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DeRozan matched his career playoff-high with 37 points Walter Payton Jersey , Jonas Valanciunas had 19 points and 14 rebounds and the Raptors beat the Washington Wizards 130-119 on Tuesday night as Toronto took a 2-0 lead in a playoff series for the first time in franchise history.

”I didn’t go out there planning to score 37 points, I went out there to be aggressive,” DeRozan said.

Kyle Lowry had 13 points and a career playoff-high 12 assists as Toronto set team playoff records for points in a quarter, a half, and a game.

C.J. Miles scored 18, Delon Wright had 11 and Serge Ibaka 10 for the Raptors, who snapped an NBA-worst 10-game losing streak in Game 1s with a 114-106 win on Saturday.

DeRozan, whose 37th point came on a friendly roll on a fourth quarter free throw, equalled his total from Game 3 of the second round against Cleveland last year. It was his 12th career 30-point game in the postseason. The Raptors are 9-3 in those games.

”I though DeMar was super on the offensive end,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. ”We needed every point. He did an excellent job of reading what the defense was doing to him and making them pay.”

Lowry called DeRozan ”an MVP-type caliber player.”

DeRozan missed his first two shots but connected on 14 of his final 21 attempts, including three of six from long range. He also converted a four-point play.

”When he’s making 3’s Dorance Armstrong Jr. Jersey Elite , he’s very tough to guard,” Washington’s John Wall said of DeRozan.

Toronto, which made a team playoff record 16 3-pointers Saturday, connected on 13 of 35 from long range in Game 2, making only two in the second half.

Wall scored 29 points, Mike Scott had a career playoff-high 20 and Ty Lawson 14 for the Wizards, who host Game 3 on Friday night.

”We’re the team that’s in the hole, we’re the team that’s desperate, but we have a lot of confidence,” Wall said. ”We’re not down on ourselves at all.”

Wizards guard Bradley Beal missed eight of 11 shots and finished with nine points. Beal had more fouls in the first half (three) than made baskets (two).

”We need him,” Wizards coach Scott Brooks said. ”We’re going to have trouble beating this team if he doesn’t play better.”

Trailing 100-90 to begin the fourth quarter Barry Church Jersey , the Wizards cut it to 108-103 with 7:52 left on back-to-back 3-pointers by Scott and Lawson, and a pair of free throws from Wall.

Miles stopped the run with a long 3, Toronto’s first of the second half, and the Raptors put it away with a 17-4 spurt over the next four minutes. The sellout crowd roared when DeRozan forced a turnover and saved the ball from going out of bounds, then passed to Lowry who fed Wright for an alley-oop dunk with 3:38 left, putting Toronto up 125-107.

Raptors guard Fred VanVleet returned after sitting out Game 1 because of a bruised right shoulder, but looked rusty in three minutes of action at the start of the second quarter, airballing a shot and mishandling a pass before being replaced by Lowry. VanVleet did not play in the second half.

”He was tentative, he was just too tentative,” Casey said. ”I felt like we had to get him out and let him rest a little bit more. He just wasn’t ready.”

Toronto set a team playoff record with 44 points in the first quarter, including 13 from DeRozan Authentic Customized Chiefs Jerseys , and led 44-27 after one. All five starters made at least one 3-pointer as the Raptors shot 7 for 13 from long range.

”Seven 3s in a quarter, that got the momentum going,” Brooks said.

Brooks called two timeouts to try and slow Toronto, to little effect, while Wizards guards Wall and Beal each picked up two early fouls, forcing them to the bench.

”That kind of hurt us and they took full advantage of that,” Wall said.

Miles made three 3-pointers and scored 11 points in the second and DeRozan added seven as Toronto broke its playoff record for points in a half by taking a 76-58 lead at halftime.

Wall scored 14 points in the third while Toronto shot 0 for 7 from 3-point range, allowing the Wizards to cut it to 100-90 heading to the fourth.

TIP-INS

Wizards: Wall went 11 for 11 at the free throw line. … Ian Mahinmi was called for a flagrant foul on a driving Ibaka in the second. … Lawson made his Wizards debut in the first, replacing Wall.

Raptors: The Raptors used 13 players, including G-League MVP Lorenzo Brown. … Toronto’s previous high for points in a quarter of a playoff game was 39, set against Orlando in 2008. Their previous high for points in a half was 63 Malik Jefferson Jersey Bengals , set against Miami in 2016. … The Raptors had 10 assists on 16 made baskets in the first. … Valanciunas had eight rebounds in the opening quarter. … The Raptors also took a double-digit lead in the first quarter of Game 1. … Coach Dwane Casey celebrated his 61st birthday.

VOTER FRAUD

Brooks had this to say about DeRozan and Lowry: ”Both of those guards are All-Stars for a reason. Maybe next year I won’t vote for them.”

DOUBLE FEATURE

Valanciunas had 12 points and 12 rebounds in the first half. It was his 12th playoff double-double, matching Antonio Davis for the most in Raptors history.

EXPENSIVE SPILL

The game was briefly halted in the second after a vendor spilled several cans of beer along the sideline opposite Toronto’s bench.

UP NEXT

Game 3 is Friday night in Washington.

—

More NBA basketball:

The fallout continues for Papa John’s.

To cap the same week in which founder John Schnatter left the company for good, the University of Louisville has dropped the Papa John’s name from its football stadium. Moving forward, Papa John’s Stadium will be known as Cardinal Stadium. The move comes after multiple Louisville players lobbied for the name to be changed.

Schnatter, who also has left the University of Louisville Board of Trustees, supported the move to change the name of the venue, in order to keep it from becoming a distraction.

Schnatter’s woes began last November, when he blamed the NFL during an earnings call for the company’s financial struggles — even though the call covered a period of time when the NFL wasn’t in season. Some within the NFL power structure believe that Schnatter acted at the behest of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who was engaged in a power struggle over Commissioner Roger Goodell’s new contract.

Diminished but not excommunicated in the aftermath of the NFL misadventures, word emerged recently that Schnatter made racially-insensitive comments during a conference call aimed at trying to improve his image.

WASHINGTON — The next few days will determine whether a players-only meeting and a visit from the Miami Marlins will help lift the Washington Nationals out of their funk.

Washington welcomes Miami to Nationals Park for a four-game series beginning Thursday night.

The Nationals have lost five straight games and 17 of 22. At 42-43 John Kelly Color Rush Jersey , the Nationals are under .500 this far into the season for the first time since they were 60-61 on Aug. 21, 2015.

Wednesday’s traditional 11:05 a.m. July 4 contest was a 3-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox. Washington’s eighth shutout since June 1 — the Nationals were blanked just seven times all of last season — resulted in a players-only meeting after the game.

“We’ve never been in this position before, and I think it’s an exciting time for us,” Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper told the Washington Post. “In years past, we’ve won the division by a lot of games and we’re able to be behind right now. I’m excited to get out there and test it.”

According to press reports, staff ace Max Scherzer instigated the meeting and was the most vocal speaker during it.

“I think anytime Max holds the meeting or holds court, there’s going to be some yelling,” outfielder Adam Eaton told MASN.com. “In baseball, you don’t have that type of intensity all the time Ryan Kalil Jersey , so it’s a little different. I think guys gravitate toward that. I think everybody has a kind of intensity bone in their body, and sometimes things need to be said in that fashion.”

Rafael Devers (sacrifice fly) and Eduardo Nunez (wild pitch) helped break a scoreless tie in the seventh inning, and Eduardo Rodriguez pitched six shutout innings Wednesday for the Red Sox.

Washington starter Erick Fedde left in the second inning with a shoulder injury, forcing the Nationals’ already overworked bullpen to cover seven-plus innings. An MRI exam on Fedde was negative.

The Nationals are seven games behind first-place Atlanta and just 7 1/2 ahead of fourth-place Miami. After a stretch of games against the Philadelphia Phillies and Red Sox, the Nationals play 21 of their next 27 games against teams with a losing record.

Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (2-1, 2.63 ERA) opposes Miami right-hander Pablo Lopez (1-0, 3.00) on Thursday night

Hellickson lasted 4 2/3 innings, giving up three earned runs on seven hits, in his return from the disabled list last Saturday night. He had been sidelined since June 4 with a right hamstring strain.

Lopez was a winner in his major league debut Cowboys Mike White Jersey , allowing two runs on six hits over six innings against the New York Mets on Saturday. The 22-year-old struck out five and walked one.

“I was really impressed with his composure,” Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto told the Miami Herald. “He came in just attacking guys with his stuff. It didn’t seem like he was scared of anybody. Pounding the zone. Worked a quick pace, and pitched with great stuff. It was exciting to watch.”

Miami (36-52) won the rubber game of a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, hours after losing a 16-inning marathon that ended at 12:41 a.m. Jose Urena tossed five scoreless innings and shortstop JT Riddle drove in two of Miami’s runs and scored the other in a 3-0 win.

Drew Rucinski got the win and Brad Ziegler closed it out for his 10th save.

“It was one of those days, walking into it, that your bullpen’s pretty much shot,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly told the Miami Herald. “You’re hoping for a good outing from Jose and it really couldn’t have gone any better as far as who we had available.”

Chicago White Sox second baseman Yoan Moncada knows he is capable of excellence at the big league level.

But the 23-year-old admits that his confidence has wavered at times during an up-and-down sophomore campaign. Moncada flashed his talent with a career-high six RBIs in his most recent game, and he hopes to build on that success Tuesday night as Chicago welcomes the Minnesota Twins to open a three-game series at Guaranteed Rate Field.

“Every time you are passing through a rough moment, you have doubts Youth Jonathan Cooper Jersey ,” Moncada said through an interpreter in comments posted on the team’s official website. “You have questions. But when you keep working hard, you can answer those questions. For me, that was it.

“I had a few moments with doubts and questions why things weren’t going my way. But I keep trying. I’m just working hard and hopefully the good results are keeping for a long time.”

Collectively, Chicago (26-51) is trying to stay positive despite a disappointing first half. The White Sox are coming off a series split against the Oakland Athletics and have won or tied five of their past six series at home.

Meanwhile, Minnesota (34-40) will go for back-to-back wins after posting a 2-0 victory over the Texas Rangers in Sunday’s series finale. The shutout win offered a breath of fresh air for the Twins, who had surrendered 26 runs in their previous three games.

Twins infielder Eduardo Escobar is one of several batters who have provided run support for the starting staff. Escobar ranks first in the majors with 33 doubles in 71 games. He is hitting .293 with 12 homers and 48 RBIs.

“God gave me this talent, so I just go out there and swing hard and that’s what’s happening,” Escobar recently told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “I like to swing hard.”

That could make for compelling drama against White Sox right-hander Reynaldo Lopez (2-5, 3.59 ERA) Pat O'Donnell Jersey , who throws hard. Lopez will make his 16th start of the season and the 30th of his young career.

In his most recent outing, Lopez struggled in a 12-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians. He gave up five runs (four earned) and six hits in 4 1/3 innings. He also walked four and struck out six.

It marked the fifth time this season that Lopez has walked at least four batters. The 24-year-old will look for better command in his third appearance against the Twins. He is 0-0 with a 2.63 ERA in 13 2/3 innings against the club.

For the Twins, right-hander Lance Lynn (5-5, 4.64) is set to make his 15th start. The former St. Louis Cardinals hurler struggled badly after signing a free-agent deal just before the start of the season, but he has settled down remarkably in the past month. He is 4-1 with a 1.73 ERA (seven earned runs in 36 1/3 innings) in his past six starts.

In four career starts against the White Sox, Lynn is 2-0 with a 1.78 ERA. The 6-foot-5, 280-pounder has walked three and struck out 33 in 25 1/3 innings.

Minnesota has a 6-3 edge over Chicago in the season series. The Twins have outscored the White Sox 44-32.

Milwaukee Bucks player Malcolm Brogdon announced Thursday that he'll be the first NBA ambassador for Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Chris Long's Waterboys Initiative, which installs deep-borehole wells in east Africa.

A University of Virginia release says Long reached his initial goal of building 32 wells Jason Witten Jersey , at $45,000 each Devon Kennard Jersey , the same week the Eagles won the Super Bowl last month.

At Virginia, Brogdon partnered with a nonprofit focused on affordable ceramic water filters in South Africa.

The Hoos' generosity extends beyond water: Long donated his entire 2017 season salary to charities John Ross Jersey , and Brogdon had the money budgeted for his Rookie of the Year campaign donated.

Bills center Eric Wood announced in January that a neck injury discovered at an end of season physical led doctors to advise against playing again, but a press conference to announce his retirement wound up ending without any official announcement that his career was over.

Wood remained on the 90-man roster and the delay was explained as having to do with salary cap issues Arian Foster Jersey , including Wood’s $10 million-plus cap hit for the 2018 season and the possibility that the Bills could ask for signing bonus money back due to Wood’s retirement.

Wood won’t be returning any of the bonus money and he won’t be on the Buffalo roster anymore either. John Wawrow of the Associated Press was the first to report that the Bills will release Wood. Field Yates of ESPN adds that the move comes after the two sides reached an injury settlement.

They will take the entire cap hit this year rather than make him a post-June 1 cut to spread the cap hit out over the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

Wood started 120 games over nine seasons with the Bills. Buffalo signed former Bengals center Russell Bodine as a free agent and also have Ryan Groy on hand as an option in the middle of the offensive line. The Bills also released guard Richie Incognito after his own flirtation with retirement and traded tackle Cordy Glenn to the Bengals this offseason.

”If we would have played our normal rotation Malik Jackson Jersey , we would have won that game,” he said Sunday after coach Brad Stevens rested his starters and watched the subs blow a 13-point, fourth-quarter lead to the Atlanta Hawks. ”No doubt about it.”

Taurean Prince made seven of eight 3-pointers to score 33 points, getting help from Isaiah Taylor and Dewayne Dedmon down the stretch to help the last-place Hawks beat the playoff-bound Celtics 112-106.

With the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference already locked up, Stevens left Brown, Al Horford, Jayson Tatum and Terry Rozier on the bench for the entire fourth quarter and Boston lost for the third time in four games.

”I think Brad made a good call William Perry Jersey ,” Brown said. ”(The backups) got an opportunity and it was well-deserved.”

Rozier had 10 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for Boston, which had beaten Atlanta in the other three meetings this season. Tatum scored 19, Horford had 16 and Greg Monroe scored 17 for the Celtics, who are without Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward for the rest of the season and Marcus Smart for the start of the playoffs.

”Let young guys play in the fourth,” Stevens said. ”Bench play is going to be huge for us going into the playoffs without a full roster.”

Taylor and Dedmon scored nine straight points for the Hawks after they trailed 103-101 with 2 minutes remaining.

Prince added eight rebounds and five assists, and Damian Lee scored 14 with eight boards. Taylor had 13 points and Dedmon scored 10 for Atlanta Kevin Huber Jersey , which has beaten playoff teams in consecutive games but still has the worst record in the Eastern Conference.

”(It’s) especially gratifying, knowing you have a couple impact players out and still be able to do what we do,” Prince said, alluding to the injuries to Dennis Schroder and Kent Bazemore, two of the team’s top three scorers. ”It’s good to see what we’re able to do, even without a full team.”

CRUNCH TIME

The Celtics took a 20-8 lead in the first quarter and nursed it through most of the game before a four-point play on a clear-path foul by Tatum, followed by a Prince 3-pointer Eric Ebron Jersey , helped turn a 73-63 deficit into a one-point game.

The Celtics opened the fourth with a 9-2 run to take a 91-78 lead. But Atlanta tied it 99-all on a four-point play by Mike Muscala with 5:32 to play. After taking a 101-99 lead, the Celtics made five straight trips down the floor without scoring before Monroe’s tip-in made it 103-101 with just over two minutes left.

That’s when Taylor and Dedmon took over.

Taylor tied it 103-all with a layup and, after Monroe made one of two free throws, Dedmon made a 3-pointer to give Atlanta its first lead since the score was 3-2. Jonathan Gibson made a 20-footer for Boston, then Dedmon’s dunk gave the Hawks the lead for good. Taylor followed with a layup to make it a four-point game with 26 seconds left.

”Of course, they didn’t play their starters in the fourth quarter,” Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer said. ”I think they got a lot out of today; those (Celtics) played well for three quarters. I’m proud of the way our guys played for all four quarters. It’s a good sign the way they’re developing.”

KYRIE SURGERY

Stevens said Irving’s surgery was a success and he should be ready to return next season. The point guard had two screws removed Saturday from his left knee Cody Parkey Jersey , which had developed an infection. The screws were inserted after he broke his kneecap during the 2015 Finals.

Irving has not played since March 11. Rozier started at point guard on Sunday, the 11th time in 12 games he had been in the starting lineup after coming off the bench for all but three of the previous 67 games.

TIP-INS

Prince scored 10 in the first quarter and had eight points and four rebounds in the fourth. … Boston’s Semi Ojeleye had a career-high 13 points. … The Hawks’ 13 turnovers led to 15 Boston points, but the Celtics’ 12 turnovers led to 24 Atlanta points.

UP NEXT

Hawks: Finish the season at home against Philadelphia on Tuesday.

Celtics: At Washington on Tuesday.

—

The Tennessee Titans have agreed to terms with tight end Jerome Cunningham and linebacker Brandon Chubb.

They also have waived tight end Phillip Supernaw and have placed linebacker Nate Palmer on injured reserve.

Cunningham, who is 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds, spent portions of the 2016 and 2017 seasons with the Titans. His lone NFL playing experience is a nine-game stint with the New York Giants in 2015. He caught eight passes in those games.

Chubb has spent time with the Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers since entering the NFL in 2016 as an undrafted free agent from Wake Forest.

Supernaw caught four passes for the Titans each of the past two seasons. He also had been a special-teams contributor since joining the franchise in 2015.

That’s not what Cincinnati expected when it took a public relations hit and drafted Mixon in the second round last year.

But it wasn’t only Mixon who came up short. Giovani Bernard had a pair of 25-yard runs as his best efforts. The Bengals’ running game finished last in the league with those 25-yard runs as their longest from scrimmage.

The Bengals’ running game was one of the worst in their history. In four games, the running backs failed to produce a run of at least 10 yards. Andy Dalton had a 25-yard scramble in one game that matched the biggest gain on the ground all season.

”I’m glad it’s a new year,” Mixon said. ”We definitely are going to make that up, for sure. I can tell you that now.”

Mixon is going to be leading the way.

The Bengals were so enamored of his ability to catch passes as well as break long runs that they took him in the second round of the draft, knowing they’d get a public backlash . He was suspended for his freshman season at Oklahoma for punching a woman in the face.

He made little impact as a rookie, sharing time with Jeremy Hill. His only noteworthy game was a 114-yard effort over winless Cleveland on Nov. 26. He had 96 yards in the final game against Baltimore.

Unhappy with the results, Mixon changed his diet in the offseason and lost 12 pounds, getting back to his playing weight at Oklahoma. He’s looked good in training camp at 216 pounds, with coach Marvin Lewis singling him out for praise on Wednesday.

”I’ve been excited about Joe Mixon and what he’s doing Eddie Jackson Jersey ,” Lewis said.

Hill left as a free agent after the season, leaving Mixon and Bernard to share the bulk of the plays at running back. Coordinator Bill Lazor has redesigned the playbook to fit their ability to catch passes as well as run the ball.

”He knows we both can do anything,” Bernard said. ”It’s not the situation of a first-down back or a second-down back or third-down, it’s none of that. It’s just plug-and-play.”

The biggest problem with the running game last season was the offensive line, which provided little room to run. The Bengals made it their overriding priority in the offseason, trading with Buffalo for left tackle Cordy Glenn and drafting Ohio State center Billy Price in the first round.

”There’s been a lot of urgency within the offensive line to get things moving, and it shows,” Bernard said.

GIO’S DONATION: Bernard helped his future mother-in-law donate a van to an injured Marine veteran on Tuesday, the team’s day off. Bernard drove the van – owned by his future mother-in-law – during his rookie season.

”It was obviously hard to see it go, but it was fun to see it go to a family that needs it David Njoku Jersey ,” Bernard said.

CLEARED TO PRACTICE: Linebacker Brandon Bell passed a physical on Wednesday and was cleared to practice. He was limited for the first five days of camp.

PLAY OF THE DAY: Tyler Boyd reached over cornerback Darqueze Dennard for a catch in the corner of the end one during a goal-line drill, drawing cheers from teammates. He also made a slick over-the-middle catch during an 11-on-11 drill. Boyd was slowed by a knee injury last season and finished with only 22 catches in 10 games.

NO TELLING: Lewis declined to say whether Tyler Eifert would play in any preseason games. The tight end is coming off his second back procedure and was cleared to practice on Monday.

—

Mikaela Shiffrin added a second crystal globe in as many days to her ever growing collection on Saturday.

A day after locking up her second straight World Cup overall championship, the American secured her fifth season title in the slalom.

Shiffrin formally won the discipline title as soon as the only remaining challenger, Petra Vlhova, failed to get the top-two result which the Slovakian skier needed in the penultimate event of the season.

However, Shiffrin wrapped up the title in style by winning the race, edging Wendy Holdener of Switzerland by 0.09 seconds. Olympic champion Frida Hansdotter of Sweden was 0.72 behind in third, and Vlhova finished fourth.

”I was happy yesterday but I was still thinking how I could prepare best for the race today and what I needed to do to come out and be motivated and ski really fast again,” said Shiffrin, who finished third in Friday’s giant slalom on the same hill to secure the overall title before skipping the public bib draw in the evening.

”It’s a big challenge to do that at the end of the season but Wendy really wants to win Matthew Stafford Jersey , Frida is coming off her gold medal in slalom in South Korea, so everybody has her own motivation,” Shiffrin said.

Saturday’s result stretched the American’s lead over Vlhova in the slalom standings to 225 points with just the season-ending race at the World Cup finals in Sweden remaining.

It was the American’s fifth slalom title in the past six seasons after only failing to win the discipline in 2016 when she missed five races due to a knee injury. Only Swiss great Vreni Schneider won more slalom titles in her career – six.

Shiffrin, who turns 23 on Tuesday, set a World Cup record on Saturday as she became the first 22-year-old skier, male or female, with 42 World Cup wins.

Also, getting her 11th win of the season was a personal best, though Schneider (14 in 1988-89) and American teammate Lindsey Vonn (12 in 2011-12) won more races in a single season.

Shiffrin was planning to take a few days off before flying to Are and compete in the last GS and slalom races of the season, with nothing more at stake than just the race win.

”It’s still my goal to finish the season as strong as I can Lamarcus Joyner Jersey ,” Shiffrin said, adding she would ”try to have some fire” for the final races of the season.

On a course set by her coach Mike Day, Shiffrin was the fastest in the opening run of Saturday’s slalom, leading Austrians Katharina Gallhuber and Bernadette Schild by 0.30 and 0.39 seconds, respectively.

While the Austrians dropped to fifth and sixth in the final run, Holdener put pressure on Shiffrin by posting the fastest time.

The American lost fractions of her lead at every split time but the margin was still 0.09 to her advantage when she crossed the finish, denying Holdener a maiden slalom victory once more.

The Swiss skier has racked up 16 podiums in the discipline but is yet to win a race – a record in the women’s World Cup.

Both hampered by recent knee injuries, Austria’s Michaela Kirchgasser and Slovakia’s Veronika Velez Zuzulova retired from the sport on Saturday. Wearing clothes inspired by folklore, they used the opening leg for a farewell run at a leisurely pace while hugging coaches along the way.

The moves announced Monday leave only third-round defensive end Arden Key unsigned among the Raiders' nine draft picks.

Parker was selected 65th overall after playing four seasons at North Carolina A&T. He started all 48 games of his career at left tackle and was a three-time FCS All-American.

Nelson was drafted 110th overall. He played two seasons at Hawaii before playing his final college season at Wisconsin. Nelson led the nation and set a school record with 21 passes defensed last season for the Badgers. He had 42 passes defensed in his career but no interceptions.

For the man expected to be the next franchise quarterback for the Eagles Bennie Fowler III Jersey , it wasn’t going to be the moments after Nick Foles led a 41-33 win over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots on Sunday night.

Wentz said he just wanted to celebrate with the Super Bowl MVP and the rest of his teammates, which he did. He shared quiet conversation in the locker room with owner Jeffrey Lurie before tight end Brent Celek grabbed him by the shoulders and said, ”Brothers for life.”

A few minutes later, Wentz, Foles and Nate Sudfeld, the backup since Wentz’s season-ending knee injury in Week 14, huddled near their lockers and bolted out a door, headed to an area off-limits to reporters.

Wentz didn’t flat-out say no when asked if he wanted to talk Brandon Linder Jersey , and got a little testy when a reporter tried to find out what ”soon” meant. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 draft smiled a lot, too, as he wandered the locker room.

”You just know it’s tough when you talk to him sometimes,” receiver Torrey Smith said. ”It would be tough for me. He would have been the MVP of the league if he didn’t get hurt. You know that’s tough.”

Wentz, who walked gingerly and didn’t step into throws while making tosses alongside Foles during warmups, tore two ligaments in his left knee in a win over the Los Angeles Rams in December.

Foles and the Philadelphia offense were up and down through three regular-season games and the playoff opener, a 15-10 win over Atlanta.

But in his final two postseason games, Foles threw for 725 yards and six touchdowns Nate Orchard Jersey , three in each game. He even caught a scoring pass in the Super Bowl.

After the Eagles fell behind for the first time in the fourth quarter against the Patriots, Foles guided 14-play, 75-yard drive to what ended up being the winning score – an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Zach Ertz.

When Brady’s desperation pass hit the ground in the end zone on the final play, Wentz stormed the field alongside everyone else. And that sideline had some other key players in street clothes – two-time All-Pro left tackle Jason Peters and speedy running back Darren Sproles.

Oh, and Wentz held the Lombardi Trophy over his head during the celebration.

”When he went down, the foundation had been laid so strong that we weren’t usually swayed by anything,” Ertz said. ”We lost so many guys through this journey. Carson just gave us confidence every time we stepped on the field at the beginning of the season.”

Coach Doug Pederson lauded Wentz for staying engaged with his teammates after the injury. He was leading the NFL with 33 touchdown passes when he got hurt and finished just one behind league leader Russell Wilson of Seattle.

”He was in there in the mornings studying the tape with the quarterbacks like he always does,” Pederson said. ”And then he’d come to practice and just watch. Any advice that he had for Nick he would give it. If he felt like it wasn’t necessary Chad Kelly Jersey , he wouldn’t give it. Just a great resource for Nick.”

Wentz says he plans to be ready for the regular season in September. If not, Foles is under contract for another season, and the Eagles could get offers from teams looking for a starter after what the sixth-year pro did in the playoffs.

”I’m not going to say it’s bittersweet,” Smith said. ”But you know as a competitor you want to be on the field. I know he’s genuinely happy for Foles and this team. And I know more so than anything this is motivation for him to come back stronger than ever and to help lead this team back to this position.”

From time to time during the offseason, the Eagles will also get the question some just can’t resist asking after a backup becomes a Super Bowl MVP. Who’s the starter?

”Man, here you go,” receiver Alshon Jeffery said. ”Shut you off, man. You know who is throwing the ball. Carson Christian Covington Jersey , of course.”

As far as talking, though, Wentz deferred to Foles on this night.

—

 Adidas Patrik Laine Jersey

But the Houston guard isn’t looking ahead to what most expect will be a showdown with the defending champion Golden State Warriors in the next round.

After all Chaz Green Jersey , he’s been in this situation before in 2015 with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Paul is normally reticent to discuss his past playoff failures, but the nine-time All-Star was candid about that particular letdown when he was interviewed on TNT moments after Houston took a 3-1 lead over the Utah Jazz with a 100-87 win in Game 5.

He was asked if he’s allowed himself to think about being in the finals for the first time.

”It’s the process man,” he said. ”I’ve been here before, 3-1. (Expletive) went bad real quick, you know what I mean?”

The collapse that Paul is referring to came at the hands of the Rockets. Paul and the Clippers raced out to a 3-1 lead in the conference semifinals. They got blown out in Game 5, wasted a 19-point second-half lead in a loss in Los Angeles in Game 6, then fell in Game 7 at Houston.

Paul got prickly later when asked to expand on his comments and share what he learned from that series. He deflected the question with a joke before finally mumbling: `don’t relax,’ before James Harden stepped in to save his teammate from the uncomfortable moment.

”He’s not even thinking about that honestly,” Harden said. ”We’ve got a game on Tuesday and we’re going to do whatever it takes to close it out.”

Houston’s game against Utah is one of two games on Tuesday. In the other game, the Warriors also have a chance to finish off their series with the New Orleans Pelicans after taking a 3-1 lead with a 118-92 win on Sunday.

This is Paul’s fifth appearance in the conference semifinals after losing to the Spurs 4-3 in 2008 while with New Orleans, being swept by San Antonio in 2012 with the Clippers and losing 4-2 to the Thunder with that team before that 2015 debacle against the Rockets.

Coach Mike D’Antoni said the most important quality Paul has brought to the Rockets in his first year with the team is his toughness and edge. He doesn’t expect to see anything different out of him on Tuesday despite having the opportunity to finally shed the label that he can’t get out of the second round.

”It’s hard to go up another notch. I think he’s on full-tilt all the time,” D’Antoni said. ”You’d have to talk to him a little bit (but) I’m sure it’s on his mind.”

For the Jazz, they’re hoping that they can recreate the success they had in Game 2 when they led by as many as 19 points early, and held on for a 116-108 win.

”We were on a different level in Game 2 and I think we’ve just got to get back to that Matthew Stafford Jersey ,” rookie Donovan Mitchell said.

Utah could get a boost in Game 6 with the return of Ricky Rubio. He’s missed the entire series with a strained left hamstring, but was listed as questionable before Sunday’s game and could be well enough to play on Tuesday.

However, they could be without reserve point guard Dante Exum in Game 6 after he left Sunday’s game in the third quarter with soreness in his left hamstring.

Here’s a closer look at the Pelicans-Warriors game.

PELICANS AT WARRIORS

Warriors lead series 3-1. Game 5, 10:30 p.m. EDT, TNT

NEED TO KNOW: The Warriors have been dominant on their home floor for two straight postseasons, having won a franchise-record 14 consecutive playoff games at Oracle Arena and already closed out the Spurs at Oakland in Game 5.

With a 15th straight home playoff win, the Warriors would tie Chicago for an NBA record. The Bulls did so from April 27, 1990, to May 21, 1991.

”We’ve got to win one game at Oracle and that’s the one that we play next,” Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. ”That’s as far as we need to look. Obviously it’s a monumental task. It’s been done before. As I said to the guys, `We just got to go and play and you’re not out until they win four games.”’

KEEP ANY EYE ON: Stephen Curry continues to find his groove and this will be his fourth game back from nearly six weeks sidelined with a sprained left knee. His minutes are increasing each game he plays, up to 31 in Game 4.

Curry is 22 for 51 with 12 3s so far this series.

TOUGH CHALLENGE: The Pelicans never know which Golden State star might be on any given night – or all of them at once.

The Warriors led wire to wire in Game 4 following its 19-point embarrassment in Game 3. Kevin Durant is coming off a 38-point performance, but it could be Klay Thompson’s turn Alfred Blue Jersey , or Draymond Green chasing another triple-double.

”The bigger the game the better Draymond plays,” coach Steve Kerr said, ”the more intense he is, the more focus he has. He’s going against Anthony Davis night after night and just doing an amazing job in concert with his teammates. Draymond’s a rare guy. Every time the moment gets bigger, he gets better and not everybody can say that.”

Durant has scored 20 or more points in 16 straight postseason games.

PRIORITY ON SHOOTING: Gentry gives New Orleans little chance of staying in the series and staving off elimination without a big scoring performance. The Pelicans lost 118-92 on Sunday and shot just 36.4 percent – 32 of 88 and 4 for 26 on 3-pointers.

”You’re not going to beat them if you’re not going to score 115 points, I don’t care how good your defense is,” Arizona’s offense, so awful in May, is on a scoring binge in June – and Jon Jay joined the party Tuesday night.

Jay got his first three hits for Arizona, including a three-run homer, and the Diamondbacks won their fifth game in a row with a sloppy 13-8 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

”I can’t stress enough how good this group is and how they’ve welcomed me and made me feel super comfortable,” he said. ”I’m super excited and looking forward to the summer.”

Jay, acquired Thursday in a trade with Kansas City, was hitless in 12 at-bats for the Diamondbacks before his leadoff single in Arizona’s six-run first inning. His opposite-field homer in the eighth broke the game open after the Pirates had rallied from an 8-0 deficit to trail 10-8.

”That was a pretty decisive blow in the game DJ Chark Jersey ,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said.

Starling Marte hit a three-run homer, doubled and made a diving grab in center field for the Pirates.

Fernando Salas (4-4) gave up a run in 1 1/3 innings and got the win.

Nine of the runs in the game were unearned.

The Diamondbacks have scored 51 runs in the last five games. They’ve won 11 of 14 and lead the NL West by three games over the surging Los Angeles Dodgers.

”It’s hard to believe,” Lovullo said. ”You go through a May the way we did, I don’t know how many runs we scored the entire month. It wasn’t a lot.”

The Pirates have lost six of eight and fell to 1-4 on a six-game trip that ends Wednesday afternoon with the series finale in the desert.

Arizona jumped on Trevor Williams (5-4) in the first with six runs, two on Ketel Marte’s seventh triple of the season. Five runs were unearned thanks to three Pirates errors, two on one play.

”We’ve got work to do,” manager Clint Hurdle said of his infield defense. ”We are not playing at the level we are capable of playing.”

The Diamondbacks added a pair of runs in the third, one on David Peralta’s RBI triple, to lead 8-0.

But the Pirates countered with an unearned barrage of their own in a six-run fourth.

A catcher’s interference call against John Ryan Murphy loaded the bases and Clay Buchholz hit Jordy Mercer with a pitch to bring in Pittsburgh’s first run. Buchholz walked pinch-hitter Sean Rodriguez to bring in another. Josh Harrison followed with a sacrifice fly before Marte homered just over the right-field fence to cut what once was an eight-run Arizona lead to 8-6.

Because of Murphy’s error, the last four of the six runs were unearned.

Josh Bell’s RBI double, his third hit of the night, trimmed Arizona’s advantage to 10-8 in the seventh.

”A couple tough bounces their way and it got out of hand in that first inning,” said Williams, who allowed eight runs – only three earned – in three innings. ”It was good for us to fight back and it is awesome that the team showed that fight. I am disappointed in myself that it was out of reach in that first inning and let the team down that way.”

TOUGH START

The first inning was an ugly one for Pittsburgh.

With runners at first and second and no outs Ronald Leary Jersey , Bell fielded Jake Lamb’s grounder to first base and spiked a throw to second, with the ball bouncing into the outfield.

Marte’s two-out triple brought in two more runs, and Jarrod Dyson was intentionally walked to bring up Buchholz. Williams made a pickoff move to first, threw wildly and Marte scored. The speedy Dyson headed for third and second baseman Harrison threw the ball away, allowing the runner to score.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: Harrison was back in the lineup after being hit by a pitch in the shoulder Monday night. The Pirates had said after that game that Harrison would be day to day.

Diamondbacks: RHP Braden Shipley took a line drive to the ribs in the ninth but stayed in the game to get the final out. … LHP Robbie Ray (strained right oblique) is to make his first rehab start Thursday for Class A Visalia. … RHP Shelby Miller (Tommy John surgery) makes his fourth rehab start, for Class A Visalia, on Saturday.

UP NEXT

Arizona, going for its second consecutive three-game sweep, sends RHP Zack Greinke (5-4, 3.53 ERA) to the mound on Wednesday. The Pirates counter with RHP Jameson Taillon (3-5, 4.08). Greinke is 16-1 with a 2.53 ERA in his last 25 starts at Chase Field.

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 Womens Nyheim Hines Jersey

Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell‘s agent said that the “practical reality” is that the 2018 season will be his final one in Pittsburgh because no long-term deal was reached before Monday’s deadline.

If that’s the case Jamon Brown Jersey , Bell says he will be going out with a bang. Bell posted a tweet shortly after the deadline passed without the new contract he’s been trying to land for the last two years and predicted he’d have his best season ever.

to all my Steeler fans, my desire always has been to retire a Steeler…both sides worked extremely hard today to make that happen, but the NFL is a hard business at times…to the fans that had hope Adam Vinatieri Jersey , I鈥檓 sorry we let youu down but trust me, 2018 will be my best season to date…

— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) July 16, 2018

Bell has not said if he’ll follow the same script as last year and report to the Steelers just before training camp. There have been suggestions that he could extend his holdout into the season Cam Robinson Jersey , although he’d lose $852,000 each time the team plays a game without him and having his “best season to date” seems unlikely if he’s going to miss a big chunk of it by choice.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (6-10)

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: RB Carlos Hyde; Ss Eric Reid and Antone Exum, DE Aaron Lynch; DLs Chris Jones Charles Haley Jersey , Tank Carradine and Leger Douzable; LB Brock Coyle; G Brandon Fusco; CBs Leon Hall, Dontae Johnson, and Asa Jackson; WR Louis Murphy; TE Logan Paulsen; C Tim Barnes.

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.

NEEDS: 49ers answered biggest question last month when they signed quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to $137.5 million contract after he led them to five straight wins following midseason trade with New England. Then San Francisco got a head start on free agency by signing former nemesis Richard Sherman to upgrade at cornerback following his release from Seattle. The task this spring will be to get Garoppolo help and improve the pass rush on defense. San Francisco could use big target at either receiver or tight end to help in red zone Josh Reynolds Jersey , as well as improvement on interior of offensive line. Biggest question on offense comes at running back where San Francisco must decide whether to try to re-sign Hyde or look for someone else as lead back.

AVAILABLE SALARY CAP SPACE (approximately): $64 million.

The Mercedes-Benz Stadium roof was closed for all but one Falcons regular-season game in the facility’s 2017 debut season. The Falcons proved the roof is now ready for action by opening and closing the structure before Sunday’s rare stadium-based training camp practice.

”It was cool to see it open today Ryan Kalil Jersey , for sure,” said quarterback Matt Ryan.

All the same, Ryan was grateful to see the eight massive petals on the camera lens-like retractable design close again. After practicing in the heat for the first two days of training camp, cool temperatures for an indoor session were a welcome change.

”We weren’t mad that we were in air conditioning today for training camp,” he said, smiling.

Coach Dan Quinn said he is looking forward to more open-air home games this season.

”How many times in this part of the country have we all driven to the stadium and said `Man, this would be one awesome day to have it open,”’ Quinn said. ”I think that will be a really significant part of the fan experience here.”

The Falcons said more than 60,000 tickets were distributed for the practice. The team called the practice a sellout, even though there were empty seats, because all the tickets available Lamarcus Joyner Jersey , at $5 each, were sold. The Falcons said it was a team record for a training camp practice.

The large turnout led Falcons owner Arthur Blank to remember the Falcons holding training camp at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, when he bought the team in 2001.

”A huge day was 200 people,” Blank said. ”We don’t practice normally at MBS, but it’s incredible. I think it’s a great tribute to the fan base, a great tribute to the organization and the relationship we’ve built with the fans. I’m thrilled to be here today to watch it and enjoy it.”

Sunday was the team’s first practice in pads. Quinn said his players always are motivated by the first practice when hitting is allowed. He said it was an extra perk for the players to practice before a much bigger crowd than can attend training camp at the team’s practice facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, about an hour north of downtown Atlanta.

”When I told them what we were doing, they were really pumped to hear how many people would be here for practice today,” Quinn said. ”It does add an element of excitement where the performance for practice ramps up a little more with so many fans here.”

After seeing their scoring offense decline from No. 1 in the NFL in 2016 to No. 15 last season Dominique Easley Jersey , the Falcons put an emphasis on running plays inside the 20 in their 11-on-11 drills.

The practice ended with Ryan scrambling to his left and passing to Mohamed Sanu for a touchdown.

NOTES: DE Takkarist McKinley was held out with a bruised right shoulder. He has had surgeries on both shoulders the past two years. ”We’ll see what it looks like for tomorrow,” Quinn said before adding McKinley could have other scheduled days off in the next two weeks. RB Ito Smith (foot) and OT Ty Sambrailo (right hand) also are considered day to day after being held out. WR Calvin Ridley, who had a minor hamstring injury on Saturday, practiced and showed no sign of the injury. … Training camp returns to the team’s practice facility on Monday before a day off on Tuesday.

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Julian Edelman has made peace with the fact he won't be playing football for the first four weeks of the regular season.

It won't stop the veteran Patriots receiver from preparing like he will be on the field.

Edelman made several rounds of apologies to his team and fans following the four-game suspension handed down by the NFL for violating the league's policy on performance enhancers. Now he says he plans to use what's left of training camp to make sure his surgically repaired knee will be ready when he is able to return. The 32-year-old receiver missed the entire 2017 season with a torn right anterior cruciate ligament.

Working his way back has been a slow process that's just beginning to pick up.

"It's been a grind," Edelman said Friday. "You're compounding day after day after day after day. ... You're always trying to go out and get better and I have to do a lot better. I feel like I got to get my legs under me a lot more."

Edelman will miss a home game against Houston, trips to Jacksonville and Detroit, plus a home game against Miami.

He will be eligible to return to the active roster Oct. 1, enabling him to make his 2018 debut Oct. 4 against Indianapolis.

Part of the urgency for Edelman is fueled by changes the receiving corps has undergone since the end of last season. It will certainly have a fresh look to it when the season opens thanks to Edelman's suspension, the free agency departure of stalwart Danny Amendola and trade of Brandin Cooks to the Rams.

That is compounded even more with the uncertainty surrounding the status of Malcolm Mitchell, who has yet to participate in a full practice after spending last season on injured reserve (knee).

It's left openings for someone to earn playing time, and the list of candidates is long.

Among those in camp looking to make the roster are Chris Hogan Larry Allen Jersey , Phillip Dorsett, Kenny Britt, Cordarrelle Patterson and Braxton Berrios. Free agent Eric Decker signed with the team Friday following the release of Jordan Matthews earlier in the week.

Edelman said he is encouraged by the work so far from the group. He was particularly high on Patterson, a trade acquisition from Oakland.

"He's a great guy to be around," Edelman said. "He works hard, he's very athletic, and he definitely helps push the unit, so I'm happy we got him. He's going to contribute in a whole different other way. He's very versatile, and just from his track record I'm glad we have him."

Coach Bill Belichick also has been complimentary of the work Patterson has put in during camp.

"He has skills in offense and the kicking game in a number of different areas, return skills, coverage skills Josh Sitton Jersey , blocking skills, catching skills," Belichick said. "He's got some experience, so he's able to utilize that. He understands his skill set and how it matches up against different types of players."

NOTES: Friday marked Tom Brady's 41st birthday and the team gave him a celebration on par with the one for his 40th.

There was a balloon figure version of Brady and a giant No. 12 cake. There were also birthday cards set up outside the practice field entrance for fans to sign. Fans serenaded the 19-year veteran with a rendition of "Happy Birthday" after he took the field.

His teammates also got in on the act. Following practice, they got together to sing to the reigning MVP. And in a video posted on the team's official Twitter account, safety Duron Harmon proclaimed Friday a national holiday called, "G.O.A.T. Day."

Tight end Rob Gronkowski said he continues to marvel at Brady's longevity

"It's just unreal. It's remarkable," Gronkowski said. "You just learn from him and you want to get taught from him. You want to be on the same chemistry out on the field because he knows where you need to be. He knows talent around him, he knows guys around him, he's seen talent from the last 15 (or) 20 years on."

The Panthers signed left tackle Matt Kalil as a free agent in 2017 and watched him get off to a slow start as he recovered from hip surgery while playing in a new offensive system.

Kalil has been healthy this offseason and a new offensive coordinator hasn’t forced him to do the same kind of learning because he’s played for Norv Turner in the past. With those two things off the table Michael Roberts Jersey , coach Ron Rivera said the Panthers “expect him to improve and be better for us this year.”

Kalil seems to think he’ll fulfill that expectation.

“I think from Week 4 on I started playing better and better, and toward the end of the season I was playing where I want to be,” Kalil said Sam Mills Jersey , via the Charlotte Observer. “I think that carried over to [organized team activities] and to camp, and obviously I’m way ahead of the curve of where I started last year.”

The Panthers lost one starting offensive lineman in free agency when Andrew Norwell signed with Jacksonville and right tackle Daryl Williams went down with a knee injury early in camp, so a stronger season from Kalil would be a welcome development up front in Carolina.

Monday’s PFT Live focused on the challenges facing the Eagles Kavon Frazier Jersey , as they try to parlay their first-ever Super Bowl championship into a second one. Looming over the effort is the question of whether Carson Wentz or Nick Foles will be the starting quarterback.

While not a full-blown controversy (yet), things could get awkward for the Eagles. And the Giants went through this 27 years ago, when Phil Simms was the incumbent and Jeff Hostetler had just led the team to a win in Super Bowl XXV.

PFT Live co-host Chris Simms knows a thing or two about that one Nick Vigil Jersey , because he was an 11-year-old boy who was hoping his dad would fend off the former West Virginia quarterback who had become an unlikely hero after Father Phil suffered a broken leg during the 1990 season. On Monday, Chris confessed to a locker-room crime committed against Hostetler’s cleats.

We didn’t plan this one (I didn’t even know about it), which makes it even better. To hear the whole story Vontae Davis Jersey , check out the video.