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LeBron James won’t let go of the rope.

Cleveland’s star has bounced the Celtics from the playoffs four times in the past seven years Patriots Authentic Jerseys , and James carries a six-game postseason winning streak at Boston into this year’s Eastern Conference finals, which open Sunday at TD Garden.

As a member of both the Miami Heat and Cavaliers, James – whose success against Boston did a 180-degree turn with a mesmerizing Game 6 performance in 2012 – has made the Celtics green(er) with envy.

But while the 33-year-old has the utmost respect for the NBA’s most decorated franchise, James’ admiration hasn’t stopped him from standing in the way of Boston stuffing more Larry O’Brien trophies into its crowded case.

And if he beats the Celtics again and advances to his eighth straight NBA Finals, James would join a club currently exclusive to Boston players with legendary status.

Only Bill Russell (10), Sam Jones (9), Tommy Heinsohn (9) and Frank Ramsey (8) have played in more consecutive Finals than James, who said he hasn’t reflected on the possibility of admission to their group.

”I do know that this is my eighth straight conference finals and I have an opportunity to play for a championship if I’m able to be successful in this conference finals Barkevious Mingo Jersey Seahawks , so I don’t take that for granted,” James said Friday. ”You dream about being able to play in big games in the NBA. Even when I got to the NBA that was one of my only goals – to be as great as I can be, to play in big games in the NBA and be remembered – and I think I’ve done that in my career.

”Just trying to add onto it while I can.”

Early in his career, James saw the Celtics as a postseason exit ramp.

The ”Big 3” Boston team featuring Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen ousted him and the Cavs in 2008 and 2010, the latter series ending with James famously storming off the floor and pulling off his jersey to foreshadow his free-agent departure later that summer for South Beach.

He avenged that loss the following year in the conference semifinals, and then in 2012, James had one of his most magnificent postseason exhibitions of his career in Boston. With the Heat down 3-2 in the series Bengals Authentic Jerseys , James scored 45 points on 19 of 26 shooting and added 15 rebounds as Miami forced a Game 7 and went on to win consecutive titles.

Since then, he’s 8-1 against the Celtics with a four-game sweep in 2015 and a five-game dusting last year in the conference finals.

James has scored 979 points in 34 playoff games against the Celtics, the most by one player against a single team. And in his past six games on Boston’s parquet, he’s averaging 34.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists.

James has eight playoff wins in Boston, more than all but four current Celtics.

One of them, Jaylen Brown, knows what’s coming.

”Physically Youth Da'Shawn Hand Jersey , he is more superior than any guy that is on the floor,” Brown said. ”He’s 260-plus pounds. Can run like a gazelle. Athletic. He’s physical. He’s just unstoppable. We gotta be mentally locked in and have a mindset to try and do the best we can. LeBron is top 3, top 5 of all-time. He’s going to do what he does. We just gotta take away the other guys and have a great mindset of mentally being locked in every possession.”

Boston’s notorious crowd is known for rattling opposing players. In the first round, Celtics fans taunted Milwaukee guard Eric Bledsoe with chants of ”Who Is Bledsoe?” after he unwisely made a comment about Celtics playoff phenom Terry Rozier.

James and his teammates know they’ll have their ears rung as well.

”One of the rowdy environments,” Cavaliers forward Kyle Korver said. ”Boston is fun. They have a great crowd. They’re ready to get behind their team. There’s been moments where I’ve been on a team where there’s a decent lead and then they make one shot and the place just erupts. You’re like, `Man, they’re going to come back.’ You just feel it. It’s a great place to play, especially in the playoffs.”

Boston’s roar only seems to strengthen James Oren Burks Jersey Packers , who appreciates the passion and pride in the Celtics.

”Just the history, you look up in the rafters and you see all the greats that has either played there or the previous arena they played in,” he said. ”It’s a sports town. You look at the Patriots. You look at the Bruins. You look at the Red Sox. You add them, look at all that history. It’s just a sports town. If you’re not green, they don’t mess with you.”

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AP Sports Writer Kyle Hightower in Boston contributed to this report.

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Detroit needs a new head coach and reportedly has plans to interview the TNT NBA analyst Jets Cheap Jerseys , who has no prior coaching experience.

The former first-round draft pick out of the University of North Carolina played in the NBA for a decade, making appearances with six teams. He’s mainly known for his six-year stint in Houston, where the Rockets won championships in 1994 and `95. He hung up all his jerseys in 1997 and put on a suit for TV.

During his final season, Smith made a pit stop in Detroit. He played just nine games for the Pistons.

Smith would not be the first former player to go directly from broadcasting to coaching. Nor is basketball the only sport plucking people out of the booth and plopping them down on the bench; it actually hopped on the trend late compared to baseball.

Here’s some others who paved the path from the booth to the bench:

Aaron Boone (MLB)

The current Yankees manager spent seven years behind the microphone for ESPN, analyzing what he saw rather than dictating what he wanted. A desire to return to the field was fulfilled in 2017 when New York offered Boone a three-year contract, with a team option for 2021, and he returned to the pinstriped uniform.

During his 12-year professional career Kolton Miller Jersey Raiders , Boone played 54 games for the Yankees in 2003, hitting an ALCS-clinching home run against Boston. He mainly spent his time with the Reds – seven seasons – and joined four other teams before announcing his retirement in 2010. That’s when he made the switch to the broadcast booth.

Right now, the Yankees (35-17) have the second-best record in the majors.

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Buck Martinez (MLB)

Boone actually went to Martinez for advice, because he made a similar move at the turn of the century: Player. Broadcaster. Manager. Of course, Martinez went back to broadcasting after being fired in his second season.

Martinez played for 17 years, finishing with the Blue Jays. He then became part of the club’s broadcast team. In 2001, Toronto made him its new manager.

Martinez returned to broadcasting with the Orioles. That lasted a couple of years until he took his mic back to the Blue Jays in 2010 Jessie Bates III Jersey Bengals , where he remains. Martinez is in his eighth season as the team’s play-by-play announcer.

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Jerry Coleman (MLB)

Managing didn’t work out too well for Coleman, either. Coleman was in broadcasting for 51 years, giving a voice to baseball until his death in 2014. He took only one year off the job: 1980.

The Padres made Coleman the team’s team manager after eight years in San Diego’s broadcasting booth. He lasted a season, leading the Padres to a 73-89 record, then went right back to where he was most comfortable: behind the microphone. There, the former four-time World Series champion covered two World Series and 18 League Championship Series.

In 2005, Coleman was given the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s annual Ford C. Frick Award that recognizes broadcasters.

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Mark Jackson (NBA)

Enough baseball Youth Green Bay Packers Jerseys , back to basketball. Jackson dribbled his way through 17 years in the NBA before calling it quits in 2004. From there, he spent seven years working for ESPN until the Warriors called in 2011 with a job offer.

Jackson coached the Warriors for three seasons, leading Golden State to back-to-back playoff appearances, with young stars Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. But then he was fired.

Immediately after, ESPN brought Jackson back on its NBA announcing team. He has stayed there ever since and will call the 2018 NBA Finals, where his former team is defending its title.

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Steve Kerr (NBA)

Here’s a success story still in the making. Kerr replaced Jackson as Warriors head coach, winning the title in his first season.

But even Kerr isn’t a stranger to the booth. Kerr had no coaching experience prior to the Golden State gig. He did play Sam Darnold Jersey Jets , though. He’s one of 26 players in NBA history to claim five championship titles. Kerr had also worked as an NBA executive, serving as general manager of the Suns from 2007-10.

Since he was hired away from TNT in 2014, Kerr has had the Warriors in the NBA Finals each season, and they are trying for their third title with him. The Pistons sure wouldn’t mind if Smith could replicate Kerr’s success.

The Bruins rookie didn’t even have time to climb up off his knees before he was mobbed by teammates.

”Jake had a real coming-out party in the series,” coach Bruce Cassidy said after DeBrusk scored twice to help Boston beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-4 on Wednesday night and advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

”He scored going to the net, dirty areas,” said Cassidy, whose team opens the second round against the Lightning in Tampa Bay on Saturday. ”That’s always the first thing: play inside, be willing to get hit, fight for your space. That’s playoff hockey. They weren’t freebies. They’ve been real greasy, as advertised.”

Five years after rallying from a three-goal, third-period deficit and beating Toronto in Game 7 of their first-round series Dorance Armstrong Jr. Jersey Cowboys , the Bruins again scored four straight goals to eliminate the Maple Leafs. After Kasperi Kapanen put Toronto ahead 4-3 with a short-handed goal in the second, Torey Krug tied it, DeBrusk gave Boston the lead with 14:35 to play.

Despite the final score, the teams were tied or separated by one goal for the first 2 1/2 periods, until David Pastrnak made it 6-4 with 8:21 to play. Brad Marchand flipped one into the empty net with 51 seconds left to set off a celebration in the stands.

”For entertainment value, that was probably one of the better Game 7s you’ll see,” said Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask, who stopped just 20 of 24 shots. ”It was only a one-goal game going into the third and we shut it down and scored some good goals.”

Danton Heinen scored his first NHL postseason goal, Patrice Bergeron had a goal and two assists Youth DaeSean Hamilton Jersey , and David Krejci had three assists for the Bruins. In his first NHL postseason action, DeBrusk had seven points in seven games.

”Uh, it went pretty well,” he said with a laugh. ”Obviously, with the win it was special – something I’ll never forget. I’ll never forget this series just in general, first playoffs. I was really happy to contribute.”

Frederik Andersen had 29 saves for the Maple Leafs, who have not won a playoff series since 2004. They came close in the first round in 2013, when they rallied from a three-games-to-one deficit against Boston and took a 4-1 lead in Game 7.

”It’s always disappointing,” said Patrick Marleau Indianapolis Colts Jerseys Womens , who scored twice for Toronto. ”Obviously, you’re trying to win the Cup. To fall short once again, it’s heartbreaking every time.”

Travis Dermott also scored for the Maple Leafs, who again won back-to-back games after falling behind 3-1 in the series. Game 6 came in Toronto on the night that a man drove a van onto a crowded sidewalk in the city, killing 10 people and injuring more than a dozen others.

The teams combined for five goals in the first period before Toronto scored twice in the second, taking a 4-3 lead when Kapanen beat Marchand to a loose puck and then held him off, skidding to a stop in front of Rask before poking the around his left skate.

In the third, the Bruins scored two 4-on-4 goals after matching penalties opened up the ice. Krug made it 4-4 on a slapper from the point just 1:10 in, and then DeBrusk put the Bruins ahead.

”I think that we’re all just pretty excited right now to have a chance to continue playing together and take on Tampa Youth Buffalo Bills Jerseys ,” DeBrusk said. ”We’re going to enjoy this one tonight, but then go back to the drawing board.”

Notes: Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy, in his first full season on the Boston bench, was named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year. … Celtics Hall of Famer Tommy Heinsohn was the honorary fan banner captain, getting the crowd riled up before the game. … The Bruins are 14-12 in Game 7s and Toronto is 12-11. … Boston’s Kevan Miller had two assists for his first multi-point playoff game.

With a week and a half left in the NHL season Buccaneers Game Jerseys , there is plenty to be decided.

Playoff positioning, who’s in and who’s out, and standings that are in flux daily.

Two teams fighting to be in the postseason tournament face off Wednesday night in Denver. The Philadelphia Flyers (38-25-14) are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss in Dallas on Tuesday night while the Colorado Avalanche (41-27-8) lost in Vegas on Monday night.

While the Flyers are in a stronger position in the Eastern Conference — the loss put them a point ahead of Columbus for third in the Metropolitan Division — Colorado is in a tenuous spot with six games remaining. The Avalanche have lost two of their last three games, so beating Philadelphia on home ice is almost a must if they want to complete an incredible turnaround from a season ago.

Despite the 42-point — and counting — improvement Packers Elite Jerseys , Colorado sits outside the playoffs after St. Louis won its sixth in a row Tuesday night. But the Avalanche, who are a point behind the Blues and Anaheim Ducks, aren’t worrying about what other teams are doing, they feel they control their own fate.

“You’ve got to be careful watching the scoreboard because it’s wasted emotion Youth J'Mon Moore Jersey ,” coach Jared Bednar said last week.” We’re concentrating on what we have to do to get in and how many games we have win and how we have to prepare and how we have to play. If you start watching what everyone else is doing you start riding an emotional roller coaster for no reason. I’d love to look at the scoreboard to see if we got help but we’re not expecting any help. This is on us.”

The help Colorado needs is on offense. After a strong offensive start to March, things have become stagnant. The Avalanche have three regulation goals in their last three games and leading scorer Nathan MacKinnon has been held off the scoresheet for two straight games — the first time he hasn’t recorded a point in consecutive contests since Dec. 23 and 27.

Wednesday is the last of a three-game road trip for Philadelphia and could bring some good news. Goaltender Michael Neuvirth, who has not played since Feb. 18 because of a lower-body injury, should be in net for the game against Colorado.

“Neuvy is getting really close Youth Barkevious Mingo Jersey ,” Flyers general manager Ron Hextall told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “It’s not easy for a goalie to be out so long. The hunger factor is there. You’re hungry to play.”

Hextall also told The Inquirer that the team would most likely carry three goaltenders if Neuvirth returns.

“We have more goaltenders than defensemen,” Hextall joked to The Inquirer.

Getting back a netminder with a 2.61 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage could help the Flyers not only make the playoffs but climb in the Metropolitan Division. With 90 points, they are two behind second-place Pittsburgh with five games left for each.

The Flyers had a chance to catch and pass the Penguins over the past two games but fell to the defending champions in overtime Sunday before losing again in overtime Tuesday.

Philadelphia’s 14 losses after regulation are the most in the NHL this season.

OAKLAND Bills Authentic Jerseys , Calif. — The Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs are both hoping that history repeats itself when they meet in Game 2 of the Western Conference playoffs on Monday night.

The second-seeded Warriors thumped the seventh-seeded Spurs 113-92 in the series opener on Saturday afternoon, putting both teams in a familiar position.

Golden State used a home win in Game 1 as a springboard to a four-game sweep of the Spurs in the Western Conference finals last season.

San Antonio, meanwhile, was drubbed 126-99 in Game 1 of the Western semifinals by the Houston Rockets last May, only to turn things around immediately with an equally decisive 121-96 blitz in Game 2 en route to an eventual six-game victory in the series.

“We’ve got to regroup Youth Dallas Goedert Jersey , feel hurt, upset, kind of desperate,” Spurs veteran Manu Ginobili said after Saturday’s shellacking. “We don’t want to go home 0-2. So we’ll fight as hard as we can in Game 2.”

After leading the NBA in scoring during a 58-win regular season, the Warriors focused on defense in Game 1 of the postseason. Coach Steve Kerr moved super-sub Andre Iguodala into the starting lineup in an attempt to give the game a defensive tone from the start.

It worked. The Spurs shot just 35 percent in the first quarter and were held to 17 points Giants Game Jerseys , falling behind by as many as 14 points.

“The whole point of these games early in the series is to re-establish our defense,” Kerr explained. “You can’t win in this league in the playoffs unless you defend.”

The Spurs finished the game at 40.0 percent from the field. The Warriors held five opponents below 100 in the playoffs last season, and won all five of those games.

The Golden State defense was especially problematic to San Antonio star LaMarcus Aldridge, who was held to 14 points on 5-of-12 shooting.

Coincidentally, Aldridge also shot 5 of 12 in the Spurs’ regular-season finale against New Orleans Dontae Johnson Jersey Seahawks , a loss that dropped San Antonio into the undesirable first-round matchup with the defending champs.

Aldridge averaged 23.1 points and 18.0 shots from the field during the regular season.

JaVale McGee had the defensive assignment on Aldridge at the start of the game and actually outscored him 9-4 in the Warriors’ first-quarter runaway.

Kerr declared afterward that McGee also would get the start in Game 2, but Spurs coach Gregg Popovich wasn’t committing to anything on his end.

Kerr switched to Pau Gasol at center in the Spurs’ turnaround against the Rockets last season, a move he also could make Monday, with the veteran having come off the bench in Game 1.

Popovich made it clear after Saturday’s loss that no one player was more responsible for the Game 1 embarrassment than any other.

“The first quarter, we looked like a deer in the headlights. Very disappointing Authentic Customized Texans Jerseys ,” he said. “I thought we were very prepared physically and mentally, but I was mistaken. That was the game right there.”

The series will shift to San Antonio for Games 3 and 4 on Thursday and next Sunday.

The Presidents’ Trophy winners had the NHL’s best road record during the regular season, but the Predators got the split they needed before this series switches to Winnipeg for Game 3 on Tuesday night. That’s where the Jets posted the league’s best home record.

Craig Smith and Fiala skated up on a 2-on-1, and Jets defenseman Byflugien failed to block Smith’s cross-ice pass to Fiala who beat goalie Connor Hellebuyck with a backhander.

Ryan Johansen scored two goals Chicago Bears Jerseys Womens , Viktor Arvidsson had a goal and two assists, and P.K. Subban had a goal and an assist as Nashville won both its 100th postseason game as a franchise and coach Peter Laviolette’s 50th with the team. Filip Forsberg also had three primary assists for the first time in the postseason in his career.

Mark Scheifele scored two goals and had an assist. Byflugien had a goal and an assist, and Brandon Tanev had a goal for Winnipeg.

Tanev tied it at 3 Youth Tracy Walker Jersey , putting the puck past Pekka Rinne’s right skate at 5:11 of the third. Johansen answered 34 seconds later, skating around Jets defenseman Toby Enstrom and beating Hellebuyck hight.

But Scheifele forced overtime with his fourth goal in this series and eighth this postseason with 1:05 left in regulation and Hellebuyck pulled for the extra attacker.

CAPITALS 4, PENGUINS 1

WASHINGTON (AP) Alex Ovechkin scored his seventh goal of the playoffs Youth Josh Sweat Jersey , Braden Holtby made 32 saves and Washington built a lead and this time held on to beat Pittsburgh and even the series.

After blowing a two-goal lead for the third time in these playoffs in Game 1, this time Washington built on it. The Capitals also were the beneficiary of a questionable video review in the third period when the NHL ruled there were no definitive replays showing the puck crossed the goal line on what would have been Pittsburgh’s second goal.

Jakub Vrana scored on the power play and Brett Connolly on a breakaway for the Capitals, who have beaten goaltender Matt Murray glove-side all five of their goals against him through two games. Nicklas Backstrom scored an empty-netter to seal it with 6.1 seconds left.

Kris Letang scored for Pittsburgh.

Holtby robbed Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel with sliding pad saves to on the way to evening the series going into Game 3 Tuesday in Pittsburgh Tyquan Lewis Jersey Colts , which could mark the return of Penguins star center Evgeni Malkin from an apparent leg injury.

Franklin Police Lt. Charles Warner said Wednesday that Watson was arrested Saturday evening. Watson was released from jail on $4 Carolina Panthers Jerseys Womens ,500 bond and is due in court June 28.

According to a Williamson County court affidavit, a Franklin police officer was flagged down by a witness to a possible domestic situation at a gas station. The officer noticed the passenger of a car ”trying to back away from being shoved away.” The report said the passenger said ”stop” and was trying to cover her face.

Watson told police he and his girlfriend were having an argument and he admitted to pushing her. Officers said they found red marks on the woman’s chest Youth Keke Coutee Jersey , and she said Watson had caused them.

Police said the witness provided confirmation.

The affidavit says domestic assault is considered a Class A misdemeanor.

The Predators said in a statement they ”are still gathering facts and it’s not appropriate for us to comment further at this time.” Team officials noted ”this is a matter that we are taking very seriously and we will cooperate fully with the investigation by law enforcement.”

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement that the league is aware of the situation and ”it will be dealt with in due course and prior to next season.” Daly added ”our focus currently is on the well-being and safety of Austin’s girlfriend, their child and Austin himself. ”

Last year Harrison Phillips Jersey Bills , Watson appeared alongside other Predators players in a video calling for an end to domestic violence.

The 26-year-old Watson is a former first-round draft pick who scored a career-high 14 goals and had five assists in 76 games during the 2017-18 regular season. He had five goals and three assists in 13 playoff games.

Watson has 23 goals and 24 assists in 216 career regular-season games, all with the Predators.