NEW YORK -- Feeling he was close to a deal for Paul Pierce, a thought crossed Billy Kings mind. Jeff Bagwell Astros Jersey . "I asked, What about KG?"" the Nets general manager said. Yes, Brooklyn is also getting Kevin Garnett -- and a real shot at contending for a championship. "I would say ending today its a good day for the organization," King said Friday on a conference call. And its the close of a championship chapter in the Celtics storied history. Bostons blockbuster breakup is complete. Pierce and Garnett are Brooklyn-bound, and its the Nets who are thinking big as they head into their second season in their new home. "Today, the basketball gods smiled on the Nets," team owner Mikhail Prokhorov said in a statement. "With the arrival of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, we have achieved a great balance on our roster between veteran stars and young talents. This team will be dazzling to watch, and tough to compete against." Its a nine-player, three-draft-pick swap agreed to on draft night and centred on the two aging champions who won a title in Boston in 2008. Celtics general manager Danny Ainge eventually agreed to put Garnett in the deal, and Garnett waved his no-trade clause after some lobbying from new Nets coach Jason Kidd and point guard Deron Williams. The Nets also got Jason Terry and D.J. White from Boston, while sending Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Kris Joseph, Keith Bogans and first-round draft picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018 to the rebuilding Celtics. Boston also gets the right to swap first-round picks in 2017. The teams agreed to the deal on June 27 but it couldnt be completed until after next seasons salary cap was set. The Nets plan to introduce their new stars Thursday at Barclays Center. Boston won five straight division titles from 2008-12 before falling back last season, the first following Ray Allens departure to Miami. Then the Celtics let coach Doc Rivers out of his contract after the season by acquiring a first-round pick from the Los Angeles Clippers. This trade signals a new phase for the team that has won an NBA-high 17 championships and got used to being in the hunt again after Garnett arrived in 2007. "Paul and Kevin exemplified everything it means to be a Celtic," Celtics managing partner and CEO Wyc Grousbeck said. "They were instrumental in bringing back Celtic Pride and providing our fans with the franchises first championship in over 20 years in 2008. We wish them nothing but the best in the future." The Nets went 49-33 in their first season in Brooklyn and have spent big in hopes of bettering that in 2013-14. They also signed versatile forward Andrei Kirilenko, re-signed backup big man Andray Blatche and added reserve guard Shaun Livingston. They blew well past the luxury tax line and are facing a bill of $80 million in taxes, but Prokhorov wanted a title within five years of owning the team. A starting five of Garnett, Pierce, Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez, along with former Sixth Man of the Year Terry, has a chance to compete for one. The window to win is small, two years at the most given the ages of Pierce and Garnett -- though King sees those as incentive more than detriment. "I enjoy the fact that people keep questioning Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce because I know that theyll come out and prove people wrong," King said. The Celtics hadnt won a title since 1986 before they acquired Garnett and Allen in 2007. They joined with Pierce to form the core of a team that won 66 games and a title their first season together, reached the NBA Finals again in 2010, and returned the Celtics to their longtime place atop the league. But Garnett is 37, Pierce will be 36 by opening night, and Ainge realized the Celtics days of competing for titles with this group were finished after a first-round exit, and chose to go in another direction. "We would not have won Banner 17 without Paul and Kevin and they will go down amongst the all-time great players to have ever worn a Celtics uniform," Ainge said. "At the same time we are excited to welcome Gerald, Kris, Keith, MarShon and Kris to the Celtics family. They bring a wealth of talent, experience, depth, and flexibility to our team." The Celtics thanked Garnett and Pierce, who is second on the teams career scoring list, with a full-page ad in Fridays Boston Globe. Wallace was a starter for the Nets last season, and Humphries and Bogans sometimes started. They join a Celtics team led by first-year coach Brad Stevens, the former Butler coach who was hired to replace Rivers. The Nets also will be led by a rookie in Kidd, who was hired shortly after retiring as a player and will see much more talent when he looks down his bench. Garnett is a 15-time All-Star and Pierce a 10-time selection, and both are among the NBAs top-20 career scorers. Even while slowing down a bit as they near the end of their careers, Pierce averaged 18.6 points last season, and Garnett added 14.8 points and 7.8 rebounds while remaining one of the NBAs most tenacious defensive big men. Terry averaged 13.5 points last season, his only one in Boston. Kirilenko agreed to his contract Thursday and was signed Friday. He will make $3.2 million this season and has an option for the second year. The forward opted out of a deal that would have paid him $10 million in Minnesota this season and will play again for former CSKA Moscow boss Prokhorov. "He is a true talent with tremendous versatility," Prokhorov said. "As a fellow countryman, I am especially proud that the best Russian player in the history of the NBA will be wearing a Nets jersey." Carlos Gomez Astros Jersey . Meanwhile, there were huge victories for Sunderland and West Ham over fellow relegation rivals, leaving the battle to avoid the drop up for grabs with the bottom 11 teams separated by just six points. Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres scored second-half goals to seal a fourth straight victory for Chelsea, which climbed above Arsenal and Manchester City in the standings ahead of their games on Monday and Sunday respectively. Scott Feldman Jersey . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. It was a victory that ended a decade of frustration for Parker and a talented French generation, which lost the final against Spain two years ago and took bronze in 2005. http://www.houstonastrosshop.com/Evan-Gattis-Jersey/ . On June 12, just as the sun sets on the magnificent historical city of Sao Paulo the inventors, innovators and purveyors of “joga bonitowill” open their campaign. The opponent, Croatia and all its football might and will. As opposites do attract we are set for a corker of an opener. Relief - thats the emotion Warriors coach Andrew McFadden says flooded through him when halfback Shaun Johnson danced his way over the line for a golden-point NRL win against Penrith.The Warriors leapfrog the defeated Panthers to claim eighth place on the ladder after their 20-16 victory at a rain-soaked Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday that finally gave them a win during extra time in the fourth attempt in five matches.Johnson shaped to kick a field goal with just a minute of extra time remaining before shimmying past several Panthers defenders to score next to the posts.Three golden-point losses to the Sharks, Sea Eagles and Raiders in the past four weeks left McFaddens side reeling, and the Australian coach said an extra-time winner was well overdue.He commended Johnsons quick thinking with the clock ticking down.Weve been consistent, weve been competing really hard and weve been in every game weve played in the last two months,, McFadden said.That was a very composed play because (Johnson) knew he wasnt getting a clean shot away and he knew he had tackles up his sleeve.A slow start for both sides was blown open in the 17th minute when Warriors centre David Fusitua went up uncontested to claim a Thomas Leuluai cross-field kick and score.The Auckland-based side dominated the opening 40 minutes with 58 perr cent possession, and grabbed a second try before the break when Ken Maumalo slid into the corner. 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The Panthers and Warriors scored a try apiece in the first 15 minutes of the second half before a pair of Josh Mansour tries for Penrith took the match into extra time.Warriors skipper Ryan Hoffman was glad his side didnt crumble after two earlier failed attempts to snare a golden-point winner.Increased aggression during extra time was key to turning the tables on their past three golden-point defeats.There was no panic there, doing a snapshot that gives the opposition seven tackles and gives them another opportunity, Hoffman said.For the Panthers, it was all pain and little gain.The side drops out of the eight with five matches remaining, but are aided by a relatively simple run-in against teams including the Roosters, Knights and Tigers.I thought our guys clearly didnt have our execution right in the first half but I was really proud of our effort to claw our way back into that game, Penrith coach Anthony Griffin said.We had better momentum and were a lot smarter, applying a lot more pressure than the Warriors, but once it gets to golden point anything can happen. 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