. Jeff Teague led the Hawks (1-5) with 17 points and

Carmelo Anthony indicated Friday that hed prefer to hear criticism from within the team in private rather than having it stated publicly, as?New York Knicks president Phil Jackson did this week, and that he doesnt want any negativity to envelop the team.I just feel if it was something he wanted to address and had a stance on something, the door has always been open both ways, Anthony told reporters Friday after the Knicks shootaround in Sacramento, California. He always sends me a text or talks to me if it was any type of problem that was going on. I always welcome the conversation with open arms.Anthony also confirmed that his Instagram posts Thursday about ego and relationships and slings and arrows were a reference to Jacksons critique that he holds on to the ball for too long.I think I said my part of it, Anthony said of the Instagram posts. Im a big quote guy. Got a million quotes on my phone. Sometimes they come up at the right time.In an interview with CBS Sports Network that aired Tuesday, Jackson said Anthony can play the role that Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant played in their teams triangle offenses, but he said Anthony sometimes breaks a team rule by holding on to the ball too long.Carmelo a lot of times wants to hold the ball longer than -- we have a rule: If you hold a pass two seconds, you benefit the defense. So he has a little bit of a tendency to hold it for three, four, five seconds, and then everybody comes to a stop, Jackson said. That is one of the things we work with. But hes adjusted to [the triangle], he knows what he can do and hes willing to see its success.Jacksons comments were prompted by a question about whether Anthony can fit in the triangle offense. Jackson made it clear that he believes Anthony can.Its a perfect spot for him to be in that isolated position on the weak side because its an overload offense and theres a weakside man that always has an advantage if the ball is swung.Anthony didnt want to discuss Jacksons comments after Wednesdays game.I was caught off-guard, not really knowing what was going on, Anthony said.But the veteran forward addressed the matter Friday after reading Jacksons comments. He said that he understands criticism will come from fans and media but was surprised that this most recent critique came from within the team.I know it happens -- its New York. It happens, and its something I know, Anthony said.But he said it wasnt something he expected from within the team.Like I said, I didnt talk to him, Anthony said. I really dont know, kind of, where he was coming from with those comments. He wants to talk about it, cool. If he doesnt, cool. In my eyes, its over to me.Anthony added: At the end of the day were playing good basketball. Thats the only thing that matters at this point. So any negativity thats coming towards me or towards the team, I dont think we need it at this point.Anthony said that Jackson has never addressed Anthonys tendency to hold on to the ball too long during their previous chats.Nothing specifically. Conversations are more about basketball and what we see about the team, the film and games in different situations. Nothing specific about me doing one thing or me doing another thing.He said hes been receptive to Jacksons suggestions during previous conversations.I sat there, listened, Anthony said of his chats with Jackson. If it was something good he had talked about, we talked about it. If it was something we could do better, I could do better, we talked about that. Its always been good conversation when we talked. I dont know whats going on. Cheap NBA Jerseys . Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers. Wholesale Jazz Jerseys . It was the second consecutive win for the Pacers (2-5), who lost their first five preseason games. Jeff Teague led the Hawks (1-5) with 17 points and eight assists and Al Horford had 12 points and seven rebounds. Mike Scott scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half. http://www.cheapjazzjerseys.com/ . Hargreaves began his career in 2008 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and has played with the Edmonton Eskimos and last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Cheap Utah Jazz Jerseys .C. -- Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Bobcats got off to a fast start, and the Sacramento Kings were never quite able to catch up. Cheap Jazz Jerseys . - Levi Browns tenure at left tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers is over before it even began. AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Matt Kenseths misfortune gave Joey Logano a chance to race for the championship.In an improbable turn of events, Kenseth came within two laps of a spot in next weeks title-deciding finale but instead was eliminated from NASCARs playoffs. Logano was gifted a victory Sunday that put him in the final four after a tense double-overtime event at Phoenix International Raceway.Kenseth had the win in hand until a late caution sent the race to extra laps. Although he cleared traffic on the restart, his teammate Kyle Busch had contact with Alex Bowman that altered Bowmans racing line.Kenseths spotter told the driver he was clear, but he actually cut down on Bowman and the contact caused him to crash.Logano saw the sequence unfolding, let off the gas early and slid into the lead after the accident. He then held off Busch in the second overtime for the win that qualified him for next weeks championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Before Kenseths accident, Logano was in danger of elimination.Im like, Oh, shoot, were out, and it was going to be so close there at the end to try to get ourselves through, and next thing you know the caution comes out and the whole game changes, Logano said. We find ourselves as the leader, and we win the race. Thats NASCAR racing at its finest.Logano won the race -- the second time in this Chase that he used a victory in an elimination race to advance -- and will compete for his first Sprint Cup title next Sunday. He will try to give Roger Penske a season sweep during the teams 50th anniversary season. Simon Pagenaud won the IndyCar title in September.Ive never felt this good about a win before, Logano said. There was so much on the line, and everyone brings their A-game when it comes to winning championships and this team did it.I feel like I just won the Daytona 500 again.Busch finished second and earned a chance to defend last years title. He will meet Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson, who is seeking a record-tying seventh championship, in Homestead.JGR, which was trying to get all four of its Toyotas into the final, wound up with only two, and Busch wasnt feeling celebratory. He said he believed his contact with Bowman triggered the accident that wrecked Kenseths season.Its really unfortunate and devastating to have the race come down like that, Busch said. Thats so frustrating and aggravating, and I feel horrible.Eliminated from the playofffs Sunday were Kevin Harvick, an eight-time winner at Phoenix who had raced in the last two finales, and his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kurt Busch.dddddddddddd Gibbs drivers Kenseth and Denny Hamlin were also knocked out of the field.Disappointing would be the way to put it lightly, Kenseth said. Finish that race five minutes before that, looked like we had a chance to go race for a championship. It was a big swing in 10 or 15 minutes.Hamlin finished seventh after a bizarre decision not to pit with the rest of the field for track position. Although it gave him a brief lead, he was no match for drivers with fresh tires.I knew it was going to be an uphill climb, Hamlin said.PIT ROAD PENALTIES: NASCAR picked Sunday to enforce a rule against passing the pace car when a driver dips onto pit road for a stop. Martin Truex Jr.?and Johnson were both penalized for the infraction, and the punishment was holding the car for a lap on pit road.Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus were incredulous.I dont understand that in the least little bit, Johnson said on his radio. This is absolutely ridiculous, NASCAR. I have no clue what I did wrong.Johnson said he will ask for clarification this week.In 15 years, that has never been a concern, and I was always told that the last thing NASCAR wanted to do would be to penalize the leader, Johnson said. I am still baffled, and I dont know if I will stop being baffled.BOWMAN OUT FRONT: Bowman badly wants a job for next year, and his continued strong pace as the replacement driver for Dale Earnhardt Jr.?is giving him a solid case to present to prospective employers.Bowman had led just nine laps in his first 79 career Sprint Cup races. Six of those laps were earlier this year driving Earnhardts Chevrolet. A pole-winning run for Sundays race helped Bowman lead a race-high 194 laps, and he was attempting to win the race before the late accident. He faded to sixth and felt bad about his incident with Kenseth.I hate it for Matt. I would have raced the hell out of him for the win but definitely dont want to do that, Bowman said. Hate that, and it ruined our day too. So its unfortunate.UP NEXT: The season finale at Homestead, where the championship will be decided. Harvick won the race in 2014 to win his championship, and Kyle Busch won last year to claim the title. ' ' '