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OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Oklahoma City Thunder showed Wednesday night that they dont always need to have Kevin Durant score in the fourth quarter to win a close game. Jaleel Johnson Vikings Jersey . Durant scored just two of his 26 points in the final 12 minutes and his teammates -- including Derek Fisher, Jeremy Lamb and Reggie Jackson -- stood in the gap, helping Oklahoma City pull away for a 106-97 win over a Minnesota Timberwolves team without Kevin Love and two other starters. Jackson added 20 points (seven in the fourth quarter) and nine assists for the Thunder, who won for the 12th time in their last 13 games and became the NBAs first team this season to 40 wins. The Thunder won for the ninth straight time at home against Minnesota, which entered the game 3 1/2 games behind Dallas in the race for the eighth and final playoff spot from the Western Conference. The Thunder have won eight straight home games and are 15-1 this season against Western Conference foes at Chesapeake Energy Arena. "We just focus on doing our job every night and living with the results and theyve been pretty good for a while now," Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said. "We have expectations to a standard that we want to play at and I think weve done a good job with that going into the All-Star break. "This is funky time for a lot of teams because a lot of players are probably thinking about the break and what theyre doing, getting their plans together. Weve never been a team that has done that and I dont anticipate that happening this year." Love, an All-Star forward, sat out with a stiff neck after taking a hard fall Tuesday in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Center Nikola Pecovic (ankle injury) and forward Corey Brewer (family leave) also didnt play for the Timberwolves. Minnesota coach Rick Adelman said he was proud of the way his undermanned team fought. "I think it shows that these guys compete," Adelman said. "They werent afraid to go play them with three starters out. It gave the other guys an opportunity to play. I couldnt be prouder of the way they competed. We just ran a little bit out of gas at the end." With Minnesota devoting its defensive energies to stopping Durant, other Thunder players made the key plays in the final minutes. The score was tied in the closing seconds of the third quarter when Fisher attempted a 3-pointer from the corner that appeared to be long, but Minnesotas Gorgui Dieng accidentally tapped it into the basket to give the Thunder an 80-77 lead. Fisher finished with 13 points, his second-best offensive outing of the season. "Ive never seen that before," Durant said of the goaltending call on Dieng. "That guy is a rookie . so Im sure hes going to learn from that one. But that gave us a boost and at the start of the fourth those guys came out and played extremely hard and thats what we needed." Lamb opened the fourth quarter with another 3-pointer to push Oklahoma Citys lead to six points. The Thunder finished off the 16-4 run with a dunk by Lamb with 7:17 left that made it 93-81, but Oklahoma City suddenly went cold from the field. Durant was called for a technical foul with 4:39 left after protesting a no-call, but Ricky Rubio missed the ensuing free throw, leaving the score at 93-86. Minnesota pulled within 95-89 after a 3-pointer by Robbie Hummel with 3:45 left, but the Timberwolves came no closer. "We came into the game aggressive and we fought all the way through, but in the last five minutes, I think we missed too many free throws and easy shots while they made shots at the end," said Rubio, who had 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Thabo Sefolosha, who missed his first seven 3-point attempts, made one from the corner with 1:43 left to extend the Thunders lead to 100-90 and Minnesota came no closer than nine points the rest of the way. "Theyre NBA players, too," Durant said of his teammates. "Its not like Ive been scoring every point in the fourth. We play off each other. Guys hit big shots and we got stops. . We play a team game here." Durant, who also had nine rebounds and seven assists, continued his strong play against the Timberwolves. He had a triple-double in a home win over the Timberwolves on Dec. 1 and scored 48 points in a win at Minnesota on Jan. 4 before his outburst Wednesday. The Timberwolves led by as many as six points in the second quarter, but Oklahoma City took a 56-54 lead after Durant swished a 3-pointer at the buzzer. Durant had 16 points, six rebounds and five assists by halftime. Dante Cunningham added 18 points on 9-of-13 shooting for Minnesota. Serge Ibaka had 14 points and seven rebounds for the Thunder. NOTES: Brewer didnt travel with the team following the birth of his son on Tuesday. The Timberwolves say hes expected to return for Fridays game at New Orleans. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute replaced Brewer in the starting lineup. ... Durant was the Western Conference player of the month for January. He averaged 35.9 points per game while shooting 54.9 per cent during the month, leading Oklahoma City to a 10-game winning streak. He scored 30 or more points in 12 straight games. ... Olympic gold-medal winning gymnasts Bart Conner and Nadia Comaneci, who live in nearby Norman, attended the game. ... Hummel saw his first action since Jan. 6 at Philadelphia. He played 17 minutes and scored five points. .. Oklahoma City C Kendrick Perkins matched his season high with 12 rebounds. Ben Gedeon Womens Jersey . Sweeting scored two in the first and three in the second before Strong (4-4) got two back in the fourth. Sweeting then scored three in the fifth, two in the sixth and one in the seventh to grab a commanding 9-2 lead. Jaleel Johnson Womens Jersey .Then came December.Three straight losses, including a crushing 27-24 defeat to Washington (4-11) on Saturday, has the Eagles (9-6) on the brink of playoff elimination.New Zealand confirmed their status as the best team in the world with a 57-15 thrashing of the Springboks in Durban. It was the sixth consecutive bonus-point win for the world champions, giving them a total of 30 competition points in the Rugby Championship - the maximum on offer.Three penalties from Morne Steyn kept the Springboks in the game up until the break, with New Zealand 12-9 up at half-time after tries from Israel Dagg and TJ Perenara. But as has so often been the case with Steve Hansens side, they were able to ramp things up in the second half. Perenara and Dagg both added a try to their individual tallies, while Beauden Barrett (2), Codie Taylor, Ben Smith and Liam Squire also crossed the line for 45 second-half points. The win takes New Zealand to 17 consecutive Test wins, which brings them level with the record for the most successive wins by a Tier 1 nation. The All Blacks next match is against Australia in Auckland in two weeks time, which will be live on Sky Sports.Things started well for South Africa when slotted his first penalty attempt after five minutes and Barrett, who began the game as the leading Rugby Championship scorer this season with 65 points, fluffed his first shot at goal. Ben Smith runs at Faf de Klerk South Africa were gaining little possession but defended with a lot more spirit than in recent matches in the competition.Steyn slotted another penalty to double the lead to six points before the All Blacks scored their first try through right winger Dagg at the beginning of the second quarter. It was a typical New Zealand score with backs and forwards applying pressure in the danger zone and wwhen the ball was moved wide, a quick pass from flanker Jerome Kaino sent Dagg over. Ben Gedeon Youth Jersey. Barrett was out of luck with the conversion, which struck the near post, leaving the Springboks 6-5 ahead. Given another penalty chance, Steyn made no mistake and the home side led by four points as the match passed the 30-minute mark.The visitors took the lead for the first time when Perenara was awarded a try after numerous replays were shown to the referee, his assistant and the television match official.Perenara appeared to have lost control of the ball forward before dotting down, but he got the nod and Barrett converted for a 12-9 advantage the All Blacks retained until half-time. Shortly before the final whistle New Zealand thought they had scored another try through lock Brodie Retallick, but it was ruled out for obstruction. The second half began as the first ended with the All Blacks on the offensive and Dagg notched his fifth try of this Championship within five minutes of the restart. Once again he went over far out, after passes from Perenara and Barrett set him up, and the fly-half failed to convert, his third miss from four shots at goal.A Steyn penalty kept the Springboks in the hunt, but when full-back Patrick Lambie had a clearance charged down, Barrett won the chase for the loose ball to score.It was becoming an uneven contest between the goal kicking of Steyn and the try-scoring world champions and after the Springboks playmaker slotted a fifth penalty, his side conceded a fifth try.Full-back Smith was the catalyst, winning an aerial duel with Lambie, and slick handling resulted in Perenara scoring and Barrett converting for a 29-15 lead. It went from bad to worse in the closing stages for South Africa as Barrett converted his try and Lima Sopoaga added the extra points to scores by fellow substitute, hooker Taylor, full-back Smith and replacement flanker Squire. 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Its been two years since the BC Lions hoisted the Grey Cup and Wally Buono handed the head coaching reigns to Mike Benevides. Ethan Pocic Jersey . Since then the Lions have entered each season with one of the most talented rosters in the league before falling short of expectations. Two years is a short time to be sure, and its not like the Lions cant supply excuses for their shortcomings since 2011 – Travis Lulays shoulder injury last year – but in the ultra-competitive and impatient world of professional sports, the pressure is on. Bad teams feel pressure to be better; good teams feel pressure to be the best. And dont forget the added burden of a potential home field for the Grey Cup and the three-year streak of Grey Cup champs winning at home. The Lions were smart in acquiring veteran leader and “quarterback 1A” Kevin Glenn from the Ottawa Redblacks during the CFL Draft for the fifth-overall draft pick. The price was a little steep for a player few figured would actually end up with Ottawa for the upcoming season, but with Lulays shoulder still a talking point, Glenn provides quality insurance at the most important position. BC has opted for younger projects at QB behind Lulay the past couple years but the Glenn acquisition makes sense for a team that cant get derailed for even a short period of time, should Lulay miss games – for whatever ailment – this season. Especially with Thomas DeMarcos selection in the Expansion Draft, Glenn gives the Lions peace of mind at one of their most worrisome areas for 2014. Another solid move, adding to a position of strength, was the free agent signing of Jamall Johnson. Johnson returns to BC after five seasons in Hamilton, his last a down year after being asked to play in the middle, and joins a frightening linebacking corps that already includes Solomon Elimimian and Adam Bighill. BCs task in once again entering the year as one of the most talented teams on paper is replacing receiver Nick Moore and a number of large bodies on the offensive line. Not to diminish Moores impact, but the Lions receiving corps still has enough burners, and more importantly, added Canadian content, that Lulay – or Glenn – shouldnt feel frustrated for lack of quality targets. The line however, may have to rely on more youngsters than would be considered ideal. The good news is their young contingent on the offensive line is talented and the unit is still anchored by perhaps the best left tackle in the game in Jovan Olafioye. While theyve fallen short of the Grey Cup the past two years, the Lions still qualified for the postseason those years, and were just a win away from a return trip in 2012; so it feels strange to suggest the team enters the season under pressure to do more. That reality is part testament to how well the Lions organization is run, but as is the case with all good teams, being good only counts for so long; greatness sticks. Like the Argos and Riders before them, look for the Lions to go all out in 2014. Notes Parting Ways After a long tenure with the Lions as an offensive coach and coordinator, Jacques Chapdelaine left the Lions early in the off-season, the coach and team mutually agreeing to part ways. It was certainly a big shakeup on Benevides staff, getting rid of the offensive mainstay of 10 of the past 11 years. Up and coming offensive mind Khari Jones replaced Chapdelaine as well as taking on the QB coach role. Expansion Draft The Lions search for a backup quarterback began anew after the Ottawa Redblacks selected Thomas DeMarco, who gained solid experience filling in for an injured Travis Lulay In 2013, in the first round of the Expansion Draft. BC also lost guard Matt Albright and DT Andrew Marshall to the Redblacks. Free Agency With the least amount of players to hit the free market, the Lions were one of the least active teams during the free agency period. They did lose promising receiver Nick Moore to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers however, but made a splash on the other side of the ball when they brought back linebacker Jamall Johnson, who last played for the Lions in 2008, from Hamilton. Retirements The Lions offensive line took a number of big hits this off-season with the retirements of three big pieces. Veteran centre Angus Reid was the first to announce his retirement. The 13-year veteran was a three-time West Division All-Star and one-time league All-Star. Not long after tackle Ben Archibald retired. The two-time All-Canadian spent the past three seasons in BC. Then late in the off-season Patrick Kabongo joined the two in retirement. The nine-year vet was a one-time West Division All-Star. CFL Draft The Lions traded out of the first round in order to solidify their backup quarterback situation by grabbing Kevin Glenn from the Redblacks for the fifth-overall pick. The team had two picks in the second round, grabbing OL Tchissakid Player from Northwestern State and FB Pascal Lochard from Laval. With their final five selections the Lions took LB Casey Chin from Simon Fraser in the third round, DL David Menard from Montreal in the fourth round, WR Alexander Fox from Bishops in the fifth round, DL Dylan Roper from Simon Fraser in the sixth round, and RB Guillaume Bourassa from Laval in the seventh round. Khalif Mitchell Returns One of the most enigmatic players in the league the past few seasons made his return to BC late in the off-season after a year with the Toronto Argonauts. Khalif Mitchells talent and impact at his DT position are unquestionable, but his return to the Lions was surprising after Mitchell seemingly burned a lot of bridges on his way out of BC a year ago. Lions GM Wally Buono has said all the right things about Mitchells return so far, noting the player has matured over the years. Amara Darboh Seahawks Jersey . Adding playoff teams. Monitoring instant replay from league headquarters. Possibly creating a set of guidelines to prevent locker-room bullying. Ethan Pocic Womens Jersey . - Mike Zimmer has brought a demanding style to the Minnesota Vikings.GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Seneca Wallace has an unofficial -- but well-paid -- quarterbacks coach in Aaron Rodgers. Sidelined by a fractured left collarbone, Rodgers could only watch in green warmups while Wallace ran through drills Wednesday at practice. The process of getting Rodgers presumed replacement up to speed for Green Bays game Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles has begun in earnest. "Youre still learning," Wallace said. "Youre never going to get comfortable. Aaron, hes learning each and every day, when we come out here, even though hes been here a long time, theres always something new." But it sure helps being able to practice with the first-team offence, instead of being relegated to just running through a handful of plays a week. "Everybody will be much better off," coach Mike McCarthy said. "Not only just Seneca being comfortable going through the reps, but everybody else being comfortable with Seneca." Wallace is considered a mobile quarterback. He has been around the NFL since 2003, when he was drafted in the fourth round by the Seattle Seahawks. He has played in 63 games, starting 21, and McCarthy doesnt think recognizing defences will be an issue. Its more about the coaching staff fitting the game plan around Wallaces skill set, then the backup trying to be the next Rodgers, the 2011 NFL MVP. "You just have to try to adapt. Like I said, it is up-tempo, fast pace, and try to emulate some of the things he does," Wallace said. "Obviously, its not all going to be the same, but just try to make sure the receivers and everybody (are) on the same page." After Rogers was injured early against Chicago, Wallace was largely ineffective in a 27-20 loss, finishing 11 for 19 for 114 yards and an interception in his first regular-season action since Jan. 1, 2012, when he started for Cleveland in a 13-9 loss to Pittsburgh. For his career, Wallace has a 59 per cent completion rate with 31 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. Hell join a small club. The Packers have had just three starters over the last 22 years -- Brett Favre (253 games), Rodgers (86) and Matt Flynn (two). Tedric Thompson Youth Jersey. "Its going to be a good challenge. Obviously, when you lose someone of that calibre, no matter where it is," receiver Jordy Nelson said. "But a quarterback is a little more important. Were all confident in Seneca." Rodgers has his back. He was officially listed Wednesday on the practice report as having not participated. Coaches dont have to officially rule out players until Friday for a Sunday game. There was Rodgers at the indoor practice facility, hands on knees a few yards behind the quarterback coach, watching Wallace and newly-called up backup Scott Tolzien take practice snaps during light drills. At one point, Rodgers dropped back on his own without the ball and ran through the motions. Facing Tolzien from about 10 yards away, he leaned over with emphasis while watching a pass sail by, as if trying to will the ball to a certain spot. "Aarons going about it just as if he were playing in the game," McCarthy said. "Hes going right through it right next to Seneca." Notes: Tolzien, a third-year player who played at Wisconsin, was signed off the practice squad to serve as Wallaces backup. ... LB Clay Matthews, coming back from a thumb injury, sported a club on his right hand while talking to position coach Kevin Greene during a portion of practice Wednesday open to reporters. Hes missed four games. ... LBs Andy Mulumba (ankle) and Nick Perry (foot) were limited. G T.J. Lang (concussion) did not participate. ... T Derek Sherrod, the teams 2011 first-round draft pick, took part in his first practice since being activated from the reserve/physically unable to perform list. He broke his leg in a game in December 2011. ... The team signed Alex Gillett to the practice squad. The rookie, who was with the Packers as an undrafted free agent through training camp started 30 games at quarterback and three at receiver at Eastern Michigan. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys AuthenticWholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica - Marie Levasseur scored twice as Canada edged Ghana 2-1 on Saturday to advance to the quarter-finals at the FIFA U-17 Womens World Cup. Rasul Douglas Youth Jersey . Its the third time a Canadian team has reached the quarter-finals, with their last appearance coming at the 2012 installment of the tournament in Azerbaijan. Canada, who secured the win despite playing 40 minutes shorthanded after Bianca St. Georges was sent off five minutes into the second half, will play Venezuela in the quarter-finals Mar. 27. "It was a stressful bench but a very proud bench," said Canadian head coach Bev Priestman. "To play 40 and probably 45 minutes with the added time with ten players, youve got to be proud of them." Canada needed a win to advance after North Korea edged Germany 4-3 in Group Bs earlier game. Levasseur put Canada ahead 2-0 in the first half but Ghanas Sandra Owusu cut Canadas lead to one in the 72nd minute, forcing the Canadians to hold on for the narrow victory. "Theyve exceeded my expectations," said Priestman. "I knew we could play the way we played but I think the resilience and the defensive work under massive bouts of pressure, theyve done amazingly." Donnel Pumphrey Eagles Jersey . None of them are Finlands Pekka Rinne, who stands as Canadas biggest challenge in Thursdays quarter-final round. Even while a young Finnish team has struggled with penalties, turnovers and a lack of offensive depth, Rinne has been a rock with a 1. Donnel Pumphrey Womens Jersey . Ted Ligety, Mikaela Shiffrin, Bode Miller and Tim Jitloff underlined the squads enormous potential on the Rettenbach glacier in Austria.DOVER, Del. - NASCAR driver Kurt Busch has been accused of domestic assault by his ex-girlfriend, and police in Delaware said Friday they are investigating.The Dover Police Department said the allegations were brought to the department Wednesday. Buschs ex-girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll, 36, said the allegations involved an incident inside his motorhome at a race at Dover International Speedway in September. The couple broke up about a week before.Driscoll has filed court documents asking that a judge order Busch to stay away from her and not contact her. She also is asking that Busch undergo a psychiatric evaluation and be evaluated by a certified domestic violence treatment agency.The documents, filed Wednesday, say Busch was despondent the night of Sept. 26 after his poor performance at the qualifying race.He was verbally abusive to her and said he wished he had a gun so that he could kill himself, the documents say.Driscoll said Busch, 36, called her names and accused her of having spies everywhere and having a camera on the bus to watch him. He then jumped up, grabbed her face and smashed her head three times against the wall next to the bed, the documents say.Driscoll says she pushed Busch away and ran from the bedroom, going to a nearby bus to put an ice pack on her head and neck. She said the incident caused her severe pain, difficulty breathing and bruising on her neck.A hearing in the case is scheduled for Dec. 2.An attorney for Busch said he was co-operating with the investigation.This allegation is a complete fabrication by a woman who has refused to accept the end of a relationship and Mr. Busch vehemently denies her allegations in every respect, attorney Rusty Hardin said in an emailed statement.NASCAR said it was aware of the situation and gathering information. Busch has not been charged. If he is, his case would play out after a series of high-profile cases involving prominent athletes ignited a national debate about how tough professional leagues are when allegations of abuse surface.A spokesman for Stewart-Haas Racing, Mike Arning, said Buschs team was still gathering facts about the incident and not in a position to comment.Known as The Outlaw in racing circles, Busch is the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion and one of the more accomplished drivers in the series. He was in his car practicinng Friday for this weekends race at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. Rasul Douglas Jersey. Driscoll is an executive for a small Washington, D.C.-based defence consulting firm and president of the Armed Forces Foundation, a non-profit for veterans. The couple met at a foundation dinner in 2011, and after hitting it off, Busch became a spokesman and ambassador for the foundation. The group severed its ties with him Friday because of the serious nature of the allegations.Busch has a history of run-ins on and off the track with drivers, NASCAR officials and reporters. He was suspended by Roush Racing for the last two races of the 2005 season after police cited him for reckless driving.A fan caught Busch on video verbally abusing an ESPN reporter during the 2011 season finale, and Busch was fined $50,000 by NASCAR after the clip was posted on YouTube. He was suspended for one race in 2012 for verbally abusing a reporter.Busch has seen a sports psychologist to learn to tame his emotions.But with Driscoll, he appeared to have softened his image. She and her son, Houston, became fixtures in Buschs life. The pair came across as a happy couple when Busch attempted to complete the Coca Cola 600 and the Indianapolis 500 on the same day earlier this year, a feat only a handful of other drivers have attempted. They welcomed reporters into her Ellicott City, Maryland, home and cameras followed them around for weeks for the NBC documentary Kurt Busch: 36.They acted like a family: Busch, Driscoll and Houston went on a hunting trip this year in New Zealand and Busch took Houston fly fishing. The child got the nickname The Mini Outlaw as a regular at the track.She celebrated his accomplishments publicly. Busch made the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship in his first season at Stewart-Haas Racing, and Driscoll tweeted regular updates from his NASCAR races this season. They frequently embraced on the track, or were seen walking hand in hand, never shying from public displays of affection.Buschs talent has never been doubted, with 25 career Cup wins and the 2004 championship. But his prickly personality has scared away sponsors, and rides with deep-pocketed owners Jack Roush and Penske fizzled. His career detoured into journeyman status with single-car teams the last two seasons before landing at SHR. Cheap NFL JerseysCheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
Having served the first game of his suspension in Game 3 of the Blackhawks-Blues series, Seabrook will miss only two more if the series should end in five games, and regardless, thats all he will miss according to the NHLs handling of this affair. David Sharpe Raiders Jersey . But my amendment will force him to miss one or two more games if the series goes that long and if Backes does not return. You see, Im interested in fairness, and theres no fairness if theres a discrepancy between the number of games Seabrook misses and the number of games Backes is forced to sit out. In short, Seabrook should only return to the series if Backes does. If Seabrook comes back and Backes doesnt, imagine the outcry if Seabrook scores the winning goal to eliminate the Blues. I dont want to see that. I dont think the NHL does either, but given the chance to prevent that scenario, the NHL took a pass. On fairness. Now, I will save both of us time by asking you to go to the top, insert the names of Matt Cooke and Tyson Barrie where Seabrook and Backes were mentioned, and read this again. Same deal—Cooke should not return to the Minnnesota-Colorado series unless Barrie does, and we know Barrie wont, due to an MCL injury, so Cooke is either finished for the season or waiting to play St. Louis or Chicago. No need for a hearing, NHL. ------- Heres item two - the 2015 NHL entry draft, to be known as the Conor McDavid-Jack Eichel sweepstakes. McDavid and Eichel are two so-called "franchise-changers". The NHL teams that land them wont just be better, they may succeed for many years to come solely because of them. So there will be more interest than normal in the draft lottery that will identify the teams with 2015s first and second picks, and more interest than normal, so the theory of "tanking" goes, in playing just badly enough to secure the most favourable lottery odds next year.Heres where I come in. I will create more interest than ever in the draft lottery and, at the same time, end all thought and any mention of tanking. I will do that by giving all 14 non-playoff teams an equal shot at the first draft pick in 2015. Fans of each of those 14 teams will hang on every second of the draft lottery. Itll be similar to, but better than, the draw that sent Sidney Crosby to Pittsburgh. It was packed with suspense, but it had odds attached that happened to favour the Penguins, so there wasnt the wide-open nature of competition and interest that pure luck creates. However, the biggest reason for eliminating draft lottery odds is to wipe out any incentive to gain a draft advantage on the ice, and to eliminate all the talk that goes with it. As the imaginary leader of the NHL, Im furious whenever I hear a team advised to think about winning a draft by losing a game. The NHL includes just one guarantee when it sells a ticket - it guarantees a contest that will see two teams trying their best to win. If there is any doubt that the customer is receiving that guarantee, the doubt must be removed. A "luck of the draw" draft order will do that. And before you, or the NHL complains that the worst teams should be the ones that land McDavid and Eichel, realize two things - the NHL could make it happen that way by eliminating the lottery, and chooses not to do so, and the NHLs current system allows for the possibility that its best non-playoff team will make the first draft selection. Its just unwilling to make that a stronger possibility. Im not. --------- Now its time to open the rule book and apply some common sense to it. The Tampa Bay Lightning will be complaining all the way to next season about a Ryan Callahan goal against Montreal that didnt count because…..well, because the referee thought it shouldnt count. I cant explain it better than that. When Alex Killorn was trying to put the puck past Carey Price and ended up in the net himself, all sorts of confusion ensued. The refs arms waved, play continued as Killorn extricated himself and tried to avoid Price and P.K. Subban, even as they didnt seem to be trying to avoid him, and Callahan eventually scored…..sorry…put the puck in the net. Then the refs arms waved again, and the goal was disallowed. My new rule wouldnt have allowed the Lightning to be tied with Montreal on the scoreboard, but it would have prevented all the controversy. The best new rules are simple ones. In this case, when Killorn plunged into the net, regardless of whether he did that on his own, was pushed, or did so because of contact with Price, the whistle should have blown to halt the play. Nothing good ever follows a net crash like the one involving Killorn. If he stays there, no goal can be scored. If he tries to get out, he can get mugged, or at least interfered with, and theres every chance hell be bothering the goalie enough to affect things and make any refs ruling subject to criticism. Just as the whistle blows if the puck enters the net, so should it blow if a player does. Thats all the time I have to run the NHL today. If Ive made any sense, pass it on. And if I havent, Ill try again next time. (English indie band - Im declaring this the official anthem of "Pass It On") Gareon Conley Jersey . The 17-year-old had four goals and four assists in 38 games for Liberec in the Czech pro league this past season. Zacha had three goals and two assists in seven games at the world mens under-18 championship in April when the Czech Republic took the silver medal. Eddie Vanderdoes Womens Jersey .com) - DAngelo Harrison posted 21 points to guide No. SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Oklahoma finally found a way to beat Notre Dame again. The 14th-ranked Sooners took advantage of three interceptions, two in the first 3 minutes as they jumped to a 14-0 lead, and Blake Bell passed for two touchdowns to lead the Sooners to a 35-21 victory over the 22nd-ranked Fighting Irish on Saturday. The win ended a seven-game losing streak to Notre Dame and was just the second in 11 meetings for the Sooners against the Irish, including ending an NCAA-record 47-game winning streak in 1957. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, an Irish Catholic who grew up in Ohio and downplayed the history aspect all week, conceded the victory was especially gratifying. "Now that its happened this way, Im pleased and I sure am glad for those older Oklahomans that have been through all those games Notre Dame had beaten us. We get some level of satisfaction winning this one," he said. "Who knows when well play again? So they can live it up and say, We got you last until we go again." The Sooners (4-0) took control with the two interceptions. Rees didnt see Oklahoma linebacker Eric Striker blitzing and was hit from behind, popping the ball loose, and linebacker Corey Nelson caught it and returned it 24 yards for a TD. On Notre Dames next play from scrimmage, Rees pass ricocheted off the arm of receiver TJ Jones and linebacker Frank Shannon bobbled it before returning it 17 yards to the Notre Dame 32. The Sooners scored another TD four plays later on an 11-yard run by Damien Williams. Coach Brian Kelly was surprised by the slow start by Notre Dame (3-2). "You never expect to not pick up the simplest of stunts and have your quarterback get the ball stripped. You never expect not to run the right route when youre supposed to," he said. "The turnovers for us were too much to overcome." After Notre Dame played a nearly perfect game in beating the Sooners last season, with no turnovers and just one penalty for 5 yards, Oklahoma was the one that made the fewest mistakes Saturday . The Sooners, who managed just 15 yards rushing against the Irish last season, finished with 212 yards rushing. The game was a stark contrast to last season, when the Irish domminated the lines of scrimmage and amassed 215 yards on the ground. Marshawn Lynch Jersey. The Sooners frequently went wide on both runs and passes to try to offset Notre Dames size inside. The Irish managed to rush for a season-high 220 yards, with George Atkinson running for 148 yards on 14 carries. Bell, making his second career start, wasnt as impressive as he was when he passed for 413 yards and four touchdowns in a 51-20 win over Tulsa, but he was good enough to lead the Sooners over the Irish. He was 22 of 30 passing for 232 yards and two touchdowns. "He was really sharp. He put the ball where it needed to be, finding the right guys, going through his reads," Stoops said. "And give credit to the line to give them the opportunity to find those guys, so I thought he played great." Bell, threw a 26-yard TD pass to Lacoltan Bester to cap an 88-yard drive after an interception by cornerback Julian Wilson late in the second quarter, said the victory was especially satisfying considering last seasons loss. "We felt like we left some stuff on the field last year. Obviously we didnt come up with a win last year so we really wanted this one bad, especially coming on the road," Bell said Rees struggled for a second straight game. After three straight games of passing for more than 300 yards, he was 9 of 24 for a season-low 104 yards. "Obviously, Im disappointed with how I played, individually. Ive got to be better. You cant turn the ball over and expect to win games against good teams like Oklahoma," Rees said. Kelly said there was plenty of blame to go around. "This is about 11 players. We dont execute on the offensive line in the first fumble, we dont run the right route. Its natural for everybody to go after the quarterback, but theres 11 players out there," Kelly said. Kelly didnt want to talk about what the loss means big picture for the Irish, who entered the season with hopes of making it back to the BCS title game. "Thats for you guys to talk about. Ive got a football team were trying to work with and develop. You guys can have your own comments and decide what happens and put us in any bowl you want," he said. 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CHICAGO -- The Cleveland Indians have activated All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis from the 15-day disabled list after he was sidelined by a strained muscle in his right side. David Sharpe Raiders Jersey . They also optioned infielder Justin Sellers before Wednesdays game against the Chicago White Sox. Kipnis had not played since April 29, when he strained his right oblique during an at-bat in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels. He went on the DL the following day. Kipnis was batting .234 with three homers and 12 RBIs entering Wednesdays game. The Indians were last in the AL Central at 24-29 after making the playoffs as a wild-card team in 2013, and were leading the majors in errors. Khalil Mack Jersey . Vargas (8-3) allowed four singles and two walks while striking out five, allowing only two runners from a diluted Twins lineup to reach second base. Mike Moustakas and Jarrod Dyson hit RBI singles in the second inning against Kevin Correia (4-10), and that was all Vargas needed. Bo Jackson Raiders Jersey . Now comes an off-season of questions about manager Matt Williams decisions and a handful of key roster choices, including what to do about Ryan Zimmerman, whether to sign Jordan Zimmermann and Ian Desmond to long-term deals, and how to upgrade an offence that fell flat in October.Third-seeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska defeated unseeded American Venus Williams in straight sets to capture the Rogers Cup title on Sunday afternoon. Radwanska had little trouble in disposing of the tired Williams, 6-4, 6-2, to capture her first title of the 2014 season and 14th of her career. Radwanska dropped the opening game of the first set, but then ran off four straight games to take control. Williams broke back and drew within 4-3 only to see Radwanska win the set 6-4. Radwanska then broke Williams to open the second set, but Williams got back into it with a fourth-game break to even the set at 2-2. David Sharpe Youth Jersey. Radwanska, though, broke back in the fifth game to regain control and won out to take the match. Williams, who beat her sister Serena in the semifinals, had played three straight three-set matches and the 34-year-old looked tired in this one. Radwanska, 25, improved to 4-5 career against Venus, who was seeking her second title of 2014. Radwanska collected $467,300 for her first-place finish, while Venus grabbed $227,000 for second. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ChinaCheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
DUNEDIN, Florida – The Blue Jays fell to 4-4 in Grapefruit League play following a 6-4 loss to the Pirates on Wednesday afternoon. Mike Williams Jersey . Brandon Morrow allowed five runs on six hits over three innings. He struck out two, walked one and hit a batter. Edwin Encarnacion had a two-out, bases loaded two-RBI double in the third inning. Here are some tidbits from camp: SANTOS DEALING WITH UNCERTAIN FUTURE Its an oft-repeated cliché but Sergio Santos really is approaching life one day at a time. Almost traded during the offseason - according to reports he was nearly moved twice - he continues to hear his name in the rumour mill. "Its just been different or kind of out of the norm," said Santos. "I try to keep as level-minded of an outlook as I can. I try not to look too far ahead or try to think about things that I cant control." Santos almost became a Texas Ranger in late November but a three-team deal fell through. He went so far as to travel to Arlington to undergo a physical and to meet with Rangers officials. Hes not hung up on it. "Luckily I had some time to kind of let that sink in and its gone and Im done thinking about it," said Santos. Santos missed almost four months of last season due to surgery to remove bone spurs from his pitching elbow. In 24 appearances from his August 1 return onward, Santos posted a 1.69 ERA and a miniscule 0.516 WHIP over 21 1/3 innings. He limited opposing batters to a .327 OPS. Put simply, he was dominant. In the final guaranteed year of his deal and with year over year club options through 2017 ($6 million in 2015, $8 million in 2016, $8.75 million in 2017), hes a prime candidate to be moved because the bullpen is considered a position of strength and others, like Steve Delabar, have years of club control remaining. "I think there are two sides that you can look at it, as other teams really want you or you can dwell on the fact that the team youre on is trying to trade you," said Santos. "At the end of the day Alex and everybody with the Blue Jays is trying to make the Blue Jays as good of a team as they can in 2014. "Whether Im in those plans or not, like I said thats not in my control. Would I like to be? Of course." JANSSEN PROGRESSING Closer Casey Janssen, dealing with stiffness in the back of his pitching shoulder, played catch on Monday and woke up feeling good on Tuesday. Hes hoping to throw a bullpen session soon, although there isnt a schedule yet. "Just with yesterday, see how it is today and then I think we can start preparing a plan but weve got to crawl before we can walk here," said Janssen. "Well get there. Im not worried about the bullpens and stuff like that. All I really care about is feeling healthy and if Im healthy it comes back quick." Janssen was limited in Grapefruit League play last season as he recovered from shoulder surgery. He pitched successfully through pain for much of the year, notching a career high 34 saves, a 2.56 ERA and a 0.987 WHIP. NAVARRO, IZTURIS CONCERNED FOR FAMILY BACK HOME Former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez died last March 5. On the one-year anniversary of his passing and with political unrest on the rise in their homeland, Blue Jays Dioner Navarro and Maicer Izturis spend a lot of time worrying about family. "Its so frustrating," said Navarro. "Thank God theyre doing all good. Theyve been through so much and its just sad and frustrating at the same time. I know if we keep on praying and staying strong, eventually things have to change." Navarro grew up a block away from the presidential residence in Caracas, known as Casa Blanca (White House). His parents, Frank and Rosa, and his youngest brother Darrel still live in the home. With a family of his own and business interests in the Tampa area, Navarro hasnt returned to Venezuela since 2009. He flies his family to the United States as often as possible. Izturis hails from Barquisimeto, about a four-hour drive from the capital, Caracas. His wife and children are with him and his brother, former Blue Jay Cesar, is in Kissimmee attending the Astros camp, but the rest of his family remains in the midst of the protests, which have fanned out across Venezuela. Its a chore just to get groceries. "You can go but they drive very quick," said Izturis. "You go to the supermarket and try to find out what you need. You need to go quick, boom, boom, and thats no life, you know?" Both players believe political change is coming to Venezuela. Theyre hoping it comes at limited cost. "Its such a beautiful country," said Navarro. "Weve got so much to offer to not only ourselves but to the world. We keep on praying God is going to do something really good for us." CAMP CUTS The Blue Jays trimmed their major league roster by three, to 55, by reassigning catchers Derrick Chung and Jack Murphy and pitcher Luis Perez to minor league camp. Perez, who underwent Tommy John elbow surgery in August, 2012, suffered a setback in his recovery late last season and has experienced numbness in the pinky finger of his pitching hand this spring. Perez is out of options but is a certainty to begin the season on the disabled list. Hell continue his rehabilitation in minor league camp, which opened on Wednesday. Forrest Lamp Youth Jersey .com) - Matt Duchene picked up the deciding goal early in the third period and added an assist, as Colorado escaped with a 4-3 victory over Dallas at Pepsi Center. Forrest Lamp Womens Jersey .com) - The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to play spoiler as the Los Angeles Kings will try to match their longest winning streak in over four years in Thursdays battle at Staples Center.Sebastian Giovincos MLS career will begin faster than expected. TSNs Gareth Wheeler confirms reports in Italy that the Italian international will begin the season with Toronto FC, rather than in July as previously expected after coming to an agreement with Juventus to end his contract early. The 28-year-old has only made 10 appearances this season for the Serie A-leading Bianconeri, scoring twice. Giovinco is the marquee name of several newcomers to the TFC squad ahead of the new season. American international striker Jozy Altidore joins Giovinco as a designated player, arriving from Sunderland in a swap deal for Jermain Defoe. Rayshawn Jenkins Jersey. . Polish international defender Damien Perquis signed on earlier this week and long-time Marseille midfielder Benoit Cheyrou signed with the club on Thursday. There is still the matter of Gilberto for TFC to contend with at the moment. With Giovincos arrival, the Brazilian striker appears to be the odd man out with the Reds currently carrying four designated players, one more than the league-regulated three. The club denied reports out of Brazil this week that the 25-year-old was close to an agreement with Vasco da Gama, stating that he was simply training with the side. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
MIAMI -- Before LeBron James makes his next decision, Pat Riley will get a chance to convince him to stay in Miami. Dorian Johnson Youth Jersey . Two people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press late Sunday night that James will meet with the Heat president this week before making a decision about where to play next season. The time and location of the meeting were still being scheduled, said the people who spoke on condition of anonymity because neither the Heat nor James announced their plans publicly. "In the next two or three days," one of the people said. Monday would seem difficult, unless James schedule changes. He has a commercial shoot planned and was expected to travel to Las Vegas later in the day for his annual camp with some of the nations best young basketball players, an event that opens Wednesday. James also has been planning a trip to Brazil for the World Cup final on July 13. Theres urgency from the Heat perspective as well. NBA players can begin signing new contracts Thursday, with some deals already having been agreed upon and plenty of others likely to fall into place in the coming days, so it would clearly benefit the Heat to know James plans sooner than later. USA Today Sports first reported the plans for James and Riley to discuss matters. The news of the planned Riley-James meeting came toward the end of a wild Sunday, sparked by news that one of Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilberts private jets was heading to South Florida. And the plane did land at an airport in Fort Lauderdale around 6:40 p.m., albeit at a different facility than the flight plan indicated, for reasons that were not made clear. The plane stayed for about 3 1/2 hours. It was unknown who was on the plane. Still, the mere notion of a James-Cavaliers reunion seems to have Cleveland -- the team the Akron, Ohio, native spent his first seven seasons with before leaving for Miami -- on anxious edge. James opted out of his contract with the Heat last month, as did fellow Miami stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. James agent, Rich Paul, met with the Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks while the four-time NBA MVP was vacationing last week. James decision would figure to set off a wave of other deals. If he stays in Miami, that would almost certainly help convince Wade and Bosh to stay with the Heat. If James returns to Cleveland, the Cavaliers would more than likely have to make a trade of some significance to open up salary cap space. Riley and the Heat won over James with their sales pitch four years ago -- and Miami has been to the NBA Finals all four years that it has had James in uniform, winning two championships. When James made the highly expected move to opt out and become a free agent this summer, Riley said through the team that he looked forward to having an opportunity to meet with him and discuss their futures together. Now, it would seem theyll be discussing if theyll actually have a future. The Cavs are hoping they can impress James with a young roster that includes No. 1 overall draft picks in Kyrie Irving, Anthony Bennett and Andrew Wiggins. In the early hours of free agency last week, Irving agreed to a five-year, $90 million contract extension the All-Star point guard is expected to sign Thursday. Cleveland also has room under the salary cap, but will need to clear more space to offer James a max deal. One stumbling block for the Cavs could be the fractured relationship between Gilbert and James. When James left in 2010, Gilbert wrote a scathing letter to Cleveland fans, condemning the four-time league MVP. He also told the AP he felt James quit in playoff games. ------ AP Sports Writer Tom Withers in Cleveland contributed to this report. Chad Williams Jersey . No such luck. Wiggins owned the end of Parkers impressive homecoming. The Kansas star scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half, outplaying Parker down the stretch and helping the fifth-ranked Jayhawks knock off No. Chad Williams Cardinas Jersey . -- The Oakland Raiders expect to have starting right tackle Tony Pashos back for Sundays game against the Houston Texans.BRATISLAVA, Slovakia -- Germany reached the semifinals of the Fed Cup on Sunday after Angelique Kerber won the first reverse singles to clinch the first-round series against Slovakia. Ninth-ranked Kerber defeated Australian Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova 6-3, 7-6 (5) on the indoor hard court at Bratislavas National Tennis Center for the first German victory in the Fed Cup World Group since 2002. Germany will face Australia in April in its first semifinal since 1995. In the doubles, Slovakias Jana Cepelova teamed up with MMagdalena Rybarikova to beat Julia Goerges and Anna-Lena Groenefeld 4-6, 6-3, 10-7 and reduce the German overall victory to 3-1. Budda Baker Youth Jersey. Kerber converted her first match point in a tiebreaker when Cibulkovas forehand went wide. Kerber broke Cibulkova three times in the opening set which she clinched with a forehand winner. Germany took a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series on Saturday after Kerber overcame Daniela Hantuchova 7-6 (9), 6-1 and Andrea Petkovic upset Cibulkova 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
BARCELONA, Spain -- Carlos Vela scored a 75th-minute equalizer Saturday to give Real Sociedad a 1-1 draw at Elche in Spain, keeping the Basque side undefeated before it completes a critical playoff to reach the Champions League group stage. Michael Roberts Lions Jersey . Also, Espanyol fought back to beat Valencia 3-1 for its first victory of the Spanish league season, while Villarreal scored its second late winner in as many weeks to rally 2-1 over Valladolid. Early at Martinez Valero Stadium, Sociedad appeared to be looking ahead to Wednesday when it hosts Lyon with a 2-0 advantage heading into their second leg with Europes top tier club competition at stake. Elche struck two minutes in when Ferran "Coro" Corominas tapped in a corner kick earned from the hosts pressure that continued to cause Sociedad problems through the first half. Elche went close to scoring again through headers by Alberto Botia and Manuel del Moral on either side of halftime, and was on course for its first win in the topflight for 25 years after being promoted last spring. But Sociedad slowly pushed Elche onto its back foot, and Vela was left unmarked to volley in Xabi Prietos cross for his second goal in as many league games. The Mexico forward nearly took the full three points for Sociedad with a curling strike from outside the area that clipped the bar two minutes from time. "Given how the game went, a point isnt too bad, even though at the end we had a chance to win," said Vela. "The first half was theirs, but in the second we knew how to rectify the situation. The point is good and now we have to keep working to finish off the job of going to the Champions League." Espanyol created three clear scoring opportunities before Valencias Helder Postiga snatched the 10th-minute opener at Cornella-El Prat Stadium. The goal, however, didnt change the flow of the match, and Espanyol defender David Lopez headed in Simao Sabrosas corner kick in the 31st. Christian Stuani headed Espanyol in front two minutes after the break, jumping and redirecting a free kick by Juan Fuentes off the post and into the net. Forward Thievy Bifouma sealed the result in the 89th with his second goal in two games coming of Espanyols bench after an excellent dribble and assist by Manuel Lanzarote. When Valencia coach Miroslav Djukic was hired this summer he said he had returned to his former club to "awaken a sleeping giant." After its poor performance Saturday the former Serb defender wasnt so optimistic. "Im ashamed," said Djukic. "We talk a lot and think we are stars but maybe we arent. We have to come down from the clouds because perhaps we arent so good. We looked ridiculous. We cant achieve anything with this attitude." Villarreal also had to come from behind to edge the visiting Valladolid after Javi Guerra finished off a team build up of five passes in the fourth minute. Giovani Dos Santos made it 1-1 in the 38th by slicing a penalty kick off the post after Valladolids Gilberto "Alcatraz" Garcia fouled Jauma Costa in the area. Dos Santos had given Villarreal its first win last week with a goal in the 86th. This time it fell to Ruben "Cani" Gracia to charge forward on the break and blast the ball into the top corner in the 83rd to keep Villarreal perfect in its return to the first division. On Friday, Athletic Bilbao beat Osasuna 2-0, while Getafe drew 2-2 at home with Almeria. Barcelona visits Malaga Sunday with Lionel Messi unavailable after injuring his leg midweek in a 1-1 draw at Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup. Also, Atletico faces Rayo Vallecano, Sevilla travels to Levante, and Real Betis plays Celta. Real Madrid visits Granada on Monday. Teez Tabor Womens Jersey . The deals were announced on Friday. Beckham will receive $4.175 million in base salary, while De Aza will receive $4.25 million. Beckham hit .267 with five home runs and 24 RBIs over 103 games last season, his fifth with the White Sox. Jalen Reeves-Maybin Youth Jersey . - The Toronto Blue Jays have optioned pitchers Kyle Drabek, Chad Jenkins and Sean Nolin to triple-A Buffalo.SAN ANTONIO -- Tony Parker was nursing a sprained left ankle and playing a critical playoff game on no sleep only hours after the birth of his first child. It was the perfect formula for a resurgent performance from the San Antonio Spurs point guard. Parker had 23 points and five assists and San Antonio never trailed in a 109-103 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night, taking a 3-2 lead in the first-round series. "Coming into the game I told him this is perfect for you," Spurs forward Tim Duncan said. "This is what he does in situations like this where he doesnt get a lot of sleep or is in a stressful situation. He always seems to play better. I somewhat expected it from him. "He was really excited before the game. Obviously, he was really excited to have his son here and wanted to get this game really badly not only for his son but for the situation and the timing of it. He was really focused and it was good for us." Parkers rebirth put San Antonio on the verge of closing out a tense series against its intrastate rival with Game 6 set for Friday in Dallas. Vince Carter scored 28 points on 10-for-16 shooting for the Mavericks. Carters 3-pointer with 3 minutes left pulled Dallas within 98-94 but Parker followed a minute later with his only 3-pointer of the game for a 101-94 advantage, punctuating the shot with a loud scream. His son Josh was born early in the morning to his fiancee Axelle Francine. "It was crazy, cause it happened last night, late," Parker said. "I didnt sleep. I basically didnt sleep the whole night and just played on adrenaline today. "Im a happy man right now." After shooting 5 for 14 in scoring just 10 points in San Antonios Game 4 victory, Parker responded with a frantic start. He mixed in three driving layups and two mid-range jumpers to start the game making 5 of his first 7 shots. Parkers drives helped the Spurs struggling offence maintain a consistent rhythm for the first time in the series. Manu Ginobili had 19 points and Tiago Splitter added 17 points and 12 rebounds as San Antonio regained home-court advantage. Duncan added 16 points and 12 rebounds and Kawhi Leonard had 15 points for the Spurs. After averaging 16 points in the series first four games, Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki found the stroke in scoring 26 points on 10-for-20 shooting. But it wasnt enough to overcome Parker and the Spurs returning to form. "Vince shot the ball incredibly, Dirk found his rhythm and really made some tough shots," Duncan ssaid. Teez Tabor Youth Jersey. "But we were able to counter that offensively by moving the ball, hitting the glass, getting into the paint and getting some easy stuff for ourselves and loosen it up." San Antonio took its largest lead of the game at 24-11 6 minutes into the first quarter as Ginobili hit a 3-pointer seconds after entering the game. The Spurs rediscovered the aggressive defence, long-range shooting and fluid ball movement that fueled them to the leagues best record. San Antonio was 8 for 16 from 3-point range and had 24 assists while committing just six turnovers. The Spurs finished with 54 points in the paint while shooting 47 per cent overall from the field. "I think they moved the ball well and, of course, they got a lot of layups, so thats most of it," Carter said. "They did a great job of just moving the ball and making the right decisions, keeping us on our heels. I think we just have to go back to the drawing board and let it all hang out." Danny Green hit a 3-pointer to give San Antonio a 67-57 lead with 7:22 remaining in the third quarter after starting a fast break by tipping the ball from behind on a driving Ellis. Splitter threw a bounce pass into the lane to feed a cutting Parker for a layup with 7 minutes remaining in the game for a 91-81 lead. Splitter had nine points, six rebounds and four assists in the fourth quarter. The Mavericks were within four points with 3 minutes remaining. Nowitzki had an opportunity to pull Dallas closer but upfaked Splitter and dribbled out of a clean look at a 3-point attempt only to miss a 17-foot jumper with 2:35 remaining. "I would obviously like to have that one back there on the wing when I faked Splitter, to make it a two-point game," Nowitzki said. "That was a big shot. I have to make that one." NOTES: After initially stating that an ouster of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was a "slippery slope," Dallas Mark Cuban refused to comment after NBA commissioner Adam Silver did just that Tuesday. "Im going to tell you exactly what I did," Cuban said. "I went and looked at a picture of my house since Im on the road and I saw that it was made out of a whole lot of glass, so I decided I dont have anything more to say on the whole topic. Thats my statement."... Dallas Samuel Dalembert had to be helped off the court after twisting his left ankle while getting tied up with Green on a rebound. Dalembert returned in the second quarter and finished with two points and nine rebounds in 23 minutes. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
PITTSBURGH -- Matt Calverts first career playoff goal gave the Columbus Blue Jackets a badly needed boost. Christian McCaffrey Panthers Jersey . His second ended 4,493 days of futility for a franchise that is quickly morphing from laughingstock to something considerably more potent. Calvert banged his own rebound past Marc-Andre Fleury 1:10 into the second overtime and the Columbus Blue Jackets earned their first Stanley Cup playoff win with a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night. Fleury stuffed the initial shot by Cam Atkinson but Calvert stood all alone at the left post. His first shot went into the goaltenders right pad. He roofed his second into the top of the net to even the Eastern Conference quarterfinals at one game each. Game 3 is Monday in Columbus. "You always dream about being the hero in overtime," Calvert said. "We battled for it and it didnt come easy. We were down a couple goals at different times. The penalty kill was great when it had to be and its just a great feeling right now." The Blue Jackets trailed 3-1 after the first period, but Calverts short-handed goal 7:31 into the second changed the game completely. "It gave hope to our guys," Columbus coach Todd Richards said. "It was 3-1 at the time and we scored to make it 3-2. You could feel it on the bench. After that I felt we played a very strong game." Looked like it. Jack Johnson eventually tied it with 6:01 left in regulation. Ryan Johansen also scored the first playoff goal of his career for Columbus. Sergei Bobrovsky overcame a shaky start to finish with 39 saves. Brian Gibbons scored twice and Matt Niskanen added his second goal of the playoffs, but Pittsburgh was outplayed for much of the final three-plus periods. Fleury made 41 stops but was helpless on the game-winner. "We have to be better," said Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby, who had two assists but was held without a goal for the second straight game. "Thats really, I think, the bottom line. Right on through, whether its special teams or 5-on-5 we have to be better." The Penguins have dropped four straight home overtime playoff games and blew a chance to take a 2-0 series lead when they failed to bury the Blue Jackets early on. Pittsburgh, the best power play team in the NHL during the regular season, went just 1 for 8 with the man advantage, including 0 for 2 in overtime. Even worse, Columbus has two short-handed goals in as many games. Both teams traded quality chances in the first overtime. Bobrovsky made an excellent blocker save on Crosby racing down the right wing and got a piece of Lee Stempniaks rebound. Fleury stuffed R.J. Umberger from point-blank range earlier in the period. There was no back-and-forth in the second extra session. Brandon Dubinsky started the winning play by finding Atkinson in front and Pittsburghs defence offered little resistance until the puck was on Calverts stick for the winner. "We stuck with it and we just kept playing and kept going and we got a split in Pittsburgh and thats what we wanted," Calvert said. The Penguins knew they couldnt afford a repeat of the first 21 minutes of Game 1, when the Blue Jackets knocked them around while streaking to a two-goal lead before Pittsburgh rallied to escape. This time, the start wasnt the problem for the Penguins. It was everything else. Gibbons scored the first two playoff goals of his career 54 seconds apart -- including a nifty short-handed breakaway in which he undressed Bobrovsky -- to give the Penguins a 2-0 lead before the game was 5 minutes old. The giddiness didnt last long, for the Penguins or Gibbons. Johansen scored before the power play expired and Gibbons, elevated to Pittsburghs top line midway through Game 1, did not return after colliding with Johansen midway through the first period. While a Niskanen shot from the point with 2:08 left in the first restored Pittsburghs two-goal edge, it only seemed to galvanize the Blue Jackets. The Penguins earned back-to-back power plays early in the second period and somehow lost momentum. Some lethargic Pittsburgh passing set up a 3-on-1 short-handed breakaway for the Blue Jackets, with Calvert beating Fleury to bring Columbus within one. The disjointed effort by the Penguins deflated the bench and the building. The wave carried over into the third, with Columbus eventually drawing even on Johnsons power-play goal with 6 minutes to go before Calverts winner gave Columbus a taste of playoff success after 13-plus years of waiting. "Its a big step for us as a group and an organization," Calvert said. "It felt great, and Im sure were going to enjoy it tonight, but its a long series." NOTES: The Blue Jackets scratched forward Nick Foligno once again with a lower body injury but Foligno is optimistic hell be able to return for Game 3. ... Crosbys two assists moved him into third on the teams career post-season scoring list. He now has 108 post-season points, trailing Jaromir Jagr (147) and Mario Lemieux (172). ... Columbus D Fedor Tyutin missed the third period and overtime due to an undisclosed injury. Taylor Moton Womens Jersey . The Brazilian-born strikers brace drew him level with Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo as the leagues leading scorers with 17 goals apiece through 16 rounds. "The important thing is to help the team win, not the goals," Diego Costa said. After a first half dominated by defence, Atletico pressed Valencia into its area and Diego Costa did the rest. Curtis Samuel Panthers Jersey . However, Therrien added that Galchenyuks status for next Wednesdays game against the Detroit Red Wings is questionable. Galchenyuk has been out since Jan. 6 with a broken right hand.England are not just focusing on Specsavers County Division One players ahead of the Test series against Sri Lanka, according to two of the national selectors. Alastair Cooks side will take on the visitors in a three-Test series, with the opener at Headingley starting on Thursday May 19, live on Sky Sports 2. Selectors Mike Newell and Angus Fraser gave no hints to Sky Sports News HQ about the players that would be included on Thursday, but it was emphasised that both county divisions were being scouted for English talent. Newell, Nottinghamshire director of cricket, said: There has not been any Test cricket for several months, so we wanted to see lots of four-day cricket in Division One and Division Two and look at the players who will come under consideration and have a long debate about that.I think its our job to look at all of the cricket. Obviously our teams are Division One so we spend a reasonable amount of time there but we also go and watch Division Two cricket when our teams arent playing or when we get a chance to go.Theres a lot of good young players in Division Two, playing some good cricket, particularly in the batting group. Forget Bell Ian Bell England recall unnecessary says Nasser Hussain Everybodys in there with a chance of playing and I think its important we give everybody consideration.There has been plenty of debate on how England should line-up, with many players from the second tier impressing, including Alastair Cooks Essex team-mate Tom Westley and Kents Daniel Bell-Drummond.Fraser, Middlesex director of cricket, added: The Test series in South Africa finished in January and we are now in April so theres been three months without Test cricket and some good white ball performances.So there has been plenty of speculation and plenty of conversation in our meetings. Weve piicked a squad that we believe can win the series and thats always going to be the case. Curtis Samuel Womens Jersey. Former England captain Nasser Hussain wants Alex Hales to retain his place in the squad There are 12 players that are going to be looking forward to going to Headingley in a week or so at the weekend.Newell, who stressed that the squad for the first Test has only been chosen for the one game in Leeds, added: We are very determined to win this three-match series and thats what the squad we have selected is there to do.Head to Sky Sports News HQ and Sky Sports digital platforms at 7am on Thursday for first news of Englands Test squad to play Sri Lanka.Then catch the three-Test series live on Sky Sports, starting with the first game at Headingley, from 10am, Thursday, May 19 on Sky Sports 2. 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SWANSEA -- Emmanuel Adebayor scored twice as Tottenham beat Swansea 3-1 to extend Tim Sherwoods unbeaten Premier League start as manager. Howard Wilson Browns Jersey . The striker headed Spurs into a 35th-minute lead and tapped in their third in the 71st after Chico Flores own goal. Wilfried Bony hit the bar and had a good penalty appeal for a push by Tottenham captain Michael Dawson turned down in the first half, before getting Swanseas consolation late on. The win moved Tottenham up to fifth, level on points with fourth-placed Liverpool. Sherwood has collected 16 out of 18 points since replacing Andre Villas-Boas last month. Swansea remains three points above the relegation zone. Larry Ogunjobi Jersey . The Montreal Alouettes announced Tuesday that they have acquired the return specialist from Calgary, as well as the Stampeders fifth-round draft pick in the 2014 CFL Canadian Draft. David Njoku Womens Jersey . -- David Freese is starting to pick up his run production, which is something the Los Angeles Angels have been waiting half a season to see.The Finnish mens Olympic hockey team has reportedly dipped into its reserves from Russias Kontinental Hockey League. According to USA Today the Finns have tapped forwards Jarkko Immonen and Sakari Salminen to replace injured forwards Mikko Koivu and Valtteri Filppula at the Sochi Games. Koivu announced he would not be participating in the Olympic tournament on Friday. he has been out since Jan. 4 with a broken ankle. Filppula was also ruled out Friday with a fracture in his right ankle sustained Thursday night against the Toronto Maplee Leafs. Larry Ogunjobi Browns Jersey. Immonen, 31, has scored 13 goals and added 23 assists in 50 games this season with the Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo. He has appeared in 20 career NHL games as a member of the New York Rangers between 2005 and 2007. He was originally selected in the eighth round (254th overall) of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs but was dealt to the Rangers in the trade that brought Brian Leetch to Toronto. Salminen - a Torpedo teammate of Immonens - has scored 18 goals and 28 assists in 50 games this season. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '