LaberFred » both Tests.On the bowling front, Herath lauded seamer

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The biggest addition in the offseason for the Boston Celtics was Al Horford. When they swiped him from the Atlanta Hawks, the Celtics quickly gained the high expectations of competing with the top teams in the East.However, whenever the Celtics take on squads considered to be potential title contenders this season, they came up short in games against the likes of Golden State, Cleveland, San Antonio and Houston.That steak was extended to 0-6 on Friday after a 101-94 loss to the Toronto Raptors.While the Celtics (13-10) refuse to make excuses for the defeats, except pointing fingers at their own play, there are reasons why they havent been at their best against the best. Injuries to key players early in the season played a role.Horford missed games against the Cavaliers and Warriors. Jae Crowder was on the bench in street clothes right next to him. Against the Raptors, guard Isiah Thomas sat out as he nurses a groin pull.Publicly, Boston coach Brad Stevens is trying to convey the positives of having his best players miss games in that it gives role players an opportunity to play big minutes.Its always tough because youre kind of always managing a curveball here or there, Stevens told reporters. But I look at it as a good thing in the long run with regard to more people are getting opportunities. And maybe this expedites Jaylen Browns learning curve, expedites Terry Roziers learning curve. Theyre getting to see things and go through things and do things that maybe they dont get as much when were fully healthy. It is what it is. You prepare with who you have available and you move forward.Thomas has already been ruled out of Bostons game with the Oklahoma City Thunder (14-9) on Sunday night at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. But, while the Thunder may not be considered one of the best teams in the NBA, they have a player who is making a claim to be considered the best in the league in Russell Westbrook.Westbrook has a streak of seven consecutive triples-doubles, which ties him with the modern record of Michael Jordan in the 1988-89 season.However, with his last triple-double coming in a loss, Westbrook had no interest in talking about tying Jordan. His opponents had no problem discussing the feat.You could just make a whole documentary about him, Rockets coach Mike DAntoni said. With his energy level and the way hes playing and what hes doing for this team, its remarkable. When Im not coaching against him, its fun to watch, but it wasnt much fun tonight.The Celtics lay claim to having the longest streak in the NBA of not allowing a triple-double. The last player to earn a triple-double against Boston was John Wall in 2014.Hes an animal. Everybody in this league knows Russ is an animal, Bostons Marcus Smart told ESPN.com. He deserves the respect he gets. He earns it. With a guy like that, you just have to go out and play your best and hope to contain him. You know hes going to get his. You just have to stop those other guys.If Boston is able to slow down Westbrook, the Thunder needs to see more of the Steven Adams that they saw Friday. He set a career high with 24 points, yet didnt play down the stretch because coach Billy Donovan wanted to use Jerami Grant.Adams said a lot of his points were due to the attention given to Westbrook.They always do send two guys. They always try and put two guys on Russ, three guys, whatever, Adams said. The reason I got open was that their weakside wasnt actually pulling across like other teams would do. That allowed me to roll down the lane without being touched at all. I was getting free runs. TreDavious White Jersey . 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The match was similar to Isners quarterfinal victory over fifth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber which went to three sets, all tiebreaks and contained no breaks of serve. Rangana Herath, who led Sri Lanka to a 2-0 sweep of Zimbabwe in his first series as captain, has said that the teams recent run in Test cricket bodes well for the South Africa tour, which starts with the Boxing Day Test in Port Elizabeth. Sri Lankas 257-run victory in Harare in the second Test was their fifth successive win - they swept Australia 3-0 at home prior to this series - to equal their second-longest winning streak in Tests.If you take the Australian series, the 3-0 win gave us a lot of confidence for the Zimbabwe tour, Herath said on Saturday. Now that we have beaten Zimbabwe and won five Tests in a row, I am sure that confidence will help us for the South African tour. I am 100 percent certain about the confidence of our players that they will do well in South Africa.Herath himself led the way in Zimbabwe, taking 19 wickets in two matches at an average of just over 15. During his 8 for 63 in the second Test in Harare, Herath became only the third bowler, after Muttiah Muralitharan and Dale Steyn, to complete a five-for against all nine other Test nations.I would say it was a kind of a high achievement, Herath said. I didnt know that I was the third player to achieve that feat, but I am really happy with that performance because I havent had a five-wicket haul against Zimbabwe, and it was the first time I played against them. I am really happy to join that club with Murali and Steyn.Herath, who stood in as captain in the absence of Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal, said he relished the experience. I enjoyed every single moment of it and I did really enjoy the captaincy. I had played under a lot of captains like Sanath (Jayasuriya), Mahela (Jayawardene), Sanga (Kumar Sangakkara), (Tillakaratne) Dilshan, Hashan (Tillakeratne) and Angelo (Mathews), and gained experience from them. That experience helped me a lot coupled with the little bit I had captaining Moors SC to the Premier league title.Herath acknowledged the contributions of several players, including the returning Upul Tharanga, for making his job easier. Openerr Dimuth Karunaratne hit form with 280 runs in four innings, including a century and two fifties.dddddddddddd Tharanga held the middle order together and brought up his second Test hundred last week, nearly 11 years after his first. Fringe players like batsman Dhananjaya de Silva and seam-bowling allrounder Asela Gunaratne also impressed. It was easier to captain when every single player was performing and contributing a lot to the team, Herath said. I must thank the players and the supporting staff for our success in the series.If you take individually, Kusal Perera, Kaushal Silva, Dhanajaya (de Silva), Asela Gunaratne, Dimuth Karunaratne performed; every single player contributed in every single game. Players like Upul Tharanga, who came to Test cricket after a long time, and Asela, who played his first at the age of 30, I saw some difference in him he played a matured innings in both Tests.On the bowling front, Herath lauded seamer Suranga Lakmal, who found swing with the new ball and reverse-swing with the old one on docile surfaces, and offspinner Dilruwan Perera who complemented him.Of the bowlers, most credit should go to Suranga Lakmal because on those flat tracks, its not easy to bowl, but he bowled his heart out, he said. Even Lahiru Gamage, he gave the kind of confidence to the team and he looks a good prospect for Sri Lanka. Dilruwan (Perera) and myself, every single player contributed in some way, thats why we won the two Tests.Herath, 38, said he has not set any long-term plans, and instead looked to take it series by series. I have gained a lot of confidence in the last two series I played, taking 28 wickets against Australia and 19 against Zimbabwe, he said. I am always planning to take it series by series and try to do my best each time. Its a much easier target than planning for six to twelve months. As long as I am contributing 100 percent, its easier to continue playing for the team. ' ' '