Talk » looked good in recent fights, including a second-r

MIAMI -- Isaiah Thomas drew blood from Justise Winslow. Other than that, most of Miamis biggest problems were self-inflicted.And the Boston Celtics reaped the benefits.Thomas scored 23 points before getting ejected, Avery Bradley added 20 and the Celtics led by 22 points in the first half before hanging on to beat the Heat 105-95 on Sunday night.I thought we answered their runs well, Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. You knew they were going to come. ... Thats a hard-playing team.Al Horford had 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to help the Celtics beat Miami for the fifth consecutive time.Were playing well, Horford said. It shows we can close out games on the road.Miami turned the ball over 23 times, leading to 24 Boston points. And the Heat went 6 for 14 from the foul line in the fourth quarter, 14 for 25 in the game to further cement themselves as the NBAs worst free-throw-shooting team this season.Every time we had an opportunity, we coughed it up right as the momentum would shift, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. Thats one of our most inefficient games of the year.Goran Dragic led all scorers with 31 points for Miami. Hassan Whiteside finished with 23 points and 17 rebounds, all but one of those rebounds coming in the second half.Thomas was ejected with 3:02 left for elbowing Winslow in the face, bloodying the Heat forward and being assessed with a flagrant-2 after a review.Winslow needed sutures postgame, but said he didnt think Thomas had intent. Neither did Stevens.(Referee) Tony Brothers didnt think it was a flagrant-2 but he has to go with what they say, Thomas said. Im happy we won but Im disappointed that they kicked me out. Theres no reason for that.Winslow missed both resulting free throws -- part of that season-long Miami problem -- but the Heat seemed sparked nonetheless.In just over a minute after Thomas ejection, the Heat had what was a 12-point deficit down to 97-93. Dragic connected on a 3-pointer from the right corner with 2:04 remaining and Tyler Johnson added a free throw not long afterward.But the Heat got no closer.Weve got to figure out a way to get that second-half intensity in the first half, Winslow said.TIP-INSCeltics: Bostons 22-point lead was the biggest deficit the Heat have faced at home this season. Utah led Miami by 21. The Celtics also led by 19 at Miami earlier this season. ... Former Heat guard Gerald Green (sore left hip) was sidelined. ... The Celtics turned Miamis first five turnovers into 12 points.Heat: Dragic was 5 for 6 on 3s. ... Wayne Ellington (hamstring) was out. His absence made Josh Richardson a starter, giving Miami its ninth lineup. ... Dion Waiters (groin) missed his 12th consecutive game. ... Whitesides third block gave him 457 with Miami, passing Joel Anthony for No. 4 in team history.ROAD WARRIORSLater this week, Boston will wrap up a stretch where 18 of its first 29 games came on the road. No team in the NBA has played fewer home games than the Celtics so far; Sacramento has also played 11, and San Antonio played its 12th on Sunday. Its part of it. Youve got to play 41 road games. Were playing a lot of ours early, Stevens said.NOT FREEThe Heat are on pace for the worst free-throw shooting season in franchise history. Sundays 14 for 25 effort dropped Miamis season percentage to .662. The 2004-05 Heat shot .672 for the franchise low mark.UP NEXTCeltics: Visit Memphis on Tuesday, as a three-game trip continues.Heat: Host Orlando on Tuesday, the next-to-last game in a six-game homestand. Gary Payton Jersey . Numbers Game examines the deal that sees Michael Del Zotto and Kevin Klein switch places. The Predators Get: D Michael Del Zotto. Avery Johnson Jersey . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. https://www.cheapthunder.com/ . Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series. Eddie Johnson Jersey .C. -- After a listless first half, the Washington Wizards used a big third quarter run to beat the Charlotte Bobcats Bradley Beal scored 21 points and the Wizards used a 17-0 run in the third quarter to take control of what had been a close game and beat the Bobcats 97-83 on Tuesday night. Dennis Schroder Jersey . R.J. Umberger scored twice to lead the Blue Jackets to a franchise-record for consecutive wins with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Kings. Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya had hoped that a meaningful heavyweight bout between interim titleholder Luis Ortiz and Alexander Ustinov would be the co-feature for the Canelo Alvarez-Liam Smith HBO pay-per-view card on Sept. 17 at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, in Arlington, Texas.When Ortiz withdrew after agreeing because he wanted more money, De La Hoya turned his attention to featuring middleweight world titleholder Billy Joe Saunders in a defense as a way to showcase him for a potential showdown with Alvarez in December, provided they both win.Saunders, however, turned down one opponent after another, including Gabriel Rosado and Willie Monroe Jr., both former world title challengers who suffered knockout losses to Gennady Golovkin in world title bouts and would have been major underdogs.With Saunders also off the card, Golden Boy went back to the drawing board and on Thursday announced that Rosado (23-9, 13 KOs) and Monroe (20-2, 6 KOs), both left hanging by Saunders, would face each other in the scheduled 12-round co-feature of the card (9 p.m. ET).Golden Boy also announced two other 10-round bouts that will round out the pay-per-view telecast, which does not look strong, especially given that Mexicos Alvarez (47-1-1, 33 KOs) is such a prohibitive favorite to topple Smith (23-0-1,13 KOs), of England, and claim his junior middleweight world title:Featherweight prospect and 2012 U.S. Olympian Joseph Diaz Jr. (21-0, 12 KOs), of South El Monte, California, will face Andrew Cancio (17-3-2, 13 KOs), of Blythe, California.Junior featherweight prospect Diego De La Hoya (15-0, 9 KOs) of Mexico, a first cousin of Oscar De La Hoya, will face Puerto Ricos Luis Orlando Del Valle (22-2, 16 KOs).Oscar De La Hoya attempted to shine a positive light on the undercard.This undercard features everything a fight fan could want -- a crossroads fight between two veterans (Rosado-Monroe) battling for a last shot at stardom, a former Olympian on the cusp of a world title and a top prospect making his debut on the biggest scene in boxing, De La Hoya said. With the biggest star in the sport in Canelo headlining the night and this stacked undercard providing support, fans are in for a top-to-bottom treat on Sept. 17.Rosado (23-9, 13 KOs), 30, of Philadelphia, twice fought for middleweight world titles in 2013, getting knocked out both times, by Golovkin in the seventh round and by then-titleholder Peter Quillin because of severe cuts in the 10th round. He has also lost to top opponents such as former titleholder David Lemieux and Jermell Charlo, who went on to win a world title, during a rough stretch in which he went 0-4 with a no-decision. But since linking up with trainer Fernando Vargas, he has won two fights in a row, including a strong performance in a 10-round decision against former welterweight titleholder Joshua Clottey in December.Im excited for the opportunity to perform at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, Rosado said. Fernando Vargas, my trainer, and I are on a winning streak and getting better as we continue to work together. We have all the confidence well be victorious on Sept. 17. Training camp is going great. Despite the change in opponent, we still continue to maintain our focus. Willie Monroe Jr. is a southppaw as well, so the game plan doesnt change much.ddddddddddddHes in my way of me gaining a [possible] world title [opportunity], so Im working harder than ever before to get that chance again.This is going to be a great fight for all the fans. I know I am coming in with everything I got and I know Willie Monroe Jr. will do the same. I would like to thank Golden Boy Promotions, AT&T Stadium, and HBO for having me part of such a big event. I promise all boxing fans this is the fight to watch on Sept. 17.Monroe (20-2, 6 KOs), 29, of Rochester, New York, made a name for himself by winning ESPNs Boxcino middleweight tournament in 2014. He parlayed that into a shot at Golovkin in 2015 but got wiped out in the sixth round. He bounced back to outpoint former junior middleweight title challenger John Thompson, the 2015 Boxcino junior middleweight tournament winner, in June.I am happy to be back in championship contention, Monroe said. Gabriel Rosado is a warrior, and this should make for a great fight. I am looking forward to this opportunity. It is a big venue, but I dont care if I am fighting in front of 200 people or 2 million people. I am always focused, and I plan to put on a great performance on Sept. 17.Diaz, 23, is on the verge of a world title shot and has looked good in recent fights, including a second-round destruction of Victor Proa on July 30.Fighting on HBO Pay-Per-View is a dream come true, Diaz said. As a young fighter you always dream about being on the big stage doing what you love, and I am very excited to be part of such a big event. I am very motivated and ready to take this step and perform for all the fight fans in the arena and all the fights tuning in.Andrew is a tremendous fighter, strong, aggressive; I know he will bring out the best in me. I know he is going to try to take everything away from me, but I am not afraid. I am going out on Sept. 17 in the best shape of my life. I have everything ahead of me and I am ready to defend my [regional] title and give the fight fans a fight they want to see.Cancio, 27, has won two fights in a row, both by knockout, since a 10-round decision loss to featherweight contender Ronny Rios in 2014.Diego De La Hoya, 22, turned pro in 2013 and is moving quickly up the ranks. He is coming off an impressive seventh-round knockout of then-undefeated Rocco Santomauro on May 7 on the Alvarez-Amir Khan undercard.Every fighter dreams to one day get to this level of their career and be featured on pay-per-view, he said. With this fight and this stage, I am ready to announce that I have arrived to the elite of this division. Winning this fight will take me to the next level of my career, I am ready for it. I have what it takes to win, and I am looking forward to impressing all the fans.Del Valle, 29, has won four fights in a row since dropping a lopsided 10-round decision to undefeated Luis Rosa in 2014.Being patient paid off, Del Valle said. This is a great opportunity on one of boxings biggest stages. Now is the time to deliver, to come out with the win at all cost for my family and for Puerto Rico. Rest assured I will not waste this magnificent occasion. I will rise. ' ' '