SAN ANTONIO - The San Antonio Spurs closed out one long month with a lucky break in regulation and a strong finish for Manu Ginobili.San Antonio avoided its fourth overtime loss at home in December when Ginobili scored six of his 26 points in the extra session, leading the Spurs to a 95-93 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.The Spurs played five overtime games in the final month of the year, losing four, including becoming the first team in league history to lose consecutive games in triple overtime.San Antonio (20-14) also matched a franchise record with 18 games in December, including a five-game stretch against teams with a .700 winning percentage.I think Ill remember it. ... Some things are just indelible, you never forget them, coach Gregg Popovich said. Some good ones, some bad ones, but thats part of the deal. Im just really proud of the guys.Ginobili came up big on New Years Eve, helping the Spurs overcome an early six-point deficit in the extra period.If you dont get up for the Spurs, its tough, New Orleans forward Anthony Davis said. Theyre a championship-calibre team. They bring it every night. That makes you put out your best performance and thats just what we try to do when we play them.Davis had 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Pelicans (16-16). It was his 19th double-double of the season.San Antonio star Tim Duncan had 16 points and 10 rebounds, tying Hall of Famer Karl Malone for fifth in career double-doubles with 814.It was Duncans final points of regulation that proved the most dramatic.It appeared as if the Spurs were headed for a regulation loss when Davis followed Tyreke Evans miss with an emphatic dunk, giving New Orleans an 84-82 lead with 0.7 seconds left. But Duncan sent the game to overtime, credited with tipping in Boris Diaws inbounds pass at the rim when it looked as if Pelicans centre Omer Asik had tapped it in.Sure, Duncan said dryly when asked if he got his hand on the ball. Thats my answer and Im sticking with it.Regardless of who tipped it in, the Spurs were overwhelmed to see something good happen.It was the basketball gods kind of giving us a little bit extra, San Antonio guard Danny Green said. I dont know if we were owed it, but we definitely got a break. We needed it. This was a big game for us tonight, it was a big win for us tonight.Ryan Anderson had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Pelicans, and Evans finished 15 points. Jimmer Fredette added 14 points.___TIP-INSPelicans: New Orleans is 8-10 in back-to-back games this season, including four losses in the second contest. ... Jrue Holiday has started every game this season, while Davis and Evans each have missed just one game.Spurs: After finishing with a league-best 62-20 record last season, San Antonio has already lost 14 times through 34 games. ... The Spurs went 8-10 in December. ... F Kawhi Leonard (bruised right hand) missed his 11th straight game and G Tony Parker (strained left hamstring) missed his 12th. Popovich expects Parker to return before Leonard, who he said will be out later rather than sooner.UP NEXTPelicans: Host Houston on Friday.Spurs: Host Washington on Saturday.TIMELY TIMDuncan continues to move up the leagues career lists in his 18th season. In addition to tying Malone for double-doubles, Duncan moved into the top 10 rebounders. He has 14,250 career rebounds, surpassing Walt Bellamy (14,241) for 10th. Duncan is 17th in scoring with 25,348 points, trailing Paul Pierce (25,422) and Alex English (25,613) on the career list.TOUGH LOSSHoliday had 13 points, including the first five in overtime before fouling out with 1:21 remaining and New Orleans leading 91-88. Holiday finished 3 for 6 on 3-pointers and also had nine assists in 39 minutes. Filip Forsberg Jersey .com) - Minnesota Vikings fans would surely concede Teddy Bridgewater is not Peyton Manning. Colton Sissons Jersey .com) - A chant of Zeke reverberated around AT&T Stadium before Ezekiel Elliott powered into the end zone for his fourth and final touchdown. http://www.authenticpredatorspro.com/Dan-hamhuis-predators-jersey/ . Once again, the third baseman delivered in a big spot. Ramirez kept up his torrid hitting with a two-run homer to help back Wily Peraltas solid start, and the Brewers extended their winning streak to seven with a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night. Craig Smith Jersey . The first baseman hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning to lead the Mets to a thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Juuse Saros Jersey .Y. -- When the New York Islanders lead was cut in half in the opening minute of the third period, the sense of impending doom began wafting through Nassau Coliseum.CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- P.J. Hairstons career is over at North Carolina. The school said Friday that it wont seek Hairstons reinstatement from the NCAA after the junior committed several rule violations. Hairston hasnt played all season while the school and NCAA worked to resolve eligibility questions, many stemming from the use of cars linked to a felon and party promoter in Durham earlier this year. Hairston has practiced with the team and has been on the bench for home games. The NCAA cleared senior Leslie McDonald to return earlier this week after he missed the first nine games due to receiving improper benefits in a related case. In a statement, UNC coach Roy Williams said he was "extremely disappointed" for Hairston, his family and team. "P.J. made mistakes and I was very disappointed by his actions and now he is suffering the very difficult consequences," Williams said. "He is not a bad kid. He just made some mistakes." Hairston led the team in scoring last year at about 15 points per game while shooting 40 per cent from 3-point range.dddddddddddd The 6-foot-5 swingman decided to return for his junior season instead of entering the NBA draft in the spring, but ultimately never made it back on the court for the Tar Heels. Authorities twice cited him during the off-season while driving rental vehicles linked to Haydn Patrick "Fats" Thomas of Durham to raise the possibility of an improper benefits violation. The schools announcement didnt spell out the specific violations, only that there were several. "Unfortunately P.J. made a number of mistakes that placed his eligibility at risk and the universitys joint review with the NCAA made it clear that seeking reinstatement from P.J. would not be possible," athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a statement. "The university thanks him for his contributions to Carolina Basketball." The No. 14 Tar Heels are coming off an 86-83 home loss to Texas, though McDonald scored 15 points and hit four 3-pointers in his return to the lineup. North Carolina plays Davidson on Saturday. ' ' '

DUNEDIN, Florida – With the eyes of the Blue Jays front office firmly planted on him, starting rotation hopeful Marcus Stroman had an up and down three innings on Friday afternoon. Stroman allowed three runs on four hits, striking out a batter and walking a hitter, too. He threw 46 pitches, of which 31 were strikes. Getting the third out was the problem. "The third guy in each inning kind of hurt me," said Stroman. "The first inning was a walk and then I kind of got lazy on the next guy when I got two quick outs and didnt execute my pitch. Definitely being better with two outs because thats when you want to get back in the dugout." Stroman entered the game in the fourth, with the Jays down 1-0, pitching in relief of Mark Buehrle. Two quick outs later, he battled former Jay Jayson Nix to a full count and lost him on a slider. Catcher Dioner Navarro called for a fastball, but the brash, confident youngster shook off his veteran battery mate. "Which Im perfectly fine with," said Navarro. "We aint kids, man. Were all growing men and we know what weve got to do. He had a pretty good idea of what he was doing. Ive got a pretty good idea of what Im doing. It was just a matter of execution." The next pitch, the first pitch in the at-bat to Kevin Kiermayer, was a change-up left up in the strike zone. "A lot of change-ups up in the zone get hit hard," said Navarro. "I think if he would have thrown it down, we would have gotten a ground ball to the infield." In the fifth, Stroman struck out Sean Rodriguez and erased Desmond Jennings on a ground ball to short, but a double by Matt Joyce and RBI single by Wil Myers soured the taste of the inning. Two quick outs. Manager John Gibbons, though, is impressed with Stromans repertoire. The fastball pops the mitt, the breaking stuff is nasty and the change-up is developing. Stroman is working on the pitch with Brandon Morrow and is throwing a split-change-up, rather than using a circle-change grip. The pitch sinks and, when its working, misses bats. "Its just refining it, getting it in that strike zone," said Gibbons. Earlier this week, general manager Alex Anthopoulos said, tongue-in-cheek, that Fridays outing was "very important" for Stroman. The Jays are stretching him out. Stroman could throw another three innings, maybe four, in his next appearance. They want to see consistently positive results. He insists he isnt paying attention to the chatter that he, along with Drew Hutchison, could be the tandem that backfills a starting rotation led by R.A. Dickey, Brandon Morrow and Mark Buehrle. "It doesnt affect me at all," said Stroman. "It is what it is and I just keep my head down and work. Every time Im out there I try to give it my all and today wasnt my best at all." BUEHRLES CHANGE-UP Mark Buehrle allowed a run on three hits in three innings on Friday. He was on the plate, throwing 31 of his 44 pitches for strikes. "The change-up was probably the best its been in three years that I can remember," said Buehrle. Asked to confirm whether he meant the three previous springs or three previous seasons, he said he meant the latter. "It was moving a lot," said Buehrle. "Guys were swinging and missing at it. There was good movement; dropping, sinking. It was just one of those days I wish you just soak everything in and do the exact same thing you did today and feel today." ROMEROS POSITIVE OUTING Ricky Romero threw two scoreless innings on Thursday. He stranded two, two-out base runners in the eighth. The Rays Mikie Mahtook singled, followed by a would-be inning ending ground ball from Curt Casali. A Maicer Izturis throwing error extended the frame. Romero picked up his teammate, striking out Richie Shaffer.. "I thought he was popping it," said Gibbons. "You know, the first couple he spiked, but after that he settled in. The thing I noticed the most, he looked nice and relaxed out there. He made some good pitches and he looked confident out there. Thats something hes battling. They all battle that, but I thought he looked like he used to look out there.” Romero isnt on the 40-man roster. His name has been uttered only on the periphery when the subject of available starting rotation jobs is discussed. "The best weve seen him in a long time," said Gibbons. "I think hes moving in the right direction." RASMUS IMPROVING Colby Rasmus expects to resume baseball activities on Saturday. Hes missed a week with neck spasms. The centerfielder received a cortisone shot in an attempt to alleviate the problem. "Its definitely helped," said Rasmus. "A couple of things I did, stretching out my back, whatever, and the way I slept that night kind of got my neck going and the treatment, it didnt react well to it and the neck just stayed spasmed up, so I got the shot and the dose pack and it seems to be helping." Rasmus missed time during the first half of spring training last year with a sore muscle in his shoulder. He has experience heading into the regular season with fewer at-bats than first anticipated. "Its just one of them things, I dont know," said Rasmus. "Baseball throws curveballs at you. Youve got to be able to make adjustments and keep working with it, grind through it, find a solution and keep going." Area motorists are thankful Rasmus is feeling better. "I can look in my blind spot now," he joked. JUST CALL HIM "JOHNNY BASEBALL" General manager Alex Anthopoulos is impressed with reliever John Stilson this spring. "Hes been on the radar," said Anthopoulos. "Hes a third round pick, hes one of our better relief prospects, we like him a lot. I think hes had a good camp so far." Stilson, 23, was a third-round pick in 2011 out of Texas A&M. A four-pitch reliever, Stilsons fastball registers 92-93 miles per hour with sink. Hes leaned on pitching coach Pete Walker, new bullpen coach Bob Stanley and consultant Pat Hentgen for advice. Theyre helping Stilson to slow the game down. In the past, when hes gotten into trouble, hes tended to rush his pitches. SEITZER AND SON Blue Jays hitting coach Kevin Seitzer watched as his son, Cameron, a Rays prospect, hit a two-run home run off Todd Redmond in the ninth inning of Tampa Bays 6-3 win on Friday. Hes a proud father. "Spring training is different than regular season," said Seitzer. "He does it against us in the regular season, Im not going to be happy. Its just fun getting to watch your son play." Seitzer appreciated Rays manager Joe Maddos decision to bring Cameron along for the trip to Dunedin. Kevin coached first base in the bottom of the fifth, a gesture by manager John Gibbons, when Cameron entered the game defensively. Cameron is a first baseman. What did they say to each other? "He goes, Whats up pops?," said Seitzer. "I go, Hello bud, this is pretty cool." John Carlson Jersey .com) - The Dallas Mavericks had a five-game winning streak snapped last time out, but theyll try to get back into the winners circle Sunday evening when the Milwaukee Bucks pay a visit to American Airlines Center. T. J. Oshie Jersey .com) - The Buffalo Bills will return to the friendly confines of Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday when they welcome the upstart Cleveland Browns to town. http://www.officialcapitalspro.com/Rod-langway-capitals-jersey/ .C., won gold in the womens 200-metre backstroke, and Dominique Bouchard of North Bay, Ont. Alex Ovechkin Jersey . Ted Ligety, Mikaela Shiffrin, Bode Miller and Tim Jitloff underlined the squads enormous potential on the Rettenbach glacier in Austria. Washington Capitals Jerseys . 1 and reigning champion Caroline Wozniacki was among Thursdays third-round winners, while second- seeded Victoria Azarenka pulled out of the draw at the $4.Charlie Nicholas offers up his latest set of predictions for the World Cup Qualifiers, tipping England to win but Scotland and Northern Ireland to struggle. Gareth Southgates side will be looking to maintain their 100 per cent record on Tuesday night when they visit Slovenia, while their neighbours will be keen to avoid losing further ground in Group F as they take on Slovakia after being held by Lithuania.Over in Group C, Michael ONeills Northern Ireland team face a contrasting task to their 4-0 win over San Marino when they visit tournament favourites Germany. Heres what Charlie is predicting in his Sky Bet tips...Slovenia v England England were 2-0 winners against Malta in their World Cup qualifier on Saturday It wasnt a glorious performance against Malta but did anybody really expect it to be an exciting game? I thought it should have been four or five but Malta never came out to play.We know Slovenia are technically decent but have they got enough to take on the big teams? Im not sure. Its a similar one to the Slovakia game and youd hope, being the home side, that they try to win the game. Find out who are the key players England can expect to face against Slovenia in their World Cup qualifier on Tuesday Theres this issue with Wayne Rooney,but what are the specifics of it? Are people are suggesting if he doesnt play No. 10 then he doesnt play? Dele Alli has clearly been picked to play somewhere else? There seems to be personal agenda against Rooney and its annoying one, even for a Scotsman!What we do know is Gareth Southgate likes Jesse Lingard. He played okay and got in some decent positions but I couldnt get excited about that performance at home to Malta. Gareth Southgate will take charge of his second game as England interim manager this week This is one of those games where youll create a few chances, take one and leave with the points but if Southgate is bold enough to stick with the forwards that he picked against a Malta then I think theyll win by more than goal and actually get more of a cut through with Theo Walcotts pace away if its more of an open game.Charlie predicts: 0-2 and Walcott to score first (22/1 with Sky Bet)Germany v Northern IrelandWell I know they did well there last time they met theres less pressure on the Germans this time, with six points on the board following 3-0 wins over their supposed main rivals to win the group, Czech Republic and Norway. Kyle Lafferty netted twice in Saturdays victory over San Marino I love watching different games on Match Choice because I dont always follow the Home Nations and there are games I wanted to see, such as how Spains new system worked at Albania and how Germany are evolving.ddddddddddddThe bad news is they dont really need to change much, with Mesut Ozil, Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos going boom, boom, boom. Theyre strong, theyre quick, theyre powerful. Highlights of Northern Irelands 4-0 win over San Marino from World Cup Qualifying Group C Northern Ireland are well-drilled but I just see how they can get through this one unscathed with so many threats to be wary of. Jonas Hector and Joshua Kimmich are virtually left and right wingers. They hardly ever defend and they are hitting the byline for fun.Charlie predicts: 2-0 and Muller to score first (9/1 with Sky Bet)Slovakia v ScotlandWell, Im a critical Scotland fan but we were awful. I felt it was a must win at home to Lithuania, who shouldve beaten us, and now it really is. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract. Were not good enough defensively and were not good enough on the ball. Gordon Strachan tried changing too much on Saturday. Oliver Burke is a talent but hes not consistent enough to rely on yet.Think we have to go back to a 4-5-1 formation which means being about the counter-attack. Scotland manager Gordon Strachan admits Slovakia are a tough side to analyse having made big changes to their team in the last few games Sadly I dont feel good about my team at all. We didnt create many chances and I can see Martin Skrtel doing the damage from a set-piece.Charlie predicts: 1-0 and Skrtel to score first (70/1 with Sky Bet)You can watch Englands tour of Bangladesh, plus Premier League football and the British Masters on Sky Sports. Upgrade now and enjoy three months at half price! Also See: Slovenia v England preview Sky Live: Germany v N Ireland ' ' '

SEATTLE -- Los Angeles Angels reliever Sean Burnett is expected to miss the rest of the season after tearing a ligament in his pitching elbow. Burnett was diagnosed with having a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow on Wednesday, a day after being removed from the game in the seventh inning after throwing a pitch to Seattles Michael Saunders. Burnett had just made his debut with the Angels last weekend after having elbow surgery last August. Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Burnett would have a second opinion by Dr. James Andrews next week. Andrews performed the surgery on Burnetts elbow last year. With Burnett going on the disabled list, the Angels recalled right-hander Matt Shoemaker to start Thursdays series finale against Seattle. Wade LeBlanc, the Angels expected starter on Thursday, will now work out of the bullpen. Tony Twist Jersey . No, really, his head. Late in the game, the St. Louis goalie craned his neck into the air to block a shot, taking a puck square in the mask. Ryan OReilly Jersey . According to a report from ESPN, Lynch wants a new contract from the Seahawks, and will likely skip all off-season workouts until he can renegotiate his deal with the Seahawks. http://www.cheapbluesjerseys.info/authentic-jaden-schwartz-blues-jersey/ .ca has you covered for whos in, whos out and what to expect from all 30 teams. Brett Hull Jersey . Cabrera is hitting .218 with three homers and 16 RBI in 80 games this season. The Padres recalled second baseman Brooks Conrad from Triple-A El Paso to replace Cabrera on the roster. St.Louis Blues Jerseys . "I only want to go through this one more time," Crosby said Friday. The 24-year-old captain hasnt played since the symptoms resurfaced following a loss to Boston on Dec. 5. Doctors allowed him to return to full practice on Tuesday and while Crosby is pleased with the way his body is responding he refuses to put on his return.New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion has been named the American League Player of the Week for the period ending May 11. Encarnacion tied for the major league lead in home runs (fourr) and RBI (10) while batting .dddddddddddd321 in seven games last week. Other players in consideration for the honor were Detroits Miguel Cabrera, Seattles Dustin Ackley and Clevelands Michael Brantley. ' ' '

NEW YORK -- Dallas Stars forward Ryan Garbutt was fined $1,474 -- the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement -- by the NHL on Saturday for spearing Anaheim Ducks forward Corey Perry in the groin Friday night. Garbutt was given a major penalty for spearing and a game misconduct midway through the first period in the Stars 6-2 loss at Anaheim. "I was just coming back to the bench and got careless with my stick," Garbutt said. "It was deliberate," Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau countered. "It wasnt an accident. It was pretty dirty." The Ducks lead the first-round playoff series 3-2. Vincent Lecavalier Jersey . Orlando is to begin play in the MLS for the 2015 season. Kaka, who currently plays with AC Milan, is expected to be loaned out to his home club Sao Paulo for the upcoming season before joining Orlando for next season. Martin St. Louis Jersey . -- Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday for the first time in his seven-year career because of a swollen muscle in his left upper back. http://www.hockeylightning.com/authentic-ryan-mcdonagh-lightning-jersey/ .A caravan greeted the former Boston Red Sox pitcher at the airport and took him to a public park in Santo Domingo, where a crowd lined a 19-mile stretch of highway to catch a glimpse of him.Once at the park, Martinez went on stage accompanied by players David Ortiz and Robinson Cano as merengue music played and fireworks lit up the sky. Custom Tampa Bay Lightning Jerseys . Coming off a 6-0 drubbing at Chelsea on Saturday, Arsenal endured another demoralizing result after rallying for a 2-1 lead -- only to concede a fluke equalizer. Steven Stamkos Jersey .J. -- Travis Zajac of the New Jersey Devils took a lot of grief considering his scored the first of his career-best three goals just 12 seconds into a crucial game against the Florida Panthers.Kevin Glenn should be the horse the Stamps ride hard down the stretch! Heres the thing, I dont even think Glenn is playing his best football at this point of the season; hes capable of more. Over the course of his career Glenn is 79-71-1 in 151 starts for a .526 career winning percentage. Since becoming a Stampeder, he has elevated his play and raised his stock around the league. And he continues to climb the ranks in the CFL record books. He needs just 89 more yards to surpass Tom Clements for 10th on the all-time CFL passing yards list. Case in point, he has the best winning percentage over the last 2 seasons among all quarterbacks in the CFL (minimum, 10 starts) CFL Quarterbacks Winning Percentage QB Record Winning Percentage Kevin Glenn 18-7 .720 Travis Lulay 19-8 .704 Darian Durant 17-13 .567 I believe he can take it even higher, maybe even a notch or two, with one simple step. Ill get to that in a bit. Theres been a unique synergy with the stable of quarterbacks in Calgary the last couple of seasons. All three - Glenn, Drew Tate and Bo Levi Mitchell - are certainly capable, and when given the chance have produced and won. Stampeders QBs by start, last two seasons QB Starts Record Kevin Glenn 25 (76 percent) 18-7 Drew Tate 5 (15 percent) 3-2 Bo Levi Mitchell 3 (nine percent) 3-0 Much of that success and harmony can be attributed to Glenns attitude and approach to his role as backup to Tate. Hes shown humility and composure in what could have been an extremely tense environment if he hadnt. By not being selfish or making the situation about himself, he enabled the locker room to remain harmonious and freed up his teammates to just go play footballl, not having to worry about internal controversy.dddddddddddd And with Tate working through several injuries the last two years, it has given Glenn the opportunity to show case his skill set and leadership capabilities. All of Glenns experiences up to this point have allowed him to take that next step. I believe that his success and that of his teams has solidified his beliefs in this approach and morphed Kevin into an elite quarterback. We have seen Glenn light it up with the best in the business over his 13-year career, whether it be in Saskatchewan, Winnipeg, Hamilton or Calgary, but never consistently. We have seen a quarterback transition from average to superior over the last two seasons and I believe his ability to light it up even more can be enhanced by one simple acknowledgment: The acknowledgment from his head coach John Hufnagel that hes the No. 1 guy the rest of the season and into the playoffs. Although Glenn is not seeking or would ever ask for this type of appointment, I believe through the natural course of events it has just come down to this. Hufnagel has got to - if he hasnt already done so - anoint Glenn as the stallion of choice the rest of the season! Hes earned it. The open support and backing from his head coach will free up the veteran QB to explode down the stretch. Imagine Glenn taking the Stamps the distance and winning his first ever Grey Cup. Great situation to be in if you are a Stampeder or a fan. But a precarious one for the coaches, particularly if you are Hufnagel, thinking where that would put his team during the expansion draft. Hufnagel could potentially leave unprotected the Grey Cup winning quarterback and the winningest CFL signal caller over the last two seasons. Now this brings me back to the present and why Hufnagel may be balking at making such an open statement of support for Glenn; hoping things just stay amicable between his quarterbacks and the locker room stays as is. Understandable? Yes. Best case scenario? In my opinion, no. Glenns earned the title; give it to him! With that said Stampeders fans, wear your shades to the remaining games, because things could get crazy bright for your team! Ready Break! ' ' '

MALELANE, South Africa - Branden Grace had his lead cut to just one stroke at the Alfred Dunhill Championship after shooting a level-par 72 in the third round Saturday, allowing several challengers to close the gap behind him.Grace had a five-stroke cushion after the second round, but a late surge by Lucas Bjerregaard of Denmark erased most of the advantage. Bjerregaard had an eagle on the 13th and then birdied his last three holes for a 66 to climb to second place.Grace has a 16-under total of 200, with Danny Willett of England two shots behind after a 67 and Francesco Molinari another stroke back following a 70.A couple of the easy holes I managed to make mistakes on, said Grace, who mixed four birdies with four bogeys. But Im in the position I want to be in and looking forward to tomorrow.The wind picked up considerably during the third round, but it didnt seem to bother Bjerregaard, who played his back nine in 6 under.Weve had no wind pretty much all week and it was tough, especially on the first couple of holes, to adjust to that all of a sudden, Bjerregaard said. It will be fun tomorrow. Its not a position that Ive been in that many times. Im really looking forward to it and hopefully I can find a couple more fairways and give him a challenge.Willett is chasing back-to-back European Tour victories after his win at the Nedbank Golf Challenge last week. Evgeny Kuznetsov Jersey .Y. - Geno Smith shouted a couple of mighty expensive expletives. Rod Langway Jersey . -- Damian Lillard couldnt believe when he got a clear look at the rim. http://www.officialcapitalspro.com/Customized/ . Then he got back at the team that released him five days before the start of last season, hitting a tiebreaking double in the ninth inning of the first game at Fenway Park since Boston won the World Series last October. Jakub Vrana Jersey .2 million in 2012, according to tax returns the league has submitted. Alex Ovechkin Jersey . The 24-year-old Raley was 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA for Chicago in his first two career starts after being called up from Iowa on Aug. 7. He was optioned to Iowa on Monday after losing 3-0 to Cincinnati in Chicago on Sunday.KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Benny Feilhaber and Lawrence Olum both had goals and Sporting Kansas City defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 on Saturday. Sporting (10-5-5) extended its unbeaten streak to six games, while Galaxys eight-game unbeaten streak was broken. In the 11th minute, Feilhaber opened the scoring, drilling a free kick from just outside the box into the upper left corner past Galaxy goalkeeper Jaime Penedo. Sporting made it 2-0 in the 60th minute. Graham Zusis cross was headed by Jacob Peterson -- which was blocked by Penedo -- but the reboundd came straight to Olum who headed it past a sprawled Penedo.dddddddddddd Zusi and Matt Besler signed long-term designated player contracts to remain with K.C. earlier in the day. Both players had received interest from abroad after their strong performances in Brazil. Robbie Keane cut the Galaxy (7-4-6) deficit in the 79th minute with his 10th goal of the season off a corner kick. Andy Gruenebaum filled in for Sportings starting goalkeeper Eric Kronberg, who is out with a fractured bone in his left hand suffered Wednesday at practice ' ' '

PRETORIA, South Africa -- Using witness accounts of a panicked nighttime phone call from Oscar Pistorius begging for help and his desperate pleas for Reeva Steenkamp to stay alive, the defence at his murder trial tried to reinforce its case Monday that the double-amputee Olympian fatally shot his girlfriend in a tragic error of judgment. Johan Stander and his daughter Carice Viljoen, neighbours and friends of Pistorius, testified that they were at the runners villa soon after the shooting on Feb. 14, 2013 and that Pistorius was praying, trying to help Steenkamp breathe and urging her to live. Viljoen testified that Pistorius was saying to Steenkamp as she lay on the floor with multiple gunshot wounds: "Stay with me, my love, stay with me." The world-famous disabled runner had shot four times through a toilet cubicle door with his 9 mm pistol minutes earlier, hitting Steenkamp in the hip, arm and head. He claims he thought she was a dangerous intruder in the cubicle in his darkened bathroom. Prosecutors maintain Pistorius, 27, is lying about the perceived trespasser, and his story is designed to cover up that he killed the 29-year-old model intentionally in the midst of a heated argument. The first amputee to run at the Olympics in 2012, Pistorius faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted of a premeditated murder charge. The testimonies from the neighbours began the seventh week of proceedings in the globally televised trial, which resumed after a two-week recess. Stander testified that Pistorius phoned him at around 3:19 a.m. -- about two minutes after the shooting. Pistorius told him he had thought Steenkamp was an intruder and shot her, Stander testified, and Stander and his daughter went to Pistorius house after the world-famous runner pleaded for him to come and help. "I saw the truth there that morning. I saw it and I feel it," Stander testified, saying he believed that the shooting was accidental because of Pistorius desperation when they found him carrying a bloodied Steenkamp downstairs from the upstairs bathroom. Pistorius was "really crying. He was in pain," Stander said. Standers own voice shook at one point and he became emotional as he described Pistorius state. "He was torn apart, broken, desperate, pleading," Stander said. "Its difficult really to describe." The defence was trying to underline its scenario that Pistorius was emotionally distressed after shooting Steenkamp by mistake. Pistorius lawyers were also trying to regain some momentum after chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel put Pistorius under intense pressure during the runners own testimony, which appeared to show some inconsistencies in his story. The prosecution has preferred to focus on events before the killing -- and not Pistorius demeanour afterward -- to try and show that his version is a fabrication, including that he never attempted to locate Steenkamp despite knowing she was awake before walking to the bathroom on his stumps and firing through the toilet door. Pistorius slumped forward in the Pretoria courtroom Monday with his head in his hands as details of what may have been Steenkamps last moments alive were discussed. Cross-examining Stander, Nel questioned if he was a good friend of Pistorius and therefore trying to "assist" the defence. Stander said he had known Pistorius since 2009 and looked after his home and dogs when he was away. Nel asked if the friendship led him to back Pistorius story. Stander said he also knew Steenkamp. "Im here to give the truth," Stander said. "And I think Ive given the truth, what I saw that morning." Nels manner in cross-examining both Stander and Viljoen was relatively subdued in contrast to his aggressive questioning during his five-day questioning of Pistorius, and of two expert witnesses for the defence. Stander earlier recounted the telephone call from Pistorius that woke him up in the pre-dawn hours of Valentines Day. "He (Pistorius) said on the call, Johan, please, please, please come to my house. Please. I shot Reeva. I thought she was an intruder. Please come quick," Stander said. Viljoen testified that when they arrived at the house, Pistorius begged her to help him get Steenkamp into a car so they could take her to a hospital. Viljoen said she urged Pistorius to "just put her down" so they could try and stop the bleeding. As Viljoen spoke, her voice broke and she became tearful. "I just saw blood everywhere," she said. Her father stepped outside to telephone an ambulance, Viljoen said, and she went upstairs to fetch towels to stop the bleeding. Pistorius was pleading for Steenkamp to stay alive, she said. "He kept on egging Reeva to just stay with him," she testified. Johnny Bower Jersey . Future Hall of Famer Ricky Ray is in his prime and back for a third season in double blue. The 34-year old was magnificent in 2013, throwing for just under 2,900 yards despite missing eight games, tossing an impressive 21 touchdowns against just two interceptions, completing 66 per cent of his passes in the process. Dave Keon Jersey . Pierre last November, only to watch St. Pierre leave the UFC octagon with his welterweight title belt and a split-decision victory. http://www.officialmapleleafsfanstore.com/authentic-frederik-andersen-maple-leafs-jersey/ . MacLean clocked 8:24.91 seconds, eclipsing the previous mark of 8:27.59 set by Brittany Reimer of Victoria at the 2005 FINA World Championships in Montreal. MacLean and Tabitha Baumann of Ottawa -- second in 8:32.37 -- both went under the qualifying standard to be nominated to the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific teams. Grant Fuhr Jersey . The Bulls seem to be getting along fine without him. D.J. Augustin scored 27 points in a start for Kirk Hinrich and Taj Gibson matched a career high with 26 filling in for Carlos Boozer as the Bulls improved to 7-2 since trading the popular Deng with a 98-87 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. Felix Potvin Jersey . Bring on Freddy Garcia. The well-travelled 36-year-old right-hander earned his second NL victory since 2007, and his first since he joined the Atlanta Braves last month, pitching six innings to help beat Miami 6-1 Thursday.Fort Worth, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Jimmie Johnson won Sundays AAA Texas 500 while championship contenders Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski as well as their teams were involved in a post-race fight on pit road after the two clashed in the closing laps at Texas Motor Speedway. Johnson scored his record fourth Sprint Cup Series win at Texas, including his third straight in the fall race here, after he grabbed the lead from Gordon following the first of two green-white-checkered finish attempts and then held off Keselowski and Kevin Harvick in the second two-lap overtime finish. Gordon had taken the lead from Johnson in the closing laps. After choosing to restart in the outside lane for the first green-white-checkered finish, Gordon collided with Keselowski and suffered a flat tire, which caused him to spin out and hit the wall. That allowed Johnson to take the lead for good. Johnson, who led 191 of 341 laps, scored his fourth victory of the season but his first since June at Michigan, snapping an 18-race winless streak. It was also his 70th career win in the series. Johnson claimed his sixth Sprint Cup championship in 2013, but the Hendrick Motorsports driver was eliminated from this years Chase for the Sprint Cup championship after the second round (Contender Round). We should be a Chase driver, Johnson said. We just had a slow start to the Chase. Last week, we were testing at Homestead, and that really got our car under me like I look for and what I need. We brought all those things here and qualified third and won the race. We are back on track. Unfortunately, we didnt find this stuff a month or two ago, but that is the way racing goes. Harvick grabbed second from Keselowski on the final lap but crossed the finish line 0.5 seconds behind Johnson. Keselowski finished third, followed by Kyle Busch and Jamie McMurray. Busch was attempting to win all three NASCAR national touring series races at Texas this weekend after taking Fridays Camping World Truck Series event and Saturdays Nationwide Series race. Gordon, who ended up finishing one lap down in 29th, approached Keselowski on pit road, as the two exchanged heated words. Then a wild skirmish between both drivers and their pit crews ensued. Punches were thrown during their altercation, and both Gordon and Keselowski appeared to have blood on their faces following the incident. There was a hole, and I went for it, Keselowski said of his contact with Gordon after the second-to-last restart. It closed up, and we bounced off each other and kept going. It was just a battle for the win. Gordon didnt see it that way, as he was irate at Keselowski. We went down into turn 1, and I just wanted to get on the outside of the 48 (Johnson), and out of nowhere, I just got slammed by the 2 (Keselowski), and it cut my left-rear tire, Gordon said.dddddddddddd Hes just a dip (expletive). The way he races, I dont know how hes ever won a championship. Im just sick and tired. Thats why everyone is fighting him and running him down. Three weeks ago at Charlotte, Keselowski was involved in a post-race altercation with Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth. Following the last restart with two laps there, Keselowski and Hamlin tangled multiple times while battling for position. Keselowski then retaliated against Hamlin by bumping him from behind and attempting to spin him out during the cool-down lap. Keselowski also ran into the back of Kenseth when both drivers were driving onto pit road after the race had concluded. Keselowski continued his antics on pit road by hitting the rear of Tony Stewarts car, but Stewart retaliated by putting it in reverse and slamming into the front of Keselowskis vehicle. Then the scuffles began in the garage area. Three days after the Chase race at Charlotte, NASCAR fined Keselowski $50,000 and placed him on probation for four races for his actions. Ive been through a lot of rivalries, and Ive got a little blood on me right now, Keselowski said. Ive been roughed up and put in the grandstands and wrecked and done all of that stuff, but Im still here fighting. Im not going to change the way I race. I race with 100 percent intensity and go for the win, and thats what our fans deserve in NASCAR. Sundays race at Texas was the second event in the Eliminator Round of the Chase. The elimination race in this round is next Sunday at Phoenix. After Phoenix, the Chase field will feature just four drivers battling for the championship in the Nov. 16 season-finale at Homestead. The highest finisher of the four there will win the title. Gordon came to Texas with the points lead but dropped to fourth in the Chase standings, only one point ahead of fifth-place Kenseth, who finished 25th. Its emotion that is a part of this Chase and this format as well as towards people that make dumb decisions, Gordon said. (Keselowski) has been making a lot of them lately. Joey Logano, who is Keselowskis teammate at Team Penske, and Hamlin are tied for the points lead heading to Phoenix. Logano finished 12th and Hamlin 10th. Ryan Newman is two points behind following his 15th-place run. Carl Edwards finished ninth, placing him sixth in points (-13). Keselowski holds the seventh spot (-17), followed by Harvick (-18). ' ' '

CHICAGO -- Henderson Alvarezs scoreless streak came to an end, and the Miami Marlins didnt care one bit. They were just happy to hear the talented right-hander should be able to make his next start after a scary play at first base. Alvarez injured his left hip in the sixth, but Miami made the most of a wild afternoon for Pedro Strop in a 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday that averted a three-game series sweep. The Marlins trailed 3-2 before they pushed across two runs in the eighth. They loaded the bases with one out on a walk, a hit by pitch and a single from Casey McGehee. Christian Yelich then scored on Garrett Jones sacrifice fly and Giancarlo Stanton came home on a wild pitch from Strop (0-3). Steve Cishek then struck out two in a scoreless ninth that gave him 14 saves in 15 tries. The Cubs got six scoreless innings from Jake Arrieta, but came up just short in a bid for their first six-game winning streak since a seven-game run in 2011. "I think these guys should keep their heads up," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. "Theyre very disappointed right now because we felt like we were on the cusp of being able to have a perfect homestand." Mike Dunn (5-3) got two outs for the win, but that was secondary for Miami after Alvarez went down. He began the day with a streak of 21 scoreless innings and is regarded as the Marlins best pitcher after Jose Fernandez was shelved by a season-ending elbow surgery. With one out in the sixth inning of a scoreless tie, Luis Valbuena grounded to Jones at first. Alvarez hustled over to cover the bag, but Jones toss was high. The pitcher reached to tap the base with his right foot but missed and landed awkwardly, straining his left hip. "He seems to be OK," manager Mike Redmond said. "Hes got enough time in between starts. He should be fine. Obviously well know better tomorrow or the next couple of days." After Miamis training staff and Redmond came out to see him, Alvarez threw one warm-up pitch to see if he could continue but quickly left the mound. He was charged with two runs, one earned, and seven hits. "At first I felt like I fell (and) I banged myself on ground. I just continued on, I got up, I felt I could continue to pitch," Alvarez said through a translator. "I went out there, I did what I could to pitch. At the end of the day it was a decision by the manager." Nate Schierholtz then greeted Dan Jennings with a two-run triple down the right-field line that gave the Cubs a 2-0 lead. Alvarez is considered day to day, a relief for the surprising Marlins (33-30). "I feel good," he said. "Thank God." Jones, who was charged with an error on the play, also was relieved that Alvarez was OK. He said he needed a couple pitches during his seventh-inning at-bat to refocus. "You never want to be the guy to make the mistake to lose a game," Jones said. "But that play, hes been our best pitcher, and to lose him on a play like that, it stinks." Luckily for Miami, it probably wont be without Alvarez for long. "We cant afford any injuries - especially to those pitchers. Weve already had that happen and we cant afford anybody else to get hurt," Redmond said. "Definitely concerned (when Alvarez left) but it looks like hes going to be fine so hopefully we got lucky there." NOTES: The Marlins have a couple off days coming up and the plan is to keep its rotation intact. That could change if RHP Nathan Eovaldis pregnant wife hasnt given birth by Wednesday. ... Marlins C Jarrod Saltalamacchia was eligible to come off the seven-day concussion disabled list but wasnt activated. Craig Conroy Jersey . Burris threw for 247 yards in one half of a game -- on pace for a nearly 500-yard outing -- as the Redblacks downed the woeful Montreal Alouettes 26-10 in CFL pre-season play Friday night at Percival Molson Stadium. Doug Gilmour Jersey . Lynn was tied for 16th entering the fourth round, six shots behind leader Paul Waring. He started with two birdies and added three more on his last five holes at the Oceanico Victoria course for an 18-under total of 266. http://www.flamessale.com/ .Y. -- First, Patrick Kane gave his family and friends something to cheer about by scoring a highlight-reel goal in a rare trip home to Buffalo on Sunday night. Miikka Kiprusoff Jersey . -- Canadian ski cross star Marielle Thompson accomplished two goals in one race Saturday. Lanny McDonald Jersey .com) - Manu Ginobili capped off a 26-point night with a go-ahead layup with 24 seconds left in overtime, with the basket giving the San Antonio Spurs a much-needed 95-93 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.Atlanta, GA (SportsNetwork.com) - Snubbed by the College Football Playoff committee, TCU made an emphatic statement against the nations stingiest defense on Wednesday. Trevone Boykin threw two of his three touchdown passes to Josh Doctson and the sixth-ranked Horned Frogs manhandled the No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels 42-3 in the Peach Bowl. TCU (12-1) felt it was worthy of playing for the national title, but fell from third to sixth in the final playoff rankings despite closing its regular season with a 55-3 rout of Iowa State to earn a share of the Big 12 championship. Boykin was 22-of-31 for 187 yards with three interceptions. Wide receiver Kolby Listenbee opened the scoring with a touchdown pass to Aaron Green and added a touchdown reception. Bo Wallace struggled mightily against a stout Horned Frogs defense. Wallace threw three first-half interceptions, one of which resulted in a TCU touchdown, and fumbled once while completing 10-of-23 passes for 109 yards. The Rebels (9-4), who were held to 129 total yards on offense, had their bowl win streak snapped a six games. Ole Miss entered the contest with the nations No. 1 scoring defense, allowing just 13.8 points per game. Things went downhill quickly for the Rebels as Wallace was picked off by Chris Hackett on the games third play from scrimmage. TCU then grabbed an early lead when Boykin threw a backward pass to Listenbee, who fired down the field to Green for a 31-yard touchdown. After an Ole Miss punt, Green capped a 15-play, 78-yard drive with a 115-yard touchdown run.dddddddddddd The Horned Frogs committed turnovers on consecutive drives later in the first quarter, but the Rebels were unable to get a first down and Gary Wunderlich missed a 52-yard field goal attempt wide left. TCU extended its lead to 21-0 four minutes into the second quarter on Doctsons 12-yard TD grab. Later in the second, Wallace was under pressure in the shadow of his own goal line and threw it away to avoid being sacked for a safety. James McFarland made a diving interception in the end zone to make it 28-0. Following the break, Ranthony Texada returned the opening kickoff of the second half 65 yards to the Ole Miss 34-yard line. Listenbee then went up in tight coverage and came down with the ball on 3rd-and-11 for a touchdown. Just 28 seconds later, Boykin hit Doctson for a 27-yard score after a Wallace fumble. Wunderlich made a 27-yard field goal with 7:18 remaining in the fourth quarter to spoil TCUs shutout bid. Game Notes TCU set school records for most points in a bowl game and largest margin of victory (39) ... The Horned Frogs improved to 14-15-1 in bowl games, while the Rebels bowl record dropped to 23-13 ... Doctson set single-season school records with 11 touchdown receptions and 1,018 receiving yards ... TCU has at least one takeaway in 25 straight games, the longest current streak in the nation ... The Horned Frogs posted their second win in seven all-time meetings with the Rebels ... Wallace was sacked five times. ' ' '

4) Speaking of which, if you invested time in the Cleveland Browns-Washington game, it is time to vote on the most interesting thing you saw. Was it Johnny Manziel "flipping off" the Washington bench, or the five holding penalties called against the Browns defence….in the first quarter?5) You will notice that I didnt mention the name of the Washington team. CBS analyst Phil Simms says he might do the same, while his play-by-play partner Jim Nantz feels it is not his place to "take a stance" on the controversy that will not go away. Whos right? I will only say that Nantz is, indeed, "taking a stance" by using the "R" name--hes saying he has no problem with it.6) Milos Raonics steady rise in the world tennis rankings is worthy of praise, but wheres the breakthrough victory that will signal the dawn of true greatness? The two views of Raonic are that it is inevitable, and that it will never come.7) It is time to tell MLB commissioner Rob Manfred how to save time and make games shorter. Are you with me in admitting that the appeal of the "sport without a clock" has waned?8) So lets begin with the toughest question--Should baseball actually use a clock to make the pitcher deliver the ball to home plate within 12 seconds of receiving it in his glove? The answer here is "yes", because the "discretion of the umpire" is a phrase that doesnt serve baseball well in any application.9) For instance, umpires can be encouraged to call more strikes, which usually means theyre supposed to call "high strikes", but they dont. Isnt it time for strict adherence to one strike zone, never mind the idea that umpires have their own strike zones? And, that strike zone, should you need a reminder, is between the top of the knees and the mid-point between the batters pants and the top of his shoulders, as he is about to swing.10) Batters arent supposed to step out of the batters box with both feet. So why are they allowed to do that for just about any reason, or for no reason? Stop them with called strikes.11) Mound conferences. The manager or pitching coach is allowed one trip, after which the pitcher must be changed. Whats wrong with applying the same restriction to catchers and infielders?12) Intentional walks. Why not save the time it takes to deliver four wide pitches and just wave the batter to first base?13) Video review. Baseball has lost its way with the introduction of challenges to umpires calls. Their number must be limited, and so too, the length of time they consume. Did it not occur to MLB that the only valid criticism of this innovation would be if the umps wore the headsets for more than, say, 90 seconds?14) And now it is time to offend the purists (I used to be one myself), or have I done that already? If the reason for this overhaul is to shorten games, there must be something done when an extra-inning game stretches to the ridiculous length of five or six hours. Draw the line where you think it belongs--Ill pick 12 innings--and for all innings beyond that, softballs international tie-breaker applies. (Each half-inning begins with a runner at second base).15) Kudos to the Montreal Alouettes for battling the Saskatchewan Roughriders to the very end of last Saturdays game, won 16-11 by the defending Grey Cup champs. But is there anyone not named Tom Higgins who would have done what the Montreal coach did after cutting Saskatchewans lead to two points with just over three minutes to play? What Higgins did was to order a one-point convert following the Als lone touchdown, when a successful two-point try would have evened the score. Ah, but what if the two-point play failed? Well, Montreal would have trailed by two, needing a field goal to win, which basically was what Montreal needed if the deficit was a single point. In summary, there was much to gain and little or nothing to lose by trying for two, and Higgins didnt.16) How good are the Calgary Stampeders? Well, if youre not willing to answer by saying "Theyre the best team in the CFL", try this: "Theyre good enough to be 6-1 without the services of the leagues top player in 2013, Jon Cornish". And wont it be good to see Cornish in action again on Sunday in Ottawa? (Ya, okay, perhaps not if youre Ottawa).17) Do you want the latest reason why its so frustrating being a Chicago Cubs fan? In their recently-completed four-game series against the Mets, the Cubs managed to hold the Mets to 16 hits, exactly four per game. And they split the series.18) Heres a stat that baseball needs to adjust--the "hold", which is awarded to a relief pitcher if he takes the mound with his team leading by three runs or less and departs without surrendering the lead. On Sunday, St. Louis closer Trevor Rosenthal walked three batters and was responsible for two of them crossing the plate, but because that still left the Cardinals in front for a one-run victory, Rosenthal, blown save and all, got his first "hold" of the season. What he got that he deserved was "the hook".19) If there must be a hockey question in August, here it is--what is the name of the Carolina Hurricanes head coach? (I had to look it up. Why dont you do the same, because the point of this exercise is lost if his name appears here. Or maybe you know it, which puts you ahead of me, unless you can name the NHLs five rookie general managers. It took me a couple of minutes, but hey, its August).20) Will the Los Angeles Clippers continue to employ cheerleaders, or would owner Steve Ballmer suffice? MLB Jerseys From China . Obasi chested the ball past one defender, prodded it past another and then rounded the keeper before scoring from a tight angle in the 16th minute. Seconds after the restart, Obasi set up Klaas Jan Huntelaar for the Dutchmans 11th goal from 13 games this season. NFL Jerseys China Authentic . -- Darrelle Revis says at least 26 teams called after he was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. http://www.wholesalejerseyscheap.net/ Cheap Jerseys Authentic . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. Cheap Jerseys From China . Scotlands Greg Laidlaw made one of two penalty kicks and all three conversions, and Stuart Hogg added a try in the second half. "The most important thing to come out of the game is that we did not get scored against," Laidlaw said. WASHINGTON -- Mike Dunleavy was making so many 3-pointers the Washington Wizards overplayed him at the arc and let him drive for a three-point play instead. The points were coming so easily Bradley Beal guaranteed at halftime Dunleavy wouldnt score again -- and then clobbered the Chicago Bulls veteran during a 3-point attempt during the third quarter. The ball went in anyway, and Dunleavy completed a four-point play. "He was in the zone, man," Beal said. "I guess the hoop looked like an ocean to him." The Bulls needed a go-to guy after their offensive struggles put them in a 2-0 hole in their Eastern Conference first round series. For one night, at least, they found him. Dunleavy scored 35 points, one short of his career-high, and Jimmy Butler hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 24 seconds remaining Friday for a 100-97 Game 3 win. "Coach mentioned some stuff about getting me some more catch-and-shoot situations, and we did that tonight," Dunleavy said. "A couple of easy layups early on got me going, and I just had one of those nights." Dunleavy went 12 for 19 from the field, including a career-high eight 3-pointers on 10 attempts. Not bad for a 33-year-old who was playing in only his 12th playoff game. His teams records in those games before Friday: 1-10. He had almost become a forgotten man in this series, scoring 20 points combined in the first two games. "These chances have been few and far between for me," he said. "But like I told somebody this morning, especially on the road in the playoffs, its where you can thrive. Its a hostile environment, and I like that." Derrick Rose has been injured for so long that the Bulls are accustomed to patching together a plan that somehow creates enough points to win. Theyll have to keep it up: Game 4 is Sunday in Washington as Chicago attempts to become only the fourth NBA team to win a seven-game series after losing the first two at home. "Weve got to get Sunday, for sure," Dunleavy said. "No question. Its a quick turnaround, one oclock start. We put ourselves in a hole, were starting to dig ourselves out, but were not near there yet." Beal scored 13 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, but hell be more remembered for a walk-off interview with CSN at halftime, when he guaranteed Dunleavy wouldnt score in thhe second half.dddddddddddd. Wall added 23 points and seven assists for the Wizards, who will have to wonder whether theyll have Nene for Game 4. The Brazilian forward was ejected in the fourth quarter after a forehead-to-forehead confrontation with Butler. Nene grabbed Butler by the back of the neck and the side of the head before they were separated. Nene is almost certain to get fined, and a suspension is possible. "I have nothing to regret," he said. "Im a warrior right there. What I did, Im supposed to do." Nene has been called the "X-factor" by Wall. It sure didnt help that he wasnt available for the final 8:28 of a close game. "It looked like an MMA move to me," Dunleavy said. "It was one of those headlocks. It was great that Jimmy kept his cool. I think a lot of people put in that situation wouldve started throwing blows." After avoiding the ejection, Butler made two 3-pointers down the stretch and finished with 15 points. He had struggled with his shot in the first two games, shooting 8 for 21 from the field. "Short-term memory loss," he said. "Its a new day, new game, new possessions. My team needs me to step up and take the open shot when its there and definitely knock it down when its needed." After Butlers final 3, the teams traded fouls and free throws over the final two dozen seconds. Washington had a chance to tie when Taj Gibson missed a free throw with 3.1 seconds to play, but Trevor Ariza threw the ball out of bounds after grabbing the rebound in a miscommunication with Wall. "We definitely have to play like a desperate team," Ariza said. "We didnt do so tonight." Notes: After a plea from owner Ted Leonsis to show up on time, the Wizards fans did a better job getting to the arena for the opening tip of their first home playoff game in six years, although there were still sections with plenty of empty seats. Fans were given red, white or blue T-shirts, and Leonsis did his part by showing up in a blue coat, red sweater and white shirt. ... Bulls C Joakim Noah got into a confrontation with a Wizards security official during the Bulls shootaround Friday morning. Washington coach Randy Wittman said his team was to blame. "Thats got to be something from our side that shouldnt happen," the coach said. ' ' '

ST. JOHNS, N.L. -- Michael Hutchinson posted a 24-save shutout and Kael Mouillierat scored to earn the St. Johns IceCaps a 1-0 victory over the Albany Devils on Wednesday night in American Hockey League playoff action. Mouillierat scored the lone goal of the game for the IceCaps when he surged forward to catch an outlet pass from Zach Redmond on a breakaway. The victory gives St. Johns a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. Mouillierat faked to move the puck forehand and then quickly brought it backhand before releasing high at the 17:50 mark of the first period. IceCaps goalie Michael Hutchinson made a huge, high glove save on a wide-open opportunity in front for Reid Boucher with six minutes left to play. Keith Kinkaid stopped 34 pucks for the Devils. Both teams ended with perfect penalty kills -- the IceCaps were 0 for 6 and the Devils went 0 for 3. Cheap Penguins Jerseys Authentic . Catch all the action on TSN2 and TSN GO at 9pm et/6pm pt. San Antonio took the series lead Monday night with a 122-105 home victory in Game 1. The Spurs used a balanced scoring attack and clamped down defensively late in the third quarter to claim the win. Cheap Penguins Jerseys . Ho-Sang is a highly regarded prospect, as seen in TSNs Midseason Rankings. This was Game 3 of their playoff series and that wasnt the only strange incident in Londons 10-2 win over Windsor. http://www.adidaspenguinsjerseys.com/ . - Regan Smith had the checkered flag in sight at Daytona a year ago and a freight train of cars in his rearview mirror. Cheap Adidas Penguins Jerseys . Duhamel, from Lively, Ont., and Radford, from Balmertown, Ont., were third with 210.84 points. Teammates Kirsten Moore-Towers of St. Catharines, Ont., and Dylan Moscovitch of Toronto were fourth. Duhamel and Radford, who were seventh at the Sochi Olympics, also won bronze at last years world championships in London, Ont. Wholesale Penguins Jerseys .C. -- Duke sophomore Rodney Hood is entering the NBA draft. PHILADELPHIA -- Nikolaj Ehlers is a two-sport star who credits his time on the soccer pitch with helping his game on the ice. Ehlers, who played for Denmarks national team until he was 14 before concentrating on hockey, was selected by the Winnipeg Jets with the ninth overall pick in the NHL draft on Friday night. The five-foot-10, 176-pounder was fourth in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with 104 points (49-55) in 63 games with the Halifax Mooseheads this past season. He feels that his soccer skills have helped him develop more speed on the ice, one of the key elements of his game. "I think Im a fast forward," he said. "I think I have a lot of speed I can use on the wing. I like to set up some nice plays and I like to score some goals." Ehlers was the first player from the QMJHL to be selected in the 2014 draft. The 18-year-old took the leagues rookie of the year and offensive rookie of the year honours. Ehlers also had 28 points (11-17) in 16 post-season games for the Mooseheads. "I found myself becoming more of a fan when I watched him play," said Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff. "Any time he got the puck, you felt like something was going to happen. "Hes not the biggest guy when it comes to sizze, but he plays with such good hockey sense that he knows when to take an opportunity to go, and not really put himself in harms way to try to make a play.dddddddddddd" Ehlers speed helps compensate for his relatively slight build. "He doesnt have a lot of weight on him so youre going to want him to continue to grow, but hes a pretty strong player," said Cheveldayoff. "The way he plays the game and the way he moves out there, he has some hidden strength that a lot of players maybe his size dont." Ehlers said he planned to hit the gym over the summer. "Obviously, Ive got to get a little bit bigger and stronger," he said. "I can use my speed to get out of the rough time on the ice, but Im not afraid to get hit or hit somebody." Cheveldayoff said the youngster is a well-rounded individual. "His hockey sense is right up there," he said. "And his characters not far behind. This is a player that every time we had an opportunity to meet with him, we didnt want the interview to end. Hes going to be an exciting player for a long time." Ehlers father, Heinz, was drafted 30 years ago by the New York Rangers (No. 188 overall). He spent his 16-season pro career in Europe. ' ' '

Troubled Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon is in hot water with the NFL once again after reportedly failing a test for alcohol, which could trigger a suspension for the entire 2015 season. According to NFL.com, Gordon violated the conditions of his probation terms by testing positive for alcohol. The 2013 league leader in receiving yards is in Stage Three of the NFLs substance abuse program, which requires periodic tests over a minimum span of two years. Gordon was previously suspended for the first 10 games of last season after pleading guilty for a DUI charge that occurred in North Carolina in July. The Browns later held the talented wideout out of their finale against Baltimore for breaking a team rule. The Browns released a statement obtained by NFL.com in response to the report. Clearly we are very disappointed to hear the latest report regarding Josh, said the team. At this point, due to the confidential nature of the NFLs substance abuse policy, we have not been made aware by the league of a failed test. We are in the process of gathering more information and will provide further comment at the appropriate time. If Gordon is indeed banned for all of next season, his contract will toll and he will not be eligible for restricted free agency until after the 2016 campaign. Gordon also served a two-game suspension to begin the 2013 season for a substance-abuse infraction, then proceeded to put up sensational numbers upon his return. The 23-year-old topped the NFL with 1,646 yards on 87 catches and scored nine touchdowns in 14 games. In five games this past season, Gordon compiled 24 receptions for 303 yards without a touchdown. Cyber Monday Jerseys .J. -- Kyle Palmieri thrilled his personal rooting section with an overtime winner that sent the Anaheim Ducks to their seventh straight win. NHL Jerseys From China .com) - The Tennessee Titans agreed to terms with running back Jackie Battle on a one-year contract Friday. http://www.cheapnfljerseyshome.com/ . Consider it received. Attacking on offence early and often, the Penguins topped the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 on Saturday night as Jussi Jokinen scored the go-ahead goal in the third period to help give Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference playoff series. NFL Jerseys Cyber Monday . Lack replaced an injured Roberto Luongo late in the first period then watched defenceman Chris Tanev score the winning goal midway through the third as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Jets 2-1 in a tight NHL game. Cheap Jerseys Cyber Monday . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive.MANCHESTER, England - Chelsea can open up an eight-point lead over Manchester City for the second time this season by beating its Premier League title rival on Saturday in the most pivotal match of the campaign so far. Having worked so hard in December to get back on level terms with Chelsea, City has allowed Jose Mourinhos team to pull clear again after drawing at Everton and losing at home to Arsenal in its last two league games. For City manager Manuel Pellegrini, nothing less than a victory will do at Stamford Bridge. We must close the gap to two points, Pellegrini said. Throw in a home loss to second-tier Middlesbrough in the FA Cup last weekend and Citys form has plummeted — despite star striker Sergio Aguero being back in the side after injury. Chelsea was also humbled in the FA Cup on Saturday — by third-tier Bradford — but recovered quickly by beating Liverpool on Tuesday to reach the League Cup final. That win was marred, however, by Chelsea striker Diego Costa stamping on an opponents leg, leaving the Spain international facing a three-game ban that would rule him out of the City fixture. With question marks also hanging over the fitness of key centre midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who came off with a hamstring injury against Liverpool, Chelsea could be without arguably its two best players this season. Another sub-plot is the return of City midfielder Frank Lampard to Chelsea, for whom he played for 13 years and where he is the clubs record scorer with 211 goals. Lampard came off the bench to score Citys equalizer against his former club in a 1-1 draw in September, and didnt celebrate his goal. Here are some other things to know about the 23rd round of matches in the Premier League: ___ NO IVORIANS FOR CITY Ivory Coasts progress to the knockout stage of the African Cup of Nations on Wednesday was bad news for City. It dashed any faint hopes the champions had of having star midfielder Yaya Toure and new signing Wilfried Bony available for the game against Chelsea. City hasnt won since Toure, the teams driving force in midfield and a regular source of goals, left for international duty. With Aguero searching for full fitness after more than a month out injured, goals have suddenly become a problem for City, which has scored only once in three games.dddddddddddd ___ FORMATION FORMULA Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal must decide whether to stick to his preferred 3-5-2 formation or go with a 4-4-2 set-up demanded by the clubs increasingly frustrated fans when the 20-time champions host Leicester on Saturday. Van Gaal says he finds it uncomfortable to watch United when it plays four at the back, but results show the team is more effective when it lines up in that formation. He changed to a 4-4-2 midway through Uniteds last league game when the score was 0-0 against Queens Park Rangers — and the move paid off in a 2-0 win. United has won only two of its last six games in all competitions, and is reeling from being held 0-0 by fourth-tier Cambridge in the FA Cup on Friday. ___ ARSENALS ATTACKING RICHES A torrent of injuries has deprived Arsenal of so many of its best players this season. Now, though, manager Arsene Wenger has a very different kind of selection dilemma. With Theo Walcott, Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey back after long-term problems and playmaker Tomas Rosicky in brilliant form, Wenger has a wealth of attacking riches at his disposal as his fifth-place team looks to climb back into the Champions League positions. Arsenal — with four straight wins in all competitions — is one point behind United going into the weekend, when it hosts struggling Aston Villa on Sunday. ___ THE PULIS EFFECT Want a sure way of avoiding relegation from the Premier League? Hire Tony Pulis. West Bromwich Albion had slumped to within a point and a place of the relegation zone and was on a run of just one win in 10 matches when it appointed Pulis as a replacement for Alan Irvine at the start of January. Pulis has never been relegated in his 23 years as a manager, and kept Crystal Palace up last season after taking over a team bottom of the Premier League. And he is already working wonders at The Hawthorns, with West Brom winning three and drawing the other in his four games in charge, conceding one goal. On Saturday, West Brom hosts Tottenham, which is fresh off reaching the League Cup final. ' ' '