der of that season. ... Defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches left with back spasms and did not return.Raiders offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele was a late scratch wi

BOSTON - Letting Doc Rivers go to the Los Angeles Clippers was the first sign. Getting rid of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett clinched it. The Boston Celtics are rebuilding. The Celtics have agreed to the terms of a deal that would send the two remaining members of the Big Three that won the 2008 NBA title to the Brooklyn Nets for a package of draft picks and players. Garnett is a future Hall of Famer, but its Pierces departure that signals the end of an era for the leagues most-decorated franchise. Garnett and Pierce will go to Brooklyn as soon as the deal can be finalized on July 10. Yahoo Sports, which first reported the talks, said the Nets would also get veteran Jason Terry from Boston and send Gerald Wallace, Kris Joseph, the expiring deal of Kris Humphries and first-round picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018 to the Celtics. Boston is left with Rajon Rondo, Jeff Green and Avery Bradley, along with Jared Sullinger and first-round draft pick Kelly Olynyk, a 7-footer from Gonzaga. "Its sad to see everybody leave Boston. You just want them to go someplace where they have a chance to win, and they have," Rivers said at Clippers draft headquarters late Thursday night. "Its a great trade for Boston, too; not now, later. Danny wanted to rebuild, and thats what hes doing." The longest-tenured member of the Celtics, Pierce is the teams captain, a 10-time All-Star and a likely Hall of Famer. He is the second-leading scorer in the history of the NBAs most-decorated franchise, and also is in the teams top seven in rebounds, assists, steals, games and minutes played. Garnett is also a future Hall of Famer, though only the last six years of his career were in Boston. Its Pierce, who slipped to 10th in the 1998 draft and has been a Celtic ever since, who had a chance to spend his entire career with the franchise and add his name to a list that includes Hall of Famers Larry Bird, Bill Russell and John Havlicek. (But not Bob Cousy, Robert Parish or even Red Auerbach.) "(Its) sort of sad. You hate to see it," said Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, who was an assistant on the Celtics 2008 championship team. "But thats the NBA. Its constant change, and you have to be ready to adapt. I think what Paul Pierce did for that franchise and Kevin — I thinks its good for them. They have an opportunity to continue on. "Good for the Celtics, where they can start their rebuilding." Pierce was drafted in the Rick Pitino era when the Celtics, already in the midst of the longest championship drought in franchise history, were a year removed from the second-worst record in the NBA (a mark that was not good enough to land them the top prize in the draft, Tim Duncan). He helped the team reach the Eastern Conference finals in 2002. But, convinced that they were not likely to go farther, Ainge was brought in the next year to tear things apart again. Boston plummeted back into the NBA lottery and again bad luck prevented them from landing a franchise player like Kevin Durant. Instead, Ainge swung deals for Garnett and Allen that earned the Celtics their NBA-record 17th championship in the very first year. But Garnett was injured the next year, and Kendrick Perkins went down in Game 6 of the finals in 2010, when the Celtics lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. Then came two eliminations by Miami and, after five straight division titles, a third-place finish and first-round loss to the New York Knicks. Ainge was convinced that the time had come to start over. Rivers exit was negotiated with the Clippers, landing Boston a first-round draft choice in 2015 and freeing the Celtics from the $21 million remaining on his contract. Tim Hardaway, a scout for the Miami Heat, said: "We dont have to worry about Boston no more." Not next year, at least. But the Celtics will have two first-round picks in four of the next five drafts, including the loaded one expected for next year. "The Celtics wanted draft picks and they wanted to drop contracts. I was one of those contracts," Rivers said from California on Friday in an interview with CBS radio in Boston. "Its a hard thing to do, but I think its the right thing to do." ___ Follow Jimmy Golen on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/jgolen Cheap Old Skool Free Shipping . Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Monday night. Discount Old Skool . Giroud, who wasnt in the starting lineup for two matches after allegations about his private life and a decline in form, scored twice in the first half. Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half. http://www.cheapoldskoolchina.com/ . -- Catcher Brett Hayes has agreed to a $630,000, one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals, avoiding salary arbitration. Wholesale Old Skool . In what the team had called a retirement, Ryan said Thursday that he is resigning as chief executive of the Rangers in a move effective at the end of this month. Cheap Old Skool China .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Tyreek Hill didnt know what to do when he started hearing thousands of people in Arrowhead Stadium chanting his name, even as he stood all alone on the frozen turf waiting for the punt.Just give them what they want, I guess, Hill thought to himself.So he did, the rookie speedster taking the punt back 78-yards for a game-changing touchdown. It followed shortly after he had hauled in a 36-yard touchdown grab, spurring Kansas City to a 21-13 victory over the Oakland Raiders on a frosty Thursday night and into control of the AFC West.It gave me chills on the sideline, said Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith, who had 261 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception. The whole stadium is chanting his name and he answers -- that was one of the coolest things Ive seen, for sure.The Chiefs (10-3) and Raiders (10-3), longtime and bitter rivals, are now tied atop the division, but Kansas City has the tiebreaker by virtue of two head-to-head wins this season.This was as big as it gets for a regular-season game, Smith said. We dont get caught up in all the must-win stuff, thats not how we operate, but we knew the stakes for sure.Charcandrick West added a touchdown run and Travis Kelce had five catches for 101 yards as the Chiefs returned from a back-to-back road wins to beat Oakland for the seventh time in eight meetings.It came at a big cost, though: The Chiefs lost Derrick Johnson for the rest of the season after the star linebacker ruptured his left Achilles just before halftime.I felt a little bit of a letdown when it happened, Chiefs coach Andy Reid acknowledged, but the last thing D.J. would have wanted was a letdown.Derek Carr was just 17 of 41 for 117 yards passing for Oakland, but the ugly line wasnt entirely his fault. Seth Roberts dropped just about everything thrown at him, Amari Cooper couldnt adjust to a long throw for a would-be touchdown early in the fourth quarter, and several more passes were dropped to the rock-hard turf of Arrowhead Stadium on a night when wind chills approached single digits.Latavius Murry led the Raiders with 103 yards rushing and a touchdown.I liked our effort, just didnt like the execution, said Jack Del Rio, who remained winless in four tries against Kansas City as the Raiders coach. In all three phases we came up a little short.That includes the way they defended Hill, one of the games bright young stars.He scorched the Raiders for a 36-yard TD reception before bringing his punt back, in the process becoming the first rookie since Gale Sayers in 1965 with touchdowns on the ground, through the air and on punt and kickoff returns in a single season.I didnt knoow that, he said.ddddddddddddI mean, thats great, but Im not the only one on that field doing it. Without those guys blocking for me, and Alex throwing me the rock, none of that stuff would happen.It was still 21-3 when Johnson went down, and his injury seemed to briefly deflate the Kansas City defense. Oakland proceeded to march 92 yards for its lone touchdown just before halftime.But the Raiders kept coming up empty with their chances in the second half.Smith threw a pick on the second play of the third quarter, but Oakland had to settle for a field goal. And when Smith was strip-sacked by Khalil Mack on the next play, the Raiders again had to try a field goal -- only this time, holder Marquette King couldnt get the snap down.The Raiders last chance came with about two minutes left, when a questionable pass interference penalty and a fourth-and-4 conversion got them deep into Kansas City territory. But after a false start on fourth-and-1, Carrs pass toward the end zone was batted incomplete.The Chiefs went on to pick up the first down they needed to put the game away.It was definitely a bad night. Theres no getting around that, Carr said. I hate to have the bad night come on this one, right? Out of all the games that weve had. Obviously, we didnt do enough.CATCHING KELCEKelce has had at least 100 yards receiving in four straight games, matching the franchise record set by Tony Gonzalez. The only tight end with such a streak is Jimmy Graham, who has done it twice.MACK DADDYMack had a strip-sack for the third straight game, and a sack in his eighth straight dating to the Raiders loss to Kansas City in October. That matches Lance Johnstone for the longest streak in franchise history since sacks became official in 1982.INJURIESJohnson appeared to know he had ruptured his Achilles the moment he went down. He ruptured his other Achilles in 2014 and missed the remainder of that season. ... Defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches left with back spasms and did not return.Raiders offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele was a late scratch with an illness that sent him to the hospital, though Del Rio said hell be able to travel home with the team. Safety Karl Joseph was inactive with a toe injury and defensive tackle Stacy McGee was sidelined by an ankle injury.UP NEXTOakland remains in the AFC West when it heads to slumping San Diego on Dec. 18.Kansas City continues its three-game homestand Dec. 18 against Tennessee.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '