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While the Saints defense
The team announced the agreement with the quarterback Sunday night. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Smith will likely join former Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones in backing up Phillip Rivers.
Smith played four seasons with the New York Jets after going 39th overall in the 2013 draft [url=http://www.dallascowboysteamonline.com/michael-gallup-jersey]Michael Gallup Cowboys Jersey[/url] , then spent last season with the New York Giants. Smith started one game for the Giants, throwing for 212 yards and a TD in a 24-17 loss against Oakland.
Smith has appeared in 35 games, including 31 starts, and thrown for 6,174 yards with 29 touchdowns. He’s also rushed for 659 yards and seven TDs.
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鈥?Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints face the prospect of seeing their season end where it began.That is, unless they’ve improved enough to turn the tables on the Minnesota Vikings, who beat New Orleans convincingly in Week 1.“That feels like ages and ages ago [url=http://www.sanfrancisco49ersteamonline.com/jimmy-garoppolo-jersey]Jimmy Garoppolo Jersey Youth[/url] ,” Brees said of the 29-19 loss in Minnesota, describing the difference between the Saints then and now as “night and day.”The Saints (12-5) rebounded from double-digit losses to the Vikings and New England Patriots in their first two games to win the NFC South. Now they’re on to the divisional round of the NFC playoffs after holding off Carolina (11-6), 31-26 on Sunday.New Orleans’ next game comes one day before Brees turns 39 years old, and will come one week after the veteran quarterback reminded everyone he’s still capable of big passing days if opposing defenses sell out to stop the Pro Bowl running back tandem of Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara.Brees completed 23 passes to eight different receivers for 375 yards and two touchdowns. Only two of his completions went to Ingram or Kamara, who accounted for only 68 yards from scrimmage combined.“We trust our system. We trust each other and what we proved is we can beat you in a lot of different ways,” Brees said. “There’s no better feeling than knowing you just won, not only won but won a playoff game as a team and now you’re on to the next one.”His touchdown passes of 80 yards to Ted Ginn and 9-yards to tight end Josh Hill helped New Orleans open up a 21-6 lead late in the first half. Michael Thomas caught eight passes for 131 yards [url=http://www.clevelandbrownsteamonline.com/josh-gordon-jersey]Josh Gordon Browns Jersey[/url] , including a 46-yarder that set up Kamara’s short TD run in the fourth quarter.For the Panthers, it was an excruciating end to the season. Beaten soundly by the Saints twice before this season, they pushed New Orleans to the brink in the third matchup.Aided by the return of star tight end Greg Olsen, the Panthers drove inside the Saints 22-yard line five times, only to come away with nothing twice and field goals three other times.“That was the difference in the game,” said Olsen, who had eight catches for 107 yards and a touchdown. “We moved the ball pretty much at will the whole game. We just struggled in the first half in the red zone and it turned out to be points that we kept chasing.”Still [url=http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/lesean-mccoy-jersey]LeSean McCoy Jersey Youth[/url] , the Panthers had a first down on the Saints 21 with 41 seconds left. It wasn’t until Newton’s intentional grounding in the face of end Cameron Jordan’s pass rush, followed by Vonn Bell’s sack on a safety blitz on fourth down, that the Saints sealed the victory.Some other things to know from the Saints’ win:GETTING PRESSURE: The Saints sacked Newton four times. Jordan, Bell, linebacker Jonathan Freeny and defensive tackle David Onyemata each had one. Jordan, a newly named All-Pro, also tipped two passes and might have made his biggest play when he ran through two blockers to force Newton’s intentional grounding. Their pass rush could be a factor against Minnesota QB Case Keenum [url=http://www.chicagobearsteamonline.com/brian-urlacher-jersey]Brian Urlacher Jersey Youth[/url] , who’s been sacked 17 times in Minnesota’s last six games.Certainly, Jordan expects a different game that Week 1, when the Saints had one sack 鈥?by Jordan 鈥?against then-starter Sam Bradford.“We had a young defense that was still learning,” Jordan said. “We’ve clearly turned the corner. We’ve clearly turned to the next chapter. Now we’re into the playoffs and we’ve got bigger and better goals.”SECONDARY CONCERNS: While the Saints’ defense has been far better this season than last, the secondary has looked more vulnerable lately. Against Carolina, they allowed Newton to pass for 349 yards, his second most all season. New Orleans struggled to cover Olsen and versatile running back Christian McCaffrey [url=http://www.newyorkgiantsteamonline.com/lawrence-taylor-jersey]Lawrence Taylor Giants Jersey[/url] , who six catches for 101 yards, including a 56-yard score.END ZONE PROTECTION: While the Saints defense gave up 413 net yards, their ability to keep Carolina out of the end zone was crucial.“It’s better to hold them to three than six,” Bell said. “We held them in the red zone and we won the game.”ROAD WOES: While the Saints won their sixth straight home playoff game and improved to 5-0 in the Superdome in postseason games under coach Sean Payton, they’ve won only one road playoff game in their history. That was during the 2013 season, when they won a wild-card round game at Philadelphia before losing the next week at Seattle.The Saints’ all time road playoff record is 1-6..
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Before the Detroit Lions lined up to take another snap in the two-minute drill [url=http://www.chiefscheapstore.com/breeland-speaks-jersey-cheap]Cheap Breeland Speaks Jersey[/url] , Stafford’s short pass to Tate was shown on a pair of huge TV monitors.
The Detroit Lions under first-year coach Matt Patricia are part of a trend: NFL teams using instant replay to make quick corrections and observations during training camp.
The Oakland Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins are also taking advantage of technology common in stadiums on game days.
Tate said the replays between snaps are shown too quickly for him to see them. But if the receiver is walking off the field while the second-string offense is coming on it, he takes a peek at the previous play.
”I look at what the coverage was,” Tate said. ”I can also pull a coach aside and say, `What could I have done differently?’
”It’s great to be able to go over something quickly when it is fresh in your mind versus having to wait and forget about it.”
The Lions [url=http://www.coltscheapstore.com/darius-leonard-jersey-cheap]Cheap Darius Leonard Jersey[/url] , like a lot of teams in the league, have cameras perched atop towers higher than goal posts. Camera operators use joysticks to zoom in and out, tilt up and down and pan the field to record the action. The Lions also have an operator with a safety harness on a scissor lift. And closer to the ground, staff members hold cameras and put them on short tripods to get other vantage points.
Cornerback Darius Slay said he always looks at replays in practice, especially if a teammate catches a pass against him.
”I want to know what I did wrong,” Slay said. ”I can correct it just as fast as I can see it. I’m glad (Patricia) got that out there for us.
”You can see what’s wrong – fast.”
Instant replays during practices potentially provide another way to help players on the sideline [url=http://www.cincinnatibengalsteamonline.com/vontaze-burfict-jersey]Vontaze Burfict Jersey[/url] , who aren’t getting hands-on repetitions.
”It’s a great teaching tool for our team,” Oakland coach Jon Gruden said. ”I think it’ll be better when we have one huddle going at a time. We had two huddles going at once, so it was a little bit chaotic.”
The Rams also put up a big replay board on the side of a field at their camp at UC Irvine, giving them a chance to get and give immediate feedback instead of waiting hours for a film session.
”That’s really the intent of it,” Rams coach Sean McVay said.
The Browns have a new camera system and it includes a replay screen at their training facility.
”People who are getting the mental reps, who are not doing it [url=http://www.ravenscheapstores.com/hayden-hurst-jersey-cheap]Hayden Hurst Ravens Jersey[/url] , can turn back and really see what is really going on,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said. ”Understand the defense, where the offense might have broken down, or why we executed pretty well. I think it is a really good thing to have for both offense and defense.”
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AP Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow and Sports Writers Tom Withers, Greg Beacham, and Steven Wine contributed.
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The domestic violence case against former NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel was closed after he completed the terms of his plea deal [url=http://www.pantherscheapstore.com/dj-moore-jersey-cheap]Cheap DJ Moore Jersey[/url] , and the Dallas Police Department released files related to the case Thursday, including photos of Colleen Crowley.聽TMZ Sports shared a gallery of the photos from the 2016 incident, and there were visible marks and bruises on her back, leg and neck and collarbone areas, among others.Manziel was ultimately indicted for misdemeanor assault on his ex-girlfriend and completed an anger management course as part of his plea deal.TMZ recapped the night of Jan. 29, 2016 [url=http://www.billscheapstore.com/tremaine-edmunds-jersey-cheap]Cheap Tremaine Edmunds Jersey[/url] , when the incident occurred, noting Crowley told police Manziel threw her on the bed at a hotel room and then followed her when she said she was leaving. She said he then threw her to the ground, forced her back into a car when she tried to get out and then ruptured her eardrum by striking her face.He eventually ran away when Crowley grabbed a knife in self-defense and a neighbor called 911.The Cleveland Browns ultimately released Manziel in March 2016. He was also far from impressive on the field.He played just 14 games in 2014 and 2015 after Cleveland selected him with a first-round pick and finished with seven touchdown throws and seven interceptions, failing to consistently demonstrate the talent that won him a Heisman Trophy at Texas A&M.Manziel has since played multiple games in the聽Spring League聽and聽said聽he would join the Canadian Football League if he didn't land a spot on an NFL roster heading into the 2018 campaign..
Patriots. However,
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The team announced the agreement with the quarterback Sunday night. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Smith will likely join former Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones in backing up Phillip Rivers.
Smith played four seasons with the New York Jets after going 39th overall in the 2013 draft [url=http://www.seahawksauthorizedshops.com/authentic-will-dissly-jersey]http://www.seahawksauthorizedshops.com/authentic-will-dissly-jersey[/url] , then spent last season with the New York Giants. Smith started one game for the Giants, throwing for 212 yards and a TD in a 24-17 loss against Oakland.
Smith has appeared in 35 games, including 31 starts, and thrown for 6,174 yards with 29 touchdowns. He’s also rushed for 659 yards and seven TDs.
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Willie O’Ree didn’t know he had broken the NHL’s color barrier when he made his debut in 1958. Martin Brodeur couldn’t see the three Stanley Cup titles and jaw-dropping career ahead when he played his first game in goal for the New Jersey Devils in 1992 and, a year later, Gary Bettman didn’t know he would end up growing the league by leaps and bounds over the next 25 years as its commissioner.
All three will go into the Hockey Hall of Fame together as the headliners of a trailblazing class of 2018 that also includes diminutive forward Martin St. Louis, four-time gold-medal-winning Canadian women’s national team star Jayna Hefford and Russian Alexander Yakushev.
O’Ree was the first black player in the NHL [url=http://www.cincinnatibengalsshop.com/cheap-logan-woodside-jersey]Logan Woodside Color Rush Jersey[/url] , Bettman has overseen the league’s expansion into a multibillion-dollar industry and Brodeur piled up the most wins and shutouts of any goaltender in NHL history.
”This is an exciting class to be around because everyone has tried to take their game to the next level,” Bettman said Tuesday. ”I really wasn’t focused on whether this was happening now; I was really focused on whether Willie O’Ree was going to be selected because that to me was a very important act for the Hall to take.”
Bettman has been commissioner since 1993, during which time the NHL has expanded its footprint across North America and increased from 24 to 31 teams. In that time, the league has gone from a $437 million business to one with almost $5 billion in revenue. It’s been an occasionally bruising ride, with three work stoppages, including one that canceled the entire 2004-05 season and led to the salary cap. But Bettman has been nothing if not a strong leader, and all-time great Wayne Gretzky said the efforts to help each club compete have made the game stronger.
”His leadership and love for hockey is very evident,” Gretzky said. ”Hockey has become more entertaining year after year [url=http://www.titansauthorizedshops.com/authentic-harold-landry-jersey]http://www.titansauthorizedshops.com/authentic-harold-landry-jersey[/url] , thanks in part to his passion for the game.”
Brodeur lifted the Stanley Cup three times with the Devils between 1995 and 2003. He leads all goalies with 691 wins and 125 shutouts in 1,266 regular-season games with the Devils and St. Louis Blues, and he won the Vezina Trophy four times. He won 113 playoff games and had a 2.02 postseason goals-against average. Brodeur also scored two regular-season goals and another in the playoffs – more than any other goalie.
The Montreal native was the last real standup goaltender as the position moved almost exclusively to the butterfly technique, and his puck-handling prowess led the NHL to institute the trapezoid behind the net as a way to increase scoring.
”You play your whole career and you don’t expect to get this phone call, but when it does, it definitely does feel pretty good,” said Brodeur, the Blues assistant GM who was sitting alongside Hall of Fame defenseman Larry Robinson at prospect camp in St. Louis when he got the news. ”I want to thank the committee for putting me on so early.”
While Brodeur and St. Louis were first-ballot selections [url=http://www.authenticsmiamidolphins.com/cheap-daniel-kilgore-jersey]Daniel Kilgore Color Rush Jersey[/url] , O’Ree had been waiting decades for this honor since making history at the Montreal Forum on Jan. 18, 1958, with the Boston Bruins. He was 32.
A native of Fredericton, New Brunswick, in Eastern Canada, O’Ree finished with four goals and 10 assists in 45 NHL games during the 1957-58 and 1960-61 seasons despite being 95 percent blind in his right eye. O’Ree was the first black player in the NHL but he will be the third inducted into the Hall of Fame, joining Edmonton Oilers goalie Grant Fuhr and Canadian women’s national team captain Angela James.
”Willie paved the path for the rest of us,” Fuhr said. ”In that way he is a true builder of the game. If you look up the word `builder [url=http://www.ravensauthorizedshops.com/authentic-kenny-young-jersey]http://www.ravensauthorizedshops.com/authentic-kenny-young-jersey[/url] ,’ there should be a picture of Willie. He is the Jackie Robinson of hockey.”
Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs said O’Ree receiving this honor was long overdue, adding ”Willie has been a tremendous figure in our game both on and off the ice for over 60 years.”
Now 82, O’Ree works for the NHL as diversity ambassador, helping with its ”Hockey is for Everyone” initiative. There are now about two dozen black players currently on NHL rosters.
”I knew that there were going to be more black players not only playing pro but eventually getting into the National Hockey League,” O’Ree said. ”Now there’s 31 teams in the league and you can see that the black players and the players of color that are playing there, they’re there because they have the skills and the ability to be in the league.”
St. Louis was a 5-foot-8 winger who put up 1,033 points in 1,134 regular-season games over 17 seasons [url=http://www.giantsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-saquon-barkley-jersey]Authentic Saquon Barkley Jersey[/url] , winning the Cup with Tampa Bay in 2004 and an Olympic gold medal with Canada in 2014.
”When people tried to discourage me along the way, that’s just life,” St. Louis said. ”I definitely used that as a motivation in trying to prove people wrong.”
Hefford won four Olympic gold medals and seven world championships, putting up 30 points in 26 Olympic games. She said the honor was more emotional than some of her medals because she could share it with so many family members, friends and teammates.
Yakushev became known to North American hockey fans during the 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union, with 11 points in eight games. He also won Olympic gold medals in 1972 and 1976.
Hall chairmen Lanny McDonald and John Davidson reached Yakushev in Russia, right after he had come off the ice after playing a game at the age of 71.
”He was not only thrilled (but) .
lay at Oklahoma City on
The Vikings fell one win short of landing on the NFL’s biggest stage, leaving the local mood a bit less festive than the hysteria that would’ve enveloped an unprecedented appearance by the home team in the big game.
The Philadelphia Eagles will be here seeking their first Lombardi Trophy instead, trying to deny the New England Patriots a sixth Super Bowl title that would match the most of all time.
”It’s going to be hard to watch them come play in our stadium next week,” Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph said after the 38-7 loss to the Eagles in the NFC championship game .
This is Minnesota’s second Super Bowl, having hosted it at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome after the 1991-92 season, but it will also likely be its last. The NFL’s sporadic northern stops in the warm-weather-areas rotation are simply fulfillments of promises made to municipalities for pumping public money into new stadiums like the $1.1 billion project that produced U.S. Bank Stadium in 2016. New Jersey had the most recent one four years ago, the only northern Super Bowl played outside to date. Indianapolis hosted two seasons before that. The Detroit area has had two.
After finishing 13-3 in the regular season and winning their divisional round playoff game on a last-play touchdown pass , now known as the Minneapolis Miracle, the Vikings were on track to be the first team to play a Super Bowl on home turf until the Eagles ruined that goal. The Atlanta Falcons are next in line to try next year.
The Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 14 and the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 19 played in their local market, but neither of those games were actually held in their home stadium. The Vikings came by far the closest of any team.
Maureen Bausch, the chief executive officer of Minnesota’s Super Bowl host committee , was a little worried about the vibe while the Vikings were getting blown out last week. She checked the Facebook page for committee’s crew of volunteers in the fourth quarter and started to smile.
”I thought, `Oh my goodness, are we all going to be sad?”’ Bausch said. ”They’re the most amazing group. They were already posting on there, `You guys [url=http://www.jaguarsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-logan-cooke-jersey]http://www.jaguarsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-logan-cooke-jersey[/url] , this is too bad, but when we signed on, we signed on to represent Minnesota, and we are going to give the warmest possible welcome to the world no matter who plays. I was just so moved.”
Yes, despite the disappointment in the air over the home team’s latest deflating loss on the cusp of a Super Bowl, a bitterness in some corners that was exacerbated by stories of Vikings-fan-harassing and full-beer-can-throwing rowdies in Philadelphia at the NFC championship game last weekend, this is still the place where the trite-but-true slogan ”Minnesota Nice” was spawned.
”Once people are starting to let their wounds heal with the loss, in true Minnesota fashion, everybody will be friendly and welcoming,” said Jeff Hahn, the owner of Day Block Brewing Company, a restaurant and brewpub located two blocks from U.S. Bank Stadium . ”We are definitely more laid back than perhaps one of the two teams coming into town, but I think everybody will find that the hospitality here is friendly and nice, and we live in a neat city. I think people will be impressed with how beautiful the city is, even if it’s cold out.”
Threats of signing up to drive for ride-sharing services so they can intentionally drop Eagles fans off in the wrong spots or cancelling Airbnb rentals to travelers from Pennsylvania have most likely been social media users blowing off steam.
The storm that dropped more than a foot of snow on the Twin Cities came the day after the NFC championship game letdown [url=http://www.atlantabravesteamshop.com/authentic-mike-foltynewicz-jersey]Mike Foltynewicz Atlanta Braves Jersey[/url] , giving the locals an immediate opportunity to change the subject. There’s enough time before kickoff and enough pride in the chance to show off on the biggest stage in sports that the public face of this Super Bowl site probably won’t be frowning by the time the Patriots, the Eagles and the rest of the celebrity, corporate and football circles descend on the area.
”Treat everyone like you would want to be treated, right?” said Kerry Rauschendorfer, a Minneapolis resident who’s one of the 10,000 volunteers on official duty during the week of the game.
He’ll be working shifts in the skyway system, tasked with helping visitors navigate the maze of more than 8 miles of enclosed footbridges that span almost every street in the downtown Minneapolis core and allow a person to spend an entire day of employment, entertainment and exercise without stepping outside. The grid includes an entrance into U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Patriots and Eagles will be staying at luxury hotels adjacent to the Mall of America, the country’s largest entertainment and retail complex that sits in Bloomington on the suburban site where the Vikings once played before moving downtown and indoors. That’s another place where visitors can have fun and relax without a parka.
Winter around here , however, doesn’t automatically mean hibernation.
The Super Bowl committee’s theme is ”Bold North ” a reflection of the culture that bundles up and embraces the longest of the four seasons rather than running from it. At the NFL’s Super Bowl Live festivities along Nicollet Mall downtown, there’s a bridge for cross-country skiing, biking and tubing through 85 truckloads of snow. A few blocks away, a zip line is set up to take daredevils across a portion of the frozen Mississippi River. In the other twin The Minnesota Timberwolves picked up another important win to keep pace in this relentless Western Conference race.
Their quest to end the franchise’s 14-year absence from the playoffs still isn’t finished.
Karl-Anthony Towns slammed his way to 24 points and grabbed 18 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who toughed out a 113-94 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night to move one step closer to the postseason.
”We had to play as if we had that kind of desperation in us [url=http://www.cincinnatibengalsshop.com/cheap-billy-price-jersey]Billy Price Color Rush Jersey[/url] ,” said Towns, who had five dunks to help ignite the crowd.
They haven’t always displayed that attitude down the stretch, which is why they weren’t able to clinch that long-sought spot before their 82nd game. They’ll have to beat surging Denver on Wednesday night to get in, because the Nuggets won their sixth straight game to stay tied with the Wolves in eighth place. Denver’s victory over Portland ended about an hour after Minnesota’s, but the players expressed nonchalance about following along as they left the arena.
”I’m not going to check my phone. I’m going to go eat,” Jimmy Butler said wryly, after scoring 15 points in 23 minutes, his second game back from the knee injury.
Jeff Teague added 24 points for the Timberwolves, who trailed by 10 points early before taking over against a depleted Grizzlies team that beat them 101-93 exactly two weeks ago in one of their worst losses of the season.
Teague missed six of his first eight shots, but he helped the Wolves pull away with a four-point play in the early portion of the third quarter. His lob found Andrew Wiggins for a soaring dunk about three minutes later. Gorgui Dieng sank his second 3-pointer of the night soon after for a 75-63 lead. Butler gave the Wolves a 98-83 lead midway through the fourth quarter with a hustle to finish a fast break with a layup.
The Wolves brought energy and crisp ball movement, but they clearly carried some pressure with them during an ugly start filled with turnovers and misfires. They made only four of their first 16 shots from the field, and boos circulated in the arena as Omari Johnson’s jumper put the Grizzles in front 24-14. Butler missed a short bank shot as he was fouled and bricked the first free throw, too, causing him to growl in disgust as he reached the bench early in the second quarter.
The Wolves, though [url=http://www.authenticswashingtonredskins.com/cheap-troy-apke-jersey]Troy Apke Color Rush Jersey[/url] , used a 20-4 run to lighten the mood a little in the arena. Derrick Rose (13 points), Dieng (11 points) and Tyus Jones (eight points) combined to produce a solid output from the second unit.
”We were just playing soft. We tend to do that from time to time,” Butler said. ”Whenever we play hard, a lot of good things happen.”
GIBSON GOES OUT
The Wolves lost power forward Taj Gibson in the first quarter to a neck injury he suffered in the previous game and tried to play through. He left for the locker room without returning to the bench.
”It’s tough when you can’t even turn your neck from right to left when you look around,” Gibson said. ”Just try to get as much treatment as possible.”
STILL SWEATING
Ben McLemore had 18 points for the Grizzlies, who moved one loss closer to a prime lottery pick and fell to 6-34 on the road.
The Grizzlies, whose streak of seven straight postseason appearances was snapped long ago, were sapped by the summer departures of stalwarts Zach Randolph, Tony Allen and Vince Carter. Mike Conley, Tyreke Evans and Chandler Parsons have missed a combined 143 games. Even Marc Gasol, who bested Towns for 20 points and 10 rebounds in the last matchup, sat out to rest. The starting lineup for this game had only one holdover, Dillon Brooks, from the March 26 meeting.
The Grizzlies would match the franchise’s worst record (22-60) since the move to Memphis if they lose their final game.
”It’s disrespectful to say that guys are tanking and trying to lose, because those guys that are on the floor every night have something to prove [url=http://www.authenticsindianapoliscolts.com/cheap-braden-smith-jersey]Braden Smith Color Rush Jersey[/url] ,” interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff said, adding: ”Every single night they’re giving their best effort. So you’ve got to give the guys that are out there on the court more respect than I think people give them credit for.”
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: MarShon Brooks, who averaged nearly 24 points over his first five games with the team since joining last month fresh from the Chinese league, missed 12 of 16 shots against tough defense from Butler and finished with 14 points.
”Just going out there playing hard, making them work for everything,” Brooks said.
Timberwolves: Backup center Cole Aldrich, who has logged just 49 minutes all season, was honored before the game with the Flip Saunders Legacy Award for community service in honor of the team’s late executive and coach. Aldrich had an assist in the final minute.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: Play at Oklahoma City on Wednesday to wrap up the franchise’s 23rd season, the 17th in Memphis.
Timberwolves: Take on Denver on Wednesday, after losing 100-96 on the road last week.
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.
Obviously, he’s been a big par
Shields made 23 interceptions, including the playoffs, from 2010-2015. He also won a Super Bowl with the Packers. But his 2016 season was cut short after one game after he suffered a concussion and he didn’t play at all in 2017.
Shields’ signing Thursday was only the latest defensive move by the Rams. Los Angeles on Wednesday agreed to trade linebacker Alec Ogletree to the New York Giants for two draft picks.
The Rams also agreed last month to acquire cornerback Marcus Peters in a trade with Kansas City, and Los Angeles also used its franchise tag on safety Lamarcus Joyner. Those moves likely mean top cornerback Trumaine Johnson will leave as a free agent.
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The Chicago White Sox snapped an eight-game losing streak with a victory Friday night over the Oakland Athletics.
Now, the White Sox will try to start building momentum in a positive direction.
Chicago (25-50) will go for back-to-back wins when it hosts Oakland (39-37) on Saturday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field. The White Sox and A’s are coming off a doubleheader split and have two games left in the four-game series on Chicago’s South Side.
The matchup will represent a personal milestone for White Sox right-hander Dylan Covey (3-2 [url=http://www.authenticstampabaybuccaneers.com/cheap-carlton-davis-jersey]Carlton Davis Color Rush Jersey[/url] , 2.90 ERA), who will face the A’s for the first time in his career. The A’s drafted him in 2013 in the fourth round, but Chicago selected him in the Rule 5 draft before the start of last season.
Covey endured a turbulent 2017 campaign but has performed much better this time around. The 26-year-old went five straight starts without a defeat before falling short in his most recent outing Monday against the Cleveland Indians. He gave up four earned runs on six hits over six innings in that 6-2 defeat.
This will be Covey’s 20th start in the big leagues. He is 3-9 with a 5.95 ERA in his career.
“On the outside looking in, I would say he’s on a path that leads us to believe he’s turning a corner and getting to where you feel comfortable with all of his approaches, when he’s attacking hitters [url=http://www.cowboysauthorizedshops.com/authentic-mike-white-jersey]http://www.cowboysauthorizedshops.com/authentic-mike-white-jersey[/url] , and that’s going to be able to have this become a sustainable activity for him,” Chicago manager Rick Renteria said to the Chicago Sun-Times. “The stuff is good. It’s always going to be, for all pitchers, trusting the stuff and commanding strikes.”
For Oakland, right-hander Daniel Mengden (6-6 [url=http://www.washingtoncapitalsteamshop.com/authentic-riley-sutter-jersey]Riley Sutter Capitals Jersey[/url] , 4.06 ERA) is set to make his 16th start of the season. The Houston Astros drafted Mengden in the fourth round in 2014, and he was traded to Oakland the next season as part of a package for veteran left-hander Scott Kazmir.
Kazmir has not pitched in the big leagues since 2016, but Mengden appears to have a bright future at age 25. He has struggled recently, however, allowing 16 earned runs in his past 14 1/3 innings for a 10.05 ERA during that span. He has given up eight home runs in that time.
In his only career appearance against the White Sox earlier this season [url=http://www.seattlemarinersteamshop.com/authentic-edwin-diaz-jersey]Edwin Diaz Seattle Mariners Jersey[/url] , Mengden allowed only one run and six hits in eight innings. He walked one and struck out six while picking up the win in Oakland’s 8-1 victory.
A’s outfielder Matt Joyce could remain in the lineup one day after he was activated from the 10-day disabled list with a lumbar strain. He hit .196 with seven home runs and 13 RBIs before the injury, and he went 0-for-2 in his return Friday night.
“Obviously, he’s been a big part of our lineup,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said to mlb.com. “Maybe not the year he envisioned up to this point, but we feel like he’s swung the bat a lot better than his numbers would suggest. He had a couple of hits the last couple of games [url=http://www.49ersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-tarvarius-moore-jersey]http://www.49ersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-tarvarius-moore-jersey[/url] , and he’s healthy again.”
The White Sox are 13-25 at home. The A’s are 19-17 on the road.
.Rockets lead 2-0. Game 3,
Brady answered most of the concerns about whether the hand injury would hinder him with a strong performance in New England’s AFC championship game victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Gronkowski, meanwhile, will likely spend at least part of this week going through the concussion protocol. He suffered the injury on a helmet-to-helmet hit from Jacksonville safety Barry Church.
The game-changing tight end is Brady’s favorite target, and he missed last season’s Super Bowl run after undergoing season-ending back surgery.
There was no update from the Patriots on Gronk’s status Monday, but he was at the facility for team meetings.
”He was in pretty good spirits today when I spoke to him,” special teams captain Matt Slater said.
Recently, New England has fared well when Gronkowski has been sidelined. But that hasn’t always been the case.
The Patriots had plenty of time to adjust to his absence in 2016, when he played just eight games before the surgery. They also had Martellus Bennett to pick up the slack.
Since the start of last season, New England is 12-1 without Gronk. In those games, the Patriots’ points per game actually increased from 28.6 to 28.8, although their yards per play declined from 8.1 to 7.6.
The offense was also better without him on third down and in the red zone. Over the past two seasons it converted on 49.3 percent of its chances on third down and scored touchdowns on 66 percent of its red zone trips without him, compared to 45 percent on third down and scoring touchdowns on 62.6 percent of red zone trips when he played.
From his rookie season in 2010 through 2015, his absence had a much greater impact.
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Before he was injured, Gronkowski passed Dallas Clark to become the NFL’s career leader for postseason yards at the position. And if the concussion were to sideline him for the Super Bowl, there’s not much depth behind him. The only tight ends on New England’s roster are Dwayne Allen and Jacob Hollister.
Allen has 10 receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown this season. Hollister has four catches for 42 yards and was inactive against Jacksonville.
Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said there is always a plan to adapt to injuries.
”You have to make some adjustments. We always go into the game with a certain idea of how we want to try to play it,” he said. ”It certainly doesn’t always play out the way that you wanted it to or that you had hoped to or designed it to, but that happens in every game.
”So, everybody understands that that’s part of the game and when that happens, you just have to embrace whatever role you need to take on to help the team win.”
Brady still has stitches in his right thumb. He hopes to have them removed sometime this week, and he doesn’t expect the injury to be an issue once Super Bowl week arrives.
”And then I can just get out there and get normal treatment like I always do and be ready to go,” Brady said.
”This was a little injury at the end of the day. … I mean, I’ve had a lot worse injuries than this. If this was on my left hand, I could care less, but just based on where it was, we had to deal with it.”
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The first taste of the NBA playoffs for Timberwolves All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns has been rather bitter [url=http://www.authenticsclevelandbrowns.com/cheap-baker-mayfield-jersey]Cheap Baker Mayfield Jersey[/url] , thanks to the 3-point-happy Houston Rockets.
The two-game totals tell a frustrating story for the 22-year-old: just 13 points, 5 for 18 shooting and a 2-0 deficit in the series against the Rockets. Towns has found himself the subject of pointed criticism from analysts, fans and even his own team.
The switch-heavy Rockets have double-teamed Towns to a stifling effect, and the Timberwolves sure haven’t helped their 7-footer out by getting him the ball in favorable situations in the post.
”They’re coming to double. He knows that. He has to face up, be strong with the ball, make quick moves,” point guard Jeff Teague said. ”But we have to figure out how to get him running, get him some easy buckets.”
The team’s struggles have taken a little luster off Minnesota’s first postseason home game in 14 years, but the fans who remember the Timberwolves reaching the Western Conference finals in 2004 will surely be eager to witness the playoffs in person no matter the daunting challenge in this first round.
”This organization, all of our fans, they deserve this moment,” Towns said.
And they want a win.
The Timberwolves host the Rockets on Saturday night in Game 3. Earlier in the day, Miami takes on Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference and New Orleans hosts Portland [url=http://www.seattlemarinersteamshop.com/authentic-denard-span-jersey]Denard Span Seattle Mariners Jersey[/url] , both in Game 4. Later, Utah visits Oklahoma City in Game 3.
Towns tried his best to shrug off the bad vibes and stinging rebukes when speaking with reporters on Friday.
”You dwell too much on the past, you forget that you’ve got to take care of the present,” Towns said.
The chatter on TV and Twitter, he said, has escaped him.
”I live my life very Amish-like,” Towns said. ”Other than video games, I don’t think I have a reason for electronics. It’s a life that I’ve always loved.”
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76ERS AT HEAT
76ers lead 2-1. Game 4, 2:30 p.m. EDT, TNT
NEED TO KNOW: It’s simple: The team that has imposed its will is 3-0 in this series. Philadelphia took the pace where it wanted it in Games 1 and 3. Miami out-toughed the 76ers in Game 2. The Heat have to find a way to keep Philadelphia’s 3-point shooting in check; the 76ers made 18 shots from beyond the arc in Game 3. Joel Embiid is back from a concussion and a broken bone around his eye, and an already-confident Philadelphia bunch seems to have even more swagger now.
KEEP AN EYE ON: 76ers guard Marco Belinelli. The 76ers are 25-6 when he plays and 14-1 when he scores at least 15 points. In this series, he’s 13 for 27 on shots from 20 feet and deeper, and many of those makes have been daggers for Miami.
PRESSURE IS ON: Heat center Hassan Whiteside . Backups Kelly Olynyk and Bam Adebayo have played a combined 145 minutes in this series [url=http://www.authenticskansascitychiefs.com/cheap-armani-watts-jersey]Armani Watts Color Rush Jersey[/url] , while Whiteside has played only 41, with 11 points, nine fouls, seven turnovers and three field goals in the three games. There’s no room for error now for Miami, so either Whiteside will figure it out fast in Game 4 or the Heat will get someone else into his spot.
HISTORY LESSON: This is the fourth time in Dwyane Wade’s career that the Heat have trailed an Eastern Conference opponent 2-1. In the three previous Game 4s in that scenario, Miami has won all three with Wade averaging 26.7 points in those second-round games against Indiana (2004 and 2012) and Toronto (2016).
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TRAIL BLAZERS AT PELICANS
Pelicans lead 3-0. Game 4, 5 p.m. EDT, TNT.
NEED TO KNOW: The sixth-seeded Pelicans are on the cusp of a surprising sweep of the third-seeded Blazers, and their margin of victory has grown in each game. They dominated Game 3, leading by as many as 20 points in the first half and 33 in the second. Veteran guard Rajon Rondo has masterfully run the offense, and the Pelicans have played unselfishly with a different scoring leader in each game: Anthony Davis with 35 in Game 1, Jrue Holiday with 33 in Game 2 and Nikola Mirotic with 30 in Game 3.
KEEP AN EYE ON: Portland’s body language, intensity and aggressiveness. Guard Damian Lillard challenged the Blazers to ramp up those aspects of their game [url=http://www.baltimoreravensteamauthentic.com/lamar-jackson-jersey]Authentic Lamar Jackson Jersey[/url] , stressing that the Pelicans were ”a lot more aggressive than we were and we didn’t dish it back out. I think in the playoffs and in a situation like this, when a team is coming for you like that, you’ve got to maybe go out of your way to do it back, even if that means foul trouble or some altercations happen out there.”
PRESSURE IS ON: Lillard. The Pelicans have sold out to stop the Portland star, who missed nine of 14 shots in Game 3. ”It’s either going to be a tough shot, or I’ve got to give the ball up,” Lillard said. ”I’ve got to trust making the right play, and when it comes time I’ve got to take my chances and I’ve got to take those tough shots.”
INJURY UPDATE: Blazers starting forward Evan Turner missed Game 3 because of a toe injury in Game 2. The team did not update his status on Friday.
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ROCKETS AT TIMBERWOLVES
Rockets lead 2-0. Game 3, 7:30 p.m. EDT, ESPN.
NEED TO KNOW: The Rockets cruised to a 20-point victory in Game 2 despite only 12 points on a staggering 2-for-18 shooting performance by James Harden. After squandering their chance to steal Game 1 on the road in a three-point loss, the Wolves are back home in a big hole against the team with the best record in the NBA. They’ll need a big boost from a home crowd celebrating the team’s return to the postseason to send the series back to Houston for a Game 5.
KEEP AN EYE ON: Ger.
Kyle Korver added 19 points
Kupchak said Friday that Walker is ”revered” in the Charlotte community [url=http://www.newyorkyankeesteamshop.com/authentic-tyler-austin-jersey]Tyler Austin New York Yankees Jersey[/url] , and that he and owner Michael Jordan look at the two-time All-Star as ”the focal point of this franchise going forward.”
The 28-year-old Walker has been the subject of possible NBA trade talks as he prepares to enter the final year of his contract with the Hornets. That speculation has amped up recently because it is a practical impossibility for Charlotte to sign Walker to an extension before he becomes a free agent in July of 2019 since the Hornets are so tight under the salary cap.
”I think everybody is aware of the situation, if you follow basketball a little bit, it is unique that he is on an extension that may make it a challenge going forward to figure out before he becomes a free agent,” Kupchak said.
At $12 million per year [url=http://www.authenticsclevelandbrowns.com/cheap-denzel-ward-jersey]Denzel Ward Color Rush Jersey[/url] , Walker well underpaid when compared to the other top point guards in the league.
But that doesn’t mean Kupchak is giving up hope the team can keep Walker in Charlotte.
”I don’t think it is anybody’s goal to lose him in free agency,” Kupchak said. ”But going forward, in the community, in the franchise [url=http://www.ravensauthorizedshops.com/authentic-anthony-averett-jersey]http://www.ravensauthorizedshops.com/authentic-anthony-averett-jersey[/url] , this is a player that we hope is with us – not only for the next couple of years, but ends his career here.”
The Hornets don’t have much experience behind Walker at point guard.
They have last year’s first-round draft pick Malik Monk and drafted Devonte Graham from Kansas in the second round on Thursday night.
Graham said he is excited to pick Walker’s brain when it comes to basketball.
”I have never met him, but I remember watching him play when he was at UConn though,” Graham said. ”I’m just excited man to learn from someone like that and just be around someone like that who is winner [url=http://www.authenticsseattleseahawks.com/cheap-rashaad-penny-jersey]Rashaad Penny Color Rush Jersey[/url] , and knows how to win and compete. I am looking forward to being able to learn from him.”
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LeBron James hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer, a crowning moment for another brilliant performance, to give Cleveland a 98-95 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night in Game 5, putting the Cavaliers within one victory of advancing in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Moments after blocking Victor Oladipo’s possible go-ahead driving layup [url=http://www.authenticsnewyorkgiants.com/cheap-lorenzo-carter-jersey]Lorenzo Carter Color Rush Jersey[/url] , James caught the inbounds pass, took two dribbles and dropped the winner over Thaddeus Young.
As Cleveland’s sellout crowd exploded, James hugged rookie teammate Cedi Osman before jumping on the scorer’s table to celebrate another of those moments that will define his career.
James finished with 44 points, 10 rebounds [url=http://www.authenticsmiamidolphins.com/cheap-jason-sanders-jersey]Jason Sanders Color Rush Jersey[/url] , eight assists and went 15 of 15 from the line.
Kyle Korver added 19 points and Cleveland’s much-maligned defense tightened just in time as the Cavaliers seized their first lead in the first-round series after being down 1-0 and 2-1.
Cleveland can close out Indiana with a win Friday night in Indianapolis.
Domantas Sabonis scored 22 points, and Young had 16 for the Pacers.
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