LAS VEGAS - Kellen Moore's Boise State career had ended just 20 minutes earlier, which was way too soon for Chris Petersen to consider what life would be like without his program's greatest player.

"I have no idea what we're going to do without Kellen Moore, so don't ask," Petersen said to open his post-MAACO Bowl Las Vegas press conference.

Petersen and the rest of the Boise State program will have to figure it out soon enough. Moore - 50-3 as a starter over the past four seasons - departs as the winningest quarterback in FBS history and the indisputable face of the program.

Let's start with this: Replacing him will be impossible. His icon status is cemented forever. But someone will have to take snaps for the Broncos in 2012 and beyond - and fend off the inevitable Moore comparisons.

"It's going to be hard because he set the bar so high," offensive coordinator Brent Pease said.

Recent college football history suggests it may be more difficult than that. Florida hasn't been the same since Tim Tebow left. Texas has struggled without Colt McCoy. Auburn went from national champion to 7-5 in its first season without Cam Newton. Each of those talented quarterbacks reshaped the way the program played offense - making up for other problems with their stellar abilities.

The Broncos are hoping to avoid a similar swoon without Moore under center. Four quarterbacks - junior Joe Southwick, sophomore Grant Hedrick, freshman Jimmy Laughrea and incoming freshman Nick Patti - are expected to compete for the starting job. None are expected to be the next Kellen Moore.

"What we expect them to do is run our offense in the most efficient, most productive manner possible," Petersen said. "It'll look different down the road."

All of his potential replacements are better runners than Moore was, an indication that the Broncos' offense could look more like it did under former quarterback Jared Zabransky than it has the past four years under Moore, the ultimate pocket passer. In limited action, Southwick showed an ability to generate offense with his legs. Hedrick carved out a role this season as an option/wildcat quarterback.

"We've got to be smart as coaches. We're not going to run everything Kellen ran. We have to do what they're good at," Pease said.

While Moore dazzled fans and impressed coaches, he was also leaving behind a legacy of off-field dedication that the other quarterbacks absorbed. That preparation, perhaps more than even his number of victories, is the legacy that Moore will leave behind to whoever takes his spot in the starting lineup.

"He left this place a lot better than when he showed up," Southwick said. "The important thing is to look at how it came and that's the process you have to go through. It doesn't just happen on Saturday. It's the other days of the week. He's definitely left that quality with the quarterbacks. Now it's our turn to go out there and prepare and do the same thing.

"... I've been very, very fortunate to be around him the last three seasons. Just being around him, you pick up a lot and I can't wait to hopefully demonstrate some of that."

Southwick and the other quarterbacks will finally get that chance. To prove what they can do. To show what they have learned. To demonstrate that the program will not end with Moore's departure. While Moore stockpiled records and victories, the other QBs waited. They are eager to play.

"They came to Boise because they're very talented quarterbacks and Coach Pete recognized that. Those guys would probably be playing very early in their careers at a lot of other spots," Moore said.

Thanks to the super-talented No. 11, they didn't get the chance.

Now, as the Broncos begin to figure out what they're going to do without Moore, it'll be up to one of them to handle the position, to begin a new chapter in Boise State history, to do the impossible and take over for Kellen Moore.

from B1

Maybe the pregame festivities left the Mavs emotionally drained because they were down by 15 after one quarter and 21 at halftime. They then gave up 14 straight points early in the third quarter.

The blowout had less to do with an emotional hangover and more to do with exposing the slow process of breaking in a new rotation. Dallas lost center Tyson Chandler and backup point guard J.J. Barea and added guard Vince Carter, do-it-all Lamar Odom and backup guard Delonte West.

"We're going to have to forge an identity with this team; it's a different team," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "That's work, and it's going to take honesty, and it's not going to be easy."

Carter took Dallas' first two shots, an 18-footer and a layup. Both missed. West started the second half in his place and finished with 10 points. Carter had five points, two rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes.

Odom - the NBA's reigning Sixth Man of the Year, who was acquired from the Lakers a few weeks ago for merely a trade exception - entered to a standing ovation, and got fans roaring again when he made a 3-pointer that tied the game at 11. He missed his next five shots before getting ejected midway through the third quarter, but still left to loud cheers. He had four points and four rebounds in 13 minutes.

"We've got to get better and it will take a little time to get better," Odom said.

Jason Terry sparked a Dallas rally, that started after Odom was tossed, and wound up leading Dallas with 23 points. Nowitzki scored 21 in three quarters. Shawn Marion scored 12 and broke the pinky finger on his left hand.

Bulls 88, Lakers 87: Derrick Rose drove the lane and lofted home a smooth floating shot for the winning points for visiting Chicago, just in case anybody doubted the youngest MVP in NBA history can shoulder the expectations that come bundled with that shiny new trophy and a huge contract extension.

Yet Rose realized the Bulls' dramatic comeback and his beautiful winner were only possible because Luol Deng did a whole mess of dirty work against Kobe Bryant.

Rose scored 22 points and hit a short go-ahead shot with 4.8 seconds to play, and the Bulls rallied from an 11-point deficit in the final 3:44 for an 88-87 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

"If it weren't for my teammates, making the steal and getting the ball to me at the end, there's no way I could have gotten that shot off to help us win that game," Rose said.

That credit went straight to Deng, who scored 21 points and stole Bryant's pass with 16.9 seconds left to set up Rose's winner before finally blocking Bryant's short shot right before the buzzer. Rose was grateful the Bulls hung on to win the clubs' first Christmas meeting, but even happier about their poise in an early test.

Bryant scored 28 points and committed eight turnovers while playing with a torn wrist ligament for the Lakers, but couldn't finish strong in his NBA-record 14th Christmas Day appearance. Los Angeles still led 87-81 on Bryant's jumper with 54 seconds left, but Deng and Rose took the game away from him.

"I saw a lot of positive things," Bryant said. "Defensively, we were terrific. We did a good job, and we're just going to get better. We're going to be very good defensively."

Knicks 106, Celtics 104: Carmelo Anthony scored 37 points, including a pair of free throws with the game tied and 16 seconds left, and New York survived a seesaw season opener Sunday to edge the Celtics 106-104.

"Most importantly for us, as a new team, we showed something," Anthony said. "We came together as a team. Even when we got down, there wasn't no frowns. Nobody was down. Mentally everybody was still up about it, and we willed our way to this win."

Amare Stoudemire added 21 points and Toney Douglas had 19 for the Knicks, who led by 17 in the first half, trailed by 10 in the fourth quarter, then pulled out a thrilling Christmas victory in the delayed opener to the 2011-12 season. Tyson Chandler blocked six shots in his Knicks debut.

Rajon Rondo had 31 points and 13 assists, nearly leading the Celtics back without an injured Paul Pierce. But Kevin Garnett missed a jumper just before the buzzer, the kind of shot Boston always seems to make against the Knicks.

"They seem to have a little swag and confidence behind them," Garnett said. "It's good for the city. It's good for the Knicks. I'm going to see how consistent they are with that, but for the most part Carmelo played really well."