Al Horford might finally be hitting his stride for the Boston Celtics, who open a three-game road trip against the Joel Embiid-less Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night.Horford signed a four-year, $113 million free agent contract with the Celtics in the offseason and on Friday scored a season-high 26 points as Boston held off the Sacramento Kings 97-92.Horford, who spent his first nine seasons with Atlanta, made 10 of 18 shots from the floor (including 4-of-7 from 3-point range). He added eight rebounds and six blocked shots, another season high. It was also one shy of his career high.The biggest of the six came on a 3-point attempt by Sacramento center DeMarcus Cousins in the closing seconds. The Kings trailed just 95-92 at the time, and Cousins attempted to bait Horford into a foul, to no avail. He swatted the shot, recovered the loose ball and hit the two clinching free throws with 4.8 seconds remaining.I know he tried to draw something there, Horford told the Boston Globe, but I just stayed solid and did not let him get a shot off.Horford has appeared in just nine games this season for Boston (11-8). He missed nine others while in the concussion protocol, and also skipped Mondays victory over Miami so he could be with his wife, Amelia Vega, as she gave birth to the couples second child, a daughter named Alia.Horford managed just five shots while scoring nine points in more than 31 minutes of Wednesdays loss to Detroit but asserted himself Friday.He wanted to come out and be aggressive, Celtics forward Jae Crowder told the Globe. We wanted to give him the ball, get him some touches early.Crowder has appeared in 11 games to date, having missed eight with a sprained left ankle.With the lineup in a state of flux most of the season, Bostons guards have excelled. Isaiah Thomas is averaging 25.7 points per game, including 20 on Friday against Sacramento, and Avery Bradley is generating 17.6. He scored 16 against the Kings.Philadelphia (4-15) shot just 37.9 percent from the floor in Fridays 105-88 loss to Orlando, the Sixers fifth straight defeat. They had not played since losing Monday night in Toronto but trailed by as many as 29 points in losing to the Magic, who the night before frittered away a 13-point lead in the last 6:12 while losing in Memphis.Sometimes you read so much into back-to-backs, Philadelphia coach Brett Brown said. You assume people are tired or depressed, because they lost at the buzzer. I give them credit. They came in and played with great energy. I dont know how to explain that.Embiid, the rookie center, piled up 25 points and 10 rebounds for the Sixers. He will not play against the Celtics, however. The team is not using him in back-to-back games, as he is playing his first season after missing two after two foot surgeries.Veteran guard Jerryd Bayless also missed his third straight game with a sore left wrist Friday, and forward Robert Covington left in the fourth quarter with a sprained left knee. The status of both is in question for Saturdays game. Devin Gray Jersey . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt. Winchester, who was not penalized for the hit, appeared to make contact with Kellys head early in the first period of Thursdays game in Boston. Kendall Sheffield Jersey .In my heart and mind Im competing for India, luge competitor Shiva Keshavan told The Associated Press in an email interview. Every day Im flooded with messages from Indians all over the world telling me they are supporting me. http://www.cheapfalconsjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-matt-schaub-jersey .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled forward Kevin Porter and defenceman Chad Ruhwedel from the minors as part of a five-player roster shuffle made by the NHLs worst team. Brett Favre Jersey . Now, correct me if Im wrong but I saw one official distinctly pointing at the net indicating a good goal but after an inconclusive review they overturned the goal. Shouldnt the ruling on the ice (good goal) stand after an inconclusive review? Why was this overturned? James Veaudry Pembroke, ON -- Hey Kerry, Youll get a lot of these, but why was the Montreal goal against Nashville Saturday night overturned? Eller puts the puck on net and the on ice ruling from the ref behind the net is a Montreal goal. Ito Smith Jersey . After Martin Skrtel put the Reds in front from close range at Stamford Bridge after only four minutes, Hazard hit back in the 17th with a superb strike. Etoo gave Jose Mourinhos team a decisive lead from Oscars back pass in the 34th. New South Wales 6 for 328 (Henriques 164*, Patterson 79) beat Cricket Australia XI 6 for 324 (Gibson 97, Bosisto 75, Inglis 54, Cummins 4-70) by four runsScorecard Pat Cummins pace came to the rescue for New South Wales as the Blues squeaked past the Cricket Australia XI in a high-scoring Matador Cup affair at Hurstville Oval.After Moises Henriques blasted his way to an unbeaten 164 from 135 balls, with handy support from Kurtis Patterson, NSW seemed well placed to defend 328 against the youthful CA XI, who have only won one match in the competition over two seasons.However, a sensible stand of 141 between the NSW-based Ryan Gibson and the CA XI captain Will Bosisto put the emergent team in strong position to challenge at 2 for 243 in the 42nd over.ddddddddddddThat was when Cummins intervened in his first match since returning from the latest of a string of injuries dating back to his Test debut for Australia at the Wanderers as far back as 2011. Cummins snared Gibson, Bosisto and Sam Harper in the space of eight balls to tilt the match towards NSW.Even then, the CA XI fought on, and in the end they fell just four runs short of a major upset, making 14 of the 19 runs they needed from Gurinder Sandhus final over.Another NSW produc