straight but saw their reigns end there.---STAT OF THE WEEKJust like when last se

FLORHAM PARK, N. Glen Rice Jersey .J. -- Less than one week into training camp, the New York Jets have made a significant cut at the quarterback position.Ryan Fitzpatricks big hair is gone.The starting quarterback, who created a stir by reporting to camp last week with overgrown locks in addition to his trademark bushy beard, showed up for practice on Wednesday with a buzz cut.The beard, though, remains.Clearly, Im disappointed in him, said center Nick Mangold, known for his long hair and prodigious beard. He looks like a tennis ball. But, on the other hand, his beard is still intact and Ill take beard over head hair.Fitzpatrick, still wearing his game face after practice, avoided photographers and declined to meet with reporters. Clearly, he didnt want his new hairstyle to become a big story. These arent the Rex Ryan Jets anymore, as coach Todd Bowles prefers a businesslike approach.I really dont have a comment, Bowles said of Fitzpatricks new look. Its hot, so to not have a lot of hair is good.Wide receiver Eric Decker told the New York Daily News that Fitzpatrick shaved his head because he lost a bet, but he wouldnt reveal any specifics.Fitzpatrick hinted of a possible haircut on Tuesday, when he told ESPNs NFL Live, Hopefully, well cut it soon. If anything, its kind of given people something else to talk about other than the contract.Fitzpatricks months-long contract dispute ended on the eve of camp, when he signed a one-year deal for $12 million. He said some teammates laughed at his hair when he walked into the first team meeting.The new do was unveiled on a day in which Fitzpatrick enjoyed his best practice of training camp, throwing touchdown passes to four different players. It was quite a turnaround from Tuesday, when the offense sputtered throughout practice. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall was so frustrated that he punted a football over the bleachers at the end of the practice.A slumping Fitzpatrick made headlines last November when he shaved down his beard and the team promptly started a five-game winning streak. It was the best stretch of his career, and he finished with a team-record 31 touchdown passes.Maybe its a good-luck thing.I rubbed his head for good luck this morning, Mangold said, and we carried on. Wholesale Heat Jerseys .Y. -- Sabres forward Drew Stafford has witnessed plenty of turmoil during his eight seasons in Buffalo. Michael Jordan Jersey . Francis told several hundred members of the European Olympic Committees that when sport "is considered only in economic terms and consequently for victory at every cost . https://www.cheapheatonline.com/817h-tyl...ersey-heat.html . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. MIAMI -- Happy new NBA season.It starts Tuesday night in Cleveland, where the champion Cavaliers will raise a banner and the visiting New York Knicks will see if Derrick Rose can help them start rising back to the upper echelon of the league.Also this week: Dwyane Wade makes his official debut in Chicago after 13 seasons in Miami, life after the retirements of Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan begins, and Golden State takes a team that won a record 73 games last season -- plus led Cleveland 3-1 in the NBA Finals before falling -- and adds Kevin Durant to the mix.So without further ado, to start off our weekly look at the NBA, three AP basketball writers offer up their predictions for the coming season:CHAMPIONJon Krawczynski : Golden State. I wish I had more guts, but there is just too much firepower there.Brian Mahoney : Golden State. Cant make a much better case for anyone else.Tim Reynolds : Cleveland. LeBron James chasedown block in Game 7 is yet another reminder that hes the best player alive.MVPKrawczynski: Chris Paul. Kevin Durant and Steph Curry will split the Warrior vote and LeBron will be all about playoffs, so the door is open for CP3.Mahoney: James Harden. Numbers will be sensational and Rockets will be improved.Reynolds: LeBron James. He averages 25, 7 and 7 and makes it look too easy. Besides, hes still owed a trophy from 2011.EAST RUNNER-UP (SINCE CLEVELAND WILL WIN, RIGHT?)Krawczynski: Boston. Al Horford and coach Brad Stevens are perfect together.Mahoney: Boston. Same as every year: whoever faces LeBron in the conference finals.Reynolds: Toronto. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan will be even better this year.WEST RUNNER-UP (SINCE GOLDEN STATE WILL WIN, RIGHT?)Krawczynski: Los Angeles Clippers. Theyre desperate for another run, enough to push past San Antonio.Mahoney: Clippers. Youth gets them past the Spurs for the right to lose to the Warriors.Reynolds: San Antonio. I thought about the Clippers, Utah and Portland here as well, but the Spurs still command respect.SURPRISE TEAMKrawczynski: Minnesota. Young legs plus coach Tom Thibodeaus intensity will fuel a playoff push.Mahoney: New York. Derrick Rose has to stay healthy sometime. And Olympic years seem to agree with Carmelo Anthony.Reynolds: Utah. Coach Quin Snyder is underrated, the Jazz are sneaky deep and can defend. Custom Miami Heat Jerseys. Good combination.BREAKOUT PLAYERKrawczynski: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota. First Team All-NBA, here he comes.Mahoney: DAngelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers. Bryants final year in L.A. was wrong time, wrong place, wrong coach for the rookie. Now hell flourish.Reynolds: Damian Lillard, Portland. Disclaimer: Hes already broken out, but hes the pick here because people will finally notice this year.---THE WEEK AHEADHeres some of the games to keep an eye on this week:- New York at Cleveland, Tuesday: Ring night for the Cavaliers, the NBAs season opener, next door to Game 1 of the World Series.- San Antonio at Golden State, Tuesday: The Kevin Durant debut for the Warriors, and the only time these clubs will meet until March 11.- Miami at Orlando, Wednesday: The post-Dwyane Wade era starts for Miami, and the Magic will honor Pride nightclub victims and survivors.- Houston at L.A. Lakers, Wednesday: Luke Walton makes his sort-of debut as a head coach, as the Lakers begin anew without Kobe Bryant.- Minnesota at Sacramento, Saturday: A first-week big-man showdown -- the Wolves Karl-Anthony Towns and the Kings DeMarcus Cousins.---NUMBERS WATCH- Dirk Nowitzki enters 509 points shy of being the fifth 30,000-point scorer in NBA history.- If the Celtics win 15 more games than the Lakers, they would take over as the NBAs all-time wins leader. The Lakers have 3,235 wins coming into this season, the Celtics 3,221.- Stephen Curry has a chance to be the fourth back-to-back-to-back MVP in NBA history, joining Bill Russell (1961-63), Wilt Chamberlain (1966-68) and Larry Bird (1984-86). Since Bird pulled off the three-peat, five other players -- Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash and LeBron James (twice in his case) -- have won two straight but saw their reigns end there.---STAT OF THE WEEKJust like when last season ended, the Spurs have the NBAs active career blocked-shot leader. In April, it was Tim Duncan (3,020). Now its Pau Gasol (1,777).---Follow AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ByTimReynolds ' ' '