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BOSTON — Home Sweet Home.

The words the Celtics have lived by in this year’s NBA playoffs.

Now Boston has the value of the parquet Drew Smyly Jersey , the banners and the wild home fans with the Eastern Conference finals matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers down to a best-of-three.

The Celtics have gone 9-0 at home in these playoffs and won 10 in a row at home dating back to the regular season. For the year, they are 36-14 at home, a .720 winning percentage.

Just as they had done in the opening series with the Milwaukee Bucks, the Celtics won the first two games at home and then lost two in a row on the road, where they have just one victory in the playoffs. They then won 5 and 7 at home and lost 6 at Milwaukee.

And just like that series, Boston doesn’t have to win a road game to advance.

“I think our focus is just on the next game, on Game 5 Joe Carter Jersey ,” the Celtics’ Al Horford said after Monday’s game. “All season but specifically all playoffs, we’ve been taking it game to game. We can’t look at it that way (of trying to win two of three). Right now, we’re fighting for our playoff lives, and our focus as a group is Wednesday, Game 5 at home.”

LeBron James went off for 44 points in Game 4 and had help from his friends — Tristan Thompson standing out on the inside (and running the floor) and Kyle Korver on the outside, and even blocking three Jaylen Brown shots. George Hill was great.

But, as usual Authentic Luke Falk Jersey , it all came down to James — and his team’s ability to set him up in mismatches, notably with smaller guard Terry Rozier.

“If you look at the four teams in the postseason now,” said James, averaging 33.7 points per game in this postseason, “Houston is trying to find mismatches, Golden State is trying to find mismatches, Boston Bryan Shaw Jersey , and us as well. We’re all trying to find mismatches for us to try to be successful offensively. It’s not much of a secret.”

The Cavs have a win in four games at TD Garden this year and are 9-5 there over the past four seasons.

“It’s the best two out of three to go to the NBA Finals,” said Celtics coach Brad Stevens. “Doesn’t get any better than that.”

The Celtics were hardly thrilled with the officiating in the two games in Cleveland and were outspoken about it.

“I don’t really want to speak on that and get a fine,” said Marcus Morris, one of the guys trying to guard James. “At the end of the day I work hard, work my (butt) off to defend this position. The ticky-tack fouls — it is what it is.

“It’s tough. you’re already playing against the best player in the league, and you can be a little bit physical, it’s tough to guard him. You can’t do anything and it’s fouls Cheap New York Jets Hoodie , fouls. We almost had to give up baskets.”

Morris leads the NBA with 52 fouls in this postseason.

In off-court news Tuesday, Boston’s Jayson Tatum became the first Celtic to make All-Rookie first team since Paul Pierce in 1998-99. And while Ben Simmons and Donovan Mitchell were unanimous, Tatum missed by a single vote, prompting Stevens to say, “Somebody made a mistake.”

Both Kevin Love and Jeff Green are playing with minor injuries, while the Celtics, missing Kyrie Irving Cheap Tracy Walker Jersey , Gordon Hayward and Daniel Theis for the entire postseason, are also without backup point guard Shane Larkin. Out with a shoulder injury suffered in the second round, Larkin might return in this series, but is not likely to make it back for Game 5.

Game 6 is in Cleveland on Friday night and the “if necessary” Game 7 would be back in Boston on Sunday night.

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The third-string goalie nicknamed ”Hamburglar” stole a game for Colorado in Nashville.

No time for Andrew Hammond to revel in his thievery Cheap Darius Leonard Jersey , though. Game 6 awaits Sunday at the Pepsi Center. Once again, the Avalanche and their surprise goalie with the catchy moniker – he used to have a mask with the McDonald’s “Hamburglar” character on the side – will try to ward off elimination trailing Nashville 3-2 in the first-round series.

”Backs against the wall in an elimination game seem to bring out the best in us,” Hammond said Saturday after the team arrived home.

In Philadelphia, Flyers goalie Michal Neuvirth faces the same kind of pressure Sunday with his team down 3-2 heading home against Pittsburgh. He stopped 30 shots in Game 5 to help the Flyers extend that series.

”I’ve been practicing well and feeling good about my game,” said Neuvirth, who’s been banged up this season. ”I believe in myself that I can bring my `A’ game on the big stage.”

Hammond certainly brought out his best in what Colorado coach Jared Bednar called ”one of the biggest games he’s had in his career.”

The 30-year-old Hammond turned back 44 shots from the top-seeded Predators in Game 5. This after he was thrust into action for the third period of Game 4 when Jonathan Bernier went down with a lower-body injury. Bernier was filling in with starter Semyon Varlamov sidelined by a knee injury.

To think Pedro Martinez Jersey , Hammond was essentially a throw-in player during the three-team deal that sent Matt Duchene to Ottawa in November. The Avalanche already had a surplus of goalies, so Hammond spent time in the American Hockey League. Eventually, Hammond was called up, but before making an appearance with Colorado he suffered a concussion. And once he recovered, he was briefly sent back to the AHL.

Hammond’s only NHL game of the season came on March 28 against Philadelphia, stopping 31 shots in a 2-1 loss.

On Friday Ricky Vaughn Jersey , Hammond made his first playoff start since April 17, 2015, with Ottawa.

”I won’t lie. There are days you wonder if it would happen again for you,” Hammond said. ”As cliche as it is, you stick to the process and try to get better. Fortunately, it all worked out last night. We’re not satisfied Authentic DJ Moore Jersey , though. We want to keep going and win tomorrow night, and extend the series, and go back to Nashville and play another meaningful hockey game.”

The Predators now find themselves trying to avoid becoming the fifth Presidents’ Trophy winners to be eliminated in the first round since 2005-06.

”There’s a lot of confidence in the room and belief in the room that we can go to Colorado and win a game,” Predators coach Peter Laviolette said.

ABOUT THAT NICKNAME

Hammond is ambivalent about being called the ”Hamburglar,” a nickname that’s followed him since his college days at Bowling Green.

”To be honest, I don’t know if anyone actually calls me that to my face outside of maybe fans Authentic Durham Smythe Jersey ,” said Hammond, who had the “Hamburglar” character on his mask while in Ottawa. ”I have no problem with it. I think the side story it’s taken on has been pretty funny. It adds to it.”

Does his family call him that?

”No,” he laughed. ”No.”

ROAD SCHOLARS

The road team is 4-1 in the Penguins-Flyers series as it shifts back to Philadelphia. Even more, the Penguins are 4-0 in Philly this year, winning by a combined score of 20-4, including 10-1 in Games 3 and 4.

”I’m not a huge believer you carry momentum over from one game to the next Cheap Joseph Noteboom Jersey ,” Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said. ”You have to re-generate it. We played some really good hockey games at home down the stretch. We didn’t do it the last two.”

ON THE MEND

The Penguins could have forward Patric Hornqvist back in the lineup after he skated with the team Saturday. He’s missed the last two games with an upper-body injury.

Hornqvist has 20 career playoff goals, including one in this series.

READY TO GO

Vegas coach Gerard Gallant plans to pick up the intensity at practice, maybe with some 3-on-3 scrimmages featuring a little contact. He doesn’t want his team to become too rusty given the layoff in between series. The expansion Golden Knights could go more than a week between finishing the sweep of Los Angeles on Tuesday and starting their second-round series against San Jose.

”In a perfect world, I’d soon have three or four days off and get back at it,” Gallant said. ”I’m sure San Jose is the same way. Any coach would say the same thing.”

AP Sports Writers Teresa M. Walker and Will Graves contributed to this report.

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LeBron James knows the odds are stacked against the Cavaliers. He’s lost sleep over it.

The Cavs are down 2-0 in the Eastern Conference finals to the Boston Celtics Authentic Keke Coutee Jersey , who can take complete command of the series with a win in Game 3 on Saturday night. Although James has twice overcome 2-0 deficits to win postseason series, that doesn’t make the challenge any easier.

”I mean, I lose sleep Authentic Dorance Armstrong Jr. Jersey ,” the three-time champion said following the team’s morning shootaround. ”At the end of the day, when you lose any game in the postseason, it’s never comfort. Playoffs is never comfort. There’s nothing about the playoffs that’s comfortable until you either win it all or you lose and go into the summer.

”So for me it’s always day to day grind to figure out ways that you can be better.”

Only 19 of 300 teams (6 percent) have overcome a 2-0 deficit to win Cheap Mark Walton Jersey , buttwo of them were Cleveland squads led by James. He brought the Cavs back in 2007 against Detroit and more famously in the 2016 NBA Finals when Cleveland became the first team to come back from a 3-1 deficit and beat Golden State for the title.

James also lost four series when falling behind 2-0.

Game 3 essentially comes down to a must-win situation for the Cavs. No team has overcome a 3-0 deficit (131-0).

James is trying to reach the NBA Finals for the eighth straight time, a feat accomplished only by Celtics greats Bill Russell, Sam Jones Carlos Lee Jersey , Frank Ramsey and Tommy Heinsohn.

Of course, with James potentially becoming a free agent this summer, Game 3 carries even more weight for the Cavs.

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Zach Eflin and the Phillies are on a roll.

Eflin pitched seven strong innings for his sixth straight victory Tarvarius Moore Jersey 49ers , Andrew Knapp had the winning hit for the second straight game and Philadelphia beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 on Tuesday night for its 11th win in 16 games.

Rhys Hoskins had a two-run double, rookie Seranthony Dominguez pitched four outs for his eighth save and Maikel Franco made a game-saving defensive play for the Phillies, who pulled within 2 1/2 games of the Braves for first place in the NL East.

”It was a great team win,” Eflin said.

Eflin (7-2) allowed two runs and five hits with six strikeouts and no walks to become the first Phillies pitcher since Cliff Lee in 2011 to record six consecutive wins. The right-hander has a 1.91 ERA while striking out 34 and walking six in 37 2/3 innings over that stretch.

”More aggressive and trusting my pitches,” Eflin said.

The Phillies bullpen preserved the win, but it got interesting.

Tommy Hunter got the first two outs of the eighth before manager Gabe Kapler went to Dominguez with Orioles star Manny Machado up.

”One of the best hitters in the game Youth Logan Cooke Jersey , you try to neutralize him with your best bullet,” Kapler said.

Dominguez walked Machado and Mark Trumbo to load the bases for Chris Davis. Franco made a stellar diving play to his right at third base to snare Davis’ ground ball before throwing him out at first to keep the Phillies ahead 3-2. The out was upheld after an Orioles challenge.

”Play of the game,” Kapler said. ”Got us the win.”

Franco, who has been in and out of the lineup this season, cherished the out.

”I just tried to make a good play and make a good throw,” he said. ”I wanted that play so bad.”

Trumbo homered for Baltimore Customized Buffalo Bills Jerseys , which has dropped eight of nine.

”The effort was there,” Trumbo said. ”The frustration, it’s as much as you make of it.”

The game was delayed 1 hour, 25 minutes due to rain and played mostly under a persistent drizzle.

Philadelphia took a one-run lead in the fourth on Knapp’s two-out triple to right off Alex Cobb (2-10) that scored Nick Williams. Knapp, Philadelphia’s backup catcher, started two days after his game-ending homer in the 13th lifted the Phillies over the Nationals 4-3.

Cobb gave up three runs on four hits with five strikeouts and three walks in 6 2/3 innings.

Trumbo staked Baltimore to a 1-0 lead by crushing Eflin’s 94 mph fastball into the seats in left in the second.

Philadelphia went in front 2-1 in the third on Hoskins’ two-out double off the wall in left that scored Franco and Cesar Hernandez.

CHEERS FOR MANNY

Machado Youth Logan Paulsen Jersey , speculated to be a target of the Phillies either via trade or free agency, was loudly cheered when he was introduced by PA announcer Dan Baker prior to the contest.

EFLIN’S BLISTER

Eflin was pulled after just 82 pitches, and Kapler said that was partly because of a blister on Eflin’s right middle finger. Eflin said he was ready and able to continue if asked. Eflin was hampered consistently by blisters last season, but Tuesday was his first time dealing with one this year.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Orioles: OF Colby Rasmus has been placed on the restricted list after informing the club that he was leaving the team. Rasmus has struggled with a left hip injury for two seasons. He was hitting .133 with one homer in 18 games this season after signing a one-year, $3 million deal in the offseason. … INF Steve Wilkerson (left oblique) was placed on the 10-day DL. Wilkerson, who is 4 for 17 since making his debut June 20 Cheap Logan Woodside Jersey , was injured in Sunday’s 8-2 win over the Angels.

Phillies: RHP Jerad Eickhoff (right lat strain) will throw live batting practice Wednesday. He has been out all season. … Reliever Edubray Ramos (right shoulder impingement), who has been on the DL since June 25, threw a bullpen Tuesday and could be activated on Friday.

UP NEXT

Baltimore rookie RHP Yefry Ramirez (0-1, 2.89) will make his second start and third appearance with the Orioles against Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (10-2, 2.48) on Wednesday afternoon.

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Klay Thompson’s shooting touch seems playoff-ready.

The Golden State guard scored 22 of his 34 points in the first quarter and the Warriors beat Phoenix for the 15th consecutive time Youth Jeremy Kerley Jersey , 117-100 on Sunday night in the final home game of the Suns‘ awful season.

”It was good to get into a good rhythm, especially with a game left in the season,” Thompson said. ”You want to have some great momentum going into this playoff stretch.”

Kevin Durant added 17 points and nine assists for the Warriors, whose winning streak against Phoenix is a franchise record for a single opponent.

With the loss, and Memphis’ win over Detroit, Phoenix – at 20-61 – is assured the worst record in the NBA and, consequently Kendall Wright Jersey Elite , the most ping pong balls in the May 15 draft lottery.

Danuel House scored a career-high 22 points for Phoenix. Alex Len added 16 points and 10 rebounds, Dragan Bender 14 points and 14 boards, and Tyler Ulis 15 points and 10 assists.

The Warriors, who had lost two in a row and five of their previous eight, were already locked in to the No. 2 playoff spot in the Western Conference and working to get healthy for the playoffs, but still had Durant, Thompson and Draymond Green in the lineup against the severely depleted Suns.

Phoenix was without Devin Booker (right hand sprain) Justin Bethel Jersey Falcons , T.J. Warren (left knee inflammation), Josh Jackson (right quad contusion), Marquese Chriss (hip soreness), Elfrid Payton (left knee) and Alan Williams (right knee soreness). Troy Daniels tried to play despite a sprained ankle but sat out the second half.

Golden State didn’t have Stephen Curry, still recovering from left MCL sprain, Andre Iguodola (left knee soreness) and Patrick McCaw (lumbar spine contusion).

The goal these last couple of games is to avoid any further health issues, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.

”But that is more luck of the draw than anything Youth Robert Golden Jersey ,” he said. ”I am glad we got through this game in a good way health-wise and did some good things and one more to go.”

Thompson scored 19 consecutive Warriors points in the first quarter, going 9 for 11 from the field and 4 for 6 on 3s in the period.

”That was a scorching first quarter,” Kerr said. ”That was fun to watch. He had the arena pretty excited too every time he went up for a shot. He had it rolling.”

But Golden State led only 33-29 after one.

The Warriors stretched the lead in the second quarter. Durant scored on a 3-pointer – his first field goal of the game – and added a driving layup to put the Warriors up 55-41. Golden State led by as many as 18 in the second quarter and were up 64-50 at the break.

The Suns never seriously challenged after that.

”These are the dog days right now,” Phoenix interim coach Jay Triano said. ”You can see with the number of guys we’ve got banged up. A lot of guys can’t make it through (82 games). Teams that are going into the playoffs are going through the same things.”

SUNKEN SUNS

Phoenix has won twice – in 28 games – since Jan. 31 and is guaranteed to finish no better than 21-61, the second-worst record in the franchise’s 50-year history. Only the 1968-69 mark of 16-66 was worse.

The past three seasons, the Suns have won 23, 24 and 20 games. Highly competitive in the Steve Nash era Youth Detroit Lions Hats , they will miss the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season.

Phoenix has lost 31 of its last 34. The Suns have a 25 percent chance of securing the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

TIP-INS

Warriors: It was the eighth time that Thompson has scored at least 20 in a quarter. … Durant didn’t score a point until he made one of two free throws with 6:27 left in the half. … Warriors last loss to the Suns on Nov. 9, 2014 in Phoenix. … Warriors have won in Phoenix the last seven tries. … With the win, Golden State is 10-4 in the second half of back-to-backs this season.

Suns: This was the 34th different starting lineup Phoenix has used this season. … Booker has missed the last 11 games but has not been declared out of the Tuesday night season finale. … Jackson was hurt in the team’s loss to New Orleans on Friday night.

UP NEXT

Warriors: At Utah on Tuesday night in regular-season finale.

Suns: At Dallas on Tuesday night in last game of season.

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Joey Votto hit a grand slam and celebrated with a flap Youth Logan Paulsen Jersey , honoring the bird that prolonged his at-bat.

Votto ended a long homer drought with his third career grand slam Tuesday night, powering the Cincinnati Reds to a 9-5 victory that ended the Detroit Tigers‘ longest winning streak in two years.

Votto came to bat with the bases loaded in the third inning of a scoreless game. A black bird wandered between the plate and the pitcher’s mound, prompting Votto to call time so he could try to shoo it away. The bird stayed in the middle of the infield.

”He was in the line of vision and I was going to try to swat it away,” Votto said. ”I was thinking Authentic Customized Patriots Jerseys , `Make sure to hit the ball in the air’ and `Don’t hit it on the ground up the middle.’ I was taking care of the bird.”

Votto’s high fly ball to right field off Matthew Boyd (4-5) had just enough to avoid the outstretched glove of Nicholas Castellanos, who reached over the wall and barely missed it. Votto flapped his arms in tribute to the bird when he crossed the plate on his first homer since May 13, ending a 30-game drought.

Votto’s last homer at Great American Ball Park was May 6. He has seven homers after hitting 36 last season, one shy of his career high.

”I would like to think it’s all part of the season Youth Harold Landry Jersey ,” Votto said. ”I felt good. I have felt good. I’ve been swinging the bat well.”

Sal Romano (4-7) had a second straight solid outing, limiting the Tigers to four singles over seven shutout innings. Billy Hamilton also homered as the Reds pulled away to a 9-0 lead.

The Tigers had won five straight and moved within a game of .500. They haven’t been to the break-even mark since they were a season-best 4-4 on April 8. They’ve wasted five chances to get back.

Romano was coming off perhaps his best performance in the majors. He went a career-high eight innings and gave up one run during a 5-1 win at Kansas City on Tuesday.

Trailing 9-0, Detroit finally broke through in the ninth when Wandy Peralta walked home a run and Leonys Martin followed with a double.

Boyd walked three batters in four innings – all of them scored – and gave up a season-high five runs. He was most upset with the two walks that set up the first grand slam he’s allowed in his career.

”Walks will kill you,” Boyd said. ”Things like that (grand slam) are going to happen in this ballpark Youth DJ Moore Jersey , especially when the wind is blowing out.”

INTERLEAGUE

The Reds are 12-11 against the Tigers all-time. This season, the Tigers are 1-6 in interleague play. The Reds are 5-1.

BIRD IS THE WORD

The bird that wandered onto the field during Votto’s at-bat didn’t go away. It made a mound visit and later explored other parts of the field. Fans cheered when it was shown on the video board.

INTERESTING DESIGN

The outfield grass showed the effects of a concert at Great American Ball Park on Saturday, when high heat and the field covering left yellow patterns in the stressed grass.

STATS

Martin reached in all five plate appearances, going 3 for 3 with two walks. … Cincinnati’s Tucker Barnhart also reached in all five plate appearances Taron Johnson Jersey Bills , going 3 for 3 with a walk. He also was hit by a pitch. … Eugenio Suarez singled to extend his hitting streak to nine games, the longest active streak on the Reds and one shy of his career high.

REDS MOVE

The Reds called up RH reliever Jackson Stephens and optioned RH reliever Austin Brice to Triple-A Louisville. Stephens was 0-0 with a 4.20 ERA in nine appearances for the Reds earlier this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: Reliever Drew VerHagen left the game in the seventh after getting hit in the face with a throw while covering first base. He broke his nose and had it reset. Manager Ron Gardenhire said the Tigers were working on bringing up another reliever.

Reds: RH Homer Bailey will be re-examined on Tuesday. He’s been sidelined since June 2 with a sore right knee.

UP NEXT

Tigers: Michael Fulmer (2-5) has gone seven innings and allowed one run in each of his last two starts. He’s never faced the Reds.

Reds: Tyler Mahle (5-6) is 2-0 with a 1.10 ERA in three starts in June, allowing two runs in 16 1/3 innings. He’s never faced the Tigers.

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Brayden McNabb scored against his former team in the second period Youth Denver Broncos Hats , lifting Vegas to a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night that made the Golden Knights the first expansion team in NHL history to sweep its first playoff series.

Marc-Andre Fleury turned in another stellar performance, stopping 31 shots as the Knights finished off their fourth one-goal victory of the series. It was his second shutout of the series.

The Knights poured into the net to hug Fleury at the final horn. Vegas fans in the crowd chanted the goalie’s name in celebration.

The Knights became the second team to win their first four playoff games, joining the 1970 Pittsburgh Penguins.

Jonathan Quick made 20 saves for the Kings. who managed just three goals in this series and lacked offensive punch from center Anze Kopitar (one goal) and wings Brown and Tyler Toffoli (no goals).

CAPITALS 3, BLUE JACKETS 2 Youth Trent Brown Jersey , 2OT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Lars Eller scored 9 minutes into the second overtime and Washington beat Columbus to tighten up the first-round playoff series.

The Capitals won at Nationwide Arena after Columbus won the first two games – both in overtime – in Washington. It was the Capitals’ turn to prevail in OT, this time on the Blue Jackets‘ home ice, to pull to 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

On the winner Cheap Jordan Whitehead Jersey , Eller tapped a rebound past Sergei Bobrovsky for his first goal in the playoff series.

Tom Wilson and John Carlson also scored, and Braden Holtby stopped 33 shots for the Capitals.

Game 4 is Thursday night back here with Game 5 set for Washington on Saturday.

Pierre-Luc Dubois and Artemi Panarin scored for Columbus, and Bobrovsky finished with 42 saves after getting 54 in the Game 2 on Sunday.

JETS 2, WILD 0

ST. PAUL Youth Deadrin Senat Jersey , Minn. (AP) – Mark Scheifele scored both goals for Winnipeg and Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for his seventh shutout this season, as the Jets took a 3-1 lead in the first-round playoff series.

Scheifele scored with 28 seconds left in the first period and tacked on an empty-netter with 11 seconds remaining, pushing the Wild to the brink of elimination.

Devan Dubnyk stopped 26 shots for the Wild, who played without star left wing Zach Parise because of a broken sternum suffered in Game 3. After a six-goal outburst in their last appearance Youth Minkah Fitzpatrick Jersey , the Wild had trouble generating the same kind of relentless attack and simply couldn’t slide any pucks past Hellebuyck.

Now the series shifts back to Winnipeg, with Game 5 on Friday night.

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CLEVELAND — Cody Allen is one of the least acclaimed yet most productive closers in the major leagues. On Friday night. when the Cleveland Indians open a three-game series with the Oakland A’s Youth Ryan Switzer Jersey , Allen will be in uniform at Progressive Field for the first time as the Indians’ career saves leader.

In pitching the ninth inning of a 3-2 Cleveland win in Kansas City on Wednesday, Allen posted his 140th career save, breaking Bob Wickman’s franchise record of 139, which had stood since 2006.

“He means so much to all of us,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said of Allen. “This is a kid who was drafted in the 16th round, but through being a consummate professional, he’s now the Indians’ all-time leader. That’s pretty awesome. It’s a big accomplishment Joseph Noteboom Jersey Rams , and he’s not close to being done.”

Allen (2-3, 3.38 ERA) ranks seventh in the American League this year with 18 saves, but his year-in, year-out consistency has been his trademark. He has had at least 30 saves in each of the last three seasons. Only two other closers in the majors can say that: the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Kenley Jansen and Boston’s Craig Kimbrel.

“This is something I’m extremely proud of,” Allen said of passing Wickman as the club’s saves leader. “It’s something I get to hang my hat on for my career. It’s very cool.”

The A’s (48-39) come to Cleveland with nearly the same record as the Indians (48-37), but what a difference a division makes. The first-place Indians lead the AL Central by 11 1/2 games. The A’s are in third in the AL West, 8 1/2 games behind the first-place Houston Astros.

The A’s won two of three games from the Indians last weekend in Oakland. That was part of a longer streak in which the A’s have won eight of their last nine. Since June 16 Daniel Kilgore Jersey Dolphins , Oakland is 14-3.

“I think we’re having a lot of fun,” A’s third baseman Matt Chapman told MLB.com, “and no matter what the score is, I don’t think we count ourselves out. There’s no panic in the dugout. We just keep playing our game. We trust that we’re a good team.”

On Friday night, the A’s will send Paul Blackburn (2-2, 6.46 ERA) to the mound. In his last start on June 29 in Oakland, Blackburn baffled the Indians Jaire Alexander Jersey Packers , pitching 6 1/3 scoreless innings and giving up just three hits in a 3-1 victory.

Blackburn has started five major league games this year. In the one against Cleveland, he is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and an opponents’ batting average of .150. In the other four starts, he’s 1-2 with an 8.83 ERA and an opponents’ batting average of .324. In two career starts against the Indians, Blackburn is 1-0 with a 2.19 ERA.

Cleveland will counter with Carlos Carrasco (8-5, 4.24), who will make his first start since June 16, a 9-3 loss to Minnesota in which he was knocked out of the game in the second inning after getting hit in the right arm by a line drive off the bat of Joe Mauer.

Carrasco was placed on the 10-day disabled list the next day with a right elbow contusion. He made one rehab start at Double-A Akron on June 30 Bears Game Jerseys , pitching four scoreless innings and giving up one hit with four strikeouts and one walk.

Carrasco’s last legitimate start was his best start of the year, a 4-0 win over the Chicago White Sox on June 11. In that game, he pitched seven scoreless innings and gave up two hits and one walk with 11 strikeouts.

In six career appearances, including five starts, against Oakland, Carrasco is 3-1 with a 2.61 ERA.

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When a New Jersey racetrack and a casino start taking bets on sporting events Thursday Jets Elite Jerseys , they will be part of an industry primed for tremendous growth, much of it taking place on smartphones, according to a panel of national gambling experts.

Speaking Wednesday at the east Coast Gaming Congress at Harrah’s casino in Atlantic City, a panel of sports betting and technology company representatives predicted the fastest-growing segment of sports betting will be bets made on smartphones as games are being played.

While bettors always will want to bet on the outcome of a game before it begins, many also want to predict particular plays or developments within a game Cheap Washington Redskins Hoodie , the panelists said.

So in addition to wagering on whether the New York Yankees would beat the Boston Red Sox, many gamblers also would want to bet on whether Yankee Aaron Judge would hit a home run just as he arrives at the plate, or how many batters Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale would strike out in a particular inning.

Such betting is the main element of growth in the European sports betting market.

”The growth of in-play has been a huge driver,” said Neale Deeley, vice president of Sportradar US Cheap Miami Dolphins Hoodie , a data company that works with more than 70 sports federations and leagues around the world on fraud detection, including the NBA, NHL and Major League Soccer.

”Mobile and in-play were absolutely made for each other,” added Lee Richardson, CEO of Spectrum Gaming Group Cordy Glenn Jersey Elite , a gambling consulting firm near Atlantic City. ”It’s what customers want to do.”

The forum came a day before New Jerseyans were to begin placing their first legal sports bets. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy was to place the state’s first legal sports bet at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Monmouth Park, a horse racing track near the Jersey shore in Oceanport.

Thirty minutes later and about 70 miles to the south, Atlantic City’s Borgata casino will start taking sports bets.

No other New Jersey racetrack or casino has announced plans to begin taking bets within the next few days, although most if not all are expected to do so eventually. The Golden Nugget casino and the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, near New York City say they’ll have sports betting operations up and running by the start of football season in September.

New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement issued its regulations for sports betting providers Wednesday Seahawks Cheap Jerseys , clearing the last major obstacle for it to begin.

The state won a U.S. Supreme Court case last month clearing the way for all 50 states to offer legal sports betting if they choose.

Experts at the conference cautioned against unduly optimistic projections of sports betting revenue and tax money for states; the activity accounts for about 2 percent of Nevada casinos’ total winnings. In New Jersey, Moody’s has estimated sports betting could initially bring in $108 million, or about 4 percent of the state’s annual gambling revenue.

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The New Orleans Pelicans have brought back guard Jordan Crawford as the club tries to hang on to one of the final playoffs spots in the Western Conference.

The Pelicans announced the move on Thursday Seahawks Elite Jerseys , but terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

The 6-foot-4 Crawford has played in 21 games for the Pelicans during parts of the past two seasons and has been a productive scorer in those outings, averaging 13.6 points.

Crawford played in only two games early this season with New Orleans Authentic Customized Lions Jerseys , averaging 9.0 points before being waived on October 21.

Crawford has been in the NBA since 2010, also playing for with Atlanta Cheap Pittsburgh Steelers T-Shirts , Washington, Boston and Golden State.

He is expected to be available to play in New Orleans’ next game Friday at Phoenix.

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