Rajon Rondo officially joined the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday with a clear idea about his future with LeBron James.
”We’re expected to win now Michael Gallup Youth Jersey ,” Rondo said.
Rondo agreed to a one-year deal worth $9 million earlier this week to suit up alongside James, whose signing hasn’t yet been announced by the Lakers.
The veteran point guard is eager to be a mentor to Lonzo Ball, and he sees a chance for immediate success with the thoroughly revamped club. The Lakers haven’t made the playoffs for a franchise-record five consecutive seasons, but Rondo believes they’ll make immediate strides back toward contention for a 17th NBA championship.
”You put any group of players around LeBron James, as he has done (eight) straight times, he went to the finals,” Rondo said. ”So my expectations are the exact same thing. Even with the Warriors adding (DeMarcus Cousins) and the Rockets being who they are, I think we fit right up there in the mix. It is early, obviously, and I’m not promising anything, but at the end of the day Dak Prescott Jersey Womens , I expect to win. Nothing else.”
Rondo is a familiar figure to Lakers fans, and not necessarily in a good way. He played a major role for the Celtics when they met the Lakers in the NBA Finals, winning a ring with Boston in 2008 and losing to LA in 2010.
Seeing Rondo on the other side of that enduring NBA rivalry won’t be as weird to Rondo as it might be to some Lakers fans.
”Does it feel strange? Um, no,” Rondo said. ”My battles with the Lakers were over a decade ago, and none of the players I was battling with are on the same roster.”
The 32-year-old Rondo expressed no concerns about playing with Ball, the precocious passer chosen by the Lakers with the second overall pick in last year’s draft. Ball will be sidelined for most of the summer with a torn meniscus in his left knee, but Rondo is eager to work on their chemistry in the fall.
”I’m excited to get a player that age and try to help him as much as I can,” said Rondo, a starter for all but small portions of his first 12 NBA seasons spent with five franchises.
Rondo sees the Lakers’ potential surplus of ball-handlers as an advantage. He isn’t worried about finding roles for everyone in coach Luke Walton’s up-tempo offense, which is designed to create plenty of offensive chances for every player.
”It will be very versatile Joe Thomas Jersey Youth , and I don’t think you’ll be able to scout and stick to one game plan as far as being able to stop a certain player,” Rondo said. ”I think guys like LeBron or myself, I haven’t played with a lot of guys that make plays for me. So it’s going to be exciting to be able to just get up, get a couple of easy looks, be able to push the pace in the open court.”
The Lakers also announced the re-signing of guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who got a one-year deal worth $12 million to provide a perimeter shooting threat to an offense that could still use more outside shooters.
The Lakers haven’t yet announced the acquisitions of James or veterans Lance Stephenson and JaVale McGee during a thorough makeover following the worst half-decade in franchise history.
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Alex Ovechkin knows the Washington Capitals have plenty of fans back in Russia.
”Over there lots of friends, lots of people watch the games,” Ovechkin said of his countrymen. ”It’s been huge.”
He is also huge in Barrie, Ontario, where projected top-five draft pick Andrei Svechnikov has been watching Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitry Orlov serve as inspirations for young Russian players and fans on this run to the Stanley Cup Final. The native of Siberian city Barnaul got to meet his fellow Russians on Monday morning and got an up-close view of their dominance in Game 4 that night.
”(Ovechkin) and Kuzy and Orlov Davante Adams Jersey Elite , these guys just famous in hockey world,” Svechnikov said. ”I am very happy.”
Ovechkin, Kuznetsov and Orlov are making plenty of young Russian players and fans happy. They are just one win away from winning the Stanley Cup. Svechnikov admired smooth-skating, high-scoring Hall of Fame winger Pavel Bure growing up, and now watches in amazement at what Kuznetsov does on the ice with his skill – not to mention his bird-flapping celebrations.
”Great skater. Every time wants to be involved, hungry every time. Very smart player. A lot of skill,” Svechnikov said of Kuznetsov, who leads the playoffs in scoring and added four assists in a 6-2 win over Vegas. ”He just like star, you know? He can do whatever he want.”
The joy of Ovechkin, Kuznetsov and Orlov is being watched closely not only in Washington but back home where they’re big fan favorites.
”A lot of people watching it because three Russian players in Washington and obviously Ovi big superstar in the world and everybody follow,” Orlov said. ”A lot of fans Blake Martinez Packers Jersey , a lot of kids enjoy his game.”
The Capitals could have the most Russians on a Cup champion in the salary-cap era. The 2004 Tampa Bay Lightning were backstopped to their first franchise title by Nikolai Khabibulin, and the Detroit Red Wings’ Russian Five in the 1990s shined a spotlight on all the talent coming out of the old Soviet system.
After Evgeni Malkin was the only Russian player on the Pittsburgh Penguins’ back-to-back Cup champions the past two seasons, this is another showcase of this generation of talent. Playoff leading scorer Kuznetsov and leading goal-scorer Ovechkin are also the top candidates to follow Malkin as just the second Russian to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
”Ovi has been a staple since he’s come into the league. Kuzy is a little newer,” coach Barry Trotz said. ”People don’t really know him as well as Ovi. You’re seeing the talent of Kuzy. You’ve seen the greatness of Ovi over the course of his career to this point. I think Kuzy is just getting better and better.”
The 26-year-old Kuznetsov is reluctant to talk about himself or any other individual player, but he knows this is special for Ovechkin, who is 32 and has been waiting 13 seasons for this with nine previous early playoff exits to his name.
”Every Russian guy back home pretty happy for him because that’s huge,” Kuznetsov said. ”That’s a long time.”
Ovechkin wished Svechnikov good luck later this month at the NHL draft, where he was the No. 1 pick back in 2004. A short conversation at a morning skate was enough to leave Svechnikov beaming.
”Just famous guy – everybody knows him and everybody watch him,” Svechnikov said. ”It’s just an honor to have met with him.”
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More Stanley Cup coverage: .
鈥?Nick Foles stood tall in the pocket Aaron Rodgers Jersey Elite , ignored the pressure and made one big throw after another.On the biggest stage of his life, Foles silenced the critics who thought the Eagles couldn’t get to the Super Bowl without MVP candidate Carson Wentz. Foles threw for 352 and three touchdowns to lead Philadelphia to a convincing 38-7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC championship game Sunday.Now he’s headed to Minnesota to face Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.“Words can’t describe what I feel right now,” Foles said. “All glory goes to God. I’m grateful and humbled to be part of this team. No one in the locker room doubted me. We kept working, I got more reps in practice and it’s a rhythm thing.”While Wentz watched from the sideline, using a cane to walk following surgery to repair his torn left ACL, Foles picked apart the NFL’s top-ranked defense. He tossed a perfect 53-yard touchdown pass to Alshon Jeffery with the pocket collapsing around him to give Philadelphia a 21-7 lead in the second quarter.Foles then directed a 60-yard drive in 29 seconds to set up a field goal before halftime. He fired a 49-yard TD pass to Torrey Smith off a flea flicker to start the second half and tossed a 5-yard TD to Jeffery early in the fourth to make it 38-7.Foles was at his best on third downs Ezekiel Elliott Jersey Elite , completing 10 of 11 for 159 yards and two TDs. The Eagles had been 0 for 13 on third-and-10 or longer after Wentz went down. On Sunday, Foles threw an 11-yard pass to Zach Ertz on third-and-10 on the Eagles’ first touchdown drive. His long TD pass to Jeffery came on third-and-10.The Eagles (15-3) have been underdogs in both playoffs games, mostly because Wentz was no longer playing. They were the first No. 1 seed not favored in a divisional round game, a 15-10 win over the Falcons. The Vikings (14-4) were 3-point favorites despite also being led by a backup quarterback 鈥?Case Keenum, Foles’ good friend and former teammate.“You know everyone was against us,” Foles said. “Coming out here Authentic Jordan Howard Jersey , stick together and come away with an amazing victory against a great team.”Keenum congratulated Foles in the tunnel after the game.“He did a great job,” Keenum said.Foles walked into the X-ray room after the game, but told The Associated Press after he came out: “I’m good. I’m fine.”Foles put on a passing clinic, completing 78.8 percent of his passes (26 of 33). Not bad for a guy who contemplated retirement before the 2016 season.“I’m not surprised,” said Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, who held the same position with the Eagles in 2013. “I’ve seen the best of Nick.”A third-round pick by former Eagles coach Andy Reid in 2012 Jordan Howard Jersey , Foles had tremendous success as a starter under Chip Kelly his sophomore season. He threw 29 TDs and only two picks in 11 starts, including playoffs in 2013. Foles posted a passer rating of 119.2, third-highest in league history. He tied an NFL record with seven TD passes in a game at Oakland in November 2013 won an offensive MVP award at a Pro Bowl.But Foles was traded to St. Louis for Sam Bradford in March 2015. He lost his starting job to Keenum and asked for his release after Jared Goff was drafted No. 1 overall. Foles considered hanging up his cleats before Reid persuaded him to go to Kansas City to be Alex Smith’s backup.After one season with the Chiefs, Foles returned to Philly to provide insurance behind Wentz.He’ll become a folk hero if he can deliver the franchise’s first ever Super Bowl title. The New York Jets waived 2015 second-round draft pick Devin Smith and signed safety Brandon Bryant on Monday.
Smith, a wide receiver from Ohio State, couldn’t stay healthy or provide anything on the field for the team. He played in 14 games with only 10 receptions. Twice Landon Collins Jersey , Smith suffered major knee injuries.
Bryant struggled to concentrate on football after his father died in a 2015 motorcycle crash. Bryant was arrested for driving under the influence later on. Academically ineligible for next season, he declared for the NFL’s supplemental draft but was not chosen last week.
At Mississippi State, he had five interceptions and 157 tackles in three seasons while appearing in 37 games.
The Jets used their top two picks in the 2017 draft on safeties Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye.
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Kirk Cousins‘ time with the Washington Redskins is about to end after they chose not to use the franchise tag on the quarterback as expected.
The Redskins have agreed to acquire Alex Smith from the Kansas City Chiefs Tre'Davious White Jersey Youth , effectively pushing Cousins into free agency following a tumultuous six years with the club the drafted him. Cousins will be the top free agent available when the league year opens in mid-March and should have no shortage of suitors.
”Next week is now officially the first time since 2007 that I’ll be choosing where to play football,” Cousins posted on Twitter. ”I’m open to suggestions.”
The 29-year-old Cousins is coming off his third consecutive 4,000-yard passing season. In his time as a full-time NFL starter, he has completed 67 percent of his passes for 81 touchdowns, 36 interceptions and a 97.5 QB rating.
Despite previously saying Washington could win with Cousins, coach Jay Gruden said at the scouting combine that ”it’s time for us to move on” and find some continuity at the position.
The Redskins now seemingly have that in Smith, who will join the Redskins once the trade becomes official March 14 and has agreed to a four-year extension with $71 million guaranteed.
Cousins could easily command more than that on the open market with the New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns among the teams interested in upgrading at quarterback.
After becoming the first QB in NFL history to play two consecutive seasons on the franchise tag – making almost $44 million in the process – Cousins is looking for long-term stability in the wake of almost-weekly questions about his future in Washington persisted over the past few years. Agent Mike McCartney declined to comment on the plans of the Cousins camp in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday.
This is perhaps the first time in Cousins’ football career that he has been No. 1 on any list. He did not have any scholarship offers as a high school senior, was not considered a top prospect after four years at Michigan State and got picked in the fourth round in 2012 by the Redskins – the same draft they traded up to make Robert Griffin III the No. 2 pick.
Only 39-year-old Drew Brees Cole Beasley Jersey Elite , who’s expected to re-sign with the New Orleans Saints, threw for more yards last season than Cousins, who is the best option available in a crop that includes Case Keenum, Sam Bradford and Josh McCown. Though during the 2017 season it was reported that Cousins could set a record for QB contracts, it’s unclear how close he might come to the $135 million, five-year deal with $92 million guaranteed that Matthew Stafford signed with the Detroit Lions.
NOTE: The Redskins re-signed safety Deshazor Everett to a multiyear deal and waived running backs Dare Ogunbowale and Kenny Hilliard and tackle Kevin Bowen.
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Rodney Hood’s most significant moment in these playoffs came while sitting on the bench.
Well, he’s getting up and getting in the NBA Finals.
Looking for an offensive weapon to negate Golden State’s size and ability to switch assignments on defense, Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said he’ll play Hood in Game 3 on Wednesday night in hopes of cutting into the Warriors‘ series lead.
Hood, who began this postseason in Cleveland’s starting lineup, has been mostly a non-factor during the Cavs‘ spring run which included him refusing to check into the final minutes of a blowout win over Toronto in the second round.
That’s not an option now.
”We’re going to give Rodney a chance,” Lue said following practice at Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday. ”He’ll get a shot and see how he does. He’s been working Mitchell Trubisky Jersey , staying ready. So we’ll see.”
Lue did not specify if Hood will start, when he’ll come in, how much he’ll play or whose minutes will be affected.
Hood promised to be ready for anything.
”I don’t know when it’s going to come or what stage of the game,” Hood said. ”I’ve been preparing. I’ve been working hard, so if I get the opportunity, just go out there and play. Just have fun.”
Trailing 2-0, the Cavs are searching for some kind of spark and could find it if the 6-foot-8 Hood can tap into some of the offensive skills that made him attractive to Cleveland at the trading deadline.
He was acquired on Feb. 8 from Utah, and there were more than a few basketball experts who viewed the lean lefty as the best new piece on a day when the Cavs also dealt for guards George Hill, Jordan Clarkson and big man Larry Nance Jr.
Lue didn’t get nearly enough in Games 1 and 2 in Oakland from J.R. Smith (5 of 19) or Kyle Korver (4 points). Korver has been completely neutralized by the Warriors, who are not giving him any room to shoot.
”It’s hard because they switch out on everything,” Lue said. ”So all the actions you run for Kyle Ezekiel Elliott Cowboys Jersey , they just switch out to deny and take him away. When they are helping on LeBron’s penetration, the one guy they’re staying at home on is Kyle. They’re not leaving his body.”
Unlike the 37-year-old Korver, Hood is quick enough to beat the Warriors off the dribble, create open space to shoot and maybe get to the rim. Defensively, he’s got length and mobility.
He’s shown flashes. The Cavs now need him to shine steadily.
”He’s very talented,” said forward Kevin Love. ”He’s a guy that can step in and fill up a scoreboard. Left-handed. A little bit unorthodox in the way that he plays. Just having that height on him and that wingspan, and the ability to not only make shots, but on the defensive end to switch out. Also play a guy like K.D. (Kevin Durant) at his size and just make it tough on both ends of the floor for their team. That gives all of us a lot of confidence that he can come in and make an impact.”
Hood’s short stay in Cleveland has been nondescript.
He averaged 16.8 points for the Jazz, but the 25-year-old never truly found his rhythm while coming off the bench for the Cavs over the regular season’s final 21 games. Still, he was in Lue’s starting lineup for the series opener against Indiana before Cleveland got beat soundly.
Hood saw spot duty the remainder of that series, and was essentially ineffective in three games against the Raptors before Lue tried to send him into the closing minutes of the clinching win on May 7 as the Cavs completed a sweep of the Eastern Conference’s top-seeded team.
When Hood declined Lawrence Taylor Jersey Youth , it upset a few teammates. Hood insisted he wasn’t protesting his reduced role and explained that there had been a mix-up. He apologized to the Cavs, many of whom laughed off the incident as minimal in a season overflowing with juicier drama.
While waiting for another chance, Hood has received positive support from Cleveland’s coaches and former teammates, including Joe Johnson who could relate to his plight after sitting in Houston.
Hood is confident he’s ready.
”Just going out there and try to help the team, on offense be aggressive and on defense just be physical,” he said.
Hood struggled during a playoff series with Utah against Golden State a year ago, making just 1 of 15 3-pointers and shooting 12 of 38 overall.
Those stats don’t matter now.
The only number that counts is his and will soon be called.
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The Latest from the NBA Finals and Thursday’s Game 1 (all times local):
8:50 p.m.
The Golden State Warriors pulled out a 124-114 overtime victory over Cleveland in Game 1 of the NBA Finals after a bizarre ending to regulation.
The game went to OT after Cleveland’s J.R. Smith failed to take the go-ahead shot after a missed free throw Davante Adams Jersey Youth , apparently believing the Cavaliers led by one when it was tied.
The Warriors took advantage of their second chance, opening OT with a 9-0 run to blow it open.
LeBron James‘ highest-scoring postseason game was wasted, as he finished with 51 points.
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8:30 p.m.
Cleveland and Golden State are headed to overtime in Game 1 of what is LeBron James’ highest-scoring game ever in the NBA Finals.
George Hill made a free throw with 4.7 seconds to tie the game, but J.R. Smith apparently didn’t realize the game was tied when he grabbed the rebound of the missed second shot. Smith dribbled backward toward midcourt as teammates pointed toward the basket, and the Cavs couldn’t get a potential winning shot off.
James has 49 points.
The teams also went to OT in Game 1 in 2015, with the Warriors pulling out the victory after Kyrie Irving was injured.
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8:15 p.m.
The 3-pointers haven’t been falling much in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, but the Warriors got a couple to go to give them a six-point lead heading to the final stretch.
Draymond Green, who had been struggling badly from outside, snapped a 94-all tie with a 3-pointer with a little more than 5 minutes left. Stephen Curry followed with one to give the Warriors a 100-94 advantage.
Curry has five 3-pointers but the Warriors are just 10 for 32 as a team.
LeBron James has 40 points for the Cavaliers.
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7:55 p.m.
Golden State tried to throw its third-quarter knockdown punch in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, but Cleveland took it pretty well.
The Warriors lead 84-78 but it appeared it could be worse after they raced to a quick seven-point lead. Cleveland erased that but Golden State spurted away again a bit toward the end of what’s so often been its dominant period.
LeBron James went to the bench for his second break of the game after missing five straight shots in the quarter. He also matched Michael Jordan during the period by reaching 30 points for the 109th time in a postseason game.
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7:35 p.m.
JaVale McGee got his chance and is making the most of it.
The center was inserted into the starting lineup in the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals and is making an impact on both ends as the Warriors surged into a 66-59 lead.
McGee had played in only nine of Golden State’s 17 games entering the NBA Finals -and only three minutes total in the Western Conference finals- but was sent out with the first unit when the teams returned from the locker rooms.
He played terrific defense on LeBron James on one possession, and later had two baskets to spark another impressive third-quarter start for the Warriors.
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7:10 p.m.
Stephen Curry got the Warriors back to even, and now they get ready for their favorite part of the game.
Curry drained a 3-ponter from about 30 feet to beat the halftime buzzer http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/josh-allen-jersey , tying Game 1 of the NBA Finals Thursday night at 56-all. Golden State had trailed by 11 points earlier in the second quarter before a strong finish.
Curry had 18 points, while LeBron James led all scorers with 24.
Now the teams regroup before a quarter the Warriors dominate. They have outscored opponents 519-389 in the postseason, a difference of 130 points, and turned around both Game 6 and 7 against Houston in the Western Conference finals with huge runs in that period.
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7:05 p.m.
LeBron James actually got a rest in the NBA Finals.
After playing all 48 minutes in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, James sat down midway through the second quarter.
He earned it. James had 20 points on 8-for-9 shooting to carry Cleveland to a 51-45 lead over Golden State.
Kevin Love also is playing well with nine points and Larry Nance Jr. is giving Cleveland a lift off the bench.
But Kevin Durant, the MVP of last year’s NBA Finals, is struggling. He started 2 for 8 for six points, missing all three 3-point attempts. Stephen Curry was keeping the Warriors close with 15 points.
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6:40 p.m.
The Cavaliers have the lead but the Warriors appear to have good news.
Klay Thompson returned from the locker room just before the first quarter ended with Cleveland leading 30-29. The All-Star guard missed about half the period after J.R. Smith slid into his left leg while trying to intercept a pass, knocking Thompson to the court.
He got treatment for what the Warriors said was a left lateral leg contusion and returned to the bench to cheers as the period was about to end.
LeBron James had 12 points on 4-for-4 shooting, while Stephen Curry had 11 for the Warriors. Both teams had to be pleased with their starts after falling behind early and having to climb back in their Game 7 victories in the conference finals.
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6:30 p.m.
Golden State guard Klay Thompson has gone to the locker room, limping gingerly after J.R. Smith slid hard into the Warriors left leg at the 6:17 mark of the first quarter.
Thompson lay grimacing in pain, slapping his hands on the court immediately after the play. Thompson appeared to injure the same left knee he hurt in the Western Conference finals.
Smith was making a play on the ball when he seemed to unintentionally undercut Thompson Saquon Barkley Jersey Youth , who did return to the Warriors’ bench afte The Los Angeles Kings believe they are still Stanley Cup contenders, even after being swept by the upstart Vegas Golden Knights in the first round. How close they are to that goal might be reflected in how negotiations go with defenseman Drew Doughty this summer.
General manager Rob Blake said Friday that working out a contract extension with Doughty is the team’s top priority. The Kings and Doughty can begin holding talks on July 1, with his current deal set to expire at the end of the 2018-19 season.
”I always wanted to be an LA King and I want to stay an LA King,” Doughty said.
Doughty is one of three finalists for the Norris Trophy presented to the league’s top defenseman after winning it in 2016. He had 10 goals and 50 assists in his most productive NHL season yet, but Doughty believes he can still improve his scoring output.
”I wasn’t too happy with my goal totals this year,” Doughty said. ”I think I only maybe scored one or two one-timer goals, which in my career probably half of my goals are one-timer goals, so I was pretty disappointed about that this year. I can definitely improve on that and have an even better season and hopefully set some new career-highs.”
The Kings scored just three goals in four games against the Golden Knights. Developing a more reliable offense is the one glaring weakness that needs be addressed, and lifting the Stanley Cup for the third time is a reasonable goal provided it gets solved going into next season.
”Everybody is still here that was here in ’14 and almost in ’12 for that matter, too, so we’re not that far off,” center Anze Kopitar said. ”It’s going to take a lot of work Odell Beckham Jr Giants Jersey , yes, but we’re not far off.”
CAREER YEARS
Kopitar set personal bests with 35 goals and 57 assists while averaging a career-high 22:05 of playing time. His 92 points represented a 40-point improvement over his lackluster 2016-17, leading Kopitar to joke he is ”aging like wine.” Dustin Brown had 61 points to top his previous high of 60 set in 2007-08, his fourth season in the league. Doughty broke free with 60 points after reaching the 50-point plateau once in the previous seven seasons. Doughty’s usual defensive partner, Jake Muzzin, had 42 points. Even depth forward Trevor Lewis got into the act with 26 points and 14 goals in his most productive campaign.
FORWARD THINKING
Rookie Adrian Kempe was fourth on the team with 16 goals despite not finding the back of the net in the final 29 games of the regular season. Stepping in at center when Jeff Carter missed 55 games following surgery to repair a cut tendon in his ankle, Kempe showed a surprising toughness to go along with his natural quickness. If Kempe can continue to develop, he could decrease the reliance on Kopitar, who will be 31 when next season starts, and the 33-year-old Carter.
”I’m pretty sure he’ll be the first one to tell you he can offer more, and that’s a learning process,” Kopitar said. ”That’s his first full year in the league. Speaking from experience Anthony Miller Jersey Youth , it takes a little bit of time to figure out your routines and what’s working for you and what’s not.”
LOOKING FOR DEPTH
Short of dealing in the offseason, the Kings should return essentially the same roster next season. Speedy forward Tobias Rieder is a restricted free agent, and Torrey Mitchell is an unrestricted free agent. The 25-year-old Rieder showed some chemistry with Carter, posting four goals and two assists in 20 games. Defensemen Christian Folin and Kevin Gravel are both unrestricted free agents.
HOME IMPROVEMENT NEEDED
The Kings went 23-15-3 at home, the second-fewest wins by a playoff team. It seemed like they were getting better as the season went on, going 9-4-0 down the stretch, only to lose both home playoff games and fall to 0-5 at Staples Center in their last two postseasons. Their 118 goals at home in the regular season was tied for 21st in the NHL. The power play contributed 25 percent of that output, underscoring the need for 5-on-5 improvement.
COMING ATTRACTION
Clearly in need of more contributors on offense, center Gabriel Vilardi could be an option for the Kings next season. Selected No. 11 overall in the 2017 draft, Vilardi has been a force in the OHL playoffs with 11 goals and nine assists in his first 12 postseason games. Vilardi also has the size and 200-foot game that fit a Kings team that still emphasizes defense.
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The Carolina Hurricanes hired former captain and current assistant Rod Brind’Amour as their coach Tuesday Jim Kelly Jersey , hoping the ”greatest leader” in franchise history can end a nine-year playoff drought.
The team also announced that club president Don Waddell will become the full-time general manager after serving as acting GM.
The team scheduled a news conference for Wednesday to discuss the moves.
Waddell said a number of coaching candidates were discussed, but ”our conversations with staff and players consistently returned to the same person.”
One of the team’s most decorated players, Brind’Amour captained the Hurricanes’ only Stanley Cup championship team in 2006.
”Rod is the greatest leader in the history of this franchise, and has earned the opportunity to take charge of our locker room,” Waddell said in a statement.
The two-time Selke Award winner as the NHL’s best defensive forward retired in 2010 and ranks third in club history in assists (299), fourth in points (473) and fifth in games played (694).
He replaces Bill Peters, who opted out of his contract last month following his fourth year and subsequently was hired by the Calgary Flames. He becomes the Hurricanes’ third straight first-time NHL head coach, after Kirk Muller and Peters.
Brind’Amour has been a Carolina assistant since 2011. He spent half his 20-season NHL career with the Hurricanes LeSean McCoy Bills Jersey , leading them to the Stanley Cup finals in 2002 and again four years later.
But Carolina has made the playoffs only once in the 12 years since Brind’Amour hoisted the Cup, and the Hurricanes’ nine-year absence from the postseason is one of the longest stretches in NHL history.
That has led to a busy five months for the Hurricanes, with Dallas businessman Tom Dundon buying a majority interest in the team from longtime owner Peter Karmanos Jr. in January.
A month later, Hall of Fame player and general manager Ron Francis – who, like Brind’Amour, has his jersey number hanging from the PNC Arena rafters – was reassigned to another front-office position, and his contract was terminated last week.
In between, Peters – who was hired by Francis in 2014 – exercised the out clause in his contract Josh Gordon Browns Jersey , saying the incoming general manager should be able to pick his own coach.
Turns out, that job fell to Waddell – the former general manager and president of the Atlanta Thrashers who had been part of the Hurricanes’ front office since 2014 and had been filling in since Francis’ demotion and subsequent exit.
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Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres was placed on the 10-day disabled list on Wednesday because of a strained right hip.
Torres was removed after striking out in his second at-bat in the fourth inning before the Yankees went on to beat the Atlanta Braves 6-2.
Before the series finale against the National League East leaders, Yankees manager Aaron Boone was upbeat about the status of his prized rookie.
Torres did not start in Tuesday night’s win, but entered the game late as a defensive replacement.
”We’re hoping it’s a short stint. But we think we’ve got to deal with it this time because there is a small strain there,” Boone said outside the home clubhouse after the game.
”Hopefully it won’t be something that it’s too long. Probably take us up to the All-Star break.”
Boone said the club would assess the situation with a day off Thursday before heading to Toronto for the start of an 11-game, three-city road trip leading into the All-Star Game in Washington.
Torres is hitting .294 with 15 home runs and 42 RBIs in his first 63 major league games.
He had an MRI and was not available to talk to reporters after the game.
Neil Walker, who went over from third base to second at the start of the fifth inning, could get most of the work in Torres’ absence.
Another option could be Ronald Torreyes Byron Jones Cowboys Jersey , but he’s been on the temporary inactive list at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for more than a week to deal with a personal issue. Brandon Drury, who started 114 games at second for Arizona last season, could also figure into the mix.
Boone wasn’t sure how the injury initially occurred, pointing out that Torres had made some ”good base running plays a couple of nights ago when he moved up on some wild pitches.”
The Yankees manager also added that if the injury had occurred late in the season, it would’ve been ”possible” for the phenom to be back on the field shortly.
But the team with the second-best record in baseball took the safe route.
”Anytime you’re talking about groin, hamstring, quads, once you have a strain in there Adidas Ryan McDonagh Jersey , you push through it you can make it a worse strain,” Boone said.
”And now you’re talking weeks and months. Stuff like that. So I think the wise thing is to do this now. Gleyber wants to take a couple of days, work through it. But I think he also understands this is the best thing for him and for us.”
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The New York Jets have waived quarterback Bryce Petty http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/lesean-mccoy-jersey , parting ways with their 2015 fourth-round draft pick after three seasons.
The move Thursday comes a week after the Jets drafted USC quarterback Sam Darnold with the No. 3 overall pick.
New York currently has four quarterbacks on its roster, including Darnold, Josh McCown, Teddy Bridgewater and Christian Hackenberg.
Petty played in 10 games with the Jets, including seven starts, and threw for 1 Jordan Howard Jersey ,353 yards and four touchdowns with 10 interceptions. The former Baylor star started New York’s final three games last season – all losses – after McCown was lost for the year with a broken left wrist.
Petty’s lone win as a starter came in 2016, when he filled in for an injured Ryan Fitzpatrick at San Francisco and rallied New York from a 14-point deficit to a 23-17 overtime victory.
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Miami Dolphins coach Adam Gase says he likes his revamped roster, and that includes the quarterbacks who will compete this summer to back up Ryan Tannehill.
The Dolphins decided against drafting a quarterback , which leaves holdover David Fales and veteran newcomer Brock Osweiler to battle for the No. 2 job. Miami also signed veteran Bryce Petty as further insurance last week.
Gase, speaking Thursday before the start of a rookie minicamp, said he’d be comfortable turning to Fales or Osweiler this season if Tannehill were sidelined by an injury.
”If I wasn’t Jarvis Landry Jersey Youth , we’d have somebody else here,” Gase said.
Bringing in an emergency replacement wouldn’t be necessary, Gase said. Last year he coaxed Jay Cutler out of retirement after Tannehill suffered a knee injury that forced him to miss the entire season.
”There’s a lot of confidence as far as the guys we have,” Gase said.
Osweiler signed a one-year contract in March after going 0-4 as the Denver Broncos’ starter last season. Gase was an assistant with the Broncos when Osweiler was a young reserve for them in 2012-14.
Gase said a conversation with Osweiler convinced him a reunion would be wise.
”Just hearing him and where he was mentally and what he wanted to accomplish and how he wanted to get his career rolling again … everybody in the building liked him, and I felt good about it,” Gase said.
Fales had only two career completions before getting an extended tryout in the Dolphins’ 2017 finale against Buffalo Denzel Ward Jersey , when he went 29 for 42 for 265 yards with one score and one interception.
”I was impressed with some of the things he did in that game,” Gase said. ”Sometimes he makes plays and you’re not really sure how he did it.”
Matt Moore wasn’t re-signed this offseason after seven years as the backup quarterback. The importance of the job is magnified because Tannehill has suffered two serious left injuries in the past 18 months, but he has been working out and cleared for offseason practices.
”I see a guy who is very confident,” Gase said. ”He’s really smooth with what we’re doing in throwing sessions. He looks good to me.”
The Dolphins went 6-10 last season and then parted with three players with Pro Bowl resumes: defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh , center Mike Pouncey and receiver Jarvis Landry. There were financial reasons, and Gase also wanted a change in culture on a team that was undisciplined and wildly inconsistent in 2017.
Gase believes the addition of such veterans as Frank Gore Clay Matthews Packers Jersey , Danny Amendola and Robert Quinn represents an upgrade.
”You look at how the group gets along,” Gase said. ”How do they work together? Do they push each other? Are they all pulling the same direction? Do you have guys who are going to quit on you or push forward when things get hard?
”The way we’re assembled right now, I like our makeup.”
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Mike Vrabel played 14 years in the NFL and the first-year Tennessee Titans coach is more than willing to pick up a pad for drills to get his point across.
And if someone knocks off his sunglasses during the process Saquon Barkley Jersey , not a problem.
”Yes, that’s fun,” Vrabel said Thursday after the Titans’ first day of training camp. ”That’s when you know it was a good punch. I use that as a barometer when the sunglasses go flying off. But, they’re doing it the right way. They’re delivering a blow and trying to transfer power to stop a guy’s charge, in that case, the punt team and get out and cover.”
The Titans’ season opener and Vrabel’s debut as a head coach in a regular-season game is just 45 days away on Sept. 9 in Miami. His preseason debut comes Aug. 9 in Green Bay, and Vrabel was starting to drive his wife and son crazy being at home waiting for the start of training camp.
”You wake up in the middle of the night thinking about should I call a time-out in this situation? Then I’m like, I’m really losing my mind. It’s just good to have the players back Jarvis Landry Jersey ,” Vrabel said.
Not only did Vrabel play in the NFL and win three Super Bowl rings, he’s been an assistant at Ohio State and with the Houston Texans. That means he got to watch some of football’s best make crucial decisions during games, including Bill Belichick, Urban Meyer and Bill O’Brien.
Now it’ll be Vrabel’s turn to decide, and he’s been doing his best to prepare for kickoff by doing what he did so much of as a player: watch tape to help figure out what he can and can’t challenge, figuring out how to use his timeouts, defending an opponent trying to run clock at the end of a game.
”We’ve got a library of 10 years,” Vrabel said. ”You can go back and pretty much get whatever game we want and pull up a scenario and play it out.”
For now Denzel Ward Jersey Elite , Vrabel is trying to improve a Titans team that is coming off consecutive 9-7 seasons and the franchise’s first playoff victory since January 2004 – all of which wasn’t good enough to keep Mike Mularkey on the job . Music plays throughout practice to help simulate game-day noise, and his assistants spent parts of Thursday’s session working on fundamentals like tip drills.
The Titans saw their coach throw himself into camp with the same participation and intensity he displayed during offseason organized team activities.
”Oh man, that feels good all the time when you get to hit the coach a little bit,” three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jurrell Casey said. ”It just shows you know the stuff that he was doing OTAs wasn’t a fluke. He’s continued to do it.”
Rookie linebacker Rashaan Evans joked that going up against a coach could be a way to work out some frustration. He said it was impressive to see Vrabel working in the trenches, and his new head coach already has given him a tip on how to play better.
”He’s always told me not to think so much but just to play ball,” Evans said. ”He says you’re going to make mistakes. But you play fast and aggressive, everything else goes that’ll get corrected.”
NOTES: Two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Taylor Lewan reported for training camp Wednesday with his agents talking with the Titans about a contract extension past this season . Lewan did not take part in team drills, and he said that might be the Titans waiting until the new deal is done. Vrabel disagreed http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/tremaine-edmunds-jersey , noting Lewan already is under contract but missed the team’s mandatory minicamp in June . The coach said the left tackle will rejoin team drills when the Titans feel he’s ready.
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A look at what’s happening around the majors Sunday:
CHICAGO’S ACE
Jon Lester has put together some ace-worthy seasons during his 13-year major league career, including four All-Star appearances and a runner-up finish in the Cy Young voting two years ago. The Chicago Cubs left-hander is in the middle of what might prove to be his finest season so far, and he’ll look to become the National League’s first 12-game winner when he takes the mound against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday. Lester is 11-2 with a 2.25 ERA this season, and he’s won his last seven starts – including going 5-0 with a 1.13 ERA during June.
GRADE-A OAKLAND
The Oakland A’s downed Cleveland 6-3 in 11 innings on Saturday, winning for the ninth time in their last 11 games and for the 15th time in their last 19. Oakland sits at a season-high nine games over .500 and will try and stay unbeaten for a seventh straight series when it closes out its series with the Indians. Brett Anderson (0-2, 7.63) starts for the A’s, and Shane Bieber (4-0, 2.97) goes for Cleveland.
GOING GREINKE
Arizona starter Zack Greinke has turned around his season since posting a 5.04 ERA in April and is 9-5 with a 3.35 ERA overall Byron Jones Jersey Womens , including 112 strikeouts in 109 2/3 innings. The Diamondbacks right-hander will take the mound against the San Diego Padres, and he comes in having allowed only two runs in his last three starts combined – a span of 19 2/3 innings.
RICK’S REBOUND
Rick Porcello struggled mightily to follow up his 2016 Cy Young award-winning season a year ago, finishing a disappointing 11-17 with a 4.65 ERA. The Boston right-hander has returned to form this year with a 10-3 record and 3.57 ERA, and he’ll be on the mound when the Red Sox close out their season series with the Kansas City Royals.
OZUNA’S OUTAGE
Since winner the NL’s Player of the Week award last month, St. Louis outfielder Marcell Ozuna has been in a prolonged funk – going 15-for-71 (.211) and failing to hit a home run during that stretch. The Cardinals left fielder was the prized offseason acquisition in a trade from Miami, coming off a season in which he hit .312 with 37 home runs and 124 RBIs. This year, Ozuna is hitting .275 with 10 homers and 46 RBIs in 83 games.
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>Shout it from the top of Mount Washington: It’s the Game of the Year!Perhaps the Game of the Decade!! Maybe the Game of the Millennium!!!Or Deion Sanders Jersey Youth , very possibly, a big dud.Until their flop in Miami on Monday night, the New England Patriots were playing as many thought they would heading into the season: like a powerhouse. And the Pittsburgh Steelers were squeezing past inferior foes , bringing into question whether they could slow the Foxborough freight train.The Dolphins did just that, one day after the Steelers needed another late rally to edge archrival Baltimore and clinch the AFC North.So while Sunday’s contest at Heinz Field will almost certainly decide the top seed in the AFC, it’s not exactly Ali-Frazier, two undefeated heavyweights facing off.“It’s good to be in big games than be in ones nobody’s watching,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin says. “We better be appreciative of this spot and not resist it in any way. This is what we’ve been fighting for since March. Why would you fight that? It’s an awesome thing.”Forget their ‘A’ game, which the Steelers (11-2) seem to have misplaced for much of the past two months despite winning eight straight, with a half-dozen of them close (decided by one, three, three, three, five and six points.They will need their ‘AAA game’ against New England (10-3), which knows a loss eliminates it from topping the conference heading into the postseason.“It’s all about us being prepared to play Pittsburgh Ty Montgomery Jersey Elite ,” Patriots safety Devin McCourty says, mimicking his coach. “All the extra stuff comes with it, but it’s just if we worry about the playoffs, we’ll go down there and we’ll get killed, honestly.”The action got started Thursday night in a game with no playoff implications, the Denver Broncos’ 25-13 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Brock Osweiler threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in relief of the injured Trevor Siemian, and C.J. Anderson rushed for 158 yards on 30 carries as Denver (5-9) won its second straight and handed the Colts (3-11) their fifth consecutive loss. Siemian injured his left shoulder in the first quarter and did not return.On Saturday, Detroit beat Chicago 20-10, and the Los Angeles Chargers were at Kansas City at night.In Detroit, Matthew Stafford threw two touchdown passes and avoided mistakes, allowing the Lions (8-6) to stay in the playoff picture. The Bears (4-10) have lost six of seven.Dallas (7-6) at Oakland (6-7)Oakland might need to win out for any shot at the postseason. Same for Dallas, chasing a wild card in the much-stronger NFC.With star RB Zeke Elliott suspended for one more game, the combination of Dak Prescott throwing to Jason Witten and Dez Bryant has been the focal point on offense. Prescott’s coming off his first 300-yard passing game of the season with a career-high 332 against the woeful Giants.After fizzling in KC, Oakland needs to rediscover its offense and get pressure on Prescott from Bruce Irvin and Khalil Mack.Los Angeles Rams (9-4) at Seattle (8-5)The Rams lost two of four in the midst of a very difficult stretch. Now, the key division matchup with the banged-up Denzel Ward Jersey Elite , penalty-prone Seahawks.Seattle, whose air of invincibility at home has been punctured with two losses in the past three, won the first meeting and would have the tiebreaker with a repeat. This easily could come down to Russell Wilson , making a late run for league MVP, lighting up the skies against Rams QB Jared Goff, one of the NFL’s most-improved players in 2017.LA is 3-0 after a loss; the Eagles beat the Rams last Sunday.Green Bay (7-6) at Carolina (9-4)Huge one for both sides, and this time the Packers head into it with Aaron Rodgers back at quarterback.Recovered from his broken collarbone 鈥?Green Bay stayed relevant without him, going 3-4 鈥?Rodgers might have some rust. Still, was there ever any doubt he would replace Brett Hundley when his wing was healed?“Hopefully it gives a lift to some of the guys but I’m not coming back to save this team,” Rodgers said. “I’m coming back to play quarterback the way I know how to play it.”Rodgers will face a formidable defense that includes end Julius Peppers, who left Green Bay for a return to Carolina this season and has 5 陆 sacks in the past four games against his former team, and LB Luke Kuechly (100 tackles in six straight seasons.)New York Jets (5-8) at New Orleans (9-4)New Orleans owns the tiebreaker over Carolina thanks to a season sweep, and gets fortunate here. Josh McCown, having the best season of his lengthy, vagabond pro career Tyron Smith Jersey Elite , has a broken hand, so untested Bryce Petty gets the start.The Saints lost two of their past three, against top-level opponents, so they aren’t likely to fall into any traps. Their well-balanced and top-ranked offense could go wild against the inconsistent Jets, and no team has improved more on D than Nawlins.Atlanta (8-5) at Tampa Bay (4-9), Monday nightWhile the Buccaneers spiral enough to put coach Dirk Koetter’s job security in question, it’s the defending NFC champ Falcons who have been maddeningly up and down. Get this: Atlanta is 4-3 in its new, billion dollar palace.That means the Monday night spotlight should be fine, especially for WR Julio Jones. He had a season-best 12 receptions for 253 yards and two TDs against the Bucs three weeks ago 鈥?his NFL-record third game with 250-plus yards receiving. No other receiver in league history has more than one.Cincinnati (5-8) at Minnesota (10-3)Vikings will secure NFC North crown for second time in three seasons by winning, and the Bengals have never won in five trips to Minnesota. Cincinnati didn’t even show up at home last Sunday in being routed by the Bears. Yes, the Bears.Minnesota’s defense had an off day at Carolina, but is formidable enough to win big. The combined record of teams the Vik The Detroit Lions had a key player on offense come back from an injury and one walk off the field during practice.
Wide receiver Marvin Jones returned to practice a day after injuring his left leg.
Running back LeGarrette Blount, meanwhile, slowly walked off the field with a trainer during Sunday’s practice. It was not clear why Blount went back inside the team’s training facility.
Jones got tangled up with a teammate on Saturday and landed awkwardly. The training staff evaluated his left leg and he was held out of the rest of practice.
Under the rising sun the next day, Jones was in full uniform with his teammates and didn’t appear to be affected by whatever was ailing him.
”I’m out there rolling Josh Gordon Jersey Youth ,” Jones said. ”It’s the first day of pads and I’m going to be out there.”
Jones insisted he wasn’t scared that his injury could’ve been more serious.
Detroit coach Matt Patricia said Jones was evaluated before going back onto the field.
”He’s good,” Patricia said. ”He’s fine, but we’re always a little bit cautious the day after.”
The Lions will be counting on Jones to be one of Matthew Stafford’s top targets again this season. And, they’re hoping Blount can bolster a running game that has been poor in recent years.
Jones had a career-high 1,101 yards receiving last season. He also had 61 receptions and caught nine touchdown passes, falling just short of career highs in both categories.
Over the past three seasons – two in Detroit and one with the Cincinnati Bengals – he has averaged 60 catches and 949 yards receiving.
”Any player in the league, they want to be consistent and kind of stay on top for the length of their careers,” he said.
Detroit signed the 31-year-old Blount in the opening days of free agency after he helped Philadelphia and New England win the past two Super Bowls.
The Lions have been one-dimensional on offense in recent years because they simply couldn’t run the ball consistently. Even if Jones catches fewer balls because the team is moving the ball on the ground, he is all for it.
”It starts up front,” Jones said. ”You want to run and that’s going to open up everything and vice versa.”
NOTES: Patricia said CB Nevin Lawson missed Saturday’s practice for personal reasons. … C Wesley Johnson invited Jay Fullam, one of his former teammates at Vanderbilt, and his Air Force squadron to practice.
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With no deadlines to meet and a monthlong summer break coming up Devin Hester Bears Jersey , NFL teams are in no hurry to formulate a policy on demonstrations during the national anthem.
One day after league owners mandated that players must stand for the ”Star-Spangled Banner” – they now have the option of remaining in the locker room for the playing of the anthem – few of the 32 teams had done more than preliminary work on the issue.
The NFL gave teams the option of developing their own workplace rules, which many players interpreted as a backhanded way of subjecting them to fines, suspensions or loss of jobs should they carry on with the protests.
For now, other than New York Jets owner Christopher Johnson’s decision to pay any fines doled out by the league without passing punishment to the players, each franchise’s approach is uncertain.
After all, once mandatory minicamps end in mid-June, teams don’t get together again until training camps open in late July. The opening preseason game – the first time the anthem would be played before an NFL match – is Aug. 2 when Baltimore and Chicago face off in the Hall of Fame game.
”I’m sure it’s something that will be addressed, by the players and by the coaches, collectively,” Lions receiver Golden Tate said Thursday. ”But right now, we don’t play a game until August, and that’s when it’s going to be applicable in football stadiums. So we’ve got time to kind of brainstorm some ideas on how we could stand for justice and what we can do.”
What some teams have done in the past likely indicates how they will handle disciplining players for demonstrations during the anthem – regardless of the intent. Owners Jerry Jones of the Cowboys and Robert McNair of the Texans have been among the staunchest advocates of no exceptions to standing during the anthem.
Others have taken a less stringent stance, emphasizing working together with the players in their communities rather than focusing on how the message about social injustice is being delivered.
”I have always believed it is the responsibility of sports teams to be very proactive in our communities Baker Mayfield Jersey Elite ,” says Jeffrey Lurie, owner of the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
”In this great country of ours, there are so many people who are hurting and marginalized, which is why I am proud of our players for continuously working to influence positive change. Their words and actions have demonstrated not only that they have a great deal of respect for our country, but also that they are committed to finding productive ways to fight social injustice, poverty and other societal issues that are important to all of us.
”We must continue to work together in creative and dynamic ways to make our communities stronger and better, with equal opportunities for all.”
One certain thing: The uncertainty about how each team will deal with players who defy the NFL’s mandate will last for weeks.
Not so for any league personnel such as game officials, sideline crews, et al. They will be disciplined for any violations of the anthem policy, though the exact punishments have not yet been determined by the NFL.
One organization, the National Action Network, will march on league headquarters Friday to ”advocate for players’ right to kneel and call on NFL owners to reverse (the) dangerous decision violating players’ First Amendment rights by imposing fines for not standing during the national anthem.”
Such protests could become more prevalent if teams decide to strongly discipline players who demonstrate during the anthem. But some franchises aren’t sure they need their own policy. Or if that is even the proper description.
The Falcons‘ position is any players on the field will stand, so no need to make plans for any other outcome.
Team spokesman Brian Cearns suggested it’s too strong to say they have a team policy: ”The word policy sounds like it was mandated. It was discussed as a team and agreed upon as a team Blake Martinez Packers Jersey ,” Cearns said in an email to The Associated Press.
Defensive linemen Dontari Poe and Grady Jarrett knelt during an early season game at Detroit last year.
Coach Dan Quinn said that was a ”one-off” and, sure enough, after that game all players stood together on the sideline, with arms interlocked, the remainder of the season.
”Was every player who stood last year against social justice?” Lions guard T.J. Lang tweeted ”Or just the guys who do it this year because there is now a rule? Asking for a friend.”
Buffalo linebacker Lorenzo Alexander doesn’t expect his team ”to do anything.”
”I understand where they’re at. And it’s hard,” Alexander said. ”And I understand that from a business perspective trying to be socially responsible. And people can act like it’s in a vacuum and say you have to pick a side. But it’s not that simple. It’s a very complex situation.
”And so I respect them, because I was a business owner and I understand it. It makes a big impact. I’m in this to grow the business, grow their brand, and us doing this does have an impact, whether we say it or not. That’s what we want, because we’re trying to bring attention to it. But they have to have a foot over here, a foot over here. It’s hard.”
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AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton and Sports Writers Charles Odum, Paul Newberry Mike McGlinchey Jersey Youth , John Wawrow and Noah Trister contributed.
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The Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings were already looking to the future before their season finale even started.
For Houston, that comes this weekend with the start of the playoffs. For Sacramento, it’s once again wait until next season.
Willie Cauley-Stein had 22 points and 11 rebounds to help the Kings finish the regular season with a 96-83 victory over the short-handed Rockets on Wednesday night.
”We have a positive direction that we’re going as a franchise,” Kings coach Dave Joerger said. ”Our guys feel it. Our guys are going out and competing on a regular basis and showing our fans we’re coming. I don’t know how long it will be, but we’re going to go out there and compete and keep getting better.”
With Houston (65-17) already having wrapped up the best record in the NBA, coach Mike D’Antoni opted to rest most of his top players, including starters James Harden, Chris Paul, Trevor Ariza and Clint Capela. The top-seeded Rockets will open the playoffs at home this weekend against Minnesota.
”We have to get ready,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. ”They’re a good team and they fought their way into it. Good for them. We have to play our game and be ready.”
The Kings took advantage of Houston’s depleted lineup and ended another disappointing season off by snapping a seven-game skid against the Rockets. Sacramento finished with a 27-55 record in coach Dave Joerger’s second season, its worst mark since going 24-58 in 2010-11.
The Kings never trailed after the first quarter and coasted to the win.
Gerald Green scored 31 points and R.J. Hunter added 19 to lead the Rockets.
TIP-INS
Rockets: Harden won his first career scoring title, averaging 30.4 ppg, second in franchise history to Moses Malone’s 31.1 in 1981-82.
Kings: Sacramento now has the NBA’s longest current playoff drought after Minnesota earned the eighth seed in the West with a win Wednesday. The Kings have missed the playoffs for 12 straight years.
LATE ADDITION
Houston added a new player in Aaron Jackson Aaron Rodgers Packers Jersey , who spent the past seven seasons playing overseas. Jackson arrived just before game time and didn’t even have his name on the back of his No. 55 jersey, which had belonged to the recently released Tim Quarterman. Jackson scored eight points in 34 minutes.
”It was surreal. I was at a hotel with my girlfriend for her birthday, then my agent called and said, `How fast can you get to the airport? You’re playing with the Houston Rockets for the rest of the season,”’ he said. ”I packed my bags as fast as I could. Hopefully I can do whatever it takes to try to help them win a championship.”
SIDELINED
Houston forward Luc Mbah a Moute will likely miss at least the first round of the playoffs after dislocating his right shoulder Tuesday night against the Lakers. D’Antoni said Mbah a Moute will likely miss two to three weeks with the injury. Mbah a Moute missed 15 games in December and January after dislocating his right shoulder.
”It hurts,” D’Antoni said. ”That’s why we have depth. As the door closes for somebody, it opens for somebody else. That’s why we went and got Joe Johnson and we have Ryan (Anderson) coming back in here. You hate to lose Luc. I hate it for him personally. It’s not something that anyone would want. He’ll be back. We just have to hold on until he’s back.”
STEPPING AWAY
Longtime Kings television analyst Jerry Reynolds called his final game for the franchise. Reynolds, a former coach and general manager for the Kings, has decided to step down after 20 years in the booth at age 74. He got a lengthy ovation after a video tribute in the first half.
”I’ll still be involved with the team in a lesser role,” Reynolds said. ”I’m not totally retiring and I’m not dead. As far as I’m concerned, that’s pretty good.”
UP NEXT
Rockets: First round of playoffs vs. Minnesota.
Kings: Season ended.
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Trailing by 1 in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves Jamal Adams Jersey , the Houston Rockets needed someone to step up.
No surprise that it was James Harden who came through.
Harden scored 44 points and powered a big fourth-quarter run that allowed the Rockets to outlast the Timberwolves 104-101 Sunday night in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series.
”We were struggling to make shots, struggling to really have any kind of rhythm and James put us on his back,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. ”He’s been doing it for a while now.”
Minnesota scored four straight points to get within 3 with about 30 seconds left. Chris Paul added two free throws after that for Houston, but a tip-in by Karl-Anthony Towns got Minnesota back within 3. After a bad pass by Paul gave the Timberwolves a chance to tie it with 1.5 seconds left, Jimmy Butler’s shot was short.
”Came up short,” Butler said. ”But I’d shoot it again if I had the opportunity.”
The Timberwolves had a one-point lead with about seven minutes left when Houston used a 9-0 run, with the last seven points from Harden, to make it 94-86 with about four minutes to go. Harden, who also had a steal in that span, capped the run with a 3-pointer that prompted Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau to call a timeout.
Jeff Teague ended Minnesota’s scoring drought with two free throws after the timeout and added a 3-point play after a basket by Harden. Harden made another shot to give him 11 straight points for Houston before another basket by Teague.
Harden got Capela in on the scoring after that, finding him for an alley-oop that pushed the lead to 101-93 with less than three minutes left.
”Honestly I was just trying to be aggressive and make the right play Lawrence Taylor Jersey Youth ,” Harden said. ”I think if you have that aggressive mindset, good things will happen.”
The top-seeded Rockets had their hands full with the No. 8 Timberwolves on a night where Houston made just 10 of 37 3-pointers. Harden shot 7 for 12 on 3-pointers, but Trevor Ariza, P.J. Tucker, Eric Gordon and Paul combined to make just 3 of their 22 tries.
”We’ve had games like this throughout the season and the biggest thing that I’ve learned, that I think our teams knows is that we don’t stop shooting,” Paul said. ”We still take the shots that we get and coming into Game 2 guess what? We’re going to shoot them again because we have that confidence.”
Houston kept All-Star big man Towns in check, limiting him to just eight points after he’d averaged 21.3 in leading the Wolves to their first playoff appearance since 2004. Andrew Wiggins scored 18 points to lead Minnesota.
Thibodeau said the Rockets did a good job of switching on Towns and using double-teams to slow him down, but admitted he has to do more.
”He’s got to be more active,” Thibodeau said.
Said Towns: ”I’ve got to be better all-around.”
The Wolves scored the first nine points of the second half to take a 56-54 lead. Tucker made a 3 for the Rockets after that, but Minnesota used a 6-1 spurt Authentic Tarik Cohen Jersey , with 3s from Wiggins and Teague, to go back on top 62-58.
The Rockets had managed just six points in the quarter when Gerald Green made a basket with to cut the lead to 1 with about five minutes left in the third. Derrick Rose added a bucket seconds later, but Houston scored six straight points after that to put Houston up 68-65. Harden got things going when he made a 3-pointer while being fouled by Rose and also made the free throw.
Minnesota led by a basket after a jump shot by Towns with about two minutes left in the quarter. Harden took over after that, scoring the last six points of the quarter to leave Houston up 76-72 entering the fourth.
Harden hit a 3-pointer before making a driving layup he was fouled on by Gorgui Dieng. Harden flexed each bicep twice while peering down at the muscles after the shot before making the free throw.
The Rockets swept the regular-season series 4-0, winning by an average of 15.8 points a game and it looked like this one might be another blowout early as the Rockets raced out to a 17-6 lead behind 10 early points from Clint Capela. But the Timberwolves got going after that and had tied it up by late in the first quarter.
The Rockets led 54-47 at halftime.
TIP-INS
Timberwolves: Butler, who led the team by averaging 22.2 points in the regular season, finished with 13 points. … The Wolves made 8 of 23 3-point attempts. … Towns had 12 rebounds and two assists.
Rockets: Ryan Anderson missed the game with a sprained left ankle. D’Antoni said there was a chance he could return for Game 2, but that he would know more in the next couple of days. … Capela had 20 points and 10 rebounds at halftime, but was limited in the second half and added just four more points and two rebounds.
THEY SAID IT
Paul on tying a season-high with six turnovers: ”I think the worst thing was the turnovers. I feel like I was with the Bad News Bears.”
BLOCK PARTY
The Rockets finished with eight blocks on Sunday, led by three from Capela. The Rockets were 17-0 in the regular season when they had seven or more blocks.
UP NEXT
Game 2 is Wednesday night in Houston.
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CALGARY, Alberta — The Vegas Golden Knights bring their astonishing Adidas Ryan McDonagh Jersey , record-breaking inaugural regular season to a close Saturday in Calgary.
The host Flames, meanwhile, drag themselves to the finish line of a disappointing 82-game schedule that likely will bring some changes to the organization in the offseason.
The Knights (51-23-7) look to get back on track against the Flames (36-35-10) at the Saddledome after seeing their three-game winning streak end in a 4-3 loss to Edmonton on Thursday.
“We’ve been pretty good as of late,” Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb told reporters in Edmonton. “We’ve had a couple of stretches where we’ve had breakdowns, but that’s hockey. It happened, we have to keep building. We have one more left and we’ll keep building for Game 1 of the playoffs.”
It was against the Flames back on Feb. 21 that the Golden Knights established an NHL record for most points by an expansion team with 84.
Now with the regular season coming to an end the Golden Knights find themselves reveling in a Pacific Division title in their first year with 109 points heading into Saturday. They await the end of the weekend to find out which team they will host in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Flames have won just four of their past 18 games and one of their past 10 to fall out of playoff contention, and as of Sunday morning talk will not be of the playoffs but of the future of second-year coach Glen Gulutzan and others. General manager Brad Treviling wouldn’t discuss whether Saturday’s game will be Gulutzan’s last behind the bench when questioned earlier this week by Postmedia. He is expected to face the media on Monday.
“I’m not getting into any of that,” he said. “That’s an easy thing in sports to do — the first thing is to look at the coach. I think we’ve got a good coach.
“We’ve got some good players, but we’re all subject to scrutiny when a season goes like this.”
The elimination from contention means the Flames have been getting some NHL playing time to some youngsters, including U.S. college grad Spencer Woo, who had 20 goals in the American Hockey League in his rookie professional season. He tallied his first NHL goal in Thursday’s loss to the Winnipeg Jets and has impressed observers with his play.
“You never really know how it’s going to go until you get up here Saquon Barkley Jersey Youth ,” Foo told Postmedia. “But once you settle into a game and you realize that you can play here, you can still make plays and still find ways to get scoring chances; that feels pretty good.”
The Golden Knights will rest some of their regulars Saturday in a meaningless tilt. Head coach Gerard Gallant gave starting goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury the night off in Edmonton on Thursday, and Malcolm Subban started in goal instead.
“We’re making sure Fleury’s ready to go; he’s our No. 1 guy,” Gallant told reporters in Edmonton.
The Golden Knights gave defenseman Zach Whitecloud of Brandon, Manitoba, his NHL debut in Edmonton, and he’ll likely play again Saturday. He signed after finishing the season with Bemidji State on March 8.
“You can’t be out of character (when you get to the NHL). That’s the biggest thing is be someone you’re not and I’m not going to do that,” he told reporters. “I’m going to do my best to be responsible and help the team win.”
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The Green Bay Packers have signed first-round draft pick Jaire Alexander Aaron Rodgers Jersey Youth , a cornerback from Louisville.
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst announced the deal Tuesday.
The Packers selected Alexander last month with the 18th overall pick . Alexander had a team-high five interceptions as a sophomore in 2016 before a knee injury limited him to six games last season. He also was a kick returner at Louisville.
Green Bay is hoping the additions of Alexander and second-round pick Josh Jackson of Iowa can boost a secondary that has been hit hard by injuries. The Packers allowed 30 touchdown passes last season, tied for the second-highest total of any team .
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>The Patriots got a big break when officials overturned a touchdown catch for the other team. No, this is not a repeat.For the second straight week, the exact definition of a catch and the officials’ ability to discern that became a hot topic in the NFL. And for the second straight week, New England came out ahead in the deal.On Sunday, referees on the field ruled that Buffalo’s Kelvin Benjamin had both feet in bounds in the back corner of the end zone and called it a touchdown , which would have given the Bills a 16-13 lead just before halftime.But after the review Saquon Barkley Jersey Youth , which goes to the NFL’s senior vice president of officials in New York, the call was overturned. Buffalo settled for a field goal and went on to lose 37-16.The Bills were outraged.“Does anyone even know what a catch is anymore? I definitely don’t after watching that,” tweeted Jessie Pegula, the daughter of the team’s owner.“The (officials) always seem to get it right for the Patriots, but that’s not why we lost,” Buffalo running back LeSean McCoy said.He was referencing the call that helped New England last weekend, when Pittsburgh’s Jesse James appeared to have scored the winning touchdown Joe Montana Jersey Limited , only to have it overturned on an equally confounding call. Ben Roethlisberger threw an interception two plays later and the Patriots held on for the victory.Nobody was more fired up about Sunday’s call than former NFL officiating vice president Mike Pereira.“Regarding the Buffalo no touchdown, nothing more irritating to an official than to make a great call and then someone in a suit in an office in New York incorrectly reverses it,” he posted on .Pereira had backup from another former NFL officiating executive, Dean Blandino, who posted a video explaining why the overturn was incorrect.In case you missed it, here are the other top topics after the NFL season’s 16th Sunday:WHAT IF THEY’D LOST?: Chiefs coach Andy Reid knows how to party. After a 29-13 victory over the Dolphins wrapped up the AFC West title for Kansas City, Reid addressed his team Aaron Rodgers Jersey Elite , and the media, in a Santa Claus suit. Rams coach Sean McVay took a different tact after Los Angeles beat Tennessee to win the NFC West, celebrating with his best imitation of wrestler Ric Flair . New Orleans and Carolina secured playoff spots, and one will win the NFC South next week. The conference’s lone remaining playoff spot will go to the Falcons or Seahawks. In the AFC, the Patriots locked up a first-round bye and the Jacksonville Jaguars wrapped up their first division title since 1999 even though they lost 44-33 to the Niners.BACKSIDE HELP: Thanks to Saints defensive back Marshon Lattimore, The Butt Fumble now has company. Lattimore recorded a pick after Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan’s pass deflected off the hands of his receiver and landed softly on Lattimore’s derriere. Lattimore had the presence of … mind, shall we say Leighton Vander Youth Esch Jersey , to trap the ball against his backside for the interception.WAIVER WIRE: The future of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers came ever so slightly into question. A few days after being eliminated from the playoffs following Atlanta’s win over Tampa Bay last Monday, the Packers placed Rodgers back on injured reserve only days after the quarterback had returned to the lineup following a two-month stay on IR with a broken collarbone. ESPN reported Sunday that several teams complained to the league, citing a rule that says a player must have suffered a new injury that would sideline him at least six weeks to be placed on injured reserve. If that’s not the case, the team must release the player once he is healthy. Rodgers didn’t appear to suffer any injury in his return 鈥?a Dec. 17 appearance against the Panthers. ESPN said nobody seriously expects the league to force the Packers to release their quarterback.WE’RE NO. 1: The Cleveland Browns wrapped up the top pick in next year’s draft with a loss to Chicago. The Browns, who went 1-15 last season, fell to 0-15 this year. Their last chance to win in 2017 comes next week at Pittsburgh. Fail there and they’ll join the 2008 Lions as the second NFL team to lose all 16 games in a season. The 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost all their games when there were 14 games on the NFL schedule..
The franchise with the most titles. The best player of this generation. The reigning champions. The probable MVP.
The NBA has its Final Four.
It certainly does not disappoint.
Boston’s win over Philadelphia on Wednesday night brought down the curtain on the postseason’s second round – one that wasn’t exactly loaded with drama LeSean McCoy Bills Jersey , since it was the first time since 2002 that none of the NBA’s four conference semifinal series went past five games. Cleveland swept Toronto, while Houston, Golden State and the Celtics all prevailed by 4-1 counts.
Everyone gets to catch their collective breaths for a few days, with the league going dark until the weekend. Cleveland and Boston don’t tip off the Eastern Conference finals until Sunday, and the Warriors and Rockets start their West title series on Monday. And yes, the Cavaliers and Warriors are four wins away from a fourth consecutive meeting in the NBA Finals.
A few things to know going into the conference finals:
LEBRON, OF COURSE
Any list of anything this time of year basically has to start with LeBron James, still generally considered the best player on the planet even at 33 years old and in his 15th NBA season.
Cleveland’s star is trying to reach the NBA Finals for the eighth consecutive season – something only four other players have done, and they were all Boston Celtics. Bill Russell went to 10 straight title series, Sam Jones and Tom Heinsohn went to nine, and Frank Ramsey went to eight.
James is already the NBA’s all-time playoff leader in points, steals and minutes played. He’s fifth in playoff wins with 152, behind only Derek Fisher (161), Tim Duncan (157) Jaire Alexander Jersey Elite , Robert Horry (155) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (154).
CAVS-CELTICS HISTORY
This is the eighth time Cleveland and Boston have met in the postseason. Boston has won four of the previous seven meetings, but Cleveland has won the last two – including the East finals last season.
WARRIORS–ROCKETS HISTORY
This is only the third Golden State-Houston playoff meeting, and all have come in the last four seasons. The Warriors are 2-0 in the series, winning both times in five games – the 2015 West finals and a first-round matchup in 2016.
SEEKING 10
Golden State is trying to reach the NBA Finals for the 10th time, a mark that two other franchises have reached. The Los Angeles Lakers have made The Finals on 31 occasions (winning 16 titles), and the Celtics have gone 21 times (winning a league-high 17 titles).
If the Warriors successfully defend their NBA title and go back-to-back, it’ll be the franchise’s sixth time as the last team standing – and would tie Chicago for the third-most championships in league history, behind the Celtics and Lakers.
MVP WATCH
Houston’s James Harden seems like the probable winner of the NBA’s MVP award this season, with the only other realistic candidate for top honors probably LeBron James.
They won’t know who won until June 25 – after the season.
Regardless, they could wind up adding to a recent trend.
The league MVP has played in the NBA Finals in four of the last six seasons – James and the Miami Heat won titles in 2012 and 2013, Stephen Curry and the Warriors won in 2015 and lost to Cleveland in 2016.
MATTER OF TIME
Ray Allen is still the league’s all-time leader in playoff 3-pointers made, with 385.
LeBron James and Stephen Curry are coming his way.
James is No. 2 on the all-time list with 346 playoff 3-pointers. Curry is No. 3 with 329 – in only 79 playoff games. Allen played in 171, and James has played in 228.
WELL DONE, SCHEDULE MAKERS
Here’s how the NBA season began Derick Brassard Penguins Jersey , back on Oct. 17: Boston at Cleveland, and Houston at Golden State.
Almost seven months later, the conference finals begin with Cleveland at Boston, Golden State at Houston.
WIN GAME 1
Winning Game 1 of any NBA playoff series is important; under this format that the league has been using since 1984, teams that take 1-0 series leads ultimately win those matchups about 80 percent of the time.
That’s even more pronounced in this round.
Of the 68 teams that have taken 1-0 series leads in the conference finals, 57 have gone on to make the NBA Finals. But four times in the last seven years, a team has dropped Game 1 in this round and made The Finals anyway.
MORE DAYS OFF?
The NBA Finals start May 31.
That means there could be a lot of days without basketball before then.
If both series end in sweeps – unlikely, of course, but possible – the Boston-Cleveland winner would have 10 days off before The Finals and the Houston-Golden State winner would have nine.
Starting Thursday, there will be no games five times in a nine-day span. There’s no games until Sunday, and there’s no games in either series on May 17 and 18. Those needing a basketball fix on those last two days, fret not – there will be NBA Combine activities going on in Chicago on those two days.
POOL UPDATE
The NBA’s playoff pool for this season is $20 million, and here’s a look at how much the four remaining teams have made so far in this postseason – along with a look at what they could get.
Rockets: $2,322 Jarvis Landry Browns Jersey ,122. Would finish with $4,669,069 if they lose the NBA Finals, $5,864,018 if they win the title.
Celtics and Warriors: $1,646,226 each so far. They’d get $3,993,173 if they reach The Finals and lose, $5,188,122 if they win the championship.
Cavaliers: $1,478 Deion Sanders Jersey ,543. Would finish with $3,825,490 if they lose the NBA Finals, $5,020,439 if they wi The Los Angeles Chargers have signed kicker Caleb Sturgis to a two-year deal.
The Chargers announced the move Friday. Los Angeles also signed kicker Roberto Aguayo in January, and Nick Rose is still on the roster.
Sturgis spent the past three seasons with Philadelphia, but he missed the Eagles‘ Super Bowl championship run. After winning the starting job, he injured his hip in the regular season opener and went on injured reserve.
The University of Florida product spent his first two NFL seasons with Miami. He was outstanding for the Eagles in 2016, hitting 35 of his 41 field goal attempts.
The Chargers used four kickers last season while finishing last in the NFL in percentage of field goals made (66.7).
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More NFL coverage: .
Memphis Grizzlies coach J.B. Bickerstaff believes he can make the franchise competitive immediately with a quick recovery from a 60-loss season.
That’s what his boss expects as well.
”We’re going into it with an optimistic view and we’re planning on success Joe Montana Jersey Youth ,” Bickerstaff said Wednesday, one day after having the interim tag removed from his title . ”We’re planning on a playoff run. There’s no doubt about it.”
The Grizzlies announced Tuesday that Bickerstaff would remain their head coach after he worked the last 63 games of Memphis’ 2017-18 season on an interim basis. Bickerstaff began the 2017-18 season as an associate head coach on the staff of David Fizdale, who was fired in late November .
Memphis went 15-48 under Bickerstaff and finished the season 22-60 , posting the second-worst record in the NBA and ending a string of seven straight playoff appearances. General manager Chris Wallace said he was encouraged by Bickerstaff’s approach during a season derailed by injuries.
”You learn a great deal about people in adversity, much more than watching them while they’re winning,” Wallace said. ”J.B. was given a very difficult task this year when he took over as interim head coach and guided us through some very choppy waters. He kept the team together through very difficult times.”
Wallace also noted the Grizzlies shouldn’t have similar struggles next season.
Veteran guard Mike Conley should be healthy again after injuries to his left heel and Achilles tendon caused him to play just 12 games this year. Memphis’ poor performance this season also assures the Grizzlies an early pick in the NBA draft to join a nucleus that includes Conley and 33-year-old center Marc Gasol.
”Starting next year, we want to get back in the playoffs again and be a relevant team that’s pushing to win the Western Conference and go on,” Wallace said. ”We think we’re well equipped to get back in again. We get Mike Conley healthy. Marc Gasol still has many good years in front of him. We’ve got a number of young players that have come on to develop. We’re going to have a top-five pick. We’re going to be able to use a midlevel exception.
”We’ve got a lot of tools to work with, and a lot of the heavy lifting has already been done.”
Bickerstaff, 39, is happy to have an entire offseason to prepare for his assignment, a luxury he didn’t have in his previous head coaching stints.
He went 37-34 as the Houston Rockets’ interim coach in 2015-16 after Kevin McHale was fired. Then came the interim assignment with Memphis this season. Now he finally gets all the advantages that come with starting a season as a head coach.
”You truly can’t imagine how free and open and clear my mind is now because you have an opportunity to prepare,” said Bickerstaff Sean Lee Jersey Elite , the son of former longtime NBA coach Bernie Bickerstaff. ”You truly can’t imagine how free and open and clear my mind is now because you have an opportunity to prepare. In any situation that you’re going into, especially a high-pressure situation, the most important thing you want to do is have a moment to chart out your journey.”
Bickerstaff said Conley and Gasol give the Grizzlies a pair of ”All-Star-caliber bookends” that make Memphis’ roster different from the typical lottery team. Bickerstaff also praised the way forward JaMychal Green has established himself in the NBA and noted the way younger players such as Jarell Martin, Andrew Harrison and Dillon Brooks developed during a trying season.
He expects Conley to come back with something to prove after an injury-riddled season.
”People have kind of forgotten just how good Mike really is,” Bickerstaff said.
Bickerstaff Bickerstaff hopes the ball-handling abilities of Harrison, MarShon Brooks, Wayne Selden and Chandler Parsons could enable Conley to play off the ball on occasion next season. Parsons has dealt with his own injury issues, as he’s played a total of 70 games in two seasons with Memphis.
”We’d like to put (Conley) in more situations where he’s a secondary ball handler or a secondary playmaker, and the defense has shifted and all 10 eyes defensively aren’t just keyed in on him,” Bickerstaff said.
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More NBA basketball: LeBron James recovered quickly from his neck strain. There’s still too much stress on his back.
He’s carrying the Cavaliers. It’s a springtime tradition.
As has been the case for much of his 15-year career, James has had to perform at an extraordinary level throughout these playoffs, most recently in Cleveland’s Game 2 loss at Boston.
Bouncing back after taking a blow to the jaw from Jayson Tatum’s shoulder that violently twisted his head and sent a chill down the spines of Cleveland fans, James finished with 42 points http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/tremaine-edmunds-jersey , 10 rebounds and 12 assists.
It was not enough, however. His teammates failed him and the Cavs fell into a 2-0 hole in the Eastern Conference finals.
Kevin Love (22 points, 15 rebounds) helped, so did Kyle Korver (four 3-pointers) and Tristan Thompson (8 points, 7 rebounds). But too many other Cavs ranged from mediocre to awful.
If Cleveland is to even the series at home, that has to change starting in Game 3 on Saturday.
”We have to ramp it up,” said J.R. Smith, who didn’t score in Game 2 and committed a critical flagrant foul. ”We’re playing too slow. We’re making `Bron play hero ball, which is tough to do, especially in the Eastern Conference finals. We got to help him. With that said, we have to give him an opportunity to make him feel confident to give us the ball so we can make the right plays. We got to help him and he’s got to help us.”
Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said James ”did everything” in practice Thursday, but the 33-year-old had left the floor by the time media members were allowed in for interviews. James was spotted in the fitness and training area inside the facility.
Lue said the Cavs spent time breaking down video of the two losses. There was plenty to dissect.
Cleveland has had puzzling defensive lapses, and Lue said there were up to nine instances in Game 2 alone where communication breakdowns led to easy baskets or open shots for the Celtics.
On offense Anthony Miller Bears Jersey , Lue feels Smith and point guard George Hill, who have been outscored 72-12 in two games by Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier, need to be more aggressive and attack the basket.
Smith believes it’s simpler than that.
”Make shots, that’s the only thing we can do,” said Smith, who is 2 for 17 and 0 for 7 on 3-pointers in the series. ”I mean obviously we can do more on the defensive side, but our main focus is to make shots right now when we get it. If we don’t have them, try to make the next-best play. Right now `Bron and Kev are working overly hard, trying to carry us. We just got to step up and do our job.”
But talking a good game is one thing, playing one is another. The Cavs don’t have time for speeches or excuses. With their season inching toward danger, results are all that matter.
Hill didn’t record an assist in 28 minutes in Game 1 and had three points in Game 2. He missed time in the opening round against Indiana with back spasms and has been puzzled by his drop-off after playing so well in Cleveland’s sweep over Toronto.
”I’m trying to figure it out myself,” he said. ”I think a little bit of just trying to be more involved offensively, trying to be more involved defensively Tremaine Edmunds Bills Jersey , not waiting until a play is possibly called and things like that to go do it. I’ve just got to be more assertive, I’ve got to play with that edge like I did in the second series
”There’s no one to blame but myself. You’ve got to look yourself in the mirror and say, `What can I do better?”’
The Cavs know they need to be more physical after the Celtics took the fight to them in Boston.
Lue raised some eyebrows following Game 2 when he described Boston’s players as ”gooning up” the series. Lue explained he wasn’t being critical.
”It’s not a bad thing to goon it up,” he said. ”Like, they’re taking hard fouls, they’re being physical. They’re playing playoff basketball. So that’s all I meant by it.”
Thompson said he loves that Boston is playing ”hard and chippy.” But he knows if the Cavs don’t ease the burden on James, this fight could be over sooner than expected.
”Other guys have to contribute and other guys have to step up,” Tristan Thompson said. ”Of course, it’s a huge luxury having LeBron on our team. At the same time, we have to be ready to play and we have to do our job.”
And get off James’ back.
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Jim Nill could have picked anyone from an extensive list of experienced out-of-work NHL coaches to fill the Dallas Stars‘ vacancy.
Darryl Sutter has won the Stanley Cup twice Devin Hester Jersey Youth , Dan Bylsma once, Alain Vigneault has made the Final twice and Dave Tippett is widely considered one of the best in hockey. Any of them could’ve been a nice fit, but the Stars general manger wanted to be comprehensive in his search.
”The game is changing, life changes, and we wanted to make sure that we didn’t forget somebody,” Nill said. ”Let’s not leave anything, any leaf unturned Tremaine Edmunds Jersey , every door open, let’s look at every candidate.”
Dallas decided last week on University of Denver coach Jim Montgomery to replace franchise legend Ken Hitchcock, who returned for one season almost two decades after leading the Stars to the Cup. Nill’s front office is far from the only one looking outside the box to college, junior and Europe for coaching candidates, a trend that could lead to far more teams going beyond retreads with the hope of finding the next great mind behind the bench.
”It’s more kind of an evolution of the game itself,” said Philadelphia coach Dave Hakstol, who was hired out of the University of North Dakota in the summer of 2015 and has gotten the Flyers to the playoffs twice in three seasons. ”There are so many good people coaching at different levels. For a lot of years it seems that maybe the college-coaching level was maybe bypassed for some of the opportunities. But I think when you look at the quality of coaching in the college game today … there’s some real talented people.”
Before Hakstol and Montgomery Clay Matthews Jersey , it had been since Herb Brooks in 1987 and Bob Johnson in 1982 that a coach went from the NCAA ranks directly to the NHL. Outside of now-San Jose’s Peter DeBoer and ex-Pittsburgh coach Mike Johnston, junior hockey hasn’t funneled many straight to the NHL, and there have only been two European-born head coaches: Ivan Hlinka and Alpo Suhonen in the early 2000s.
It’s far more common for teams to mine the American Hockey League and NHL staffs for head jobs, and that’s usually a necessary step. Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper came from the United States Hockey League but spent time in the AHL before the Lightning elevated him, and longtime Quebec Major Junior Hockey League coach Benoit Groulx is on the same path now with the NHL in his near future.
Buffalo’s Phil Housley got some experience as the U.S. world junior coach but went right from high school hockey to being an assistant in Nashville. And Rod Brind’Amour spent seven seasons as an assistant after his playing days were over before being named Carolina’s coach on Tuesday.
Hurricanes GM Don Waddell said Brind’Amour’s ”fresh ideas, ability to motivate and understanding of what it takes to bring a championship” to Carolina set him apart. As the New York Rangers look to fill their job after firing Vigneault and other openings come up in the next few offseasons, there will be plenty of fresh coaches to choose from.
Boston University’s David Quinn has been linked to the Rangers but will stay at least one more year and run the U.S. world junior team before likely being the next to graduate from college to the NHL. Sweden national coach Rikard Gronborg might also be in the mix sooner than later.
”I’ve kind of done all that stuff and coached some of the best players in the world Leonard Williams Jersey Youth ,” Gronborg told Sportsnet recently. ”Now I’m interested to have my ideas, to (implement) them over a period of time and do them overseas, and kind of challenging the coaching community over in the NHL. I bring a different perspective on things.”
Germany national coach Marco Sturm also brings a different perspective after playing 14 NHL seasons and leading an unheralded team to capture the silver medal at the most recent Olympics. Sturm would like to coach in the NHL but said: ”I’m only 39 years old, I’ve still got time and I’m still learning and I want to learn and we’ll see what the future presents.”
With an eye on the future, Nill looked at the present success of young coaches like Cooper and New Jersey’s John Hynes and widened his net. It ended with Montgomery and perhaps a new thought process from Nill on how to go through coaching searches.
”Once we went through this process, I just think … who was Scott Bowman? Someone gave him a chance,” Nill said. ”Who was Mike Babcock? Somebody gave him a chance. This is a guy that he deserves a chance.”
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AP Sports Writer Stephen Hawkins in Dallas contributed.
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The Oakland Raiders have officially signed free agent linebacker Derrick Johnson to a one-year contract.
Coach Jon Gruden had said last week the sides agreed to terms and the contract became official on Monday. Oakland waived defensive back Darius Hillary to make room on the roster.
The Raiders also signed three players following tryouts at rookie minicamp over the weekend. Oakland gave deals to former Texas running back Chris Warren LeSean McCoy Jersey Youth , Michigan fullback Henry Poggi and tight end Paul Butler from California of Pennsylvania.
Oakland cut running back Elijah Hood, defensive lineman Joby Saint Fleur and fullback Nick Sharga. Hood was a seventh-round pick last year and played one game as a rookie.
The 35-year-old Johnson spent his first 13 NFL seasons with the rival Kansas City Chiefs and will likely fill the role at middle linebacker that NaVorro Bowman played the second half of last season.
Johnson is a four-time Pro Bowler and the career tackles leader for the Chiefs. He appeared in 182 games with 169 starts since being drafted in the first round in 2005. He has 1,262 tackles, 27 sacks and 14 interceptions in his career.
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