MIAMI -- Players have an open disdain for back-to-back games in the regular season, even while understanding theres no way around them when trying to wedge 82 games into 170 days.So some teams are spending part of this preseason trying to get ready.NBA teams get to largely dictate their own preseason schedule, and nine clubs opted to have at least one set of back-to-back games on their exhibition slate. Most are going on this weekend, with five teams -- Toronto, Cleveland, Miami, Golden State and Chicago -- playing either the first or second night of a back-to-back on Friday.Its good practice for us, Toronto coach Dwane Casey said. We want to approach it the way were going to approach it a few weeks from now, because theyre coming. And so the way we mentally approach back-to-backs ... weve got to get excited about it. Even though deep down we know its exhibition, weve got to get into a mindset of how do we prepare mentally, how do we prepare physically.Most teams around the league avoided them entirely. And Torontos isnt a true back-to-back, per se -- the Raptors were playing Cleveland on Thursday, then stepping out of the NBA realm to play the Argentinian club San Lorenzo on Friday.The Heat and the Los Angeles Clippers are subjecting themselves to preseason back-to-backs twice. And it could be argued the Heat are playing three of the dreaded sets, when factoring in their open scrimmage on Monday night that was the prequel to Tuesdays preseason game against Brooklyn.I want our guys to feel a lot of different situations, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.Clippers coach Doc Rivers said he didnt mind them since they allow for more practice time, and he structured his schedule accordingly. Outside of his back-to-backs on Oct. 4 and 5 and Oct. 17 and 18, his team plays only twice during the 11-day span in between.I just think eight games is too many for guys, Rivers said. I think this is nice. You play guys minutes, almost all of them. You give some guys a rest in some of them. I think its good.The Heat, who open their first back-to-back in San Antonio on Friday, have two in the span of a week. That closely mirrors something that happens during the course of the regular season. The NBA has made strides in recent years to reduce how many times each club has to endure games on consecutive nights -- or the even-more-dreaded four-games-in-five-days, something thats now a rarity.Last year I hated it in the preseason, said Heat forward Justise Winslow, entering his second season. But now I realize the purpose of it, just so guys can feel it, feel what it feels like mentally and physically.Minnesota plays its preseason back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday. The other two teams with them on their exhibition schedule are Charlotte and New York, clubs that decided put them toward the end of their preseason slate.Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said it provides him with a chance to evaluate some players whose roles might still be unclear -- and that, as one might expect, stars like Carmelo Anthony wont log big minutes like they would in the regular season.I dont really anticipate playing Carmelo 35 minutes one night and 35 minutes the next, Hornacek said. So it might give an opportunity to some of these other guys, especially there are some of these guys trying to make the roster. Give them a little more playing time in those back-to-back situations to see what would happen if they were on your team. So for evaluation purposes its good but playing wise, you try not to kill these guys early.---AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney in New York contributed to this report. Bob Murray Jersey . The defending champion beat Gael Monfils of France 7-6 (6), 6-3, while second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain dispatched Edouard Roger-Vasselin, also of France, 6-3, 6-3. Making his first appearance since injuring his wrist a month ago, Del Potro had difficulty with his service games in the first set. Roy Conacher Jersey . The return match will take place next Wednesday. Udinese leads Fiorentina 2-1 in the other semifinal. Napoli staged a second-half comeback from two goals down after Gervinhos opener and a stunning strike from Kevin Strootman. https://www.cheapblackhawks.com/827b-helge-bostrom-jersey-blackhawks.html . "Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference. Custom Chicago Blackhawks Jerseys . Kozun faked to the forehand and beat Monsters starter, Calvin Pickard, pad side in the second round for the winner. Spencer Abbott also scored in the shootout for the Marlies (25-13-4). Babe Dye Jersey . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. BOSTON -- Mookie Betts hit three home runs and drove in a career-best eight runs and Dustin Pedroia collected five hits to power the Boston Red Sox to a 16-2 rout of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.Rick Porcello became the first Red Sox pitcher in 70 years to open a season 12-0 at Fenway Park, improving his overall record to 16-3 as Boston completed a three-game sweep of Arizona.Betts had two chances to hit a fourth homer, but lined out to right and then grounded out in the eighth inning. The crowd chanted `Lets Go Mookie! before his final at-bat.For Betts, it was the right-fielders second three homer game of the season. He hit three against Baltimore on May 31.Jackie Bradley Jr. chipped in with a two-run homer for the Red Sox, who closed a six-game homestand at 4-2.What was billed as a marquee pitching matchup turned into a rout early when Zack Greinke (11-4) was tagged for three homers and nine runs in 1 2/3 innings.Porcello allowed one run on three hits over seven innings and became the first Boston pitcher since Dave Boo Ferriss to begin a year by winning his first 12 decisions in Fenway.Betts two-run homer in the first cleared the Green Monster and made it 2-0.His second -- a three-run shot into the first row of Monster seats -- keyed a seven-run second. Bradley hit his off the Pesky Pole, and rookie Andrew Benintendi and Pedroia each drove in a rrun during the inning.ddddddddddddBetts third homer was a three-run shot that caromed off a billboard above the Monster in a six-run fifth.Michael Bourn had a solo homer and RBI single for the Diamondbacks. They had won four straight before being swept.It was the second-most runs Greinke has allowed in his career. He gave up 11 in a start for Kansas City, against the Diamondbacks on June 10, 2005.TRAINERS ROOMDiamondbacks: C Welington Castillo is due back Monday from bereavement leave.Red Sox: Bradley was in the lineup after getting Saturday off to rest and nurse a sore big toe.HUGE MILESTONEPedroia had his fifth career five-hit game, most in club history.BIG REQUESTRecently acquired Red Sox C Bryan Holadays preschool-age son walked over to David Ortiz in the clubhouse, looked up and asked: Can you teach me how to hit home runs every time?Big Papi smiled and replied: You want to learn how to hit home runs every time? Well work on that.UP NEXTDiamondbacks: LHP Robbie Ray (5-11, 4.57 ERA) faces RHP Bartolo Colon (10-6, 3.35) Monday in the opener of a three-game series against the Mets.Red Sox: LHP Drew Pomeranz (0-2, 5.26) is set to start when they open their four-city road trip. RHP Josh Tomlin (11-5, 4.18) goes for the Indians. ' ' '