d president Tom Thibodeau and GM Scott Layden in their first foray into free agency.

LONDON -- Andy Murray and Kei Nishikori tend to linger when they get together. Their latest matchup set a record.Murray survived the longest three-set match in ATP Finals history when he prevailed against Nishikori 6-7 (9), 6-4, 6-4 on Wednesday.They needed 3 hours, 20 minutes, to separate themselves. The first set alone took 85 minutes.Murray, 2-0 in his group, can clinch a semifinal berth for the first time in four years with a win over U.S. Open champion Stan Wawrinka on Friday.Wawrinka eliminated Marin Cilic from contention 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3) in an almost two-hour-long late match.Losing to No. 5-ranked Nishikori would have hurt Murrays chances of holding off Novak Djokovic to keep the No. 1 ranking.Murray relieved Djokovic of the top ranking last week, and Murray believed it would be a fitting end to the year to play the Serb for the ranking and ATP Finals title on Sunday in the final.For the tournament and stuff, for everyone interested in tennis, that would probably be the perfect way to finish the year, Murray said.For me and, Im sure, for Novak, both of our goals would be to try to win the event. It doesnt change for us as players.Murray admitted he abused himself on court more than usual while trying to figure out how to overcome Nishikori.He could have won in two sets, for sure, Murray said.He moves the ball around extremely well, better than anyone maybe. It was physically tough. I wasnt able to dictate many of the points, it felt. More so in the third set I was able to. But not in the first couple of sets. I was having to run, fight, get as many balls back as I could.I feel OK right now. Its normally the next day when you feel stiff and sore, but theres hopefully three days left in the season, and Ill give my best to get through as many matches as I can.For all of Murrays achievements this year, this was the first time he played a top-five opponent since June, when he lost to Djokovic in the French Open final.Nishikori was one of only three players to beat him in the intervening five months, edging a five-setter in the U.S. Open quarterfinals. They also went five sets and almost five hours in the Davis Cup in March.Nishikori extended their first set on Wednesday when he saved a set point at 6-5 down, but he needed four set points to take the opener on a wide forehand by Murray.Murray immediately broke to start the second. Nishikori tied it at 4-4. But Murray broke straight back, and had to save two set points to force a decider.Murray has played more matches than ever this season and he looked drained, but Nishikoris decision-making was clouded by fatigue, and he lost his serve in the third game.When a double fault made it 4-1 to Murray, the Scot finally had some breathing space and the end in sight.Nishikori showed commendable resolve to retrieve one break, but Murray served out at the second time of asking for his 21st successive win.Murray has a chance to match his best streak of 22, from June to August, when he plays Wawrinka on Friday to end group action.Wawrinka saved one set point in the first set, and dominated the tiebreaker. Cilic broke to open the second, but Wawrinka got him back and served too good in the tiebreaker again for his 11th win in 13 matchups with Cilic. Indians Jerseys China . Once again, DeLaet finished tied for second at a PGA Tour stop on the weekend, this time at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. The pride of Weyburn, Sask. Cheap Indians Jerseys . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. http://www.customindiansjersey.com/custom-eddie-robinson-jersey-large-193b.html . The Vikings announced Thursday that Priefer will be one of seven holdovers from the previous staff, along with offensive line coach Jeff Davidson, wide receivers coach George Stewart and others. Norv Turner will mark his 30th year of coaching in the NFL as the offensive co-ordinator, as widely reported for weeks, and George Edwards will be the defensive co-ordinator. Custom Indians Jersey China . However, he did make them miss him a little less. Cundiff, who had the unenviable job of replacing Dawson last season, agreed Thursday to a one-year, $1. Custom Carlos Baerga Jersey . -- Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan. CHICAGO -- Dwyane Wade does not want to be viewed as a ring chaser.The Chicago Bulls guard made that clear a day after LeBron James acknowledged he tried to get his good friend to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers over the summer.Listen, Im not ring chasing, Wade said with a laugh after Thursdays practice. I told you that. If I was ring chasing, it would be a different conversation. Im lucky, and Im blessed. Obviously, we talked. But it wasnt ... its cool to talk about certain things but 3.5 ... nothing wrong with $3.5 million, but ... nothing wrong with it all.Wade said James never tried to sell him and Chris Bosh on signing with the Cavaliers in the summer of 2010. All three All-Stars ended up signing -- or in Wades case, re-signing -- with the Miami Heat that summer.Absolutely not, Wade said. Financially, I dont think they could even be in the game if it came to that. I know they were trying to get Chris there in a trade at some point. Obviously, we met with a few different teams, but when it came to us figuring out we could play together, Miami put the monkey wrench in the whole thing when they came with the idea that they can get three players. We never thought it was possible. I was shocked when I heard it could happen.But I know LeBrons eyes were here. I know my eyes were here. I know Chris eyes were kind of everywhere because he was in Toronto so he was just happy that people knew who he was. Toronto was a little different than it is today. Obviously, everything happened the way it happened.In the midst of his 20-minute post-practice media session, Wade also discussed how James should be viewed in the context of all-time greats in the league. Wade told ESPN last week that he thought no player would ever surpass Michael Jordans legacy and that the best James could hope for was a tie.Its tough [to compare] because these guys are different players, Wade said. Were not talking the exact same player. Were talking about different players in different times. Even though everyone crossed paths, Kobe crossed paths with Jordan, Bron crossed paths with Kobe, all these guys, were talking about great, great players.My comment was, to me, as an individual person, Michael Jordan is my favorite basketball player of all time. No one is ever going be my favorite like Michael Jordan. And understanding the time that were in today, the time Jordan was in, helps that as well. I didnt know a lot about MJ, all this stuff thats going on about players and everything we get to talk about, I didnt see none of that about Michael. So even to this day, hes still a superhero from that standpoint. Its just a total different time. For me, LeBron James is -- I thought at one point when we came in the leaague, Kobe Bryant was the greatest player in our era.dddddddddddd Thats who we all strived for. Thats who we all looked up to to try to get [to that level].LeBron, when its all said and done, when his career is over, yes, hes arguably a top-three player of all time. And depending on what era you grew up in, you can decide whos one, whos two, whos three. But no one is going have a perfect [order]. All the numbers is not going to match up. Some players dont think Michael Jordan is the greatest. You go back to Bill Russell, you go back to Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar]. [Theres] so many players that can be [in the discussion]. I just felt that, for me, how much higher can you go? LeBron James could win 10 championships. That doesnt make you a better player. Hes as great as it gets, so now [the media] decides the rankings. But for me, Michael Jordan is my No. 1 favorite player of all time.Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg echoed Wades sentiments, saying he would put James on his Mount Rushmore of the games greats.You talk about versatility in basketball players and players that make those around them better, Im not sure theres too many in the game ever that have made their surrounding cast better players, Hoiberg said. You look at what happened a couple years ago, they had so many injuries to key guys and theyre still playing in the Finals. Its a testament to LeBron and what he can do as a basketball player.Hes such a tough cover because of his size, strength, his passing ability, unselfishness, and just his power and athleticism. That block he had in Game 7 at Golden State is one of the best plays Ive ever seen, the way he covered ground like he did. Hes an unbelievable basketball player, great instincts. I think the best thing you can say about him is how much he makes those around him better.As great as James is, Hoiberg knows that if Jordan played in todays game, with todays rules, he would dominate more than ever.The thing Ive always said about Jordan, if he would have played in todays era with the handcheck rule the way it is, he would have shot over 20 free throws every night, Hoiberg said. He was impossible to stay in front of. But when Jordan played, you could hold guys, you could grab them, you could be more physical with them. In my opinion, Michael Jordan is the best ever to put on a uniform. Theres really no debate. I think if you ask most people, [they would] give you that same answer.As far as LeBron is concerned, Id absolutely put him up there, as far as the Mount Rushmore. Again, hes so versatile, hes such a tough cover, he can guard. He does everything. ' ' '