Troy Murphy’s most important assist didn’t show up in the box score.

Indiana’s Murphy and Chicago’s Tyrus Thomas were ejected from Wednesday’s game after an altercation. Indiana used it as motivation in a 117-102 win over the Bulls.

“We thank Murph for that,” Indiana forward Jermaine O’Neal said. “We appreciate Murph getting thrown out of the game, getting us going.”

The Pacers actually started their climb before the incident.

Indiana coach Jim O’Brien was called for a technical foul with the Pacers trailing 38-24, and Indiana responded with an 11-1 run.

The Bulls were leading 41-36 with 3:51 left in the second quarter when Thomas took exception to a hard foul by Murphy and responded by shoving him in the face. Murphy swung back, and players from both teams intervened before things escalated.

Indiana responded again to take a 53-52 lead at halftime.

“We obviously know that coach is a high-energy-type of guy, and obviously, we feel the way we feel about our teammates,” O’Neal said. “Anytime you get a combination of both, guys are going to focus in and try to get a win for both those guys.”

O’Neal was glad nothing major happened.

“It was just a lot of chit-chat on the court,” he said. “Nobody really wants to be suspended. We know the penalties of fighting and throwing punches. You can take a long vacation if you do that.”

The Bulls led 58-56 in the third quarter before the Pacers went on a 15-2 run that included five points from both Jamaal Tinsley and Kareem Rush to give Indiana a 71-60 lead with 7:28 left in the quarter.

The Pacers outscored the Bulls 40-25 in the quarter to lead 93-77 at the end of the period

Rush benefited from Murphy’s early exit. He scored a season-high 22 points on 9-for-13 shooting. He played 30 minutes, the most since he joined the Pacers this season. He had been averaging 3.2 points per game on 31 percent shooting.

“It has been tough, because I expect a lot out of myself,” he said. “It’s been kind of frustrating the first 20 games not playing well, but hopefully tonight is a stepping stone for me to continue to push through.”

The effort was something the Pacers had been waiting for.

“We know what Kareem can do,” O’Neal said. “He’s a very talented guy. He’s hit us up quite a few times when he was out in Charlotte. We know it’s just about opportunity. Tonight, he came and really looked like he had been in the rotation pretty much all season.”

Tinsley added 18 points and eight assists for Indiana in his first home game since he was shot at, but unhurt, early Sunday morning in downtown Indianapolis. He was booed by the home fans in pregame introductions for being in his third late-night incident in about 14 months, but they cheered him for most of the game.

Indiana continued its tendency to overcome large deficits. The Pacers rallied from a 15-point second half deficit to beat Orlando 115-109 last Friday night.

Tinsley said the Pacers believe in themselves and O’Brien’s system.

“We didn’t hang our heads,” he said. “We just came out there and competed and played hard.”

O’Neal has 18 points, nine rebounds and four blocks and Marquis Daniels added 18 points and seven rebounds for Indiana.

Ben Gordon led Chicago with 18 points, but he shot just 7-for-21 from the field. Joe Smith scored 16 points and Luol Deng added 15 for the Bulls.

The Bulls entered the game ranked eighth in the league in scoring defense, but they allowed their highest point total of the season.

“We didn’t have enough energy to get the stops when we needed them,” Gordon said. “I guess we got what we put in tonight.”

The Bulls struggled to keep up with the Pacers, who shot 56 percent from the field.

“We were feeling pretty good, but they did a good job of running the floor and pushing the ball,” Deng said. “We didn’t do a good job of running back on defense, and they made us pay.”

Indiana’s reserves scored 47 points.

“We just had a hard time matching up,” Gordon said. “Our defense has been

Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome and the Chicago Cubs reached a preliminary agreement Tuesday on a $48 million, four-year contract.

The deal is subject to a physical, according to a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made. The agreement could be finalized as early as Wednesday.

Fukudome was considered one of the best outfielders in Japanese baseball. The 30-year-old slugger was a key member of the Japan team that won the inaugural World Baseball Classic in March 2006.

He had surgery on his right elbow in August and sat out the Japan Series, but has 192 homers and a .305 batting average over nine seasons with the Chunichi Dragons, who won their first championship in 53 years on Nov. 2.

After becoming a free agent, Fukudome drew interest from the Cubs, San Diego Padres and White Sox.

He is expected to play right field for the Cubs, who traded outfielder Jacque Jones to Detroit this offseason and declined their contract option on veteran Cliff Floyd.

All-Star slugger Alfonso Soriano returns in left and speedy prospect Felix Pie is expected to take over in center after shuttling between the majors and minors this season. The Cubs hope Fukudome will provide the consistent left-handed bat they seek to go with righties Soriano, Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee.

Chicago won the NL Central title last season before being swept by Arizona in the first round of the playoffs.

Fukudome was the 2006 Central League MVP, batting .351 with 31 homers and 104 RBIs. He recently told the Dragons he wouldn’t return next season, saying he wanted to move to the major leagues.

Michael Vick’s outlook changed as the dogfighting case against him grew, going from disbelief that he could be hurt to depression at what he’d lost.

Vick broke down when an FBI agent suggested he was lying on a polygraph test about his role in the killing of dogs, ultimately admitting to full involvement in the hope of showing he had accepted responsibility for his actions, lawyer Billy Martin said in court. He sought the numbing comfort of marijuana to cope with his depression.

As Vick awaited his federal sentencing, already having relinquished his lucrative standing as one of the NFL’s most popular stars, he shared another emotion: relief.

“He understood that some of the things he was doing in life and off the field were dangerous,” longtime family attorney Lawrence Woodward said outside the courthouse where Vick was sentenced Monday to 23 months in prison, “and he told me he feels lucky that he’s alive and not hurt and now it’s all about the future.”

At least until the summer of 2009, that future will be in a federal prison, most likely a camp-style facility with dormitories and jobs instead of barbed-wire fences and cells.

“He doesn’t want anyone to feel sorry for him,” Woodward said, sharing a message at Vick’s request. “He just wants a chance to prove himself when all this is over.”

The suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback, who turned himself in Nov. 19 to begin serving his sentence, wore a black-and-white striped prison suit as he stood before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. He acknowledged using “poor judgment” and added, “I’m willing to deal with the consequences and accept responsibility for my actions.”

Vick also apologized to the court and his family, drawing a rebuke from Hudson: “You need to apologize to the millions of young people who looked up to you,” he said.

“Yes, sir,” Vick answered.

Hudson then rebuffed the defense team’s appeals for leniency, determining Vick had lied about his involvement in the killing of dogs, and about his drug use. Vick tested positive for marijuana Sept. 13 after claiming to have avoided illicit drugs.

“You were instrumental in promoting, funding and facilitating this cruel and inhumane sporting activity,” Hudson told Vick, who exhibited no visible reaction.

The sentence means Vick will be in prison until at least mid-July 2009, even if he meets the federal standard of 54 days’ reduction per year for good behavior.

Vick, whose $130 million contract was once the richest in NFL history, was suspended without pay by the NFL and lost all his lucrative endorsement deals. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was asked after the sentencing if Vick should play again.

“That’s a determination we’ll make later on,” he told The Associated Press from a legislative hearing in Austin, Texas. “As I said earlier when we suspended him indefinitely, we would evaluate that when the legal process was closed.”

Hudson also ordered Vick to three years of supervised probation upon his release, enrollment in a substance abuse program if his parole officer deems it necessary, reminded him that felons can’t own guns and said he can never again own a dog.

Throughout the 45-minute hearing, Vick’s brother, Marcus, sat with his arm around their mother, Brenda Boddie, comforting her as she covered her eyes and wept.

Much of what she heard could not have made her feel any better.

Hudson agreed with a federal probation officer’s finding that Vick had lied about his hands-on killing of dogs, calling honesty “really the crux of the matter here.”

“You were a full participant and you were at least equally culpable” as the three other defendants, the judge told Vick in summing up his own findings. “This is a racketeering case in front of me and you are to be sentenced accordingly.”

Hudson said Vick at times admitted killing dogs, and other times denied it.

“I’m not convinced you’ve fully accepted responsibility,” Hudson said.

Federal sentencing guidelines called for a term of 18 months to two years. Federal prosecutor Michael Gill said Vick’s involvement warranted a sentence at the high end.

“He did more than fund it,” Gill said, referring to the “Bad Newz Kennels” dogfighting operation. “He was in this thing up to his neck with the other defendants.”

Vick pleaded guilty in August, admitting he bankrolled the dogfighting operation on his 15-acre property in rural Virginia and helped kill six to eight pit bulls that did not perform well in test fights. He also admitted providing money for bets on the fights by his co-defendants, but said he never shared in any winnings.

After making his plea, Vick apologized to the NFL, the Falcons and youngsters who viewed him as a role model and vowed: “I will redeem myself. I have to.”

Court papers revealed gruesome details about the operation, including the execution of underperforming dogs by electrocution, drowning, hanging and other means. Those details prompted a public backlash against the NFL star and outraged animal-rights groups, which used the case to call attention to the brutality of dogfighting.

John Goodwin of the Humane Society of the United States called the sentence appropriate and said the benefits of the exposure the case has received continue.

“People that are involved in this blood sport are on notice. You can throw your life away by being involved in this,” he said. “His future is in his hands.”

Co-defendants Purnell Peace, of Virginia Beach, got 18 months, and Quantis Phillips, of Atlanta, got 21 months at their sentencing hearings on Nov. 30.

Another co-defendant, Tony Taylor, will be sentenced Friday.

The case began in April when a drug investigation of Vick’s cousin led authorities to the former Virginia Tech star’s Surry County property, where they found dozens of pit bulls — some of them injured — and equipment associated with dogfighting.

Vick initially denied any knowledge about dogfighting on the property. He changed his story after the co-defendants pleaded guilty and detailed Vick’s involvement.

 Ray Allen was shaky, Kevin Garnett was quiet, and Paul Pierce flat out struggled.

Trouble for the Boston Celtics? No.

On a night when the three superstars were less than super, Rajon Rondo matched a season-high with 18 points, and the Celtics continued their torrid pace by holding off the Chicago Bulls 92-81 on Saturday night.

Sure, Allen scored 21 points, but Rondo was the difference.

“They are worried about KG, they are worried about Paul, they are worried about myself,” Allen said. “Him being so aggressive like that, it definitely gives us another angle to our offense.”

Boston was leading 86-70 after James Posey threw a behind-the-back pass to Allen with 5:23 remaining, but instead of cruising to a win, the Celtics had to hang on. The Bulls scored the next 11 points, culminating with a three-point play by Andres Nocioni that made it 86-81 with just under a minute left.

Garnett then hit a fadeaway jumper, and the Celtics won their sixth straight. At 17-2, they own the league’s best record. And it’s easy to see why.

Although coach Doc Rivers called him a “roller coaster,” Rondo was steady on a night when the Celtics three stars were up and down and hit 9 of 13 shots.

“He’s a roller coaster. He’s a good one, though,” Rivers said. “He’s a fast roller coaster is what he is. We believe in him. I think he is going to keep producing, I really do. He made some big jump shots tonight.”

Allen struggled at times, going 6-for-16, but came up with several timely baskets. Garnett was steady, if unspectacular, finishing with 16 points and nine rebounds.

And Pierce flat out struggled, going 1-for-8 from the field with 10 points along with six turnovers. He got into early foul trouble and missed all four shots in the first half before finally converting 1 1/2 minutes into the third quarter.

Others stepped up.

Rondo had one of his best games, finishing with seven rebounds and five assists, Posey added 11 points and Glen Davis grabbed a season-high 12 rebounds.

“That was huge,” Pierce said. “Every night it is somebody different because teams are so focus on me Kevin and Ray that guys are getting opportunities and they are taking great advantage of it.”

Nocioni had a decent night for Chicago, which had won four of five and beat Detroit the previous night. He scored 18 after averaging 21 points in the previous four games, although he hit just 1 of 7 3-pointers. Kirk Hinrich added 16 points and six assists, while Luol Deng scored 15.

But the league’s worst shooting team was off target again, going 31-of-86. Leading the brick brigade was Ben Gordon, who scored 13 points but was just 5-for-20. He missed all 10 of his shots in the second half and is at 37.3 percent for the season.

Gordon doesn’t see anything wrong with his shot when he watches video, though.

“A lot of times you can find maybe (you’re) not holding the follow through or whatever,” he said. “Most of the time, it’s just shots not going in. You’ve just got to be patient and continue to work hard.”

The Bulls had swept two straight season series from Boston, winning three games last year, but the Celtics aren’t the same these days. Those concerns about a lack of depth? They’ve been getting key contributions from players such as Rondo, Posey and Eddie House.

The notion that there would not be enough shots to satisfy their stars? Garnett, Allen and Pierce were each averaging between 19.3 and 20.8 points entering the game. And they’re getting plenty of rest.

Boston kept its starters on the bench during the fourth quarter of Friday’s 112-84 win, but the Bulls posed more of a challenge. They just didn’t have enough to pull it out.

“Obviously, we’re frustrated with this loss, but it was a tough back-to-back,” Hinrich said. “We played really well against Detroit, not so well at times tonight — not to take anything away from them. Hopefully, we’re coming along.”

Todd Collins kept waiting for another chance to play in the NFL. And waiting … and waiting … and waiting.

Forget about the five years without throwing for a touchdown. How about the three years without so much as attempting a pass of any sort?

Collins finally was called upon Thursday night by the weary Washington Redskins, and the perennial understudy performed brilliantly. Replacing injured starter Jason Campbell, Collins tossed two TDs to lead Washington over the fading Chicago Bears 24-16, ending the Redskins’ four-game losing streak.

Making it even more special for Collins and the rest of the Redskins was the context of this win, coming as it did 1 1/2 weeks after the shooting death of safety Sean Taylor, and only three days after his burial.

“We’ve been through a lot. We really didn’t have any practice time this week, dealing with the death of a teammate and a funeral,” said Collins, 15-for-20 for 224 yards and his first two TD throws since 2002, when he played for Kansas City.

Said Redskins coach Joe Gibbs: “It seems like it’s been forever since we won a game. This team’s overcome so much. … It’s been an emotional roller coaster for us.”

While the Redskins (6-7) consider themselves very much in the playoff chase in the so-so NFC, the Bears (5-8) were ready to concede they’ve followed up a trip to the Super Bowl with a dud of a season.

“It’s pretty much over now,” defensive end Alex Brown said.

Campbell departed in the second quarter with a dislocated left kneecap a few plays after hurting his throwing elbow, and Chicago quarterback Rex Grossman never returned from a left knee injury on his second drive.

Campbell will have an MRI exam Friday, and the Redskins said they would wait for those results before offering any prognosis.

Asked whether Grossman will play again this season, coach Lovie Smith said, “Don’t know enough about it. You know, it didn’t look good.”

Grossman’s replacement, Brian Griese, threw interceptions on consecutive passes in the second quarter, both picked off by Shawn Springs. The cornerback returned the first 53 yards, setting up Collins’ 21-yard touchdown pass to another backup, tight end Todd Yoder, to put Washington ahead 7-0.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever had a better performance coming off the bench. Ever,” Gibbs said.

Griese was 21-for-45 for 295 yards and one TD, but also raised his interception total to 12 in seven appearances this season.

Both teams had a short turnaround from games Sunday, but the Redskins’ preparation was even more limited. The entire organization traveled to Florida for the funeral of Taylor, who died after being shot last week.

Coincidentally, tickets for this game, printed months ago, featured a picture of Taylor.

“We got closure on Monday, and that’s one of the things that helped us,” defensive end Phillip Daniels said. “To get closure and move forward, that was big for us, for this team.”

One sign of moving forward: The makeshift memorial to Taylor, set up on a patch of grass outside the stadium where his number 21 was painted, is gone. Fans dropped off flowers, candles, teddy bears, homemade signs and other tokens before Sunday’s game, but nothing remained in that spot Thursday, other than some piles of snow.

The temperature was 26 degrees at kickoff, and perhaps a combination of the cold and the lack of regular rest contributed to all of the injuries. Among them: Daniels (sprained knee), running back Clinton Portis (stomach illness and bruised hand), right guard Randy Thomas (elbow) and cornerback Fred Smoot (cramps) of Washington, and defensive tackle Antonio Garay (ankle) of Chicago.

Also, Redskins tight end Chris Cooley limped off to the locker room with a bruised shin but was able to return. Portis made it back, too, but was limited to 36 yards rushing on 17 carries.

There were plenty of blunders on both sides: turnovers, missed field-goal attempts, penalties. Lots of penalties, 10 in the third quarter alone.

The trouble for Campbell began when he was hit on his throwing arm by Brandon McGowan at the end of a scramble. Campbell left for one play, allowing Collins to record his first NFL completion in three years, a 5-yarder to Reche Caldwell.

Campbell returned on Washington’s next possession, but lasted three plays before hurting his knee and being driven off the field on a cart. Then, right before halftime, Springs’ interception set up Collins-to-Yoder — hardly a combination the Redskins would have imagined.

After all, Yoder hadn’t caught a TD this season or any pass at all over the previous five games. And the 36-year-old Collins? He had a grand total of one touchdown toss over the past decade.

“I’ve been preparing … for literally hundreds of games,” Collins said. “This was really the first time I was able to go in and get to play in a situation that really mattered.”

Coach Scott Skiles has tinkered with his lineup all season, trying to find the right combination to spark the struggling Chicago Bulls.

The solution appears to involve Andres Nocioni. Two nights after he scored 30 points off the bench, Nocioni scored 10 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter and added 11 rebounds as the Bulls rallied to send the Charlotte Bobcats to their seventh straight loss, 91-82 on Wednesday. With Luol Deng controlling the inside with 30 points and Nocioni hitting big shots from the outside, the Bulls erased an 11-point third-quarter deficit by outscoring the Bobcats 38-22 in the fourth. “I think we played the way the Chicago Bulls play, moving the ball, passing the ball,” said Nocioni after only the Bulls’ second road win in nine tries. “I think we played really hard defense.” Hard enough to stymie the free-falling Bobcats. Gerald Wallace had 22 points and eight rebounds for Charlotte, but was on the bench with five fouls for the decisive 10-2 run early in the fourth quarter that gave Chicago its first lead. Jason Richardson scored 17 points, but was shut out in the final quarter and Raymond Felton scored 17 points, but shot 5-for-14. The Bobcats had little presence inside as they extended the league’s longest current losing streak. It didn’t help that Charlotte’s offense was off kilter. The Bobcats took 26 3-point shots, hitting six, and center Emeka Okafor took only seven shots. “We don’t need 26 3-point shots. We need to try to get to the rim,” coach Sam Vincent said. “We don’t need the jumpers. We need to be trying to get the ball inside to Emeka even more.” The Bobcats, who haven’t won since Nov. 19 against Portland, found out Wednesday morning that Cleveland had matched their offer sheet for 6-foot-10 forward Anderson Varejao. Vincent has been pleading for another big man for months, and Charlotte’s lack of depth inside was costly down the stretch. “I worry about our confidence in terms of really understanding how to close out games,” Vincent said. In a matchup of coaches who were teammates at Michigan State and with the Orlando Magic, both Vincent and Skiles continued tweaking lineups. Vincent started rookie Jared Dudley for a second straight game ahead of ineffective center Primoz Brezec. That moved Okafor to center and Wallace to power forward. But Dudley failed to score on 0-of-6 shooting and the Bobcats faded late in their second loss to Chicago in five days. Skiles used his fifth different starting lineup in 16 games, replacing Tyrus Thomas with Joe Smith. Thomas played only six minutes, while Smith had 11 points and five rebounds. The Bulls overcame 20 turnovers, 10 of them in the third quarter as Charlotte built a 60-49 lead on Matt Carroll’s jumper with 1:13 left. Then Skiles put in Chris Duhon, Nocioni and rookie Joakim Noah, and they led the Bulls’ final-quarter charge. Nocioni, who has seen his minutes fluctuate all season, scored seven points in the first 5 minutes of the fourth and his 3-pointer tied the game. Chicago took its first lead with 6:26 left on Duhon’s driving layup, and Deng’s putback on the next possession made it 72-68. Wallace was watching from the bench with five fouls, but returned with just over 5 minutes left. He couldn’t stop the Bulls from taking a 79-70 lead on Nocioni’s jumper with 3:36 left. “You’re thinking about [the losing streak] in your mind, and then when things start to change, it’s in the front of your mind,” Wallace said. Deng bested his previous season high of 29 points set against Charlotte on Saturday by making 10 of 17 shots and 10 of 13 free throws. And Deng was on the floor with some different faces late when Chicago put it away. “I don’t know anybody that wants to be in that position where you’re always searching for combinations out there,” Skiles said. “But unfortunately, that’s kind of where we are right now.”

One swift move, two new stars. The Detroit Tigers are loading up for another run at the World Series, this time with Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis.

Detroit reached a preliminary agreement Tuesday to acquire Cabrera and Willis from the Florida Marlins for a package of six players, an unexpected blockbuster trade that developed quickly at the winter meetings.

“I’m glad we’re in the other division,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. “That lineup just got scary.”

In a huge deal that took the spotlight away from Boston’s pursuit of Johan Santana, Florida gets lefty Andrew Miller, outfielder Cameron Maybin and four other prospects from the Tigers, a baseball official with knowledge of the talks said on condition of anonymity because the trade had not yet been finalized.

The Marlins also receive catcher Mike Rabelo and right-handers Burke Badenhop, Eulogio De La Cruz and Dallas Trahern. The players involved must pass physicals for the deal to be completed.

“It’s very serious, but nothing is finalized yet because some issues need to get worked out,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland told The Associated Press.

Cabrera, an All-Star in each of the past four seasons, would join an imposing lineup that already includes Magglio Ordonez, Gary Sheffield, Ivan Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson and Placido Polanco. The Tigers also acquired shortstop Edgar Renteria, a five-time All-Star, in a trade with Atlanta this offseason.

Willis, the 2003 NL Rookie of the Year and a two-time All-Star, is coming off a down year in which he went 10-15 with a 5.17 ERA. He would be part of a solid rotation with Justin Verlander, Kenny Rogers and Jeremy Bonderman as Detroit tries to reach the World Series again after losing to St. Louis in 2006.

Florida didn’t even approach the Tigers until Tuesday morning. The Marlins told the Tigers they could have both stars for those six players, then Detroit called back about two hours later and agreed, the baseball official said.

“If it does happen, obviously they’re getting two very good players,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who managed the Marlins in 2006. “Miguel Cabrera is one of the finest hitters in the game. He can do so many things with a bat, whether you want him to hit a home run for you, you want to hit and run, work the count, get on base. And Dontrelle Willis has been one of the premier lefties in the National League.”

Willis was on vacation when he heard the news.

“I’m in Mexico right now with my family. I’m kind of busy,” he told the AP.

Detroit had not been considered a contender for Cabrera or Willis. Both can become free agents after the 2009 season.

Cabrera and Willis were the last players left from Florida’s 2003 championship team. Unable to secure a new ballpark, the Marlins keep shedding players when they are due to earn huge salaries. Cabrera made $7.4 million this year and Willis $6.45 million. Both were eligible for arbitration and likely to receive raises.

“I halfway expected one of them to get traded, but not both in the same deal. So it’s a little bit of a shock,” Marlins left fielder Josh Willingham said. “It’s deflating.”

In return, the Marlins get a pair of highly rated prospects: Maybin was the 10th pick in the 2005 amateur draft and Miller was selected sixth overall the following year.

The 24-year-old Cabrera made 23 errors this season at third base. To make room for him, it appears Detroit could trade third baseman Brandon Inge or left fielder Marcus Thames. Cabrera played the outfield in 2004 and 2005.

The Los Angeles Angels had pursued Cabrera for weeks. The Marlins didn’t give the Angels a last chance.

“The deal they appear to have reached, they felt was a better fit for them,” Angels general manager Tony Reagins told a pool reporter.

Boston, meanwhile, was focused on Santana, Minnesota’s two-time Cy Young Award winner. Finding the price too high, the Yankees ended their efforts to acquire the 28-year-old left-hander.

Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner had set a Monday deadline for an agreement with the Twins.

“A deadline is a deadline. It was pretty much done as of this morning,” he said Tuesday. “He’s a fine pitcher, but there’s a lot of things that go into this. This isn’t fantasy baseball.”

Boston had offered the Twins packages built either around pitcher Jon Lester or outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, but not both.

“I know there’s a lot of speculation that we’re close to something big,” Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said. “Until we reach an agreement, then we’re not that close.”

New York had proposed pitcher Phil Hughes and center fielder Melky Cabrera. The Twins dropped their demand that pitcher Ian Kennedy be included, but the sides couldn’t agree on a third player.

“To tell you the truth, toward the end, Minnesota negotiated in good faith. They really did,” Steinbrenner said. “I have no problem with them.”

Eli Manning’s second pass landed in Brian Urlacher’s hands. There was a fumble that led to a field goal, too, and just when it seemed his day couldn’t get much worse, he threw an interception in the end zone.

Then, everything turned around.

Manning redeemed himself just in time, and the New York Giants dealt the Chicago Bears‘ playoff hopes another staggering blow.

Manning led two late touchdown drives and Reuben Droughns scored on a 2-yard run with 1:33 remaining to lift the Giants to a 21-16 victory over the Bears on Sunday.

Manning was awful for most of the game but delivered in the latter stages after throwing four interceptions the previous week in a drubbing by Minnesota.

“It’s easy to forget bad plays,” Manning said. “And to be a quarterback, to be a football player, you have to be able to do that. You have to be able to forget the week before. You have to be able to forget the play before and just move on and work out the next play.”

The embattled quarterback threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Amani Toomer, which was initially ruled incomplete, with 6:54 left to cap a 75-yard drive and cut the Giants’ deficit to 16-14.

“I knew I caught it,” Toomer said. “And I knew (the replay) was going to look like I caught it, so it wasn’t a problem. I don’t know if it hit my arms or hands, but I was underneath it. I didn’t even think it was that close.”

After the Bears (5-7) punted, the Giants launched a 77-yard drive that ended with Droughns running around the right end with 1:33 left. Manning hit David Tyree with a 24-yard pass and threw a 15-yarder to Plaxico Burress that put the ball on the 2.

The Bears got the ball with 1:28 remaining and marched from their 41 to the Giants 28, before Rex Grossman threw three incompletions — the last one broken up by James Butler.

It was a brutal loss for the defending NFC champions, who looked like they were about to put together back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

“We’ll continue to play until they tell us we’re out of it,” Bears coach Lovie Smith said. “Winning out would’ve pretty much guaranteed us getting in. … You just have to keep playing and see what happens.”

Defensive end Alex Brown wasn’t ready to quit, either: “We got to play anyway, so let’s go play and let’s try to win and see what happens.”

Manning kept at it and made up for the turnovers with a strong finish.

He was 16-for-27 with 195 yards with two interceptions and a lost fumble, the turnovers dousing several scoring threats by the Giants (8-4) or putting Chicago in good position. He got intercepted on the game’s opening possession by Urlacher, leading to a touchdown, and he fumbled the ball away deep in Chicago territory in the second quarter. That led to a field goal by Robbie Gould.

Manning’s problems continued in the third period. Trailing 16-7, the Giants drove to the 1, only to see him give it away again. He spun and avoided a sack by Alex Brown and lofted a pass to Burress in the left corner of the end zone that a leaping Charles Tillman intercepted.

The crowd erupted, but the Giants celebrated in the end.

Derrick Ward ran for 154 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries for New York, but injured his left ankle. He left the stadium on crutches and is scheduled for an MRI on Monday.

Although he got sacked six times, Grossman was solid. He completed 25 of 46 passes for a season-high 296 yards and did not throw an interception.

After losing Cedric Benson to a season-ending left ankle injury last week, the Bears turned to Adrian Peterson and he ran for 67 yards and caught seven passes for 82. Peterson had been used primarily on third downs this season, after spending most of his five years on special teams.

But the offense stalled in the second half. There were no sparks from Devin Hester, either.

As expected, the Giants did all they could to avoid Hester and limited him to just three punt returns and one kickoff return for a total of 35 yards.

New York’s defense tightened up in the second half, holding the Bears to 98 yards after allowing 214 through the first two quarters.