In brief: Rondo carries Celtics past San Antonio

NBA: Rajon Rondo had already played two games since returning from a sprained ankle. It wasn’t until Wednesday night, though, that he really returned.

The Celtics point guard had 22 assists, 12 points and 10 rebounds for his 11th career triple-double, adding six steals to help Boston (27-7) beat the visiting San Antonio Spurs 105-103 in a matchup of the NBA’s top two teams.

Ray Allen scored 31 points and Glen “Big Baby” Davis had 23 – one short of a career high – playing in place of the injured Kevin Garnett. Manu Ginobili scored 24 points with eight rebounds for the Spurs (29-6), who still have the best record in the NBA despite losing back-to-back games for the first time all season.

• Aldridge powers Blazers: LaMarcus Aldridge scored 27 points to help the Portland Trail Blazers to a 103-100 win over the host Houston Rockets.

The Rockets led 85-76 with about 10 minutes remaining. Portland responded with a 13-4 run capped by four points by Aldridge to tie it at 89 about four minutes later.

• Nets snap skid with late basket: Sasha Vujacic made the tiebreaking basket with 5.3 seconds left, and the New Jersey Nets snapped their five-game losing streak with a 96-94 victory over the Chicago Bulls at Newark, N.J.

Volunteers tear apart No. 21 Memphis

Men’s basketball: Tobias Harris scored 17 points and grabbed 15 rebounds and the Tennessee Volunteers (10-4) got their third win over a ranked opponent this season with a 104-84 rout of No. 21 Memphis (11-3) at Knoxville, Tenn.

• Fredette sparks BYU: Jimmer Fredette scored 39 points to lead No. 15 Brigham Young (15-1, 1-0 Mountain West) to an 89-77 win over 25th-ranked UNLV (12-3, 0-1) at Las Vegas.

• Jordan leads unbeaten UCF: Marcus Jordan, son of former NBA star Michael Jordan, had 26 points as Central Florida (14-0, 1-0 Conference USA) posted a 65-58 win over Marshall (10-4, 0-1) at Orlando, Fla.

Zuccarello’s first goal comes up a winner

NNL: Mats Zuccarello scored his first NHL goal 3:09 into overtime and Henrik Lundqvist made 31 saves to lift the New York Rangers to a 2-1 victory over the visiting Carolina Hurricanes.

• Ducks lose captain for a month: Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf likely will be out of the lineup until February while recovering from several broken bones in his face.

Tennessee cuts ties with QB Young

NFL: Vince Young’s days with the Tennessee Titans are over. The Titans plan to release the quarterback if they can’t trade him. The decision ends Young’s sometimes- controversial run with the franchise after five seasons.

It also means Jeff Fisher is expected to remain the coach in 2011, the final year of his contract, although no decision has been made.

Young, the third overall pick in the 2006 draft, posted a 30-18 record with the Titans as a starter, including one playoff game. But injuries and controversies plagued the career of the player Titans owner Bud Adams handpicked after Young guided the University of Texas to a national championship.

• Texans hire Phillips: The Houston Texans hired Wade Phillips as their new defensive coordinator, hoping the former Cowboys head coach can turn around a unit that sank toward the bottom of the league.

Phillips was the head coach in Dallas but was fired in midseason after a 1-7 start.

• Welker, Light added to Pro Bowl: New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker and tackle Matt Light have been selected to the Pro Bowl.

They will replace Houston wide receiver Andre Johnson, who was to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle, and Miami tackle Jake Long, who was bothered by shoulder and knee problems for much of the season.

• Suh needs surgery: Detroit defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is having shoulder surgery and will not play in the Pro Bowl.

After being picked second in last year’s draft, Suh quickly became a fan favorite and led all NFL rookies with 10 sacks.

Bowers, Rudolph will enter draft

College football: Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers is giving up his final season to enter the NFL draft.

Bowers led the nation this year with 151/2 sacks and was second with 26 tackles for loss.

Notre Dame’s Kyle Rudolph also will make himself available for the draft. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound junior ranks fourth in school history in career receptions (90) and receiving yards (1,032) by a tight end.