said after New Zealands eight-wicket win at Hagley Oval. At this st

HOUSTON -- The Rockets have labored intently without guard Patrick Beverley over the opening three weeks of the season, but now comes the time where their patience should be validated.Beverley, who underwent left knee surgery during the preseason, is set to return this week. He practiced on Friday and completed a light training session on Sunday. Rockets coach Mike DAntoni declared Beverley out against the Philadelphia 76ers for Monday night at Toyota Center, but chances appear great that Houston (5-4) will get a backcourt boost either Wednesday or Thursday.Cant wait to play, cant wait to get back with my teammates, Beverley said. Ive missed them a lot. Ive missed being on the road a lot, I miss the team camaraderie a lot. I miss playing basketball, I miss competing so Im excited to get back this week.The impact for the Rockets is greater than the 10.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game Beverley provided last season. Beverley is the teams best individual perimeter defender, and his influence on that end of the court has been sorely missed as Houston entered Sunday ranked 27th in defensive rating.Additionally, Beverley provides DAntoni the backcourt depth the Rockets have lacked through nine games. Houston has relied on Corey Brewer and Tyler Ennis to fill the void while also heaping a heavy workload on guard James Harden, who on Sunday ranked third in the NBA with an average of 37.8 minutes per game.Over his last three starts, Harden has averaged 39.9 minutes per game while posting averages of 27 points, 9.7 rebounds and 14.3 assists, including consecutive triple-doubles in a home-and-home set with the Spurs that the Rockets split.I havent completely 100 percent decided on things, DAntoni said. I do know Pats going to play and hes going to play a lot of minutes so that will change everybodys rotation. And I think it will also give James a couple, three minutes more rest. Hes been getting about 39 minutes; thats just too many minutes and we dont want to do that. Pat will be able to alleviate a lot of that.The Sixers (1-8) have been far more hamstrung by injuries, not only opening the season without veteran guard Jerryd Bayless (wrist) and young forwards Nerlens Noel (knee) and Ben Simmons (foot), but also managing the minutes restrictions on centers Jahlil Okafor and Joel Embiid.Okafor enjoyed his most effective performance of the season on Saturday night in a 117-96 loss to the Hawks in Atlanta, posting season highs in points (18), rebounds (six) and assists (two). Okafor played just under three minutes the previous night against the Indiana Pacers in the Sixers first victory of the season, and his showing against the Hawks bodes well as Philadelphia continues to bring him along slowly.The four-minute chunks that weve been giving him, we extended that, Sixers coach Brett Brown said after the loss. I was going to spend my money all to try to get back in this knowing that we may not have him at the end. I felt like the game would leave us otherwise. Cheap MLB Jerseys Authentic . The nimble-footed quarterback got his wish, dashing through the snow and a weary defence all the way into the NCAA record book. MLB Jerseys 2020 . 1, meaning problems for the doping controls at both major international sports events next year. The World Anti-Doping Agency provisionally suspended the Moscow Antidoping Center on Sunday, saying its operations must improve or a six-month ban on the facilitys accreditation will be imposed. https://www.mlbjerseys2020.com/ . The native of Mont-Tremblant, Que., captured a World Cup downhill event Saturday, his second this year and fifth career victory on the circuit. MLB Jerseys From China . "Hes going to have hip surgery on Jan. 7, and hell be expected to rehabilitate for four to six months beyond that," Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said Friday in an interview. MLB Jerseys 2020 Online . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor will see an eye specialist on Monday to determine his fitness for the second Test against Pakistan, after a preliminary eye examination had revealed a growth which coach Mike Hesson believed has affected Taylors batting.The ailment - in Taylors left eye - was cited as one of the reasons he ceded his usual no. 4 position to Henry Nicholls in the second innings of the Christchurch Test. It may also have contributed to a dip in batting and catching form in recent months.Ross is at the moment having a little bit of trouble with his eyes so hes looking after those at the current point and will take all the necessary steps to make them better, captain Kane Williamson said after New Zealands eight-wicket win at Hagley Oval. At this stage we are not 100% sure what it is. Theres a growth thats come across a little bit. Its been fine for long time, and been monitored for long time. It is a gradual thing as opposed to sometthing thats very sudden.ddddddddddddTaylor had a similar eye test about a year ago, before he scored a career-best 290 against Australia. However, Hesson said his vision may have worsened since then. Taylor has averaged 11.44 across his last 10 Test innings, and has not made an international half-century in his last 15 innings, though he did have an outstanding run of scores against Zimbabwe immediately prior to this period.Twelve months ago he had his annual check-up, got some eye drops and scored 290 in next game, Hesson said. In last few months it appears to have deteriorated a little bit. Well get some further info from the specialist. We all need regular check-ups, and about six months ago, Ross had no issues at all. It might have come on a little bit quicker than we would like. Ross was keen to get it seen to. ' ' '