Andy Reid will readily admit that he loves offensive linemen.

He played the position at BYU Randy White Jersey , for one thing. He coached the big guys for years in college and in the NFL before becoming a head coach in Philadelphia and Kansas City. And that affinity for perhaps the most underappreciated position on the field has never waned during three decades in the league.

Still, it was a bit surprising to see 10 of them make the Chiefs' active roster last weekend.

"Yeah," Reid acknowledged Monday, "but we like the guys we got there. We've kept 10 before, and you know you can't have enough of those guys. But everything in this thing is fluid."

The offensive line isn't the only spot where the Chiefs made some atypical roster decisions. They also kept just two quarterbacks, Patrick Mahomes and Chad Henne, in a departure from Reid's norm, and they'll have just two tight ends available when they open the season against the Chargers on Sunday.

Demetrius Harris will join the fold in Week 2, once he serves his one-game drug suspension.

The Chiefs also kept an additional running back, giving them four ball-carriers along with fullback Anthony Sherman. Undrafted rookie Darrel Williams was able to crack the 53-man roster along with starter Kareem Hunt and backups Damien Williams and Spencer Ware, playing so well in training camp and throughout the preseason that the Chiefs didn't want to let him go.

In fact, that belief in their youth shaped a lot of the Chiefs' roster decisions.

They let go veteran quarterback Matt McGloin once they managed to stash undrafted free agent Chase Litton on their backup squad. They also cut loose veteran linebacker Frank Zombo, a mainstay since Reid's arrival in 2013, in favor of undrafted rookie Ben Niemann and third-year pro Terrance Smith.

"Well, we had some good young players we wanted to keep," Reid said, speaking specifically about the choice to keep two QBs on the active roster, but a statement that could apply to the entire roster.

"We thought we'd do that and see how it worked. But it was in order to keep some younger guys."

The Chiefs were one of the oldest teams in the league last season O. J. Simpson Jersey , particularly on defense, where linebackers Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali helped drive the average age up. They still have their share of veterans, but a significant roster turnover has helped to bring that number back down.

In the secondary alone, the Chiefs have a trio of rookies in safety Armani Watts and cornerbacks Tremon Smith and Charvarius Ward. They also have a trio of rookie linebackers in Niemann and draft picks Breeland Speaks and Dorian O'Daniel, and another rookie up front in Derrick Nnadi.

The performance of the defensive backfield, though, will draw plenty of attention on Sunday. That's because safety Eric Berry remains a question mark after a heel injury kept him out most of training camp, and the group was so shaky in preseason games that some late-camp additions were made.

Orlando Scandrick signed a free-agent deal to solidify cornerback. The Chiefs also traded for Ward the night of their preseason finale, then signed veteran safety Ron Parker over the weekend.

"We do have a couple of new, younger guys. I do like them," Reid said. "There's a good nucleus with that group. I have a lot of confidence in (defensive backs coach) Al Harris, and we'll just give those guys an opportunity to grow. I'm good with the whole cornerback situation. I like what we have there. I'm looking forward to seeing how those guys develop throughout the season."

Reid could say the same for just about every position on the team.

Notes: Reid declined to say whether Berry will be available for the opener, calling him day to day. "We'll see how it goes," Reid said. ... Parker spent the past four seasons with the Chiefs before signing with Atlanta, which cut him last week. Reid said the veteran safety looked good in the preseason, though, and that he was hampered by a high ankle sprain much of last season. "He knows the system, knows the scheme Reggie White Jersey ," Reid said. "We have a lot of trust in him." ... The Chiefs cut OL Bryan Witzmann and claimed OL Austin Reiter off waivers from Cleveland.

By now, LeBron James is usually getting some rest in the NBA playoffs.

The Pacers are making him work much harder than he has in years.

After splitting the first four games, Indiana and Cleveland will meet on Wednesday night in the critical Game 5 of a first-round series that has been unpredictable, uneven and for James, unusual.

This first round hasn’t been the norm for the three-time champion.

While he’s 12-0 in the opening round, before the Cavs dropped Game 1 to the Pacers at home, James had never lost a playoff opener. In fact, James came in with a 21-game winning streak in first-round games and this will be his first Game 5 in Round 1 since 2012 when he was with Miami.

The Cavs and Pacers aren’t the only ones in a tussle in the Eastern Conference as Washington and Toronto resume their series in Canada tied 2-2. Things aren’t quite as tight In the West as Utah holds a 3-1 lead over a fraying Oklahoma City team, and Houston, which dropped 50 points in one quarter on Monday night, can eliminate Minnesota.

Cleveland’s 104-100 win in Game 4 brought relief to Cavs fans and James, who had been getting little offensive help from his teammates. A dependable No. 2 scoring option has been issue all season, primarily because Kyle Irving is no longer around to take pressure off James.

But in Game 4 , Kyle Korver stepped up in the second half and knocked down four 3-pointers and the Cavs buckled down defensively in the closing minutes to avoid a 3-1 hole.

”We all know the narrative around us, it is what it is,” Korver said after practice on Tuesday. ”It’s Bron and we’re all trying to make it work for him.”

James has been his usual self, averaging 32.5 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists in the series. But only Kevin Love (12.0) http://www.indianapoliscoltsteamonline.com/malik-hooker-jersey , who has been slowed by a sprained left thumb, and J.R. Smith (10.0) are averaging double-digits for Cleveland.

Some things to know for Wednesday’s matchups:

WIZARDS AT RAPTORS

Series tied 2-2. Game 5, 7 p.m., NBATV

NEED TO KNOW: The home team has won each game so far. The Wizards absolutely need at least one road victory, and they’ve been here before: Washington was eliminated a year ago in the second round against Boston after going 3-0 in at home and 0-4 in away games.

KEEP AN EYE ON: Toronto’s 3-point shooting. The Raptors attempted a season-low 18 shots from beyond the arc, making seven, in its Game 4 loss . They never took fewer than 21 in any regular-season game, and averaged 13.7 made 3s and 31 attempts in Games 1-3.

PRESSURE IS ON: DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry. While Washington’s All-Star backcourt duo of John Wall (26.8 points, 13 assists and 4.8 rebounds) and Bradley Beal (29.5 ppg the past two games) led the Wizards in Games 3 and 4, Toronto’s counterparts have not been very efficient lately. Lowry is shooting 41.7 percent, and DeRozan is at 44 after going 10 for 29 in Game 4.

INJURY UPDATE: Because of an injured right shoulder, Raptors PG Fred VanVleet has played a total of only three minutes in the series.

PACERS AT CAVALIERS

Series tied 2-2. Game 5, 7 p.m. TNT

NEED TO KNOW: After scoring 32 points in the opener, Pacers guard Victor Oladipo has scored 18 and 17 in the past two games and is just 10 of 35 from the field. Cleveland has been blitzing and trapping Oladipo, forcing him to pass or rush his shot.

KEEP AN EYE ON: Lance Stephenson. Indiana’s always entertaining swingman baited James into a technical foul in Game 4, when he also wrapped up Cleveland’s Jeff Green late in the game and spun him to the floor.

PRESSURE IS ON: Cavs coach Tyronn Lue. While he’s had to sort through injuries and battled his own health issues all season, he’s been criticized for some decisions, including a reluctance to play forward Tristan Thompson in this series. If the Cavs go down 3-2 or are eliminated http://www.greenbaypackersteamonline.com/aaron-rodgers-jersey , look out.

INJURY UPDATE: Cavaliers starting G George Hill (back spasms ) is questionable. He received injections but couldn’t play in Game 4.

JAZZ AT THUNDER

Thunder lead 3-1. Game 5, 9:30 p.m. Central, NBA TV.

NEED TO KNOW: Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell is averaging 27.5 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 45 percent from the field. He’s averaging 17.3 points in the second half and shooting 46 percent.

He topped Karl Malone’s rookie playoff record with 33 points in Game 4.

”I’m not trying to think about all that now,” he said. ”We have bigger things to worry about right now as a team.”

KEEP AN EYE ON: Thunder F Carmelo Anthony. He’s shooting 37 percent from the field and 23.1 percent from 3-point range. He was brought to the Thunder to take pressure off Thunder G Russell Westbrook, but his inability to make shots has only made things more difficult.

PRESSURE IS ON: Westbrook. While averaging 21.3 points, 11.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists, he’s only shooting 37 percent, 21 on 3s. Westbrook normally attacks with reckless abandon, but 7-foot-1 Jazz center Rudy Gobert is making that tougher.

INTRIGUING MATCHUP: Thunder F Paul George vs. Jazz F Joe Ingles. George has been solid, averaging 27.3 points. But his focus has drifted and he has got caught up in some of Ingles’ agitating tactics. George was the aggressor in Game 4 , at one point shoving Ingles and getting a technical.

TIMBERWOLVES AT ROCKETS

Rockets lead 3-1. Game 5, 9:30 p.m., TNT.

NEED TO KNOW: Timberwolves might still be reeling from the 50-point third quarter the Rockets posted to turn a tight Game 4 into a rout . Minnesota actually outshot Houston for the third straight game, but only turned that into one victory. ”Ev Authentic Womens Mike Gesicki Jersey