MetalSeadramons Gemach » oalie -- just adds to the adversity. "

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Nearly two months have passed since the San Antonio Spurs collected their championship rings and began their title defence.The NBA season may have opened Oct. 28, but Christmas is the real coming-out party.Footballs popularity leaves little room for other sports in the fall. Its enough to make some believe the unofficial opener should be the real opening day, as it was in 2011 following the lockout.There could be an argument, and a strong argument, to starting our season later and do it on Christmas Day and go into the summer, ABC analyst Jeff Van Gundy said. I think there could be a strong argument to do that and avoid a lot of the NFL and college football season.Football is quiet on Christmas, so the NBA loads up with a five-game schedule, highlighted by LeBron James return to Miami. Thats followed on ABC by San Antonio hosting Oklahoma City.Washington visits New York in the ESPN opener, and because Christmas falls on a Thursday, TNT has its usual night doubleheader and Inside the NBA studio show. Then Chicago hosts the Los Angeles Lakers before Golden State takes on the Los Angeles Clippers.Van Gundy preferred the Christmas schedule when it was just a couple of games. But Mark Jackson, working the Cavaliers-Heat game with Van Gundy and Mike Breen, is all for five.If it was watered down and youre trying to stretch five, thats different, he said. But I think weve got good teams with quality matchups, and if Im a fan I like the idea of basketball being played all day.The challenge of the basketball marathon for Breen is to inform the new audience without insulting fans who have been watching since around Halloween.I dont go in thinking all right, Ive got to broadcast towards these people who havent watched a single NBA game, he said. But at the same time you cant ignore the fact that some people might not be up to speed on certain things.___Here are some things to know about the five Christmas games:WIZARDS AT KNICKS: Jackson coached Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in Golden State, and Washingtons John Wall and Bradley Beal are in that class. They complement one another extremely well, he said. Beals shooting ability, Walls ability to create, to score and to play with great pace. They wont have a problem worrying about their backcourt for a long time.CAVALIERS AT HEAT: The Cavs have had some of the same struggles Miami did in James first season in Florida, mostly because of Clevelands defence. You want to win big in this league, youre going to commit to that end, the defensive end of the floor, Van Gundy said, and some games they have and other games theyve really struggled.THUNDER AT SPURS: Van Gundy coached an eighth-seeded Knicks team to the NBA Finals, and Oklahoma City could be forced to make a similar run after injuries to Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Oklahoma City, no matter where you start them, if theyre in the tournament, they have a chance, Van Gundy said.LAKERS AT BULLS: Kobe Bryant remains must-see TV in his record 16th Christmas appearance. Kobe Bryant is as compelling as an NBA player whos ever played. ... you just never know in any given game when he steps on the floor what hes capable of doing, Breen said.WARRIORS AT CLIPPERS: Their nasty Christmas matchup last year was followed by a seven-game playoff series. I think its two tough teams, two very successful teams, two teams that dont like each other and two teams thats extremely exciting to watch, Jackson said. So obviously its a developing rivalry, but I wouldnt call it a rivalry.___STAT LINE OF THE WEEK: Tim Duncan, Spurs: 48 minutes, then 43 in consecutive triple-overtime games. The 38-year-old forward hadnt logged 40-plus minutes in consecutive games since Dec. 25-27, 2008, according to STATS. Fake Yeezys For Sale . The weekend at Oriole Park has been less kind, with three players suffering varying degrees of injury. The worst ailment of the three, at least optically, is the deep bone bruise suffered by Adam Lind when he fouled a pitch off the top of his right foot in the sixth inning of Saturdays game. Fake Yeezy Boost 350 V3 . Nix is a career .218 hitter in 425 games over six seasons. The 31-year-old right-handed hitter batted .270 with a homer this spring for Tampa Bay. http://www.fakeyeezysforsale.com/fake-yeezy-boost-350-v2/ . -- The Kelowna Rockets earned their 16th straight win with a 7-2 rout of the Portland Winterhawks in Western Hockey League action Thursday. Wholesale Fake Yeezys . The team announced the defensive coordinator will not be offered a contract extension. Fake Yeezys 2019 .ca. Mr. Fraser, I think everyone would like to hear your opinion on what sort of suspension Zac Rinaldo should get. His comment after the game of I changed the whole game, man.TORONTO -- James Reimer thinks about a lot of things. The Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender had a premonition and told his wife hed play in Thursday nights game against the Boston Bruins. And he did, replacing the injured Jonathan Bernier. Before that, Reimer considered the possibility that he had played his final game with the Leafs after being in goal for five straight losses before Berniers return from a groin problem. Now that Bernier is lost for the rest of the regular season -- a minimum of three weeks -- with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee, Reimer doesnt have to think about riding out the rest of his time in Toronto on the bench. His new challenge is trying to rebound from one of the worst stretches in his career lead the Leafs to the playoffs. "Ive had a lot of success in the past and had to carry the load in different scenarios, and Ive been successful in that," Reimer said Friday. "Youre a competitor and you love the challenges, especially maybe sometimes when the odds are against you. You just go out there and play your heart out and kind of hope that its going to be enough." Even with his best efforts, it might not be enough. With four games left, Reimer and the Leafs have 84 points, one back of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who lost to the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night. Columbus has one extra game left, meaning Toronto likely has to win out and hope to get some help, too. The first task at hand comes Saturday night at Air Canada Centre against the Winnipeg Jets. Thats all Reimer, a native of Morweena, Man., is worried about. "The main thing is its not four games in a row," Reimer said. "As a goalie, you cant see it like that. You cant even win 60 minutes. Its about the first five minutes, the first minute, the first shot." Reimer did give up a goal on the first shot he faced Jan. 20 against Tampa Bay, and one within the games first six minutes twice more during a run of five straight regulation losses. The 26-year-old, who allowed 18 goals on 139 shots in that time, was made a scapegoat for the Leafs struggles. That did not sit well with centre Nazem Kadri. "It seems like when the team does not do well, hes the first guy that everyone hops all over, which really that shouldnt be the case," Kadri said Thursday night. "At that point when we were losing, the team in front of him just couldnt bring it together and just couldnt figure things out, and obviously the goalies left out there to dry by himself. We felt bad, and now its about time we have his back and step up to the plate." Itll take more than just Reimer to roll off four more wins, against the Jets in the home finale and then at the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators. But hes undoubtedly at the fforefront now and said hell try to do his part.dddddddddddd. Reimer pointed to Thursday nights 4-3 overtime victory against the Eastern Conference-leading Bruins as evidence of his belief in why the Leafs can do the improbable and make the playoffs. "Maybe sometimes its not the prettiest, but we find ways to win," he said. "We pull together and we lean on each other and thats what it takes. With four games to go, no ones going to ask how we get points, just as long as we get them. I believe fully in this team that weve got what it takes." If Reimer can recapture past form that made him the Leafs starter -- and a good one at that -- hed have a chance to redeem himself and his team for last months losing. Hed also likely make a good case to another NHL team that hes capable of being a No. 1 goaltender somewhere. Saturday, against a Winnipeg team that has had its share of troubles in goal, could be the start of that audition. Reimer cant help but think about the future and what it holds for his career, but thats not at the forefront of his mind. "Honestly right now theres lots of thoughts swirling in your head about a lot of things," he said. "But now its just time to stop the puck. It doesnt really matter what transpires after the season or all that white noise, per se. All Im trying to do is just play my best and get those two points tomorrow and then go on to Florida. I try not to think about all this other stuff." From a team perspective, Berniers injury -- which happened in the third period when defenceman Paul Ranger pushed Bruins centre Patrice Bergeron into the goalie -- just adds to the adversity. "All the time in the NHL youre always provided with challenges through the course of the season, and this is just another one," coach Randy Carlyle said. "Our group has to continue to play to a higher level than we did in the last one. Thats what were going to ask of ourselves." In the process, the Leafs are asking Reimer to be stable and dependable. Beyond that, he doesnt want to put excess pressure on himself with the season on the line. "Obviously its a big game and some people might say its a must-win game and stuff, but when you start putting too much pressure on yourself, you cant perform," Reimer said. "Its a big game and we know whats at stake, but you cant really think about that. Youre just thinking about your own game and what you need to do to be successful." NOTES -- Joffrey Lupul is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, according to Carlyle, who said Thursday night the winger was doubtful to play against Winnipeg. ... Forwards Phil Kessel, James van Riemsdyk and Dave Bolland did not practise Friday because they were given so-called "maintenance" days off. ' ' '