Fletcher Cox's option picked up by Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles exercised their fifth-year option on Fletcher Cox, meaning the defensive end will remain under contract through the 2016 season.

Cox was the Eagles’ first-round draft choice in 2012, the second year that first-rounders were signed to four-year contracts with fifth-year options. Cox, the 12th pick of that draft, has emerged as an outstanding player. Eagles coach Chip Kelly called Cox the Eagles’ best defensive player in 2014.

“I think he’s been our top player,” Kelly said in December. “He’s been really unblockable at times. I think he’s a very disruptive force.”

Cox had four sacks in 2014. He is most effective in the Eagles’ run defense, which ranked ninth in the NFL. He also scored his first career touchdown, returning a fumble recovery 17 yards in the season opener against Jacksonville.

Cox is scheduled to earn $1.8 million for 2015, the fourth year of his rookie contract. Under the fifth-year option, Cox will make $7.8 million in 2016.

The Eagles may choose to work out a new contract extension with Cox. This is the first year they are allowed to do so. They had to decide by May 3 whether to pick up his option. That would have no effect on their ability to work out a new contract.

It also wouldn’t affect the Eagles’ ability to trade Cox. His name has been linked in trade speculation, at least partly because the Eagles had not yet worked out a new contract with him.

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Spurs' passing, shooting at high level

It looks like the San Antonio Spurs are back in business.

They improved to 11-3 since Feb. 27 with a 130-91 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. San Antonio’s 130 points were a season high.

The Thunder fell to 18-11 when Russell Westbrook plays and Durant doesn’t, but it’s worth noting that’s split up as 13-1 against sub-.500 teams and 5-11 versus teams with recirds of .500 or better.

The Spurs were a late Thunder 3-pointer away from matching their largest margin of victory under Gregg Popovich (the mark remains a 42-point win against the Sacramento Kings during the 1997-98 season).

San Antonio is now 15-5 when their regular starting lineup plays (Tony Parker, Danny Green,Kawhi Leonard, Tim Duncan and Tiago Splitter).

How they’re winning: Parker in the paint
The Spurs are rolling because their offense is clicking. All five of their starters shot 50 percent or better from the field on Wednesday. San Antonio shot 58 percent from the field, the second time in 11 days that they shot the ball that well and the third-best that they’ve shot from the field this season.

The Spurs are averaging 112.4 points per game during this 14-game run, 12 points better than what they averaged prior to the start of this stretch. They rank first in the league in points per game, offensive efficiency and assist-to-turnover ratio since Feb. 27.

When the Spurs made at least two passes on a possession on Wednesday, they shot 65 percent from the field and had an assist to turnover ratio of 24-to-4.

One of the keys to the Spurs' recent success was on display on Wednesday.

Tony Parker scored 10 of his game-high 21 points in the paint. He has scored at least 10 points in the paint seven times this month. He had scored 10 or more only nine times all season entering March.

Parker averaged 5.8 points and 52 percent shooting in the paint this season through the end of February. In 12 games this month, he’s averaging 9.8 points and shooting 66 percent in the paint.

Elias Sports Bureau Stat of the Night
The Spurs were the only home team to win on Wednesday. The 12-1 record by road teams is an NBA best on a single day with a minimum of 10 games played.

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Harden lives at line in first 50-point game

Scott Halleran/Getty ImagesJames Harden made 22-of-25 free throws on his way to a career-high 50 points.

Thursday was not a good college basketball day in the state of Texas, as all five Texas schools were eliminated from the NCAA tournament, the first time a state has lost five schools on a single day in Tournament history.

It was a much better day for professional basketball in Texas, as Rockets star James Hardentallied his first career 50-point game.

Making Rockets history

Harden became the first Rocket to score 50 points since Hakeem Olajuwon did so on Jan. 18, 1996.

The Rockets played 1,538 games between Olajuwon's 50-point game and Harden's, which, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, was the fourth-longest active streak of consecutive games without a 50-point scorer. Two of the teams ahead of Houston on that list, the Hornets and Grizzlies, have never had a 50-point scorer.

Elias also tells us Harden joins Olajuwon, Moses Malone and Elvin Hayes as the only players in Rockets franchise history to have a game with at least 50 points and 10 rebounds.

Harden breaks through

Harden had the most career 40-point games among players to never score 50 points, with 11 before finally breaking through on Thursday night, according to Elias. Next on that list are Chris Bosh and Russell Westbrook, both with 10.

For the season, Harden has now reached the 40-point mark seven times, tied with Westbrook for the most in the NBA.

By grabbing 10 boards, as well, Harden became the fifth guard in the past 30 seasons to rack up double-digit boards in a 50-point game. The others are Michael Jordan (eight times), Kobe Bryant(three), Dwyane Wade and Ray Allen.

Living at the line

Harden scored 22 of his 50 points at the charity stripe, making 22 of 25 free throws. Harden is the first player to make at least 20 free throws in a game since Harden himself did so on Dec. 26, 2013.

Harden made more free throws than the Nuggets attempted on Thursday and knocked down twice as many as the Nuggets made.

To further put into context Harden's crazy night at the line, his 22 made free throws are more than Rajon Rondo (21) has made all season.

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