is the new Nets coach, and he has his team firing 3-pointers, somethi

NASSAU, Bahamas -- Hideki Matsuyama ended Saturday on his way to another victory.Matsuyama, a winner in three of his past four tournaments, holed out for eagle on the front nine and kept his mistakes to a minimum for a 7-under 65 to build a seven-shot lead in the Hero World Challenge.British Open champion Henrik Stenson (66) and U.S. Open winner Dustin Johnson (72) were the closest players to the Japanese star.Tiger Woods was even farther back -- 11 shots -- though the opening hour was filled with big excitement and raised expectations. Woods opened with three straight birdies, and then holed out a 40-yard bunker shot on the par-3 fifth hole to get within two shots, as Matsuyama was getting started.Matsuyama was at 19-under 197, matching the 54-hole score by Bubba Watson last year at Albany. A year ago, Watson had a two-shot lead. No one is close to Matsuyama, the hottest player in golf over the past two months.I knew somebody was going to go low, but I thought it was going to be probably three, four guys that would post this kind of a score, Woods said. But Hideki is just playing unbelievable golf.Johnson tried to stay with him but had a hard time keeping the ball out of the sandy areas off the tee. Matsuyama was two shots ahead when he laid up on the short seventh hole, which played downwind, and then one-hopped his wedge into the cup for an eagle. Just like that, the lead was up to four. And when Johnson kept making mistakes, ending with a double bogey on the 18th, the margin only got wider.Brandt Snedeker (69) and Matt Kuchar (71) were at 11-under 205.Matsuyama took notice early when he saw Woods made a brief run up the leaderboard.Only Tiger could take a year-and-a-half off and put up the numbers hes putting up this week, Matsuyama said. I dont care how many strokes Im leading over him, I still worry about him, fear him.That was more respect than reality.The winners of golfs two oldest major championships this year dont sound like they have much of a chance from seven back.Anythings possible, but Im going to have to shoot a really special round, Johnson said.Matsuyama won his first World Golf Championships title last month in Shanghai at the HSBC Champions, winning by seven shots over Stenson and Daniel Berger.Thats exactly what he did at HSBC Champions, and it was not much to do at that time. And possibly, that could be the same tomorrow, Stenson said. Nike Odyssey React Wholesale . Luis Suarezs double powered Liverpool to a 4-0 victory over Fulham, and Southampton easily overcame Hull 4-1 to continue the south coast clubs impressive start to the season. Liverpool and Southampton sent Chelsea down to fourth place as the west London club was held to 2-2 at home. Nike Odyssey React Clearance . That left plenty of energy for pitching books and swatting away free agency questions. Anthony had 24 points and nine rebounds, and the Knicks avenged an embarrassing home loss with a rout of their own, beating the Boston Celtics 114-88 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory. http://www.nikereactsale.com/nike-react-element-87-trainer.html .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward James Neal on injured reserve Tuesday. Nike Air More Uptempo Wholesale . Defencemen Drew Doughty, Shea Weber and forward Ryan Getzlaf also scored for the Canadians, who started their gold-medal defence 2-0. Goalie Roberto Luongo, getting the call in place of Game 1 starter Carey Price, was solid when needed in making 23 saves for the shutout. Cheap Nike Air More Uptempo Shoes . Nathan MacKinnon, Jamie McGinn and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who won despite being outshot 38-23. MacKinnons goal, also on the power play, came with just over a minute remaining. BOSTON -- With expectations raised after the signing of free agent Al Horford, the Boston Celtics open the season with a home game against the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday night.Thats the Nets -- the gift that just keeps on giving for the Celtics after the monster trade between the teams in 2013.Part of the reason I came here was because -- and I had a good situation in Atlanta like weve established before -- but when I looked at the guys who were here, I was like: It would be great to play with those guys, Horford said as he and his new team prepped for the opener. We can build out from there.Signing a four-year, $113 million contract that surprised the basketball world and made him the biggest free agent signing ever for the tradition-rich Celtics, Horford left his Atlanta home and also left a Hawks team that eliminated the Celtics in the first round of last years playoffs.But when he looked at Boston, he saw a team that went from 25 to 40 to 48 wins in the three years under coach Brad Stevens. He saw a team with depth. And he saw a team that even had a bright drafting future -- and that is where the Nets come in.Back in 2013, the Celtics sent aging stars Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Brooklyn in a mega-deal that brought Boston all kinds of draft picks from what turned out to be a bad Nets team.The haul got them the No. 3 pick in the most recent draft, and the Celtics used that selection to take athlete Jaylen Brown. After this season, which doesnt figure to see the Nets suddenly spring into the playoff picture, the Celtics have the right to swap picks with Brooklyn. That would put Boston back in the lottery regardless of where the Celtics finish -- and the Celtics also have the Nets top pick in 2018.Asked about the future selections, Celtics offensive leader Isaiah Thomas shruggedd it off, saying, I worry about scoring the ball, getting my teammates involved and winning games.dddddddddddd I dont know nothing about those first-round picks. And I wasnt a first-round pick, so I dont care about first-rounders.Even without what awaits down the line as the building continues, the Celtics, still looking for their first playoff-series win under Stevens, are in the discussion regarding the second-best team in the Eastern Conference. They should at least improve on last years 48 wins.Kenny Atkinson is the new Nets coach, and he has his team firing 3-pointers, something that wont help low-post center Brook Lopez a whole lot. But that is the current plan.I think we can (make the playoffs), swingman Bojan Bogdanovic told the New York Post. They can write what they want. ... But were going to work hard to give it our best. When we get in a game, we have a chance to beat anybody. Its going to be tough, but if we play like we practice, we have a chance.Atkinson was instrumental in bringing Lin-sanity back to New York, where Jeremy Lin became a phenomenon for the Knicks and now runs the show in Brooklyn.The Celtics come into the opener without Kelly Olynyk (recovering from shoulder surgery) and Marcus Smart (sprained ankle). They cut R.J. Hunter and draft pick Ben Bentil, keeping James Young, and they also signed 6-foot-11 Ryan Kelly, who starts the season with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League.Veteran shooting guard Randy Foye will miss the opener for the Nets due to a mild hamstring pull, but Brooklyn comes in with a positive attitude.If youve got a lot of guys working hard every day, its contagious, veteran forward Luis Scola said. ' ' '