BOSTON -- A runaway start for the Boston Celtics turned into a tight finish.Al Horford led the Celtics early and late, with 26 points, eight rebounds and six blocked shots to lead Boston to a 97-92 win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night.He just was aggressive. He knocked down his shots. He did what we needed him to do and he carried us tonight, said Isaiah Thomas, who scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half to help the Celtics hold off the Kings.Jae Crowder added 16 points and Avery Bradley had 15 points and nine assists for Boston, which needed a 10-0 run in the fourth quarter to pull away and finish off the Kings.Sacramento continued to scrap until the end. Horford helped seal it with six seconds left when he swatted away 3-point attempt by DeMarcus Cousins, then hit a pair of foul shots for Bostons final points.I know that he tried to draw something there. I just stayed solid and not let him get a shot off, Horford said. Im just trying to be active -- as active as I can be.Sacramento outrebounded Boston 51-44, but hurt itself in the final period with turnovers, missed shots and a technical foul called on Matt Barnes as Boston surged ahead.Cousins led Sacramento with 28 points and nine rebounds. Darren Collison and Rudy Gay scored 13 apiece for the Kings.Cousins is Cousins. Hes going to score, Boston coach Brad Stevens said. Hes to get 28 points or whatever he got, but you cant let those other guys have huge nights too.The Kings were playing for the first time since Monday. Sacramentos six-game road trip was interrupted when Wednesdays game at Philadelphia was postponed because of condensation on the floor.The layoff showed early as the Celtics went up by 13 points in the first period, but the Kings regrouped and rallied to tie it by the end of the quarter.Its almost like we have to get hit first for us to react. Its not good for us, Cousins said. Were in the situation where we have to come in and be aggressive every night. If we dont figure this out, were going to continue to have these kind of games and just another losing season.BIG ALIt was Horfords best game since leaving Atlanta to sign with Boston over the summer. His previous high for scoring with the Celtics was 20 points and he hadnt blocked more for Boston since getting four against Brooklyn in his Celtics debut.Hes all over the place. He covers a lot of ground. He calls out calls. I think hes a competitive guy and thats proved in his winning track record, Stevens said. One thing about Al -- hes always in the stands. His arms are always long. He takes up a lot of space and he reacts quickly to what is going on.SLOW-DOWN OFFENSEThe Kings had their chances to win in Boston for the first time since 2007. They didnt help themselves down the stretch, making just 6 of 23 in the fourth quarter and going without a field goal from Gays layup with 8:33 remaining until Gay hit a 3-pointer with 4:51 left to play pulled Sacramento within 84-81.We got off to a really slow start, Gay said. Theyre a good team but we shot ourselves in the foot today.BIG BENCHSacramento reserves outscored Bostons 33-12. Barnes led the Kings reserves with 12 points and sparking Sacramentos rally in the first quarter after the dreadful start.Their bench crushed us when they came in, Stevens said. I didnt think we responded to attacking them well or defending them well with their energy in that group.TIP-INSKings: The Kings closed the first quarter on a 13-0 run to tie it at 29-all entering the second period. ... ... Sacramento entered the game having lost eight straight visits to Boston.Celtics:Horford scored 12 of Bostons 29 points in the first quarter. ... Thomas led the Celtics in scoring the previous 14 straight games.UP NEXT:Kings: Continue a long road trip Sunday at New York.Celtics: At Philadelphia on Saturday in the first of three straight on the roadBrian Downing Jersey .Y. -- Leading 3-0 with only 11:25 left, the Colorado Avalanche committed a seemingly meaningless penalty to give the New York Islanders a power play. Jake Jewell Angels Jersey . Hazard cut in from the left and scored with a swerving right-footed shot for ninth goal of the season, which proved to be enough for the victory despite Chelseas forwards again lacking a cutting edge up front. https://www.cheapangels.com/2913j-andrelton-simmons-jersey-angels.html . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. Jaime Barria Angels Jersey .S. Open champion Justin Rose birdied the first hole with a blind shot he hit to a foot of the pin, and he stayed in front Tuesday until he completed a 4-under 67 for a two-shot lead over Jason Dufner in PGA Grand Slam of Golf. Jerry Remy Jersey . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East.RIO DE JANEIRO -- The lone Russian track and field athlete at the Olympics has won her appeal to compete at the Rio de Janeiro Games.The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled early Monday that long jumper Darya Klishina is eligible to take part in Tuesdays qualifying because she has been based outside of Russia for the past three years and has been subjected to regular drug testing.Klishina was the only one of 68 Russians cleared to participate in Rio by the IAAF. But the sports governing body tried to ban her from the Olympics last week after receiving what it said was new information from World Anti-Doping Agency investigator Richard McLaren.The IAAF has not disclosed what new information it has.CAS, however, concluded that Klishina complied with the relevant criteria because of her permanent residence outside Russia ... despite the additional information provided by Prof. McLaren.Relevantly, the athlete established that she was subject to fully compliant drug testing in- and out-of-competition outside of Russia for the relevant period.The IAAF on Monday issued a short statement accepting the ruling.We instigated a review process following new evidence presented to us, it said. The outcome we reached to revoke Darya Klishinas exceptional eeligibility was not upheld by CAS despite the information received from McLaren and she is therefore eligible to compete in Rio.ddddddddddddKlishina attended Sundays hearing in person at the courts temporary base at a beachfront hotel in Rio, leaving early to return to the Olympic Village by car.She then trained at a track near the Olympic Stadium on Sunday night while awaiting the courts decision.The long jump final is scheduled for Wednesday.Unlike in previous legal battles over Russian doping, the Russian Sports Ministry and the countrys Olympic committee have taken a back seat in Klishinas case, with her American management company IMG in a leading role.In comments to the R-Sport news agency before the decision was announced, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said the accusations against Klishina were part of a campaign directed against Russian sport, to discredit it. Its beyond the realm of common sense.The rest of the Russian team remains banned from all international competition over allegations of a widespread, state-sponsored doping program. The sanction was upheld for the Olympics by CAS last month. ' ' '
