HALIFAX -- Milos Raonic will have the opportunity to lead Canada back into the elite Davis Cup World Group. The hard-serving native of Thornhill, Ont., will face Colombian Santiago Giraldo in the first of two singles matches Sunday to conclude the best-of-five Davis Cup tie. Canada needs just one victory to secure the victory and assure it remains in the World Group next season. If Colombia wins both matches, Canada will be knocked out of the World Group. Canada had a chance to cement the World Group berth Saturday but Colombias Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah beat Vancouvers Vasek Pospisil and Torontos Daniel Nestor 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7), 6-4 in doubles at the Halifax Metro Centre. That cut the Canadians lead to 2-1 in the tie. "We knew this was going to be a difficult but we have a lot going for us," Canadian team coach Martin Laurendeau said. "We are up 2-1 . . . and playing in front of a home crowd. "Those are the conditions we like. We need to regroup now and get the job done (Sunday)." If Giraldo beats Raonic, the tie will come down to the final singles match between Pospisil and Alejandro Gonzales. Pospisil and Raonic began play Friday by winning their singles matches. Pospisil beat Giraldo 6-3, 7-6 (2) 6-3 while Raonic dispatched Gonzalez 6-3, 6-3 6-2. Pospisil said Cabal and Farah were full warranted for their victory. "It was a very tough match," he said. "They played exceptionally well. "It was a close match and there were few points here and there that made the difference." Nestor, participating in his 47th career Davis Cup match, said he knew coming into the match that the Colombians would be tough. "I played them several times this year (at Brisbane, Barcelona and Madrid on ATP Tour) and all those matches were very close ones," he said. "I was hoping for a different outcome but they were a better team." Cabal and Farah won first two sets in close tiebreakers. They broke Nestor at 4-4 in the third, then held to complete the sweep. "We improved a lot this year," said Cabal. "The fact that we can beat Nestor at home shows that we are on the right track to be a very good doubles team." The contest was a close one. The Colombians won a total of 109 points, just seven more than the Canadians. "I think we returned the serve better today," said Farah. "That made the difference." Nestor and Pospisil hadnt played together for over a year and Pospisil felt that was a factor. "I think this was a big difference," he said. "Its not easy to get ready for both singles and doubles. "Its tough to get a god rhythm." Colombian coach Mauricio Hadad admits his team faces a difficult task Sunday needing to win both matches to secure the victory. "We gave ourselves hope (Saturday) and were still alive," he said. "But Giraldo has a very difficult match ahead of him. "Raonic plays very well. He is one of the best players in the world now, and on this fast surface here he is a favourite." A series win over Colombia would secure Canadas place in the 16-team World Group for a fourth straight year but a loss would drop the squad to the Americas Zone Group I, where it hasnt been since 2011. Colombia is participating in just its third World Group playoff ever and looking to reach Davis Cups upper echelon for the first time in its history. Jordan Clarkson Jersey .J. -- Omar Cummings helped the Houston Dynamo advance to the MLS Eastern Conference finals. J.R. Smith Jersey . JOHNS, N. https://www.thecavalierslockerroom.com/B...Edition-Jersey/. -- The Atlanta Braves are facing the possibility of losing another pitcher for the season after general manager Frank Wren said Saturday that Cory Gearrin has a serious injury to his right elbow. Matthew Dellavedova Cavaliers Jersey .Derrick Rose scored 23 points, and the Bulls pulled away from the Nets for a 105-80 victory on Wednesday night. Chicago held Brooklyn to 29 points on 26. Kyle Korver Cavaliers Jersey . "Ive got a lot of work to do on this team and the sooner that I can get back to my office and start that work, itll be better," he said straight-faced as the rest of the room erupted in laughter.NEW YORK, N.Y. - His opponent couldnt stop him, and LeBron James didnt quite know what to think when his coach tried. Erik Spoelstra asked James about taking a fourth-quarter rest, but the game was too important to sit. So the answer was no — just not said so politely. "He asked me and I didnt know if he was serious or not, and what I told him I cannot say again," James said. "So I wanted to finish out the game. I felt like it was a must-win for us." James tied his playoff career high with 49 points, Chris Bosh made the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 57 seconds left, and the Miami Heat beat the Brooklyn Nets 102-96 Monday night for a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. James carried the Heat nearly the entire way until Bosh hit the basket that put Miami ahead for good — a play where James resisted the temptation to force a shot, instead passing to Mario Chalmers, who swung it to a wide-open Bosh. Ray Allen followed with four free throws and James finished it off with one more, putting the Heat in position to wrap it up at home Wednesday in Game 5. James was 16 of 24 from the field and 14 of 19 from the free throw line in matching the 49 points he scored for Cleveland against Orlando in the 2009 Eastern Conference finals. He missed his second free throw with 1.1 seconds left, muttering to himself after. "Thats the first time Ive been disappointed in myself in a win," James said before smiling, realizing his performance left nothing to complain about. "He was what was needed on the road and thats what makes him the best player in the game," Spoelstra said. Joe Johnson scored 18 points for the Nets, who were 15 of 25 from 3-point range in their Game 3 victory but only 5 of 22 in this one. Paul Pierce added 16 points. "This is very difficult to swallow," Nets centre Kevin Garnett said. "Hard to take, but its what it is. Coulda, shoulda, woulda doesnt help us at this point." Dwyane Wade scored 15 points on the night his Heat post-season record of 46 points was shattered. Bosh finished with 12. Miami pulled out a thrilling victory in a game in which neither team led by double digits and has won at least one road game in 14 sstraight series, breaking the record set by the Chicago Bulls from 1991-94.dddddddddddd Garnetts two free throws tied it with 2:30 remaining. Bosh then missed a pair of 3-pointers before getting a third crack at it in the corner in front of the Brooklyn bench for a 97-94 lead. Johnson then missed a jumper while trying to draw James sixth foul — Johnson said afterward James "flopped" — and Allens free throws put it away. "Obviously the series is not over but we really have to have some urgency going to Miami and weve got to come out of there with one," Johnson said. Wade scored 46 points against Boston in the 2010 playoffs, and James best in a Heat uniform had also come against the Celtics, his memorable 45-point performance that saved Miamis season in Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference finals. Pierce, who asked to guard James after Game 1, was on the wrong end of this LeBron masterpiece. James and the Heat had shrugged off a couple days of chatter from Pierce, who said the Nets werent afraid of them. But things were testy at the start, with first-quarter technical fouls for James, Pierce, Shane Battier and Alan Anderson. Miami started quickly again and led 27-22 after one behind 12 points from James. He opened the second on the bench and Brooklyn started with a 9-2 spurt to take its first lead at 31-29. James was a force once he returned — especially after a second foul against him seemed to get James more annoyed than any of Pierces talking did. James gave Pierce a glare after a thunderous slam later in the period, when he had 13 points in 7 1/2 minutes, and the Heat led 56-49. James had 13 straight Miami points in the third, but Brooklyn cut it to one on a few occasions before he made a pair of free throws to give Miami a 79-76 lead. NOTES: Mirza Teletovic was held to four points and missed all three 3-point attempts. He had been 11 of 19 in the series, Wade saying before the game it was "red alert" when he entered. ... As they have during post-season home games, the Nets had a Brooklyn-based entertainer announce their starting lineups. On Monday it was Mike D of the Beastie Boys. Denzel Washington, Spike Lee and Floyd Mayweather Jr. were also in the crowd. ' ' '