Blacks, but this is still a defining moment for their year. Theres b

CHICAGO -- Dwyane Wade scored 22 points in a triumphant Chicago debut, Jimmy Butler had 24 and the Bulls won their season opener, beating the Boston Celtics 105-99 on Thursday night.Wade nailed a 3 from the corner in the final minute to make it a five-point game. Taj Gibson added 18 points and 10 rebounds, and the new-look Bulls got off to a winning start after missing the playoffs last season for the first time since 2008.Isaiah Thomas led Boston with 25 points. Avery Bradley had 16, and Jae Crowder 14 points, but the Celtics came up short after opening with a win over Brooklyn the previous night.The Bulls remade their roster in the offseason, jettisoning one hometown superstar and welcoming another when they traded Derrick Rose to New York and signed Wade to a two-year deal worth about $47 million in a move that stunned Miami.The three-time NBA champion and 12-time All-Star is off to a good start with the Bulls after 13 seasons with the Heat. Wade hit 4 of 6 3-pointers in this game after making just seven all of last season.HAWKS 114, WIZARDS 99ATLANTA -- Dwight Howard dominated the boards in his Atlanta debut, Paul Millsap scored 28 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. ignited the new-look Hawks in a victory over Washington.Howard grabbed 19 rebounds to go along with 11 points, just what the Hawks expected from their new center, and it certainly wasnt unusual for three-time All-Star Millsap to lead the way in scoring.But Hardaways performance was totally unexpected given the way he struggled in his first season with the Hawks, when he was largely confined to the bench and even forced to spend time in the D-League.He scored 21 points, matching his high in an Atlanta uniform, and broke open a close game with back-to-back 3-pointers in the fourth. The Hawks, who led only 81-80 heading to the final period, outscored the Wizards 33-19 over the final 12 minutes. Cheap Custom Royals Jersey . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. Custom Yordano Ventura Jersey . Here are his mid-season NBA awards. MVP: (KEVIN DURANT-Thunder) - Has been sensational this season and more importantly, the most consistent player in the league. Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level. http://www.customroyalsjersey.com/custom-bo-jackson-jersey-large-147h.html . The move comes after the Canadiens were approached by the Buffalo Sabres for permission to speak to Dudley - a former Sabres player and head coach. "The Sabres called for permission and I appreciate that, Im flattered, Dudley told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. Custom Royals Jersey China . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Yordano Ventura Jersey Large . MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez also will attend the session, which was announced Monday. The league has discussed placing its next two expansion teams in Miami and Atlanta. The All Blacks earned their victory in Dublin and fair play to Ireland, they came out full of confidence and took their game to a whole new level. Irish teams have reached a breaking point in the past, but this current crop never give up.I think the likes of Jamie Heaslip, Sean OBrien, young Josh van der Flier, and even their two props, really took it to the All Blacks.In what was a bruising encounter, the first three minutes were what stood out for me. The intent that the All Blacks came out with was really good to see. They just absolutely looked like they were going to wipe Ireland from the park, and it was good to get that little bit of a buffer. But then Ireland came back at them, and thats the sign of a team who took a blow but never gave up.The All Blacks have now got a foe to look forward to in their next encounter whenever that comes about.The starting game has been an issue for the All Blacks, particularly in Chicago where Ireland jumped out to a healthy lead. In most matches everyone invariably waits for someone to do something brilliant, but I think the All Blacks mindset in Dublin was that no-one was going to wait for anyone else; there were 15 guys going out there and saying, Im going to be the one who makes the difference right from the outset.That attitude comes through reflection, and much of that stems from what happening in Chicago. The All Blacks will have been suffering internally and waiting for that moment when the first whistle went, and from there they just unleashed it and made a statement in the first three minutes.The physicality of both sides was huge. Ireland, to their credit, retained the ball fairly well; they didnt cough it up nor make many mistakes and were able to hang onto the ball for long phases which required the All Blacks to make nearly three times as many tackles as the Irish.Sitting and watching it, I thought it was a fantastic Test match. It truly was a test in the sense of the words Test match. Too many games these days are one-sided, but that certainly wasnt the case on this occasion.At the end of it there were the usual gripes, grizzles and moans, people crying foul which took away from what the game actually was - a great spectacle.It was interesting to compare the Irish reaction with that of the All Blacks in Chicago. Crying foul is wrong. At the end of the day the scoreboard says what the score was. You can whinge and moan all you like.In saying that, the All Blacks discipline is something that does need to be looked at. They need to put their hands up and say, hey, we gave away far too many penalties. Some of those penalties were 100 percent right. They push the boundaries, but when they get under pressure the All Blacks have a mindset that they would much rather give a penalty away than concede a try.As for Sam Canes tackle, well it was certainly physical and maybe he misjudged it slightly. But it wasnt intentional. He had no intent to go and make contact with the head or hit that early -- he basically rolled into him. So it was sort of a difficult one whereas Malakai Fekitoas tackle was clumsy.Again, it was borne out of desperation as the All Blacks were stretched and he had to make that tacklee.dddddddddddd But he went too high. He knew it as soon as hed done it. But again, it wasnt his intention for that to happen. The All Blacks need to look at their discipline though, they need to tidy up that part of their game.I loved what Steve Hansen came out and said, and it was the same from Tony Johnson in commentary, that Beauden Barretts try was a penalty try. Ireland fly-half Jonathon Sexton went right round the neck and didnt want to let go.The TMO was looking at the grounding, and it should have been the same with the tackle. Sexton put his arms right round Barretts neck and that should have been not only a penalty try, but a penalty back at halfway, and possibly a yellow card as well.It was mind-boggling for me that youve got a referee, a TMO and two touch judges more worried about the grounding than the head high tackle. Clearly, Sexton was trying to stop a try being scored just, as Ive explained earlier, the All Blacks were trying to do in their infringements. But it just shows that it is part and parcel of the game of rugby.Barrett was absolutely superb: his pace is outstanding. Hes turning into a superstar. If he keeps going the way hes going, and he is World Rugbys player of the year, hes destined to have one of the all-time great careers. And hes still a young man with plenty of time left in the game.Now theres just France left to face, a banana skin that everyone wants to avoid. The last game of the season is always a tough one for the All Blacks. Theyve had their casualties with Sam Cane and Ben Smith both ruled out; but as we have said many times, it gives others an opportunity.France in Paris is going to be a tough ask and I cant help but think of what Sean Fitzpatrick used to say about the last game of the season being the one you want to win. You dont want to have that niggling feeling of a final defeat when you are lying on a beach somewhere in the offseason.It has been a fantastic year for the All Blacks, but this is still a defining moment for their year. Theres been one hiccup and you wouldnt want another in order to be able to put a line under 2016 and say that was a great year.Thats not to forget that the French have plenty of ammunition themselves after their quarterfinal humiliation in last years Rugby World Cup. Its a mental battle more than anything this weekend. You cant get any fitter, you cant get any stronger and Gilbert Enoka and the coaches have got to get the guys heads in the right places.People who havent been there wont understand, but touring does take it out of you and it is only natural to be looking forward to a holiday when you havent had one for a long time.Selection is going to be interesting in this one. You cant avoid TJ Perenara the way he is playing at the moment. Hes absolutely on top of his game, his form is the best it has ever been and you would expect the selectors to do what their job is and select the best player to wear the black jersey, or its new equivalent for away games, for any given Test match.What more does a guy have to do to get a starting position? ' ' '