|  Wys³any: 2019-04-16 03:14:19 Temat postu: even coming to the arena on Sunday night
NEW YORK, N.Y. - In nearly 800 NBA regular-games, Carmelo Anthony had never played in one like this. It didnt matter. Eliminated from post-season contention for the first time in his 11-year career, Anthony said it was tough even coming to the arena on Sunday night. "But mentally, you just had to put yourself in that mindset. Although youre not playing for nothing, if you suit up, youve still got to go out there and play ball," Anthony said. He and the Knicks did it well, getting 20 points from Tim Hardaway Jr. and beating the Chicago Bulls 100-89. No longer with any hopes of their own, the Knicks snapped the Bulls seven-game winning streak and dropped them back into a tie with Toronto for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference with two to play. "We let a big game slip tonight. It was probably the biggest game of the season," Bulls centre Joakim Noah said. "Disappointing the way our mentality wasnt good today, but overall we just wont have time, just got to let this one go, get ready tomorrow." Anthony and J.R. Smith each had 17 points for the Knicks, who were eliminated Saturday when Atlanta beat Miami, ending New Yorks run of three straight post-season berths. Anthonys first season without a post-season comes as he prepares to become a free agent in July. He had a hard time looking ahead beyond the next two games — which he isnt even sure he will play in because of nagging shoulder pain that he might get checked. "Its just hard for me to even think past tonight, right now, at this moment," Anthony said. "Everything is just, for me, just cloudy. Ive never been in this situation before. I dont even know what to say about this situation." A 54-win division champion last season, they believed they were built to play deep into the spring, so confident in what they had that Amare Stoudemire said the expectations should have been even higher. "On paper, we might be the best team in the league," he said before the game. "Weve got great players on this team whove accomplished so much. We just couldnt put it together." Noah had 13 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists for the Bulls. Jimmy Butler scored 17 points, but Chicago was just 6 of 22 (27 per cent) from 3-point range. "Defensively, we werent very good," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "I liked the fight to come back. I thought we made some good plays down the stretch and we missed some wide-open 3s that you live with." The Knicks led 45-39 at halftime, then Smith hit consecutive 3-pointers and Raymond Felton made one for a 9-0 spurt that opened a 60-46 advantage, and the lead reached 67-50 when Anthony nailed a 3. Chicago was down 17 again with 7 1/2 minutes to play before finally making a push, cutting it to 93-87 when Taj Gibsons three-point play capped a 15-4 run. But they repeatedly misfired from the perimeter, preventing them from getting any closer. The Knicks have played well in March and April, beating Toronto on Friday, but its too late after they had already fallen to 21-40. "Being the coach, I just apologize to the fans, because again, they pay their hard-earned money to come out and see us play and we didnt come into this season expecting this," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. Whatever expectations the Bulls had were gone after Derrick Rose was lost to season-ending knee surgery in late November and Luol Deng was traded on Jan. 7. But Chicago has not only regrouped but flourished, bringing an Eastern Conference-best 35-14 mark in 2014 into Sundays play. But they will need help now — perhaps from the Knicks, who host Toronto in Wednesdays finale — to get the No. 3 spot, since the Raptors would get the tiebreaker as a division champion. Chicago closes against Orlando on Monday and at Charlotte on Wednesday. Notes: The game was originally scheduled for a 1 p.m. start and be shown nationally on ABC, but was booted shortly after the Bulls 109-90 rout of the Knicks in Chicago on March 2. The Indiana-Oklahoma City game was shifted to that marquee spot. ... Chicago was trying for its first eight-game winning streak since Feb. 20-March 7, 2012. Cheap Air Jordan 5 China . The roster changes have been constant and continuous since late last year, but even with their 46-man roster set for the start of the season, the banged-up Bombers will be kicking off Week 1 with a handful of fresh faces and back-ups in the starting lineup. Air Jordan 5 Cheap Wholesale . - The Detroit Lions have placed tight end Brandon Pettigrew on injured reserve, ending his season. http://www.airjordan5cheap.com/ . -- The Minnesota Twins have granted relief pitcher Matt Guerrier his unconditional release, making the 35-year-old right-hander a free agent. Jordan 5 For Sale Cheap . -- DeMarcus Cousins had 29 points, nine rebounds and six steals to lead the Sacramento Kings to their third straight preseason win, a 107-90 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night. Air Jordan 5 China Wholesale . -- Derek Jeter says the New York Yankees have no choice but to move forward now that Alex Rodriguez has accepted his suspension for the 2014 season.New Orleans, LA (SportsNetwork.com) - Anthony Davis had 32 points and 10 rebounds to lead the New Orleans Pelicans to a 99-74 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night. Ryan Anderson added 19 points and Eric Gordon scored 13 for the Pelicans, who have won four in a row for the first time since a five-game winning streak from March 21-28 of last year. Davis scored at least 30 points for the 12th time this season. Hes a stud, said Sixers coach Brett Brown. Hes one of those rare cornerstones you can build all around. Hes just one of the elite players in the league. K.J. McDaniels had 16 points off the bench to lead the Sixers, who have lost six in a row since a 96-81 win over New Orleans at home on Jan. 16, in which they went nearly two quarters without a turnover and led by as much as 19 points. The Pelicans played that game without Davis and point guard Jrue Holiday, the former Sixer who remains sidelined with a stress reaction in his lower right leg. Davis scored 13 points in the first quarter of this one and the Pelicans used a 10-2 run to take a 30-19 lead into the second..dddddddddddd. McDaniels opened a 14-3 Philadelphia run in the second quarter with a 3 and had five points during the flurry, which got the Sixers within 34-33. But the Pelicans used a 14-4 burst later in the quarter to stretch a three-point lead to 13 and had a 52-43 advantage at halftime behind Davis 19 points. Davis scored 13 more in the third quarter, including a jumper to spark a quick 8-1 spurt to start the second half which pushed New Orleans lead to 16. It got only as close as eight points after that and was as high as 25 near the end of the third. The Pelicans led 85-62 going into the fourth. Game Notes With Sixers point guard Michael Carter-Williams out with an upper-respiratory infection, Larry Drew II scored four points in his first career NBA start. Henry Sims and Luc Mbah a Moute scored 14 points apiece for Philadelphia ... Tyreke Evans had 12 assists for the Pelicans and Davis finished with four blocks ... The Sixers host Detroit on Wednesday ... The Pelicans continue a six-game homestand on Wednesday against Denver. ' ' ' |
even coming to the arena on Sunday night
