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BOSTON -- Isaiah Thomas didnt hold his tongue earlier this week in describing what he said was a Celtics team he thought was void of its all-around toughness from years past.He thinks they took steps toward finding it on Friday night.Thomas scored 23 of his 29 points in the first half, and Boston snapped a three-game losing streak with a 115-87 victory over the New York Knicks.We played hard. And when you play hard you give yourself a chance, Thomas said. Weve got to figure out how to continue to do this and then get our swag back a little bit.Kelly Olynyk added 19 points and seven rebounds.The Knicks have still yet to post consecutive victories this season, and played without Carmelo Anthony in the second half after he was ejected after picking up back-to-back technical fouls.Anthony was tossed with 4:44 left in the second quarter by referee Tony Brothers. He received the first technical when he said something to Brothers following a loose ball foul call. Brothers walked away, but Anthony trailed behind and kept talking. He was then hit with the second technical. Anthony finished with 12 points and two rebounds.I was surprised, guard Derrick Rose said. He was still talking quietly. I didnt get it. They have a history, I guess.Brandon Jennings was also ejected late in the fourth quarter after receiving consecutive technical fouls.Without Anthony, the Knicks had a difficult time finding an offensive flow.New York never led in the game, and trailed by as many 30 points in the fourth quarter. The Knicks have now given up 100 or more points in seven of their eight games.The Celtics entered Friday looking for a faster start after struggling to score points in the first quarter during their three-game skid.Brad Stevens made changes to his starting lineup in hopes of injecting some energy, going with Olynyk and Marcus Smart in place of Jaylen Brown and Tyler Zeller.The moves paid off.Coming off an eight-point first quarter in their loss to Washington on Wednesday, Boston scored 31 in the opening 12 minutes. Smart had eight points in the period, and Olynyk added five points and two assists.Stevens liked the progress, but said there is still work to do -- particularly on the glass, where his team was outrebounded 57-53.Im just saying we have to get better, he said. I know you dont re-find something and then its there to stay...we need to defend with the same intensity at all times like we did tonight.TIP-INSKnicks: Were called for a total of six technicals in the game. .. Committed 25 turnovers, leading to 27 Boston points. ... Prior to his ejection, Anthony was New Yorks most efficient player in the first half, shooting 5 of 8 from the field.Celtics: Al Horford (concussion protocol) sat for the fifth straight game. Jae Crowder missed his fourth straight game with a sprained left ankle. ... Boston had 13 assists on 17 made field goals in the first half.TALKING TECHSIn a pool report after the game Brothers said that both technical fouls issued on Anthony were because of bad language. He said the initial common foul that was called on him was because Anthony dove on top of Amir Johnson.You cant dive on top of a player to go after a ball, Brothers said. Thats a foul.He said there is no history between him and Anthony.INJURY UPDATEHorford said he will accompany the Celtics on their two game road trip, and is hopeful that he could see action.He worked out prior to Fridays game said it included most positive signs hes had since entering the concussion protocol on Nov. 1.I feel good, Horford said. Im very encouraged by the progress that weve made. So Im excited. Were working on being back as soon as possible.UP NEXTKnicks: Finish up their short two-game road trip at Toronto on Saturday.Celtics: Head out on the road for two games, playing at Indiana on Saturday and New Orleans on Sunday.---Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/khightower Air Force 1 Just Do It Suomi .Y. -- Jayna Hefford scored the winning goal Friday as Canada survived a scare with a 4-3 win over Sweden at the Four Nations womens hockey tournament. Air Force 1 Off White Suomi . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. http://www.airforce1suomi.com/air-force-1-mid-kengat.html . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. Myydään Nike Air Force 1 . McPhee said that Ovechkins father Mikhail is in stable condition after having the surgery this week and is no longer in intensive care. "Weve told him to stay as long as necessary with your dad," he said. Ovechkin and his Russian national team were eliminated from the mens hockey tournament in Sochi on Wednesday with a 3-1 quarter-final loss to Finland. Nike Air Force 1 07 Ale . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both tournaments. Gerard Gallant was a coach of the year finalist last season after guiding the Florida Panthers to a division title and the best regular season in franchise history.He made it through 22 games this season, before the Panthers decided change was needed.The Panthers fired Gallant on Sunday night, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press. The move was made after the Panthers 3-2 loss at Carolina -- one that dropped Florida to 11-10-1, good for only 10th in the Eastern Conference.General manager Tom Rowe will take over as coach, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the moves. Gallant was under contract through the 2018-19 season, having signed an extension back in January.The postgame routine turned into something most unusual Sunday night.Gallant spoke after the game as always, talking about how five poor second-period minutes out of 60 was the teams undoing against the Hurricanes, a game where Florida wasted an early 2-0 lead. Shortly after that is when he apparently was told of the dismissal, and Gallant then waited for a taxi after his luggage was unloaded from the buses that were to carry the Panthers to the airport.They went one way. He went another, and became the first NHL coach to be fired since this season started.Florida has clearly sstruggled at times this season, though it has also been injury-ravaged.dddddddddddd Jonathan Huberdeau has not played yet this season and isnt expected back for several more weeks, Nick Bjugstad and Jussi Jokinen have missed significant amounts of time and Alex Petrovic is now expected to miss up to two months with an ankle injury.Plus, Jaromir Jagr has just three goals so far this season -- after leading the Panthers in scoring a year ago.Rowe becomes the Panthers 14th coach, and the fifth person to be behind the Florida bench in the last five years. Florida next plays Tuesday night in Chicago, the second game of a six-game trip for the reigning Atlantic Division champions.Rowe was promoted to general manager before the season, and coached the Panthers AHL teams in San Antonio and Portland, Maine in recent years. Rowe started last season in Portland, then was brought to the Panthers as Associate GM under Dale Tallon on Jan. 1.Rowe was then promoted to GM in mid-May.Gallant was 96-65-25 in parts of three seasons with the Panthers. Many team officials were not immediately available for comment, since the team was traveling from Carolina to Chicago.Sportsnet first reported the firing. ' ' '