Oakland a two-game lead over Kansas City

CLEVELAND -- LeBron James took time to reflect as the Cleveland Cavaliers raised their championship banner.Then it was business as usual.James had his 43rd career triple-double, Kyrie Irving scored 29 points and the Cavaliers beat the New York Knicks 117-88 on Tuesday night in the NBA season opener.James scored 19 points and added 11 rebounds and 14 assists in front of a raucous home crowd that was on its feet from the pregame ceremony until late in the game, celebrating the citys first championship in 52 years.It was great to have a moment like that, he said. It was difficult to focus on the game but we did a great job, especially in the second half.James, who got choked up while speaking to the crowd before the game, continued his perfect record on ring nights. He was 2-0 when the Miami Heat players were presented with their championship rings.There were so many emotions, he said. To see us win the finals and tonight being that last exclamation point to receive your ring in front of your fans was a great moment.Irving scored 19 points in the third quarter, when Cleveland used a 20-4 run to take a 74-53 lead. Kevin Love scored 23 for the Cavaliers.Carmelo Anthony led New York with 19 points and Derrick Rose had 17.Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert was taken to the locker room late in the third quarter with concussion-like symptoms after colliding with Kristaps Porzingis. Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue said Shumpert was undergoing tests to determine the extent of the injury.Clevelands players, coaching staff and front office personnel also received their championship rings in the pregame ceremony, and the sellout crowd chanted Lues last name.That was a really good feeling, he said. It was great to be a part of it.The basketball game was only part of a big night in town. The Cleveland Indians played Game 1 of the World Series against the Chicago Cubs across the street at Progressive Field.The Knicks, who missed the playoffs the last three seasons, are expecting major improvement after acquiring Rose from Chicago to run the offense and signing center Joakim Noah, who was scoreless in 21 minutes.We will improve, I guarantee it, Anthony said. There are just so many moving parts right now. We need to get better, but were not running from that fact.New York, playing its first game under new coach Jeff Hornacek, trailed by 13 in the second quarter but rallied to cut the lead to 45-43 at halftime. A pair of dunks by James and 3-pointers from Irving and Love pushed the lead to 61-49.Clevelands spurt continued as Irving hit three 3-pointers for a 74-53 lead.Porzingis scored 16 points for New York.TIP-INSKnicks: Anthony scored 11 of New Yorks 18 first-quarter points. .... PG Brandon Jennings, signed in the offseason, scored seven points in 22 minutes.Cavaliers: F Tristan Thompson was scoreless and had six rebounds in 21 minutes. ... Rookie G Kay Felder is going through concussion protocol after being injured in practice last week.HIGH STAKESJames and Dwyane Wade, a Chicago native, finalized their bet on the World Series between the Indians and Cubs.If the Indians win the World Series, he has to wear an Indians uniform when he comes here and if the Cubs win it, I have wear a Cubs uniform when we play in the United Center, James said.James said he and most of the Cavaliers planned to attend Game 2 on Wednesday night.NOT THIS TIMEThe Knicks spoiled James return to Cleveland on opening night two years ago with a 95-90 win. Anthony was the games high scorer with 25 points. Irving led Cleveland with 22 while James scored 17.MAKING FRIENDS, SORT OFNoah, who has never been a favorite of Quicken Loans Arena fans, had a few kind words for the city Tuesday.Congratulations to Cleveland, he said. Even though its not a vacation spot you guys got a championship. Its well-deserved.UP NEXTKnicks: They host Memphis on Saturday in their home opener in what will mark Roses first game in a New York uniform at Madison Square Garden.Cavaliers: They travel to Toronto on Friday in a rematch of last seasons Eastern Conference finals, which Cleveland won in six games. John Stockton Jazz Jersey . Robredo, ranked No. 16, bounced back from an upset loss to Leonardo Mayer in the second round of the Royal Guard Open in Chile last week to down Carreno Busta in 1 hour, 25 minutes. On a day filled mostly with qualifying matches, fifth-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain also entered the second with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia, while Guido Pella of Argentina defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-4 to advance. Jeff Hornacek Jersey . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. http://www.jazzauthentic.com/kids-rudy-gobert-jazz-jersey/ . Ancelotti says Ronaldo has recovered from a hamstring injury but "but he doesnt feel comfortable yet so we wont risk him." Madrid is third in the Spanish league, six points behind leader Barcelona, going into Saturdays game against Valladolid. Jeff Hornacek Jazz Jersey . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. Rudy Gobert Jersey . - Oakland Raiders running back Rashad Jennings was speaking to a group of local high school students earlier this week when the conversation turned to the importance of being prepared when opportunities in life arise. On Thursday night, the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs will play the most important game of the 2016 NFL season so far.Its rare that a game this early in December has such strong implications for who wins the Super Bowl. On Oct. 16, the Chiefs went to Oakland and beat the Raiders 26-10. Another win on Thursday night would give Kansas City a sweep and a tiebreaker advantage over Oakland. Thats particularly important because the Chiefs have a schedule advantage in the final three games. Both teams go to San Diego, but the Chiefs also get the Titans and Broncos at home, while the Raiders get the Colts at home and the Broncos on the road.On the other hand, a Raiders win would give Oakland a two-game lead over Kansas City. Even with the easier of the two remaining schedules, thats almost insurmountable.So in simulations in which the Raiders win on Thursday, they go on to win the AFC West 88 percent of the time. In simulations in which the Chiefs win, they go on to win the AFC West 68 percent of the time. The division title, which comes with home-field advantage and a likely first-round bye, makes for a dramatic difference in the odds of representing the AFC in Super Bowl LI. Oaklands odds of making the Super Bowl are twice as good with a Thursday win (32.8 percent) compared to a Thursday loss (16.4 percent). Kansas Citys odds are more than twice as good: 22.dddddddddddd.6 percent with a win, 9.3 percent with a loss.Youll find our playoff odds for all 32 teams below. For a full explanation on how we calculate each teams playoff odds, see the bottom of the article.AFC PLAYOFF PREDICTIONSFAVORITES1. Oakland Raiders (10-2)Odds of making playoffs: 99.3 percentPaging Travis Kelce: Oakland ranks third in DVOA against short passes?(up to 15 yards through the air) on the left side of the field and 11th against short passes on the right side, but 28th against short passes in the middle of the field.2. New England Patriots (10-2)Odds of making playoffs: 99.2 percentThe Patriots rise to No. 1 in our ratings this week, but their playoff odds fall slightly behind Oaklands because the Ravens look like a much more dangerous opponent for this Sunday now. More important than playoff odds right now are the odds of getting the No. 1 seed, which will change substantially depending on the results of the Thursday night game. A Chiefs win would give the Patriots a one-game lead over both Kansas City and Oakland. The Patriots get the No. 1 seed in 67 percent of simulations where the Chiefs win Thursday, but only 33 percent of the simulations where the Raiders win Thursday. ' ' '