seven games, including the first Wade played as a professional for anyone but the Miami Heat. The 14-year veteran and Chicago native signed with his hometown team in the offseason and was the first Bulls player introduced before scoring six points in their 93-91 loss to Milwaukee.

Duncan retired after last season, but the Spurs will wait at least one more game to gauge what they will look like without their longtime stalwart. They left LaMarcus Aldridge, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Danny Green, Patty Mills and newcomer Pau Gasol behind when they traveled to Phoenix to face the Suns.

T25-TEXAS-OKLAHOMA COACHES
Texas’ Strong, Oklahoma’s Stoops need victory to calm fans

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) – There will be more at stake than usual for Texas coach Charlie Strong and Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops at this year’s showdown game Saturday in Dallas. Both schools have traditionally ranked among college football’s top programs, but both are off to disappointing starts by their standards.

“The bottom line is we’re both 2-2 going into this game,” Stoops said. “So both of us, it’s critical for both of us in how we move forward.”

Texas athletic director Mike Perrin told a reporter after Saturday’s 49-31 loss to No. 20 Oklahoma State: “We need to evaluate what happened here.” A Longhorns spokesman, John Bianco, later said Perrin’s comments were about the coaching staff needing to evaluate the game and the issues the team had on the field.

Strong has been under intense scrutiny since taking over at Texas. Strong has a 13-16 record at Texas and a 9-10 mark in Big 12 play. He said Perrin hasn’t assured him that his job is safe.

TEXAS-RUNNING BACKS
Texas RB Chris Warren III out indefinitely; Foreman to play
(AP) – Texas running back Chris Warren III is out indefinitely after injuring his right knee Saturday against Oklahoma State.

Texas coach Charlie Strong made the announcement Monday.

Warren missed the second half against Oklahoma State after rushing for 106 yards on 10 carries in the first half. For the season, he has rushed for 366 yards and three touchdowns with a 5.9-yard average per carry.

Leading rusher D’Onta Foreman left the game against Oklahoma State in the third quarter with an abdominal injury after rumbling for 148 yards and two touchdowns. Strong said he expects Foreman to play Saturday against No. 20 Oklahoma.

COWBOYS-ROMO OR DAK

Cowboys have Romo-Dak question looming if wins keep coming

DALLAS (AP) – Dak Prescott never gets tricked by the question, no matter how someone asks what happens when Tony Romo returns from his latest back injury. The answer will only get more complicated for the Cowboys if the rookie keeps playing this well in his record-setting debut.

With a victory at home against Cincinnati on Sunday, Dallas (3-1) will be guaranteed a winning record for the widely projected Romo return date of Oct. 30.

Then again, maybe it’s not complicated if you listen to tight end Jason Witten, Romo’s favorite target, close friend and teammate for all of their 14 seasons since they came into the NFL together with the Cowboys in 2003.

“I think it’s really simple,” Witten said Monday. “I said how I feel about Tony, and I think there’s only a few people that are on this planet that can do the things at that position what he’s done in his career. He’ll continue to come back and play at a high level.”

And Witten isn’t trying to downgrade the performance of Prescott, who has an NFL rookie record of 131 pass attempts without an interception to start in his career. Prescott has led the Cowboys to three straight wins after a loss in the opener dropped them to 1-14 without Romo since the 2013 finale.

MLB-PLAYOFFS ROUNDUP

Giants, Blue Jays, Orioles grab playoff spots on final day
(AP) – The San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles grabbed the last three playoff spots Sunday, and the October matchups are set.

Neat and clean, and no need for all sorts of tiebreakers. It opens Tuesday night when the Orioles visit Toronto in the AL wild-card game.

“All we asked for is an opportunity, and right now, we have an opportunity,” Baltimore center fielder Adam Jones said after a 5-2 win over the New York Yankees.

On Wednesday night, aces duel as Madison Bumgarner starts for the Giants vs. Noah Syndergaard and the New York Mets at Citi Field in the NL wild-card game. On Thursday, the best-of-five AL Division Series begins: David Ortiz and Boston at Cleveland, and the wild-card winner at Texas. And on Friday night, Clayton Kershaw starts Game 1 for the Los Angeles Dodgers at Washington, and the NL wild-card winner plays the best-in-the-majors Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.