INDIANAPOLIS -- Paul George spent much of Friday worried about whether hed be suspended for Game 7 against Atlanta. Not a chance. Less than an hour after wrapping up practice, an NBA spokesman confirmed in an email to The Associated Press that league officials reviewed the tapes from Thursday nights altercation and determined none of the players who stepped onto the court would be punished for the decisive game of this first-round series. It was no surprise to the Pacers. "Were planning for him to be here until were told hes not going to be in there," coach Frank Vogel said shortly before the decision was made public. "I think he stayed in the vicinity of the bench." Players who leave the "vicinity" of the bench during a fracas can be suspended under league rules. Few, including Stu Jackson, the leagues former disciplinarian, expected that to happen with George, who took two slow, short steps onto the court before he was pushed back by assistant coach Popeye Jones. Jackson wrote on Twitter that he didnt expect the league to suspend George, Indianas best player and an All-Star starter. Losing George would have been a major blow to the Pacers comeback hopes. George has topped 20 points in all six games, has double-doubles in five of them and has been the one Pacers defender able to slow down quick, shifty Hawks guard Jeff Teague. And it was George and David West who saved the Pacers season with a late Thursday night in Atlanta, too. All the leagues best regular season home team must do now to reach the second round and avoid the distinction of becoming the sixth No. 1 seed in league history to be eliminated in the first round is protect its home court. Lately, thats been a problem. "My thing is that three of the last four times weve played these guys (in Indy), they built 20-point leads and beat us pretty good," Vogel said. "So I dont think anyone from this team can think were going to be OK just because were back home." The eighth-seeded Hawks understand. They had a chance to wrap up the best-of-seven series at home and rallied from a nine-point deficit in the third quarter to take a five-point lead late in the fourth. Yet they still lost. "Weve responded well all year when weve been in difficult situations," coach Mike Budenholzer said Friday. "Part of our response is going to have to be better execution. I think we have a lot of positive reference points from all year. Our group has been very good and very resilient. I have a lot of confidence in our group." But this is going to be different. The Pacers, who spent all season chasing the Eastern Conferences top seed, expect a raucous crowd for the first Game 7 to be played at home in the franchises NBA history. Plus, they appeared to find a defensive solution to Atlantas spread offence by going small in Game 6. The Hawks, meanwhile, have only a day to adjust to Vogels new rotations and are on their own historic quest. A win Saturday would give Atlanta the distinction of having the fewest regular-season wins (38) of any second-round team since Detroits 36-win team beat Milwaukee in the first round of the 1976 playoffs, according to STATS. "Weve won on that floor before, so we know we can do it," Teague said. "We just have to go out there and do what we do and play our style of basketball, and it will take care of itself." George has plenty of motivation after a stressful week that included ceding home-court advantage for the second time in the series, losing his 2014 All-Star ring in a burglary that took place while he was playing Game 5, two elimination games and speculation that his 24th birthday celebration might be marred by the announcement of a one-game suspension. Theres only one thing that really would help him relax -- getting a second straight win and setting up Boston Celtics Store .Y. - The NFL has fined Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch $20,000 for making an obscene gesture during last Sundays NFC championship game, a person with knowledge of the fine told The Associated Press on Thursday. Dana Barros Jersey . They started shooting the puck. Joe Pavelski had a hat trick to move into a tie for second in the NHL in goals and the Sharks beat Philadelphia 7-3 Thursday night in the first game for both teams following the Olympic break. https://www.cheapceltics.com/592n-kevin-...-celtics.html.C. -- Carter Ashton had a pair of goals and added an assist as the Toronto Marlies downed the Charlotte Checkers 5-2 on Saturday in the American Hockey League. Gordon Hayward Jersey . The No. 23 seed at the first Grand Slam event of the tennis season has worked out all the details, from his training regime right down to where hes going to eat dinner. Boston Celtics Shirts .ca. Hi Kerry, Welcome back! Im sure you heard Peter Forsbergs comments last week regarding Canadian referees in the gold medal game. Seems to me that he was questioning the integrity and impartiality.AKRON, Ohio -- Tiger Woods showed signs of a positive recovery Thursday at the Bridgestone Invitational. Not just from back surgery, but from making bogeys. Woods bounced back with birdies all three times that he made mistakes, opening with a 2-under 68 on a soft, gentle day for scoring at Firestone. It left him four shots behind Marc Leishman of Australia, and hopeful that this time he can build on a solid start. Woods opened with a 69 at the British Open two weeks ago, only to plunge down the leaderboard the rest of the week at Royal Liverpool. "I hit a lot of good shots," Woods said. "I dropped shots at three holes out there today (and) got it right back on the very next hole." For so many players, the opening round of this World Golf Championship felt like either a warmup or an audition for bigger events to follow. Ryan Moore was among three players at 65, a good start for someone looking for one big week to get him on the Ryder Cup team. Two more Ryder Cup hopefuls -- Patrick Reed and Francesco Molinari of Italy -- were among those another shot back. British Open champion Rory McIlroy, who next week will chase his second straight major, was among the leaders until not paying attention to packed sand in a bunker that sent him to a double bogey late in his round. He still wound up with a 69. Leishman has quietly gone about his work in reasonable form, with top 10s recently at Congressional and Royal Liverpool. He had the perfect formula for Firestone, a big golf course where good scores are available by keeping the ball in play. "I drove the ball well. It makes this course a lot easier when youre on the fairway," Leishman said. "Its pretty tough when youre playing from the rough. Then, I hit my irons really well and was rolling the ball awesome. So its a pretty good combination for a tough golf course like this, something I can hopefully keep going." Charl Schwartzel and Justin Rose joined Moore one shot out of the lead. Woods said only a mild breeze and soft conditions from overnight rain allowed for scoring, though he noted that no one went terribly low. The 64 by Leishman seemed like a good score, so maybe Woods was basing that on his own experience at a course where he has won eight times. WWoods twice has shot his career-best 61 at Firestone, including last year on his way to a seven-shot victory.dddddddddddd That he managed six birdies was a sign that he was making putts, even though two of his birdies were tap-ins. He still had a few wild moments, starting with a three-putt bogey from 10 feet on the opening hole. He hooked his drive so badly on the par-5 second hole that he worried it might not clear the lake on the adjacent third hole. It was far enough left to leave him a good angle with a 5-wood that he put on the green for a two-putt birdie. His only big mistake was a shot into the trees on the ninth hole. It took him two shots to get out, and from behind the green he couldnt get up-and-down and made double bogey. Just like two other bogeys in his round, he answered with a birdie with a shot into 6 feet on No. 10. "I feel like I made some progress," Woods said. "As I said, this is only my seventh round back. So its just going to take a little time. Im starting to get in the flow of things. If you look at my iron shots into the holes today, a majority of them were pin-high. So Im starting to get the feel back in my hands and get my trajectory under control." Woods missed three months following back surgery, and the six rounds he has played since returning have not been inspiring, except for that opening round at Hoylake. He needs more rounds like that to remind Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson he would be worth selecting, and to try to extend his season beyond the PGA Championship next week by moving up 90 spots in the FedEx Cup standings to qualify for the playoffs. Phil Mickelsons biggest struggle was with his health. He didnt arrive in Ohio until Wednesday night because of strep throat, and he opened with a 71. McIlroy appeared to pick up where he left off in England. He wasnt expecting a hangover from winning his third major and didnt experience one except for his mistake from the bunker on the eighth hole. "Theres still so much to play for," he said. "No. 1 spot is up for grabs. Trying to get myself as far up the FedEx Cup points as possible. I havent won a World Golf Championship before. Got another major coming up next week. It hasnt been that hard for me to refocus and get back to work." ' ' '