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|  Wys³any: 2019-02-26 10:05:17 Temat postu: going to win it, which we hope very mu
LOS ANGELES -- When Blake Griffin soared past Stephen Curry and hammered home his one-handed rebound of Danny Grangers missed jumper, the slam emphasized everything thats so impressive about the Los Angeles Clippers nine-game winning streak. The Clippers are on this roll against good teams, at a perfect time for their playoff preparations -- and just like Griffins mind-blowing dunk, theyre doing it with style. Griffin had 30 points and 15 rebounds, Granger added 18 points off the bench, and the Clippers surged past the Golden State Warriors 111-98 Wednesday night. Chris Paul had 16 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds for the Clippers, who split their four-game season series against their Pacific Division rivals with an impressive finish to a tight game. "This is the time of year when you want to be playing your best," Griffin said. "Our fight has been great. Whoever is on the court ... up 10 or down 10, I think weve come to a point where it doesnt really matter. We stick together and try to pull it out." Griffin was in top form on both ends of the court, punctuating his latest monster performance with that rebound slam with 8:18 to play. The four-time All-Star has scored 20 points in 24 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in the NBA this season. Los Angeles has the third-longest winning streak in club history and the teams best record after 66 games (46-20), but the Clippers dont seem satisfied by their five-game lead over Golden State in the division standings. "Its impressive, because for the most part, weve been playing good teams," Granger said after his fifth game with the Clippers. "You really want to peak at this time going into the playoffs, because if a team is hitting on all cylinders, you look up and youre in the finals." Klay Thompson scored 26 points and David Lee had 20 for the Warriors, whose five-game winning streak ended with their fourth straight loss to the Clippers at Staples Center. Curry had just 13 points and 11 assists before sitting out the final minutes. Golden State got an impressive game from Thompson, but its normally reliable bench went 3 for 25, struggling mightily for most of the second half. "Weve been playing great basketball against some good teams, and we thought we could come in here and play very well and get a win," Curry said. "It didnt turn out that way, but one loss isnt going to stop us. Were going to continue that momentum, that rhythm." Los Angeles held Golden State to just one field goal in a 9:40 stretch spanning the final two quarters. The Warriors stayed in it with defence and free throws, but Darren Collison scored six quick points down the stretch in the fourth quarter, and Matt Barnes 3-pointer with 1:25 to play essentially sealed the win. The California clubs completed their series with another demonstration of the reasons they might have the West Coasts best current rivalry, although both teams agree they need playoff stakes to develop true enmity. "All four games this year have been very competitive games," Lee said. "Both teams took care of their homecourt. I think were two pretty evenly matched teams that have big plans for the post-season, so we look forward to seeing what happens the rest of the season. These last three games weve played felt like playoff-style games." Granger kept the Clippers in it during a rocky first-half stretch, making his first six shots without a miss in about 11 minutes. Los Angeles rolled off a 15-3 run to close the third quarter with an 84-79 lead, scoring nine straight points capped by Pauls 3-pointer on a crosscourt assist from Griffin with 0.1 seconds left. NOTES: Paul missed eight of his first nine shots and struggled all night under tight defence from Thompson. Paul went back out on the Staples Center court after the game with an assistant coach to work on his shot after his 5-for-15 effort. ... Clippers G Jamal Crawford sat out for the fifth time in six games with a strained left calf. Jared Dudley returned from a three-game absence with back spasms, but played just one minute. ... Griffin grabbed his 3,000th career rebound late in the first half. He is the third player in NBA history to have 6,000 points, 3,000 boards and 1,000 assists in his first four full NBA seasons while also making 50 per cent of his shots, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Charles Barkley. Ken Griffey Jersey .A. remained bitter for Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers on the long flight back home to New York. Nelson Cruz Jersey .com) - On a night the Bulls played without Derrick Rose, it was time for Pau Gasol to take charge. http://www.cheapmarinersjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-guillermo-heredia-jersey. Head coach Randy Carlyle confirmed the news after the Leafs morning skate on Monday. Kozun was hurt during Friday nights home game against the Red Wings and did not make the return trip to Detroit for Saturdays game. James Paxton Jersey . -- Pelicans coach Monty Williams does not expect guard Eric Gordon to play in any of New Orleans final five games this season. Hisashi Iwakuma Jersey . -- Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera has a broken bone below his right eye after being struck by a bad-hop grounder, sidelining the star slugger for at least a week with opening day on deck.REGINA -- Theyre the overwhelming favourite as Grey Cup hosts and are carrying the weight of an entire provinces expectations. But the presssure is off the Saskatchewan Roughriders, according to head coach Corey Chamblin. He says getting to Sundays CFL championship was the real challenge. "The biggest pressure for our team was making sure no one else sat in our locker-room," Chamblin said Wednesday at the annual Grey Cup coaches news conference. "Its about working all off-season, all year to protect your house and that was the biggest thing and the biggest pressure we had. "Were in it now and as I tell the guys, if were good enough to be in it were good enough to win it. Its time for it to be decided now on the football field, not in the media, not with trash talking." Riders general manager Brendan Taman made it clear early this off-season he was serious about fielding a Grey Cup contender with Regina hosting the big game. He acquired receiver Geroy Simon from the B.C. Lions before adding defensive linemen Ricky Foley and John Chick and defensive back Dwight Anderson in free agency. Not only are Simon, Foley, Chick and Anderson all CFL veterans but each has a Grey Cup ring, Chick earning his with the Riders in 07 before heading to the NFL. However, adding experienced performers to an already solid core only served to jack up expectations in football-mad Saskatchewan, especially after both B.C. and Toronto had captured Grey Cup titles as the host city the past two years. The Roughriders, who will face the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Moasic Stadium on Sunday, lived up to that billing, winning its first five regular-season games and eight-of-nine before suffering three straight losses. After rebounding with three consecutive victories, the Riders were relegated second in the West Division behind Calgary after dropping a 29-25 decision to the Stampeders on Oct. 26. Saskatchewan (11-7) lost its final two-regular season games before beating B.C. 29-25 in the West semifinal, then emphatically dispatching Calgary 35-13 at McMahon Stadium in last weekends division final. "The thing about pressure is how you deal with it," Chamblin said. "By having some of the veterans we added and just having the core of our football team, we took that pressure and applied it to ourselves. "Were extreme competitors in our room and we use all the outside pressure to help make sure were where we want to be." To claim Saskatchewans fourth Grey Cup title, Chamblin will have to beat someone who was instrumental in leading the franchise to two championships. Hamilton coach Kent Austin guided the Riders to the 89 crown as the clubs starting quarterback, then in 07 as its head coach. The Riders clearly havent forgotten -- a largee banner of Austin hangs outside of Mosaic Stadium and a parking lot still bears his name.dddddddddddd "I actually come in the other way," Chamblin said when asked about seeing Austins banner every day he comes to work. "Theres great history here in Saskatchewan and Kents been part of that and the one thing I never want to do is remove those ancient landmarks. "Thats part of the foundation . . . so for me to see that is an honour and I try to build on all the things those guys did in the past." Austin will forever be associated with Saskatchewans Grey Cup success, but he has also jilted the teams loyal fans. In 94 while mired in a contract impasse with the club, Austin demanded to be traded and was to B.C., helping the Lions win the Grey Cup. In 07 after leading the Riders to their CFL title, he abruptly left Regina to become the offensive co-ordinator at Ole Miss, his alma mater. In 2012, he was mentioned as a head-coaching candidate with both the Riders and Ticats but opted to remain at Cornell before ultimately returning to the CFL a year later with Hamilton, again drawing the ire of some Saskatchewan football fans. But Austin said he will forever cherish his memories of playing and coaching in Regina. "Im very honoured to be recognized," he said. "This organization has meant a lot to me and my family and were proud to have had a history here both with the team and the community. "Its hard to get here and every one of the Grey Cups are special but that being said, its best to face Saskatchewan. If I was going to play a team, it would be Saskatchewan. If were not going to win it, which we hope very much that we do, it will be good to see Saskatchewan in there." Austin led Hamilton to a 10-8 record and second in the East Division in his first season as the clubs vice-president of football operations, coach and GM. The Ticats are in the Grey Cup for the first time since 99, but Austin said thats more a testament to the clubs players and not its coach. "This is a team game and there a lot of people you need to do things at a very high level to win championships across the board," he said. "We (head coaches) are just a part of it, a small part of it. "Players win football gams, not coaches." The Riders might be playing on their home field but Chamblin is attempting to reduce distractions by putting players in hotels and imposing a nightly curfew. "When you look at the Grey Cup, its a championship game (involving) the two best teams in the league," he said. "The biggest thing is I want them to stay in the routine theyve been in, that they only think football. "I just dont want them to deviate from the norm of what theyve had." ' ' ' |
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going to win it, which we hope very mu
