Washington, DC - D.C. United became the first team in the Eastern Conference to clinch a playoff spot as a 0-0 draw with Sporting Kansas City on Friday at RFK Stadium was enough. The match had plenty of intensity between two of the top sides in the East, but it lacked clear-cut scoring chances, and in the end it helped United return to the postseason after a one-year hiatus. Sporting came into the game seemingly more concerned with defending than attacking after losing five of its last six games, while United remains six points clear at the top of the East with Fridays result. The best opportunity for either side in the first half came in the 28th minute when Luis Silva dropped a ball off to Fabian Espindola, whose dangerous first- time shot was turned away by an important block from Sporting defender Matt Besler. Silva set up Espindola again in the second half with a good ball down the left that allowed the forward to cut into the area and drive a low shot wide of the far post. It was then Silvas turn to threaten Andy Gruenebaums net with a 25-yard free kick that sailed narrowly past the left post. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid had a relatively quiet evening, but he was called upon in the 76th minute when C.J. Sapong turned a header on goal from close range that required Hamid to get down quickly to keep out the effort. China Jerseys Stitched . Altidore strained his left hamstring in the Americans opener against Ghana on June 16 and didnt play in their next two games. "We dont know how much because we need to see how hes going, but hes available," U. Cheap Jerseys From China . Not because it was right, but because referees werent allowed to determine it was wrong. https://www.chinajerseyscheap.us/ . -- Conor Casey scored two goals, his first of the season, as the Philadelphia Union beat Chivas USA 3-0 on Saturday night. China Jerseys Wholesale . "We cannot stay the same way the whole season long," said Reyes. "This is not acceptable. Something needs to change because were a better team than what were showing right now. Its a long season and we just need to continue to push." Its been a frustrating week for the ballclub. Fake China Jerseys . He reps the 4-1-6The insecurity of Canadian basketball fans is not what it once was with the home grown talent making its way to the big leagues, but it is still nice to see the local kids remembering where they come from once they make their way south.Dont wait until the last minute.The warning comes whenever a deadline is approaching, and NBA teams have gotten the message.They arent waiting to make trades, already completing more than twice as many as the same point last season.If youre trying to make a change and you need some help, the earlier the better obviously, Brooklyn coach Lionel Hollins said.It could pay off later for Dallas or Memphis, who added pivotal pieces well ahead of the trade deadline thats still a month away. Rajon Rondo got extra time to master the Mavericks offence, and the Grizzlies have more than half a season for newcomer Jeff Green to get comfortable playing alongside Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph.Thats one of the things thats nice about not getting the deal done at like the trade deadline, where you only have six weeks left and you just throw him out there, Memphis coach Dave Joerger said. Weve got some time and try to build something.There have been 22 trades involving 40 players since opening night, according to STATS. Thats well above the 10 deals involving 22 players before February last year, and the most in either category it could find in any season following research that dated back to 1995-96.Hollins believes the flurry of deals comes from bad teams trading good players so they can begin rebuilding, and playoff contenders have taken advantage. Memphis got Green, who was averaging a career-best 17.6 points, from Boston. Cleveland acquired J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert, two of the dismal Knicks best players.Dallas acquired Rondo in December, though coach Rick Carlisle wasnt picky.If you can trade for a guy like Rondo, I dont care when it is, he said. I dont care if its in April.Thats not legal, of course. The deadline is Feb. 19, and general managers sometimes prefer to wait until as close to it as possible to be certain they are getting mmaximum value for their players.ddddddddddddBut that gives coaches less than two months to prepare for the playoffs, so Carlisle was glad the Celtics wanted to do it so soon.The earlier you can do a deal like this, it helps, he said. Helps both teams, so were grateful that we were able to get it done in December as opposed to mid-to-late February, no doubt about that.Here are some things to watch this week:MONDAY MATINEES: Martin Luther King Jr. Day is one of the highlights of the NBA schedule, with many games during the 12-game slate starting in the afternoon. Rondo and Green, former teammates, meet in Memphis.CALLING ALL-STARS: The starters for the All-Star game will be announced Thursday night on TNT. The leaders going into the last day of fan balloting: LeBron James, Pau Gasol, Carmelo Anthony, John Wall and Dwyane Wade in the East; and Anthony Davis, Blake Griffin, Marc Gasol, Stephen Curry and Kobe Bryant in the West.WELCOME HOME: Kevin Durant is under contract through 2016, but that didnt stop his free agency from becoming a story last summer. Figure on it coming up again Wednesday when hes back in his hometown as Oklahoma City visits Washington.AND FROM THERE ...: Durant and the Thunder then visit East-leading Atlanta, which has won 12 straight and 26 of 28, before he faces LeBron James in Cleveland on Sunday afternoon as ABCs national coverage returns.SUNK IN THE ATLANTIC: Not only are the 76ers not the worst team in the NBA, theyre not even worst in their division. The Knicks have been better at being bad, and they are last in the Atlantic entering Wednesdays game in Philadelphia.___STAT LINE OF THE WEEK: Austin Rivers, Clippers: 0 for 4, 0 points, 1 assist. Rivers made history Friday when he became the first NBA player to play for his father, but Doc Rivers will need him to make some baskets, too. ' ' '