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On June 7 Logan Paulsen Color Rush Jersey , the Colorado Rockies were tied for first place in the National League West and riding high. In the week since, the Rockies have lost five straight games and come to the Dallas-Fort Worth area on Friday with as many questions as answers about themselves as the season heads into the dog days of summer.

Colorado begins a three-game interleague series with the Texas Rangers, a team also in search of answers, at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas.

The Rockies will send right-hander Chad Bettis (4-1, 4.40 ERA) to the mound for the opening game and the Rangers will counter with Yohander Mendez (0-0, 0.00).

Colorado activated right-handed reliever Adam Ottavino from the disabled list Thursday, and manager Bud Black said Ottavino would go right back into his late-game role.

Ottavino had a 0.95 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings before going to the disabled with a left oblique injury. The team went 5-9 without him in the lineup.

“Otto feels that he wants to jump right back into the mix of pitching deep in the game,” Black told mlb.com. “He’s ready for that. He doesn’t necessarily want to ease back in. Physically, he made it a point of emphasis to get his body in the best shape possible in the offseason. The year before Da'Shawn Hand Color Rush Jersey , it wasn’t the case.”

Ottavino did not see action in the Rockies’ 9-3 loss at Philadelphia but will be ready when Colorado takes on hapless Texas.

The Rangers will attempt to end a six-game losing streak that included a heartbreaking 3-2 loss in 11 innings in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

With one out and the bases loaded, the Dodgers‘ Austin Barnes dribbled what appeared to be a sure out at home in front of Rangers reliever Matt Bush. However, Bush’s throw to home for the force pulled catcher Carlos Perez off the plate, allowing Enrique Hernandez to score the deciding run.

Texas is now a season-worst 18 games back of the first-place Seattle Mariners and the Houston Astros in the American League West after suffering a two-game sweep by the Dodgers.

Bettis gave up three home runs and lasted just four innings in his last start, a home loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The good news is his velocity returned after a dip for three starts. He is a Lubbock, Texas, native who pitched at Texas Tech University.

Bettis will make his 14th start of the season and his eighth on the road. He has no-decisions and a 7.67 ERA in his past six starts since May 11.

Bettis has pitched against Texas only once, getting a no-decision on Aug. 11, 2016, in Arlington http://www.steelersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-mason-rudolph-jersey , a 12-9 Rockies win.

Mendez will make his first big league start Friday. In 10 minor league starts this season, he has an 0-6 record with a 5.26 ERA. In one relief appearance with the Rangers this year, he didn’t allow a run in two-thirds of an inning.

Mendez, who is ranked the Rangers’ seventh-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline, has joined the ballclub from Triple-A Round Rock. He has been a September call-up for Texas each of the past two seasons, and featured with the Rangers earlier this season when he was called up May 3.

In 10 career major league appearances — all in relief — Mendez has posted a 0-1 record with a 7.31 ERA (13 earned runs in 16 innings).

“It’s going to be multiple starts,” Texas manager Jeff Banister said Wednesday about Mendez’s upcoming major league stint. “He’s going to have the opportunity to show us what he can do as a starter.

“We’re still in the business of winning baseball games,” Banister added. “It’s about development, but it is the big leagues, and you still develop and still give yourself the opportunity to win baseball games.”

CLEVELAND Dallas Goedert Color Rush Jersey , Ohio — LeBron James maintains that “Game 7” are two of the greatest words in sports.

If this one Sunday in this first-round playoff series between the Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers doesn’t go Cleveland’s way, they could become two of the most cursed words in this town.

It starts with this: a loss for the Cavs could be the last game James ever plays in a Cleveland uniform.

“The thought of if we don’t play well it will be my last game of the year, that will probably hit my mind, but I haven’t thought about that,” James said Friday, after the Pacers routed the Cavs 121-87 to force Game 7.

James can be a free agent at season’s end. Though he’s never said he intends to leave Cleveland again, at present it appears the Cavs’ roster is in no shape to compete for championships as James heads into the twilight of his career.

James has never lost a first-round series. Dropping one now would not go far to erase any of James’ doubts about the direction of this franchise.

His alleged wingman, Kevin Love, is averaging 11 points in this series and shooting 32.4 percent (22 of 68) in this series. No other Cavs player is averaging double figures.

The Pacers, meanwhile Tanner Lee Color Rush Jersey , beat Cleveland three of four in the regular season and scored the most lopsided win in the franchise’s playoff history in Game 6 to force this last game. Victor Oladipo became the third Pacer to post a playoff triple double (28 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists) in Game 6 and Domantas Sabonis is shooting 74.2 percent (26 of 35) over the last three games.

“Going back to Cleveland, we feel we got a chance,” Pacers coach Nate McMillan said. “We got to play better than we did even tonight to win that game. But we definitely feel we have a chance.”

James is 4-2 all time in Game 7s. This is the first Game 7 at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavs, who are 3-2 in Game 7s, last won one in the 2016 Finals against the Golden State Warriors. James, Love, JR Smith, and Tristan Thompson are the only players left on that team.

Last year Tremaine Edmunds Color Rush Jersey , Rodney Hood played for a Utah Jazz team that beat the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 7 of the first round to advance to a Western Conference semifinal.

“It’s just the love of the game and wanting to be remembered,” James said. “Win or go home. It’s just that simple.”

The Pacers are 3-5 in Game 7s and 2-5 on the road. Indiana is also trying to avoid being eliminated by a James team (Cavs, Heat) for the fifth time in the last seven seasons.

“The pressure is on both teams,” McMillan said. “The loser goes home. So, for us, we take it one game at a time and we prepare ourselves for that next game. The next game is on the road. We understand the conditions we’re playing in, but to say they feel more pressure than us? No. The losers go home. So there’s pressure on both teams.

“We’re not going to be satisfied with just going up there and playing a good game and losing it,” McMillan continued. “We have an opportunity and we’re going to go and try and take advantage of it.”

Former Pacer and current Cavaliers point guard George Hill said he would try to play Sunday. He’s missed the last three games with back spasms. Jose Calderon has started in his place.

Foxborough police say 31-year-old Anthony Almeida was charged Friday with breaking and entering http://www.steelersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-terrell-edmunds-jersey , receiving stolen property and malicious destruction of property after his home in Randolph was searched.

Gronkowski’s home in Foxborough was burglarized in February while his team was in Minnesota to play against the Philadelphia Eagles. The tight end’s roommates also reported items stolen. Authorities have recovered an Apple watch, a Rolex watch and some rare coins so far.

Police say they’re seeking two other suspects: 26-year-old Shayne Denn, of Tewksbury, and 28-year-old Eric Tyrrell, of Foxborough.

Almeida was arraigned Friday. It’s unclear whether he’s represented by an attorney.

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings both beat the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime in the past week. Other than that Durham Smythe Color Rush Jersey , these two teams share little in common.

The Penguins (43-27-6) are second in the Metropolitan Division and getting ready to go after their third straight Stanley Cup, something that hasn’t been achieved since the New York Islanders won four in a row from 1980-83.

The Red Wings (27-38-11), 4-2 losers to the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, are out of the playoffs for the second straight season, the first time that’s happened to the franchise since 1981-82 and 1982-83. The Wings are 1-12-1 in their last 14 games.

“We play hard Royce Freeman Color Rush Jersey , but it’s just the same thing every night,” Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard told detroitredwings.com. “It’s like Groundhog Day for us right now.”

The Wings have dropped 24 one-goal games, tied for the NHL lead. They’ve lost 12 straight games when they score less than three times.

“I think overall we are playing good but we don’t score enough goals,” Detroit right winger Martin Frk assessed. “We are right there and they just score on us. It’s usually like five, six minutes left in the game and now we have to come back. It’s a little bit tough.

“It would be different if we could score a couple of goals ahead and have a better feeling going into the third period Barkevious Mingo Color Rush Jersey , instead of going in all these tight games.”

On the flip side, the Wings are 1-3-1 in the last five games when they score three or more goals.

“Blame it on the bounces, but it’s out of my mind how many times we’ve lost because of little things that we don’t get on our side,” Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson said.

The Penguins are afflicted by no such maladies. They’ve gone 24-9-3 in 2018, after sitting at one game above .500 (19-18-3) on Jan. 1 following a 4-1 loss at Detroit on New Year’s Eve.

The Pens have scored five or more goals 16 times in 36 games. In 30 of the 36 games Authentic Rasmus Dahlin Jersey , the Pens have scored at least three times.

Not surprisingly, leading the way are captain Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Crosby recently joined Joe Thornton and Henrik Sedin as the only active NHLers with 700 career assists. He reached the 25-goal mark for the 10th time in his NHL career, and the 80-point plateau for the ninth time. In Penguins history, only Mario Lemieux has tallied 80 points more often (11 times). Lemieux (12 times) and Jaromir Jagr (11 times) are the only Pens to score 25 goals more often.

Malkin scored his 42nd goal of the season, three off the NHL lead Sam Darnold Jersey Jets , in Sunday’s win over the Flyers. He now has at least one point in nine of 12 games, and multiple points six times in 12 games. Malkin leads all NHLers in both goals (28) and points (56) during 2018 and has picked up at least one point in 27 of 36 games and at least two points in 19 of 36 contests.

“These are some of the best players of their generation,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan told nhl.com. “There are nights where I drive home after games and replay the game in my mind, and I marvel at some of the things that these guys do.”

A look at what’s happening around the majors today:

HOT HOUSTON

The Astros aim for their 12th straight victory Jason Sanders Color Rush Jersey , which would tie for the longest winning streak in franchise history set in 1999 and duplicated in 2004. Fresh off a 10-0 road trip to Texas, Oakland and Kansas City in which they outscored opponents 74-35, the World Series champions return to Minute Maid Park to take on Tampa Bay. Houston starter Gerrit Cole (8-1, 2.40 ERA) leads the AL with 130 strikeouts; the Rays will start a reliever for the third straight game http://www.seahawksauthorizedshops.com/authentic-byron-maxwell-jersey , with Ryne Stanek opening up.

DOUBLING UP

The New York Yankees and Washington meet for a doubleheader – sort of – at Nationals Park. The teams were tied at 2 in the sixth inning on May 15 when their game was stopped because of rain, and they were postponed the next night. So the Yanks and Nats will pick up in the sixth, with both clubs expected to start out with relievers. Sonny Gray will start Game 2 for the New York against rookie Erick Fedde.

TRY AGAIN

Bartolo Colon goes for his 244th career win, which would break a tie with Hall of Famer Juan Marichal for most by a pitcher born in the Dominican Republic. The 45-year-old Colon gave up a season-high eight runs in his last outing for Texas Authentic Baker Mayfield Jersey , tagged by the Dodgers. Colon has won one of his past five starts going into this game at Kansas City. Ian Kennedy has won just one of his last 27 home starts for the Royals.

OH BABY

Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford will go on paternity leave for the birth of his fourth child and could miss as many as three games. San Francisco returns home from a 10-day road trip to face the Miami Marlins.

Kupchak said Friday that Walker is ”revered” in the Charlotte community, and that he and owner Michael Jordan look at the two-time All-Star as ”the focal point of this franchise going forward.”

The 28-year-old Walker has been the subject of possible NBA trade talks as he prepares to enter the final year of his contract with the Hornets. That speculation has amped up recently because it is a practical impossibility for Charlotte to sign Walker to an extension before he becomes a free agent in July of 2019 since the Hornets are so tight under the salary cap.

”I think everybody is aware of the situation, if you follow basketball a little bit, it is unique that he is on an extension that may make it a challenge going forward to figure out before he becomes a free agent Troy Apke Color Rush Jersey ,” Kupchak said.

At $12 million per year, Walker well underpaid when compared to the other top point guards in the league.

But that doesn’t mean Kupchak is giving up hope the team can keep Walker in Charlotte.

”I don’t think it is anybody’s goal to lose him in free agency,” Kupchak said. ”But going forward, in the community Authentic Saquon Barkley Jersey , in the franchise, this is a player that we hope is with us – not only for the next couple of years, but ends his career here.”

The Hornets don’t have much experience behind Walker at point guard.

They have last year’s first-round draft pick Malik Monk and drafted Devonte Graham from Kansas in the second round on Thursday night.

Graham said he is excited to pick Walker’s brain when it comes to basketball.

”I have never met him, but I remember watching him play when he was at UConn though http://www.cardinalsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-josh-rosen-jersey ,” Graham said. ”I’m just excited man to learn from someone like that and just be around someone like that who is winner, and knows how to win and compete. I am looking forward to being able to learn from him.”

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The Timberwolves announced Brunson’s resignation in a one-sentence release and later sent a statement about the 45-year-old former NBA player.

”Our entire organization – made up of the Minnesota Timberwolves Derrius Guice Color Rush Jersey , the Minnesota Lynx and Iowa Wolves- is deeply committed to creating a safe work environment for our employees, partners and fans,” the team said. ”We work to maintain high standards of conduct and expect our staff to lead by example. We did not believe Mr. Brunson’s conduct was consistent with those standards.”

The Star Tribune, citing a source it did not identify, reported Brunson had been the subject of complaints of improper conduct toward women. The Athletic also reported that he was accused of improper conduct toward women while on the job. The Timberwolves did not return phone calls seeking additional comment and the NBA did not respond to a message.

In 2014, Brunson was arrested in suburban Chicago and charged with sexually assaulting a massage therapist. He was acquitted of all counts in that case http://www.dolphinsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-josh-sitton-jersey , saying he had an ongoing extramarital affair with the woman.

The Timberwolves hired Brunson in 2016, and last season was his fourth working under coach Tom Thibodeau, who helped the team reach the NBA playoffs for the first time in 14 years. Brunson had previous assistant coaching jobs with the Denver Nuggets, Charlotte and Chicago, where he worked under Thibodeau.

Brunson played in the NBA for nine years, including stops in New York and Houston. He made it to the playoffs in five of his nine seasons Billy Price Color Rush Jersey , and was a member of the 1999 Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks, who lost to San Antonio in the finals.

Brunson is the father of Jalen Brunson, The Associated Press men’s college basketball player of the year who declared for the NBA draft last month after winning two national titles at Villanova. The star guard averaged 18.9 points and 4.6 assists per game in 40 games for the Wildcats this season.

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Jacob Evans drew the attention of the Golden State Warriors as much for his defense as his versatility.

”He’s a serious player,” Warriors GM Bob Myers said Thursday night after making the 6-foot-6 Cincinnati wing player their first-round pick with the 28th overall selection. ”He’s defensive-minded. He has a knack for it and a nose for rebounds.”

Evans worked out twice for the Warriors, once on the day of the championship parade and again on Wednesday. He was one of many wing players taken in the first round.

”He’s that kind of a modern NBA player who is versatile and tough,” Myers said. ”He fits a lot of things we do. That’s an area we don’t have a lot of depth.”

Evans http://www.seahawksauthorizedshops.com/authentic-ed-dickson-jersey , who turned 21 three days ago, was a finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year award a year after being a finalist for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year.

Evans averaged 11.7 points, 2.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 105 career games with Cincinnati.

Evans, named first team all-AAC, finished his career with the Bearcats with a 37.7 3-point shooting percentage, fifth in school history.

His mother http://www.brownsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-denzel-ward-jersey , Theresa Chatman-Evans, was a point guard at Grambling.

”When our pick came up it was clear it would be him,” Myers said. ”There were a lot of wings taken and we had him rated higher than where he went.”

The two-time defending NBA champion Warriors’ brass considered a number of similar players that may have been available. They wanted to draft someone who could step in and play 10 minutes a game while giving the team depth on the perimeter.

”I think we got that guy, I don’t know,” Myers said. ”He’s all business and he seems willing to work. He knows how to play basketball.”

With a host of All-Stars already on the roster, Golden State had the luxury of looking for a specific position. Evans fit the bill.

Draymond Green spent a lot of time with the draft preparation and sat in on Evans’ workouts. He stayed for the draft and spoke with Evans after he was drafted.

The Warriors didn’t have a second-round pick Thursday after trading it to the Denver Nuggets five years ago for Andre Iguodala.

Myers said he tried to work out a deal for another pick in the second round.

”We tried. We were pretty aggressive http://www.redskinsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-kevin-hogan-jersey ,” Myers said. ”A couple of different times we thought things would work out but then the player would get drafted. We were being selective.”

With little room on the roster, Myers said he was happy with the way things worked out.

”Depending on (Patrick) McCaw and (Kevon) Looney, we don’t have a lot of room on the roster,” he said. ”It’s not like we have six roster spots open.”

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MILWAUKEE — Lorenzo Cain plans to be back in the lineup Sunday afternoon when the Milwaukee Brewers wrap up a four-game series with the Atlanta Braves at Miller Park Rashaan Gaulden Color Rush Jersey ,

Cain had been on the disabled list with a sore groin since June 26 and was eligible to return Wednesday, but the final step of his recovery took slightly longer than expected. He went through a full workout Saturday afternoon at Miller Park and after getting through it without issue declared himself ready to go.

“I’ll be playing tomorrow,” Cain told reporters as he walked off the field after his workout.

Since signing a four-year, $80 million contract with Milwaukee in January, Cain has been a force in the batter’s box and in center field. He was slashing .291/.394/.438 with eight home runs and 26 RBIs in 72 games for the Brewers, numbers that make him a leading candidate for a spot when All-Star rosters are announced Sunday evening.

The 32-year-old has made an All-Star team once in his career — in 2015 with the Kansas City Royals, but Brewers manager Craig Counsell said the chance of Cain landing a spot on the National League roster had no bearing on his return timeline.

“The all-star game is a separate entity,” Counsell said. “He feels really comfortable right now and is doing really good. If everything turns out well today, then we’re set for tomorrow and the next day.”

Reinstating Cain will require another roster move for the Brewers. The team has managed its roster on a nearly daily basis this season, shuttling fresh arms and hot bats back and forth between Milwaukee and Triple-A Colorado Springs.

Part of it Cheap Saquon Barkley Jersey , naturally, has been based on need, but part of it is also an attempt to create the strongest roster possible on any given day.

“Our point of doing it is just to kind of optimize our roster every day, ” Counsell said. “You go into a game with kind of a forecast of the game a little bit. If you need the pitching, you have to have the pitching. But if you don’t need the pitching, you have to have the position player. You have to let the previous games dictate it for you and tell you what’s going to happen.”

Junior Guerra (5-5, 2.87 ERA) was part of that shuffle already this season. He opened the year with Colorado Springs and was brought back to Milwaukee when the need arose. The right-hander hasn’t let up since and takes the mound Sunday afternoon looking for a victory in a third consecutive start.

Guerra threw five shutout innings in a no-decision in his only appearance versus Atlanta in 2016.

The Braves counter with left-hander Sean Newcomb (8-3, 3.10), whose last outing was one he’d like to forget. Pitching through sweltering heat and humidity, Newcomb was tagged for five runs Kalen Ballage Color Rush Jersey , three hits and five walks while working 2 2/3 innings at Yankee Stadium.

“I guess it was one of those days,” Newcomb said. “It was definitely a hot one. I had to go out there and deal with the elements and a good lineup. I just didn’t have my best stuff.”

Newcomb was 7-1 with a 2.07 ERA in the 11 previous starts and will be looking to revert to that form Sunday when he faces Milwaukee for the first time in his career.

Freed from the weight of the world of being Stanley Cup favorites, the Washington Capitals are playing like a team eager to prove something.

Prove doubters wrong, prove their championship window hasn’t closed and, most notably, prove they can get over the playoff hump that has vexed them over the past decade. Led by top NHL goal scorer Alex Ovechkin, the Capitals go into their first-round series against the Columbus Blue Jackets having won 12 of their final 15 games and feeling confident about this spring despite a series of early playoff exits.

”I hope best hockey is going to be in the playoffs,” Ovechkin said Saturday night. ”I think the balance on our team right now is pretty good and pretty high. That’s very good thing to go into the playoffs because in playoffs you never know what’s going to happen. Maybe one shift can change the whole series. I think we’re ready for it.”

Few expected the Capitals to win the Metropolitan Division again after losing Justin Williams, Marcus Johansson, Nate Schmidt http://www.brownsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-baker-mayfield-jersey , Karl Alzner, Kevin Shattenkirk and Daniel Winnik from last year’s team that won the Presidents’ Trophy for the second consecutive season. Coach Barry Trotz and players miss no opportunity to bring up all the preseason predictions about them being a playoff bubble team.

Of course, when they sat at 11-10-1 just before Thanksgiving, those lower expectations looked accurate. General manager Brian MacLellan insists he was never worried – and his team’s 38-16-6 record the rest of the way was the fourth best in the NHL in that time behind only Boston, Nashville and Winnipeg.

The Capitals don’t have the playoff buzz of the Bruins, Predators, Jets, Tampa Bay Lightning or the expansion Vegas Golden Knights, but they have as good a chance as anyone of reaching the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in the Ovechkin era.

”We have a chance to go the distance,” MacLellan said. ”I don’t know that we’re as deep or as experienced as we were last year Authentic Ryan McLeod Jersey , but I think the whole league is a little less of that. There’s probably a couple teams that are a little deeper that might have a chance, theoretically, of going farther, but I think we’re in the mix with the high-end teams.”

Everyone thought the Capitals were the highest of high-end teams in 2016 and 2017, and they lost to the eventual Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round each time. Williams has implied that favorite status didn’t suit the Capitals well, and Trotz said ”the crown is quite heavy” for a team expected to win.

It showed.

”I think there was some external pressure that creeped in the room,” veteran defenseman Brooks Orpik said. ”I think maybe as a veteran group, we probably don’t want to admit that it affected us. I think at times it definitely did.”

Finishing in first place puts some pressure on the Capitals, but it’s nothing like in years past. More than anything, there’s urgency to win with Ovechkin 32 and having three years remaining on his contract.

”We all know what we’re playing for is to win a championship and I’m hoping we do it this year http://www.billsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-trent-murphy-jersey ,” owner Ted Leonsis said. ”I’m hoping we do it within his contract time.”

Columbus is a tough first-round matchup for the Capitals, but their play down the stretch makes a long playoff run possible if they get strong goaltending from Braden Holtby or Philipp Grubauer. From the net out, Washington looks like a contender thanks to the trade-deadline additions of defensemen Michal Kempny and Jakub Jerabek and the play of centers Evgeny Kuznetsov and Nicklas Backstrom.

”We’re playing the right way a lot of the time,” Holtby said. ”It’s more where you’re at as a team and I think we’re continuing to build and push forward in the right direction. We have a lot of guys contributing right now. It’s a good sign.”

Washington’s road to the elusive Cup could go through Pittsburgh and then Boston, Tampa Bay or Toronto. Perhaps the expectations being on those teams instead of the Capitals isn’t such a bad thing.

”I think it’s a good thing because I think last two years we were on top of the league and we win Presidents’ Trophy,” Ovechkin said. ”Everybody thought we were going to be unstoppable in playoffs and we didn’t. … We’re going to do our thing and we’re going to have success.”

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BOSTON — Toronto coach Mike Babcock thinks his Maple Leafs should cherish the chance to play in Wednesday night’s Game 7 of their first-round series with the Boston Bruins.

“You’re a kid playing outside road hockey Martin Fehervary Capitals Jersey , it’s the seventh game and you’re scoring a winning goal in overtime,” Babcock said after his Leafs won their second straight and evened the series with a 3-1 victory in Toronto on Monday night.

“That’s just the way it was your whole life,” he continued. “No one else in hockey is playing right now, they’re all stopped and watching and that’s always some, but I think just the opportunity, you get to go on. I think there’s obviously a lot on the line that way and we’d like to play in the next round, Boston wants to play in the next round http://www.chargersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-uchenna-nwosu-jersey , something’s got to give. We’re excited for the opportunity and enjoy the rest of today. Get ready tomorrow.

“…Let’s embrace it.”

The Boston Red Sox dedicated the 2013 season to being “Boston Strong.” Tuesday, Toronto joined the long list of cities attacked in some way when a van jumped a curb and mowed people down. The Leafs paid the proper tribute to the victims before the game, and then rode Frederick Andersen to the win.

Does it carry over in Game 7?

The winner faces the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Bruins surrendering the top spot in the conference with a shaky finish to the regular season.

Also in 2013, the Maple Leafs, who haven’t won a playoff series since 2004, led the Bruins 4-1 late in Game 7 and wound up losing in overtime. Tuukka Rask gave up four goals on 28 shots and was not brilliant in that game and his record in elimination games is 5-11 Trent Brown Color Rush Jersey , 1-2 in Game 7s.

Tim Thomas won three seventh games and led the Bruins to the 2011 Stanley Cup. Rask lost to Philadelphia in 2010 and to Washington in 2012.

He was poor in Game 5 and guaranteed he’d be better in Game 6. He was, keeping his team in the game in the third period.

His teammates were not as good. The top line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak, on fire with 20 combined points in the two wins that started the series, have been scoreless in the last two games (plus Game 3) — Bergeron was out of Game 5 with an upper-body injury and being ineffective in Monday night’s game.

The trio has no points and is a combined minus-16 in the Bruins’ three series losses.

“It’s always how it should be. When you’ve lived it, you want to share that experience,” Bergeron said of playing in another Game 7 (he scored the tying and winning goals in the 2013 comeback). “We have some amazing young players in this locker room and I know they’re going to step up. That’s the approach that we have.

“Everyone just needs to go out there and play and step up their game up and rely on everybody else to do the same. Do your job Zach Davies Milwaukee Brewers Jersey , I guess, is kind of the cliche, but that’s how you have to approach (a Game 7).”

Andersen, 10-1-0 lifetime against the Bruins coming into these playoffs, shook off a shaky start in the series and has been great since.

The Bruins are trying to win their first playoff series since 2014.

Game 7 will be played Sunday in Cleveland.

The three-time defending Eastern Conference champs again were led by LeBron James with 22 points, seven assists and five rebounds despite sitting out the entire fourth quarter. Nobody else scored more than 13 points as the Cavaliers lost their first closeout game in 14 tries dating to 2009. James had won 11 consecutive closeout games and is 12-0 all-time in the first-round series.

Kevin Love hurt his left wrist on a hard fall midway through the second quarter and wound up scoring just seven points while shooting 3 of 10 from the field.

JAZZ 96 Jaleel Scott Color Rush Jersey , THUNDER 91

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – Donovan Mitchell scored 38 points and Utah held off Oklahoma City in Game 6 to advance to the Western Conference semifinals.

Russell Westbrook had 46 points for the Thunder and Steven Adams added 19 points and 16 rebounds.

The rookie and the MVP went back and forth in the second half, with Mitchell and the Jazz moving on to face the top-seeded Houston Rockets in a series that starts Sunday.

Derrick Favors scored 13 points and Rudy Gobert had 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Jazz, who lost starting point guard Ricky Rubio to a left hamstring injury in the first quarter.

RAPTORS 102, WIZARDS 92

WASHINGTON (AP) – Toronto overcame a halftime deficit in a road playoff game for the first time in 24 tries, using 24 points from Kyle Lowry and a tremendous effort from its finally whole second unit to beat Washington in Game 6 and end the Eastern Conference first-round series.

Toronto trailed by as many as 12 points in the first quarter and was down 53-50 at the end of the second. The Raptors‘ first lead did not come until the third quarter, and they were back down by five points entering the final period.

But with star guards Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, who had a personal series-low 16 points Tanner Lee Color Rush Jersey , resting to begin the fourth, reserves led by point guard Fred VanVleet turned around the game. Bothered by a bad right shoulder, VanVleet had played a total of three minutes in the series until Friday, but he was just what Toronto needed in this game, with five points, four assists and four rebounds

John Wall had 23 points and eight assists in Game 6. Bradley Beal led Washington with 32 points. But the Wizards‘ run of eight home playoff wins in a row came to a close.

COLUMBUS http://www.49ersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-tarvarius-moore-jersey , Ohio — The stakes will be high and Nationwide Arena is certain to be rocking when the Pittsburgh Penguins visit Nationwide Arena on Thursday night to face the Columbus Blue Jackets in the next-to-last game of the regular season.

The Metropolitan Division rivals are tied for second place in the standings with 96 points each. The winner will take a big step toward gaining home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

That’s a huge deal, especially for the Penguins (45-29-6) based on their record. They are 29-9-2 at home this season, the second-best mark in the NHL behind the Winnipeg Jets, and 16-20-4 on the road, the second-worst record behind the Colorado Avalanche among the teams still in playoff contention.

“You look at our track record throughout this year and years past, we’ve been good on home ice and that’s where we’re comfortable,” Pittsburgh defenseman Brian Dumoulin said. “Obviously, if we have win on the road we’ve shown we can do that, but home-ice is important. This upcoming game with Columbus is important for that.”

The Penguins already clinched a playoff spot, but the Blue Jackets (45-29-6) still are not officially in yet. Beating Pittsburgh for the first time this season (Columbus has lost all three games in the series, including two in shootouts) would remove all doubt.

The New Jersey Devils trail the Blue Jackets and Penguins by one point Alexander Alexeyev Capitals Jersey , the Philadelphia Flyers are two back and the Florida Panthers remain in the hunt, four points behind the Flyers for the second wild-card spot.

If the Penguins and Blue Jackets happen to finish with the same record after 82 games, Pittsburgh would win the tiebreaker.

“I think the biggest thing, you get a win and you’ve got one game left and you get home ice,” Columbus forward Matt Calvert said. “That’s something that we’re really focused on. That’s something we lost last year.”

The Penguins and Blue Jackets met in a first-round series last season that lasted just five games, with Pittsburgh winning three times at home.

Both teams expect a playoff-like environment in Thursday’s showdown.

“It’s an important game to both teams,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “They’re fighting for every bit as much as we’re fighting for. Any time you play divisional rivals it’s a heightened emotion. They tend to be exciting games to be a part of. It’s as close to a playoff atmosphere as you’re going to get because the stakes are so high for both teams.”

The Blue Jackets feel like they’re ready for the Penguins after rallying from a three-goal deficit for a 5-4 overtime victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night. Columbus is 13-1-1 in its last 15 games and appears to be peaking at the right time.

Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella just wants his team to have fun and enjoy the moment.

“It’s Pittsburgh. Eventually, if you have an opportunity to get in (the playoffs), as we’re still trying to fight, you’re going to have to go through there,” he said. “They’re that good. Two-time Stanley Cup winner. They’re a really good team.

“Let’s play. I’m just excited for the guys that they have an opportunity to play another game that means something. When it’s Pittsburgh http://www.49ersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-weston-richburg-jersey , there’s a little more there.”

Asked whether the Blue Jackets have earned the Penguins’ respect with their play, Columbus center Mark Letestu said, “I don’t care what they think. We regard ourselves in that way. We’ve always thought we belonged. The outside noise really doesn’t concern us.

“We feel like we’re in a good situation. It’s in our hands. We’re on home ice, against a rival. I’m excited about it. We’re going to be ready to play.”

Both teams will have plenty of skill on the ice. Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin (96), Phil Kessel (87) and Sidney Crosby (86) all rank in the top 10 in the league in points. Columbus’ Artemi Panarin set a franchise record on Tuesday with 80 points.

Also playing a prominent role for the Blue Jackets will be defensemen Seth Jones, Zach Werenski and Ian Cole, who will face his former Penguins teammates for the first time since he was acquired at the trade deadline in February.

“I would say it’ll be a playoff atmosphere,” Crosby said. “I think the two teams have played some pretty intense games over the years. With the importance of the game, the fact that we’ve been pretty closely matched all year, I think it’ll be very similar to the Washington game the other night.”

Brown’s attorney Mark Thomsen filed the lawsuit in federal court Mark Walton Color Rush Jersey , accusing police of ”discriminating against Mr. Brown on the basis of his race.” The lawsuit alleges officers involved in his arrest used their incident report to try to reframe what happened to give the impression Brown was resisted and obstructed them.

”Mr. Brown hopes that instead of the typical denial of the claims … the city actually admit to the wrongs, admit that his constitutional rights were violated,” Thomsen said at a news conference outside City Hall after filing the lawsuit.

Brown had been talking with officers while waiting for a citation for illegally parking in a disabled spot outside a Walgreens at about 2 a.m. on Jan. 26, when officers took him down because he didn’t immediately remove his hands from his pockets as ordered. An officer yells: ”Taser! Taser! Taser!”

Brown had been cooperative with officers and never appeared to threaten police before or during his arrest, according to police body-camera videos.

Some officers suspected Brown might have a firearm because they saw paper targets with holes in the back seat of his car, according to the lawsuit. Brown told officers he didn’t have a gun when they asked him, but they didn’t give him ”any real opportunity to comply” to their command that he take his hands out of his pockets, the lawsuit said.

Mayor Tom Barrett said in a statement he hopes something good comes from the lawsuit.

”I’m hopeful this incident will be a turning point and allow us to take those actions necessary to improve police community relations,” he said.

Police Chief Alfonso Morales has not responded to an Associated Press request for comment.

Morales apologized to Brown last month when body-camera video of the arrest was released. Brown wasn’t charged with anything and three officers were disciplined, with suspensions ranging from two to 15 days.

Eight other officers were ordered to undergo remedial training in professional communications.

A group of officers discussing the arrest shortly after it happened talked about ”trying to protect” themselves from possible backlash over their confrontation with an NBA player and synchronized ”their stories concerning what took place in the parking lot,” the lawsuit said.

Some of the details from their report made it into Morales’ written complaint about the officers’ actions http://www.titansauthorizedshops.com/authentic-harold-landry-jersey , according to the lawsuit, with the chief saying Brown ”refused to comply with a directive to remove his hands from his pockets and became resistive towards officers.”

One officer reacted to the arrest with glee, according to the lawsuit, which showed screenshots of him going on Twitter to mock Brown.

”Nice meeting Sterling Brown of the Milwaukee Bucks at work this morning! Lol(hash)FearTheDeer,” one tweet read, referencing a slogan used to cheer on the Bucks at games. That same officer posted a racist meme of Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant, according to a screenshot from the lawsuit.

Police have only released the body camera video of the first officer who contacted Brown. But additional body camera and squad car videos showed the moments after officers used a stun gun on him. In one, Brown is on the ground and handcuffed when an officer puts one of his boots on Brown’s ankle, holding it there. Brown doesn’t mention being in any discomfort but he questions the officer’s actions.

”C’mon man, you’re stepping on my ankle for what?” Brown said. In response, the officer said he was trying to prevent Brown from kicking anyone.

Other videos showed an officer talking with two colleagues seating in a squad car. They talked about how they could be perceived as racist for arresting a black Bucks player http://www.steelersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-james-washington-jersey , with one saying if anything goes wrong, it ”is going to be, `Ooh, the Milwaukee Police Department is all racist, blah, blah, blah.”’

Brown told the Journal Sentinel in an interview last month that he ”gave in” when police used a stun gun and that he didn’t do anything to resist because he didn’t want officers to ”pull out their guns.”

”I was just being smart. I just wanted to get out of the situation and get home,” he said.

The lawsuit adds to a long list of litigation against the police department alleging officer misconduct in recent years. A pending lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union in Wisconsin accusing the department of targeting black and Latino residents to stop and question them without cause. The city is in settlement talks with the ACLU.

Last year, Milwaukee paid $2.3 million to settle a lawsuit over the death of Dontre Hamilton, a mentally ill black man fatally shot by a police officer after the officer roused him from a park bench downtown.

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For the latest developments on this story: .

Seen Steven Stamkos? Is he healthy?

The Eastern Conference No. 1 seed Tampa Bay Lightning sure hope so after Stamkos missed four of the last seven regular-season games with a nagging lower-body injury.

After a torn meniscus in his right knee cost Stamkos several months and likely Tampa Bay a playoff spot last season Cheap Josh Allen Jersey , his status bears watching more than any other injured player going into the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Stamkos was a full participant in practice Monday and said it’s ”the hope” to be ready for Game 1 Thursday when the Lightning host the New Jersey Devils.

”Definitely a step in the right direction,” Stamkos told reporters in Tampa. ”Felt pretty good all things considered.”

That’s a good sign for the Lightning, who got 100 points from Nikita Kucherov but count on Stamkos to be their top-line center and a big-time scorer on the power play.

Tampa Bay’s opponent is hoping to get Marcus Johansson back after he missed New Jersey’s final 35 games with a concussion. Johansson has been cleared for contact, but not yet to play and said over the weekend he’s feeling better.

In the West, the already-deep top-seeded Nashville Predators are on the verge of getting forward Calle Jarnkrok back after he missed almost the final month of the regular season with an upper-body injury. Jarnkrok had 16 goals and 19 assists for 35 points in 68 games with Nashville, which opens against Colorado.

”I think he’s getting real close http://www.chargersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-justin-jones-jersey ,” general manager David Poile said. ”We get into this time of the year, so I guess you’d have to say he’s day to day.”

Washington Capitals coach Barry Trotz called forwards T.J. Oshie (lower body) and Jay Beagle (upper body) day to day, too. Oshie practiced Tuesday, while Beagle skated afterward with a more questionable status.

”I feel good,” Oshie said. ”I feel right now I’m playing my best hockey. Obviously, I’ve rested a couple of games. But I feel like I’ve had the most energy and the most clarity out there then I did for a while there. Right there I feel at my best.”

In the first round Cheap Josh Allen Jersey , they’ll have to deal with Columbus captain Nick Foligno, who’s ready to rejoin the Blue Jackets lineup after missing time with a lower-body injury.

A few high-profile defensemen weren’t as fortunate, and their injuries could prove costly. Boston lost Brandon Carlo and Minnesota lost Ryan Suter to broken ankles, and Winnipeg won’t have Dmitry Kulikov with a back injury. Winnipeg faces Minnesota in the first round.

It’s the second consecutive playoffs Carlo missed after he was concussed by Alex Ovechkin a year ago.

”It’s the one thing he’s been looking forward to,” Krug said of Carlo. ”Obviously he went through it last year missing the time and this year he was excited for it. You feel awful. It’s a tough break.”

Coach Bruce Cassidy said: ”It (stinks), honestly Kody Clark Capitals Jersey , for a guy that’s played almost every regular-season game. … It’s disappointing for me. He’s a well-liked guy on this team and done a lot, so that’s disheartening.”

The Bruins are optimistic injured forwards Rick Nash, Riley Nash and Sean Kuraly will be ready for Game 1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.

”They’re all working that way,” Boston GM Don Sweeney said. ”Hopefully they’ll all be available.”

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AP Sports Writer Teresa M. Walker in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed.

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Cavaliers forward LeBron James said he just needed a chance to ”recalibrate” when he left in the second quarter Tuesday night after taking a shot to the jaw from Boston’s Jayson Tatum.

”It was a tough play. Obviously incidental http://www.bearsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-anthony-miller-jersey ,” James said after the Celtics beat Cleveland 107-94 to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals despite his 42 points and a triple-double. ”His shoulder hit me square in the jaw. It didn’t affect my game after that.”

James was driving to the basket when Tatum went for the steal with both hands and collided with the Cleveland star, driving his shoulder into James’ jaw. James spent about 10 seconds on one knee under the basket, then walked off to the Cleveland locker room.

He returned a few minutes later and finished out the half with what the Cavaliers said was a strained neck.

”I felt like I needed to go back to the locker room, which I did, and kind of recalibrate,” James said.

Asked if he was checked for a concussion Tremaine Edmunds Color Rush Jersey , he said: ”I was checked for multiple things, and I passed them all. That’s why I was able to come back and finish the half.”

After scoring just 15 points in Boston’s Game 1 blowout, James had 21 in the first quarter on Tuesday night. He finished with 12 assists and 10 rebounds, but also had six turnovers.

The Celtics won the first two games at home, and the series now heads to Cleveland for Game 3 on Saturday.

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Once the shock of being traded wore off, Conor Sheary put aside his past of playing alongside Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, and began eagerly looking ahead to what might be in store with the Buffalo Sabres.

”I wasn’t expecting it, but at the same time you have to look at the positives,” Sheary said Thursday, a day after the Buffalo gave up a conditional fourth-round draft pick to acquire him and defenseman Matt Hunwick.

”I have to put my Pittsburgh years behind me now,” the third-year NHL forward said. ”I’m super excited with the new chapter in my life.”

In Buffalo, Sheary gets the opportunity to recreate his role as a play-making, two-way forward on a line centered by Eichel.

”When you’re playing with a guy like that, you kind of try to get him the puck as much as you can,” Sheary said.

”I think a big part of my game is creating turnovers and getting chances for my linemates http://www.bengalsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-mark-walton-jersey ,” he added. ”Hopefully, we can create some chemistry there. It’ll be awesome and maybe we’ll grow something with that.”

With two years left on his contract, Sheary was the odd-man out in Pittsburgh, which freed up $5.25 million in salary cap space in trading both players. The Penguins quickly used some of the savings to re-sign forward Riley Sheahan to a $2.1 million, one-year contract.

The Sabres, by comparison, lack play-making depth at their top-line wing positions, especially after trading Evander Kane to San Jose in February. Buffalo’s top three centers and Kane accounted for scoring 94 of the team’s league-worst 199 goals last season.

Five-on-five production was also an issue cited by general manager Jason Botterill as the reason he acquired Sheary. All but eight of Sheary’s 95 points in 184 career games have come in even-strength situations.

Another benefit for the rebuilding Sabres was adding a two-time Stanley Cup winner to a team that has finished last in three of the past five seasons.

”I think if I can just bring a little of that playoff experience to the locker room and try to change the culture, that’ll be a good thing,” said Sheary, who credited Crosby for being a mentor. ”He definitely taught me a lot. And I’ll definitely take that and use that to my advantage moving forward.”

Botterill previously served as the Penguins assistant GM and had a hand in signing Sheary, who was a late bloomer in part because scouts considered him too small at 5-foot-8 and 175 pounds. Undrafted after completing his college career at UMass http://www.cowboysauthorizedshops.com/authentic-bo-scarbrough-jersey , he signed an amateur tryout contract with the Penguins’ AHL affiliate in March 2014.

Two year later, Sheary made his NHL debut and eventually scored six goals, including a winner, and 10 points during Pittsburgh’s first of two championship runs.

After scoring 23 goals and 53 points in 61 games in 2016-17, Sheary’s production dropped last year, when he finished with 18 goals and 30 points in 79 games.

Sheary blamed the drop-off on a lapse in confidence that lead to a midseason slump in which he had three goals and six assists in 35 games. He closed the year with six goals and two assists in his final 15 games.

”I think toward the end of the year I finally found myself again,” he said. ”Although I didn’t score in the playoffs, I felt as though I was contributing. Hopefully, I can build on that going forward.”

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Ryan Straschnitzki felt at home as he was wheeled into a perch overlooking the ice at the Philadelphia Flyers‘ practice facility.

Below him, Flyers prospects in the same age range as the 19-year-old Straschnitzki skated in drills and in a hurry to impress, much like his days as a defenseman for the Humboldt Broncos before the bus crash that left him paralyzed from the chest down.

Philadelphia general manager Ron Hextall and other members of the organization came to visit. Defenseman Sam Morin heard Straschnitzki was in the building and popped by for a chat.

The hopeful Flyers paused during camp Friday and raised their sticks toward Straschnitzki for a traditional salute.

Straschnitzki was right where he wanted to be – at the rink, watching the game he loves.

”Just the smell of the ice coming in today brought back so many memories of your first time skating Eduardo Escobar Minnesota Twins Jersey ,” Straschnitzki said.

Straschnitzki met the coaching staff and some top prospects during a break in his rehabilitation from the injuries suffered in April when a bus carrying the Broncos to a playoff game collided with a semi-trailer at a rural intersection, killing 16. Straschnitzki was among 13 more injured.

Straschnitzki was wheeled on a stretcher into Shriners Hospitals for Children in Philadelphia on May 31 and expected to rehab there for six to eight weeks. He has used weights almost daily to work on his arm muscles during physiotherapy sessions and has walked on a treadmill with the help of therapists. Sitting on a massage table, he’s used laser focus for the simple task of tying the laces on his sneakers.

”I’ve made quite a bit of progress,” he said. ”The rehab pushed me to my limits.”

Straschnitzki needs two hours in the morning just to complete routine tasks like a shower and getting dressed before he starts his exercises. He rehabs for about two hours, breaks for lunch, then has two more rehab sessions before he ends the day in exhaustion. With the same tireless work ethic he used to move up the hockey ranks, Straschnitzki said he was told he could return ahead of scheduled to his Airdrie, Alberta, home for the first time in almost eight months next weekend.

His family home is undergoing a $200,000 renovation to make it handicapped accessible and the Straschnitzkis will live in a hotel for the summer until construction is completed.

The Calgary Flames have talked to Straschnitzki once he’s settled about a possible job in the organization.

”Hockey is my life,” he said. ”I’ve grown up talking about it, living it http://www.jaguarsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-logan-cooke-jersey , playing it. I think if there’s a job opportunity down the road, I think it’s definitely option. Right now, though, I’m just focused on healing first and getting better. We’ll see what happens.”

The NHL has rallied around the survivors and families of the victims. Flyers defenseman Andrew MacDonald offered the Straschnitzkis use of his home and car when the family was in Philadelphia. Hextall, who stopped to compose himself at times, said the tragedy has brought out the best in hockey.

”Ryan’s an inspiring young man. He’s special, he really is,” said Hextall, a former star goalie for the Flyers said. ”He’s not feeling sorry for himself.”

Straschnitzki was among 10 survivors at the NHL Awards last week in Las Vegas at the invitation of the league and NHLPA. It was the first time so many Broncos had been together since the crash. They wore Humboldt jerseys and head coach Darcy Haugan, who was killed in the crash, was honored with the inaugural Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award.

”They’re your brothers for life now,” Straschnitzki said. ”Just being able to see them Fred Warner Color Rush Jersey , it’s like time froze. You’re in the room again, you’re just enjoying the moment being with them. We all heal in our own ways. Just being with them at the NHL awards was amazing.”

Tom Straschnitzki said he’s tried to keep his son’s spirits high during the grueling rehabilitation process.

”When he’s down, we just try to push him back up and keep him on the straight and narrow,” he said.

Straschnitzki dreams of hitting the ice again, this time playing sledge hockey – basically hockey on sleds for players with physical disabilities.

”It’s my life, so I’d love to do it,” he said.

Straschnitzki has never wanted to distance himself from the sport he’s played since he was a boy. But finding his way back to hockey in any capacity perhaps remains a distant goal.

”I know it’s going to take time,” he said. ”I just need to be patient.”

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Cleveland was 39-0 during the regular season when leading after three quarters and kept that perfect mark intact with a Game 2 win.

The incredible second-half charge came exactly one year after Indiana blew a 26-point halftime lead in a historic playoff collapse against the Cavs.

This time, the Pacers delivered a devastating blow to the three-time defending Eastern Conference champs – on a night LeBron Jones joined Michael Jordan as the only players in playoff history to record 100 double-doubles. James finished with 28 points and 12 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Cleveland from losing its first game this season after leading following the third quarter.

WIZARDS 122, RAPTORS 103

WASHINGTON (AP) – Bradley Beal heeded his coach’s plea to ”do his job” by scoring 21 of his 28 points in the first half, his All-Star backcourt running mate John Wall delivered 28 points and 14 assists, and Washington beat Toronto in an occasionally heated game to cut its Eastern Conference first-round playoff series deficit to 2-1.

After letting the Raptors grab the first 2-0 series lead in franchise history, the Wizards came home and checked off every box coach Scott Brooks presented. They got Beal more involved after he made only three shots in Game 2; they actually led after the first quarter Mike Hughes Color Rush Jersey , 30-29; they played with enough defensive focus to get produce 19 turnovers by Toronto, leading to 28 points for Washington.

Add it all up, and it was a rare recent victory for Washington, which had lost seven of eight games dating to the regular season.

DeMar DeRozan led Toronto with 23 points on 10-for-22 shooting one game after scoring 37, and Kyle Lowry had 19 points and eight assists.

BUCKS 116, CELTICS 92

MILWAUKEE (AP) – Khris Middleton scored 23 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo added 19 and Milwaukee used a dominating first half to overwhelm Boston http://www.panthersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-rashaan-gaulden-jersey , narrowing its deficit in the first-round playoff series to 2-1.

Eric Bledsoe and Jabari Parker each added 17 for the energized Bucks, who held the Celtics without a field goal for nearly an 11-minute stretch of the first half.

Backup center Thon Maker scored 14 points and blocked five shots. Pesky guard Matthew Dellavedova, a veteran of a championship run with the Cleveland Cavaliers, helped hold young Celtics point guard Terry Rozier to nine points on 2-of-7 shooting.

Al Horford scored 16 for the Celtics, who fell behind by 23 at halftime and got no closer than 76-62 with 3:06 left in the third quarter on Jayson Tatum’s 3-pointer.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks meet for the fifth and final time this season in a pivotal game for both team’s playoff chances Friday night at Honda Center

The Kings (43-28-7) enter the second contest of a back-to-back set on a two-game winning streak. They defeated the Arizona Coyotes 4-2 on Thursday night at Staples Center.

Jeff Carter registered his sixth career hat trick and his first since March 4, 2013 against the Nashville Predators. Anze Kopitar added an empty-netter to set a career high with 35 goals and Jack Campbell stopped 20 of 22 shots for the victory.

The victory extended Los Angeles’ lead over Anaheim for third place in the Pacific to two points with the Ducks holding a game in hand. This will be the final road game for the Kings as they finish the season with three consecutive home contests against Colorado Weston Richburg Color Rush Jersey , Minnesota and Dallas.

Kings coach John Stevens knows his team is far more formidable with Carter in the lineup. After missing 55 games because of an ankle tendon injury, Carter has returned with a flourish, registering 13 goals in his last 17 games to help Los Angeles close in on a postseason berth.

“His presence in a lot of areas just checks a lot of boxes, but he’s a production guy,” Stevens said. “He ends up in the scoring areas, he goes to the tough areas. He scores goals that other guys can’t. That last goal for me was very impressive. He pulled the puck off the wall and he got at the net quickly.

“Jeff’s a production guy, but he provides leadership Mike Foltynewicz Atlanta Braves Jersey , he provides faceoff help, penalty kill, and really quality minutes against pretty much anyone you play him with. He’s been a big addition back in our lineup.”

The Ducks (39-25-13) are looking to make amends after one of their worst performances of the season. In the midst of a hotly contested Western Conference playoff race, they dropped a 4-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night. Though they enter the game in playoff position as the second wild card in the West, they realize their sense of urgency must be far greater in their final five games of the season.

Anaheim has made the playoffs for five consecutive seasons and like the Kings they have an advantageous home schedule to close out the season. The Los Angeles contest starts a four-game homestand as the Ducks face similar opponents in Colorado, Minnesota and Dallas before concluding the season in Arizona on April 7.

The Ducks addressed their lack of intensity with frankness as arguably the biggest non-playoff game in the Southern California rivalry known as “The Freeway Faceoff” approaches.

“We just don’t feel that we’ve played enough consistently to the level we’re capable of,” coach Randy Carlyle said after the Vancouver loss.

Captain Ryan Getzlaf went into more depth about the team’s mental approach that has been questioned given their inconsistent play.

“Most of it’s mental Ben Gamel Seattle Mariners Jersey ,” Getzlaf told the Orange County Register. “You have to mentally be able to control the grind of a season. And you’re at the time of year where we’re grinding. We’re pedaling to get in. Every game is really important. Every day. You don’t get days off. And that’s the hardest thing this time of year brings. That grind of a season is now on your back and now you’ve got five games left.”

The Kings won the first two games of the season series, 4-3 in overtime on Nov. 7 and a 2-1 shootout victory on Nov. 25 but the Ducks evened the series with a 4-2 win Jan. 13 and a 2-1 victory Jan. 19. Both teams have recorded a road win in their two victories.