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MIAMI -- If youre healthy or close to it, youre playing. And if youre tired and we need you, youre also playing.Thats what Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas learned on Friday night, when he returned from a groin injury in a win over the Charlotte Hornets.On Sunday, the Celtics (14-12) will visit the Miami Heat (9-18). Boston is in third place in the Eastern Conference but the Celtics also surely know that the Eastern Conference is tightly bunched and that the 11th-place Washington Wizards are only 2 1/2 games out of third place.In other words, this is no time to let up, even if you are trying to work back from an injury that caused you to miss four games, which was the case for Thomas.Isaiah was gassed, Celtics teammate Jae Crowder told the media after Fridays game. He was talking in the locker-room about how gassed he was. But he gives us a better chance to win.Thomas played 35 minutes on Friday, including the entire fourth quarter. But Celtics coach Brad Stevens expressed similar thoughts to those of Crowder.You know, Stevens said half-jokingly, (Thomas) didnt do anything all week.Thomas did plenty on Friday, scoring a game-high 25 points.On Sunday, Thomas will match wits with Heat point guard Goran Dragic. Thomas may all see some of Tyler Johnson, who missed Fridays game due to an illness.Johnson is averaging 13.0 points this season. And while he has started all 25 of his games this season on the bench, he usually ends them on the court -- he leads all NBA players in fourth-quarter minutes.But there is something else Johnson has added to his game this season, and thats his defense. He had a career-high four blocks in the last game he played, on Wednesday against the Indiana Pacers. His previous high in a game was two.Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who is hoping to get Johnson back in time for Sunday nights home game against the Boston Celtics, said hes pleased with his teams defensive effort so far.We emphasize challenging a lot and that doesnt necessarily mean blocking shots, Spoelstra said. Some people have a better feel for it and better physical gifts to do it.Johnson, at 6-foot-4 and with good leaping ability, seems to fall into that category.He is holding offensive players hes guarding to 41.5-percent shooting, which is 2.7-percent lower than their averages. Johnson is sixth on the team in that category. James Johnson is No. 1 on the Heat, holding shooters to 11.8-percent below their averages.In addition, Tyler Johnson is third on the Heat with 17 blocks. Hassan Whiteside is obviously first, and James Johnson is second.Among guards, Tyler entered the weekend ranked third in the NBA in blocks with 17 -- tied with ex-Heat star Dwyane Wade.Dwyane is arguably the best shot-blocking guard of all time, and I think he is, Spoelstra said. J-Rich (Josh Richardson) has that ability. Tyler has that ability. Justise Winslow has that ability.Even Goran has become better at it just by working hard, challenging and taking pride on making it tough.Having those defenders healthy and active is part of the blueprint that Spoestra envisions. It hasnt really happened yet this season due to injuries, but the potential is there.And then theres this: When Tyler Johnson is able to get two blocks per game, the Heat wins. Its a small sample size, but they are 5-1 in those instances.Perhaps Johnson learned something from Wade in the shot-blocking department.Maybe in just seeing someone taking pride on the defensive side of the floor, Spoelstra said. Those guys (Johnson, Richardson and Winslow) have taken it to the next level to finish plays off.And if those opposing perimeter players get past the Heat guards, Whiteside is often waiting for the block.A lot of the times, I know where his guy is going, Whiteside said of the player Tyler Johnson is guarding. A lot of those (blocked) shots, Im just watching (Johnson) get. Custom Boston Bruins Jerseys . Pirlo limped out of Sundays 1-0 win over Udinese after just 13 minutes. Juventus says Pirlo underwent tests on Monday which revealed he has "a second-degree lesion to the collateral medial ligament in his right knee. Custom Dallas Stars Jerseys . A lawyer for MLB, Matthew Menchel, confirmed Wednesday the league dropped its case against Biogenesis of America, its owner Anthony Bosch and several other individuals. The lawsuit had accused Biogenesis and Bosch of conspiring with players to violate their contracts by providing them with banned performance-enhancing substances. https://www.cheapcustomjerseysonline.com/custom-pittsburgh-steelers-jerseys/ . It just didnt show when he hit the ice. Berra made 42 saves and Kris Russell scored at 1:32 of overtime, lifting the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night. Custom Mexico Soccer Jerseys . "We have always prided ourselves on the way we play defence. Having two big pieces back is going to be a key for us moving forward for years to come," said Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen. Custom Liverpool Jerseys . Spiller left Week 3s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets with a thigh injury, but fully practiced with the team all week and expects to be ready to go on Sunday. All season long the Minnesota Lynx and Los Angeles Sparks have been the best two teams in the WNBA.Thanks to the new playoff format, the pair of Western Conference teams will meet in the WNBA Finals. Game 1 is Sunday.A year ago these two powerhouses would have played in the conference finals with the winner being a huge favorite to go on and win the championship. The Western Conference champion has won the leagues title in six of the last seven years.Its going to be a great matchup, Minnesota forward Maya Moore said. I think the Sparks and the Lynx have shown that were the best two teams in the league. There have been some really fun games to play in and to watch during the regular season. I think youre going to see the best of the best at their best for a good series.Minnesota is trying to win its second straight title and fourth in the last six year. The Lynx would be the first repeat champion since Los Angeles did it in 2001 and 2002. A win by the Sparks would be their first title since then and the first for Candace Parker.Yeah, it has hit me. I think Ive learned to appreciate it and absorb the moment and to not take it for granted, Parker said. Thats the biggest thing, just realizing that it is an opportunity and while youre here focused on business, you can still understand that youre here and youve worked really hard to get here.Here are some things to look for in the WNBA Finals:STAR POWER: Each team has a plethora of talent. Los Angeles is led by league MVP Nneka Ogwumike and Parker. Ogwumike had an incredible season, shooting a league-best 66.5 percent from the field, the second highest mark ever. She averaged a career-best 19.7 points and 9.1 rebounds to help.dddddddddddd Parker had another great year and is in the finals for the first time in her career.On the other side, Minnesota has an Olympic quartet of Moore, Lindsay Whalen, Sylvia Fowles and Seimone Augustus. The group helped lead the U.S. to a sixth consecutive gold medal and now has a chance to win another title.Both Parker and Moore have excelled when playing each other in the postseason. In five games, four won by Minnesota, Moore averaged 24 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists. Parker had 25.4 points, 11.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists.GOING FOR FOUR: A championship would give Minnesota four, matching the Lynx with Houston for the most titles all-time in league history. The Comets won the first four championships in league history, but never made it back after 2000. The franchise folded after the 2008 season.TIP-INS: The road team won all three games during the regular season. ... Minnesotas coach Cheryl Reeve won the leagues coach of the year award. Los Angeles coach Brian Agler was the AP coach of the year. ... Sylvia Fowles was the consensus defensive player of the year and Jantel Lavender the sixth woman winner.20 AND COUNTING: The leagues 20th season has been stellar with all the metrics trending in the right direction. Attendance was up nearly 5 percent. So were merchandise sales, digital clicks and social media connection.QUOTABLE: Were kind of meeting our match, if you will, Reeve said. How we get things done is a little different. But both teams can score, both can defend. Its going to be a fight. ' ' '