far behind. He has found a home in smothering longer-dista

Parity has struck the NBA playoffs, where the conference semifinals are all fit to be tied. The four current series are all knotted at one game apiece -- the first time thats happened in the second round of the NBA playoffs since the league went to its current format more than a quarter-century ago. For favourites like Miami, New York, San Antonio and Oklahoma City, home-court advantage has disappeared, and now its the underdogs who can control their own fates simply by taking care of business on their home floors. A wild weekend is ahead, without question. The Heat, Knicks, Spurs and Thunder are four of the leagues top five winningest road teams this season. That probably isnt being received as great news for Chicago, Indiana, Golden State and Memphis, the lower-seeded clubs who will be hosting pivotal Game 3s when NBA playoff action resumes on Friday and Saturday. "Pretty cool. The NBAs loving it," Heat forward LeBron James said. "When it comes to the playoffs, I always continue to say no matter how many games you win or lose in the regular season, once you get to the playoffs everybodys record is 0-0. So I think its great. I think its great for our fans, I think its great for the competition that every series is tied 1-1." After a first round with only two sweeps -- by Miami and San Antonio, the top seeds in the Eastern and Western Conferences -- the tone for the second round was set pretty quickly around the league. Miami lost Game 1 at home to a wounded and weary team from Chicago. San Antonio needed a huge comeback to beat Golden State in Game 1 of their series, then saw the Warriors simply come back and take Game 2. The Knicks lost Game 1 to Indiana before evening up their matchup, and the Thunder are likely feeling lucky that theyre not in an 0-2 hole after Memphis had plenty of chances to take the opening game of their series. "When you get this deep into the playoffs, theyre all good teams, theyre all very good teams more than capable of winning at home or on the road," Golden State coach Mark Jackson said. "So Im not surprised at all. Good coaching, good playing, you make adjustments and win games. Theyve all been great games." Big fourth-quarter comebacks, first by Oklahoma City and then by Memphis, decided the outcomes of the first two games of that series, where the cumulative score right now is Grizzlies 190, Thunder 186. The first two Spurs-Warriors games were pure theatre, with San Antonio winning a double-overtime thriller in Game 1 after rallying from 16 points down late in regulation. Road teams took Game 1s in the East semifinals, with Indiana and Chicago both winning by seven. And the home teams imposed their wills in Game 2 of both matchups, New York using a huge late run to beat the Pacers by 26, and the Heat outscoring the Bulls by an unbelievable 62-20 margin over a 19-minute stretch on the way to evening that matchup with a 115-78 romp. "Anybody can beat you on a given night and playoff basketball is no different," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. "I mean, everybody at this particular time is hungry even more. Nobody wants to go home so it becomes crazy basketball. Everybody is pumped up and ready to play." Then again, if you checked out how these teams fared against each other in the regular season, maybe you could have seen something as uncanny as this coming. There wasnt any real separation between the clubs then, either. The Bulls and Heat split four games against one another, as did the Knicks and Pacers, and Spurs and Warriors. The only exception was Memphis beating Oklahoma City in two of the three games they played this year -- and if they met four times, there would figure to be a chance that it could have been a 2-2 split as well. "Each team is working hard, trying to get wins," said Memphis guard Tony Allen, who was part of Bostons title-winning team in 2008. "They got the trophy on their mind so I believe that each series is probably going to go all the way to the end. You look at the eight teams that are left, all the teams have a shot." The Heat entered the playoffs as the overwhelming favourites to win their second straight title, and they remain that way in the eyes of oddsmakers even though theyll need to win one game in Chicago to reclaim the home-court advantage. Heat coach Erik Spoelstras eyes widened a bit Thursday when told that no second round in the NBA playoffs had ever opened quite this way. "Is that right? First time ever? Really? Wow," Spoelstra said. "Makes for great theatre. I know Im enjoying the other games, probably like other fans are enjoying ours. It shows how much parity there is and how little margin for error with the teams that are left. ... We had always felt there was up to six or seven legitimate, title-contending teams." The way things look, maybe theres eight now. "It looks like its the best eight teams in the NBA right now," James said. "So well see what happens." ------ AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney in New York, and AP Sports Writers Antonio Gonzalez in Oakland, Calif., and Teresa M. Walker in Memphis, Tenn., contributed to this report. Dexter Manley Womens Jersey . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. Russ Grimm Youth Jersey . Tests earlier this week revealed a Grade 2 left hamstring strain for Sabathia, who was hurt in last Fridays start against San Francisco. Its an injury that will require about eight weeks to heal. He finished a disappointing campaign just 14-13 with a career-worst 4. http://www.redskinsfansproshop.com/Redskins+Wes+Martin+Rush+Jersey.html?cat=1373 . It was the kind of score that might make everyone else wonder which course he was playing. Except that Graeme McDowell saw the whole thing. Crouched behind the 10th green at Sheshan International, McDowell looked over at the powerful American and said, "Ive probably seen 18 of the best drives Ive seen all year in the last two days. Bryce Love Redskins Jersey . McCarthy, a player who played some games in the second tier for Wigan at the start of this season, would go on to shine inside Evertons midfield, outplaying the man he was brought in to replace, on one of the grandest stages in English football. On Saturday, it was fitting that Manchester Uniteds most recent dagger into the chest was delivered by Frenchman Yohan Cabaye, a wonderfully gifted central midfielder who put on an outstanding effort for Newcastle at Old Trafford. Alex Smith Womens Jersey . Numbers Game examines the deal that sees Michael Del Zotto and Kevin Klein switch places. The Predators Get: D Michael Del Zotto. Three UFC events in three days! And it starts with UFC Fight Night on Thursday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.The main attraction is a lightweight championship bout between Rafael dos Anjos and Eddie Alvarez. Dos Anjos will be seeking his second title defense. Alvarez is a former Bellator MMA champion with a 2-1 record in the UFC.Lets take a closer look at Thursdays main event. Dont agree with the pick? Let me know on Twitter: @bokamotoESPN.Main eventRafael dos Anjos (25-7) vs. Eddie Alvarez (27-4) UFC lightweight championship Odds: Dos Anjos -330; Alvarez +270When Alvarez has been in a fight, his face tends to show it. When dos Anjos has been in a fight, his opponents face tends to show it.Thats one way to sum up the theme of this 155-pound title fight.Alvarez has a high degree of skill to be in the position hes in, but a major piece of his identity as a fighter is his heart. In short, he tends to get hurt a lot. Dos Anjos, meanwhile, is finally getting recognition for his elite athleticism and, especially lately, has been taking on the reputation of an offensive juggernaut -- one of coach Rafael Cordeiros patent killers.If given the option between Alvarezs heart and RDAs offense -- in a five-round fight -- Im going RDA every time. Which means: If Alvarez is to win a UFC title, he cant afford to take the amount of damage weve grown accustomed to seeing him take.For that reason, I like the fact hes working with boxing coach Mark Henry, a longtime fixture in the camp of Frankie Edgar. Alvarez is small for the lightweight division, but he doesnt always fight like it. He has a similar skill set to Edgars, and if he adds the lateral movement and feints that helped Edgar win the lightweight championship years ago, hell improve his chhances against dos Anjos, an ultra-aggressive opponent.dddddddddddd.Its hard to even recall the old dos Anjos, who went 4-4 in his first eight UFC fights. There was actually a time when labeling dos Anjos something to the effect of a purely jiujitsu, also-ran lightweight would have been more or less agreeable.In 2011, however, dos Anjos moved to the U.S. from Brazil, where Cordeiro began to tap into the then 27-year-olds physical tools. Dos Anjos is now one of the more feared strikers in the game. His left body kick is a game-changer, with the straight left not far behind. He has found a home in smothering longer-distance strikers Donald Cerrone, Anthony Pettis and Nate Diaz. His range awareness is terrific and his power visibly shakes opponents.Dos Anjos is hittable, which is somewhat inevitable given his desire to pressure, and thats really what Alvarez must take advantage of. The Edgar comparison is a simple way to put it and (make of this what you will), Henry literally called out the code instruction of Frankie to Alvarez during his last fight.Alvarez needs to play matador, stay clear of the fence and mix in leg kicks with his combinations to temper down dos Anjos movement and power. In his last two fights, Alvarez took advantage of Gilbert Melendez gassing in Mexico City and somehow managed to stuff a somewhat timid Pettis against the fence in a way we havent seen since Clay Guida wrote that blueprint in 2011. To beat dos Anjos, Alvarez needs to be mobile and always one step ahead in technique.His heart will be a factor, as it always is, but it cant be the factor.Prediction:?Dos Anjos via TKO, second round ' ' '