Subject :With the playoffs around the corner, catch a doubleheader of action from the hardcourt tonight on TS
With the playoffs around the corner, catch a doubleheader of action from the hardcourt tonight on TSN2. Forrest Lamp Womens Jersey . First, the Miami Heat will continue their march toward the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference when they welcome the Brooklyn Nets to AmericanAirlines Arena. Then with a playoff spot already locked up, the Houston Rockets can focus on postseason positioning when they open a three-game road trip against the Los Angeles Lakers. All the action gets underway on TSN2 at 8pm et/5pm pt. The Heat have won five of their last six and are one game clear of the Indiana Pacers for Eastern Conference supremacy. The two-time defending NBA champs have clinched a fourth straight Southeast Division title. After a heartbreaking one-point home loss in double-overtime to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, the Heat dispatched the New York Knicks on Sunday afternoon. Miami prevailed, 102-91, and overcame an NBA record 10 made 3-pointers by New Yorks J.R. Smith. "You do your job and you live with the results," Miami forward LeBron James said. "We lived with the result of J.R. making some of those bombs." James led Miami with 38 points and six assists. Mario Chalmers and Chris Bosh added 15 and 14 points, respectively for the Heat, while Ray Allen went 4- for-9 from long range for 12 points. Miami was without the services of Dwyane Wade (hamstring), Greg Oden (back) and Chris Andersen (back/knee). The Heat shot 55.7 percent from the floor and 44 percent from long range. They held the Knicks under 38 percent and will play three of their remaining five after Tuesday on the road. The Nets are also headed to the playoffs, but their seeding is still up in the air. They trail the Toronto Raptors by 2 1/2 games not only for the Atlantic Division lead, but also for the third seed in the Eastern Conference. The Chicago Bulls are tied with the Raps for the No. 3 spot. Brooklyn has won two straight and five of its last six. The Nets started this three-game road trip with a four-point win in Philadelphia on Saturday night and will close out the sojourn in Orlando on Wednesday. The Nets snapped a three-game road losing streak with a 105-101 victory over the 76ers on Saturday. The Nets led by as many as 21 points in the second half but stumbled down the stretch, allowing Philly to pull within a point in the final minutes. Head coach Jason Kidd ran his bench players out late and that was the unit that nearly coughed up the huge lead. Mirza Teletovic, moments after air-balling a similar shot, drilled a 3-pointer from the right wing for a 99-95 margin with 48.9 seconds to play, and Brooklyn hit 6-of-6 from the foul line in the final 30 seconds to hang on for the win. "I felt it gave us the opportunity to execute on some late-game stuff," said Kidd. "Guys made free throws and we got stops when we had to." Deron Williams posted 19 points and nine assists to lead the Nets. Mason Plumlee scored 16 points off the bench for Brooklyn, winners in five of six. Joe Johnson and Paul Pierce deposited 12 and 11 points, respectively. The Nets have taken all three meetings with the Heat this season and those wins halted a 13-game series losing streak. They could sweep the season series against the Heat for the first time since the 2002-03 season. The Nets are the only team the Heat havent beaten yet in the 2013-14 campaign. Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers (TSN2, 10:30pm et/7:30pm pt) With a playoff spot already locked up, the Houston Rockets can focus on postseason positioning when they open a three-game road trip Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Rockets will makes stops in Denver and Minnesota on this trip and have a 20-17 record on the road. They are currently fourth in the Western Conference, sitting two games ahead of Portland and three behind the L.A. Clippers. Houston posted its seventh win in 10 tries with Sundays 130-125 overtime triumph against the Nuggets. James Harden scored 15 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, while Chandler Parsons scored eight points in the extra session and finished with 15 for the Rockets, who clinched a playoff berth in Fridays win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Harden scored 10 points in the final 3:55 of the fourth as part of a 16-3 quarter-closing run to help force overtime. Harden tied the game with 7.1 seconds left in regulation for Houston, which scored 13 of the 21 in OT. "Well we battled," said Rockets coach Kevin McHale. "We were not ready starting that game off. Our guys kept battling and James (Harden) made the huge 3 to get it to overtime, but other than that we were shaky." Harden is averaging 31.1 points in his last eight games. Dwight Howard (ankle) missed another game and is questionable Tuesday. Omer Asik has been filling in nicely for Howard and is posting an average of 12.0 points and 16.8 rebounds in his last five games -- all starts. He has three double-doubles in that stretch. A disappointing season for the Lakers couldnt end any sooner, but they still have five games left. Los Angeles is 25-52 on the season and has lost four in a row and 13 of the last 17 games. In Sundays 120-97 blowout loss to the rival Clippers, Jordan Hill had 22 points and nine rebounds to lead the way. Nick Young scored 17 of his 18 points in the first half and was bothered by a balky knee. "We battled," said Lakers head coach Mike DAntoni. "We didnt have enough to win today. They focused more. They upped the ante and got us." Jodie Meeks had 17 points in defeat. L.A. was outrebounded by a 52-38 margin and committed 15 turnovers, leading to 24 Clippers points. Hill, meanwhile, is averaging 16.9 points and 9.8 rebounds in his last eight games -- all starts. The Lakers are opening a three-game homestand Tuesday versus Houston, Golden State and Memphis, and are 14-24 as the host. Lakers guard Kent Bazemore (foot) is done for the year and center Pau Gasol is expected to miss another game with vertigo. Gasol hasnt played since April 1 and has missed several games over the past few weeks. Guard Steve Nash (back) is probable versus the Rockets. Nash needs five assists to pass Mark Jackson for third on the NBAs all-time list. Only John Stockton (15,806), Jason Kidd (12,091) and Jackson (10,334) have dished out more assists than Nash (10,330). Houston is 2-1 against the Lakers this season, but has lost six of the previous eight as the guest in this series. Mike Williams Womens Jersey . Not that Durant cared. The only streak he cares about is still intact. Rayshawn Jenkins Chargers Jersey . -- Rory McIlroy birdied his last two holes Thursday for a 7-under 63 to take the lead after one round of the Honda Classic.VANCOUVER - Pa-Modou Kah speaks an impressive eight languages.By the end of his first season with the Vancouver Whitecaps he could know a ninth.The veteran central defender signed with the Major League Soccer club last week and was on the field for his first training session Monday as the players went through fitness testing.Kah, whose career included stops in Europe and Asia before he joined the Portland Timbers last season, speaks English, French, German, Norwegian, Swedish, Arabic, Dutch and Wolof. One language he has yet to master is Spanish, which just happens to be the native tongue of Vancouvers extensive Latin American contingent — including captain Pedro Morales and fellow midfielders Matias Laba and Mauro Rosales.Football is a universal language, said the 34-year-old Kah. For me its just about understanding and helping each other on the pitch.Born in Gambia before moving to Norway with his family at the age of eight, Kah has more than 300 professional games under his belt, including 47 with Portland last season. The former Norwegian international comes to a squad looking for some added leadership on and off the field after the Whitecaps parted ways with veteran defender Andy OBrien in the off-season.I wanted to bring in an experienced MLS guy, said Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson. I know Kahs character. I know what hes about.Vancouver will have a much different look in the centre of defence this season after also saying goodbye to Johnny Leveron and Carlyle Mitchell. Kendall Waston is back after he was acquired last summer in time to help the Whitecaps push for a playoff spot, while the team added 24-year-old Uruguayan Diego Rodriguez on loan with a transfer option earlier this month. Vancouver has also used first-round draft picks on central defenders Christian Dean (2014) and Tim Parker (2015) the last two years.I want good characters here. Ive stressed that all along, said Robinson. The new players coming in, I think you can see what they bring to the table just in one day. Theyre character guys and we need that as a club moving forward. Its not going to be easy. I know its going to be a lot harder than it was last year, and it was hard last year.But if you want an easy life youre in the wrong sport. We know the challenge ahead of us.For his part, Robinson said Rodriguez is a perfect example of the type of player the Whitecaps are looking for in terms of age, playing style and ability.Footwork fundamentals that you need as a defender, Diegos got, said Robinson. He wants to defend. He enjoys defending. He enjoys putting his body on the line.Rodriguez said that hes looking forward to getting to know his new teammates and fight for that open spot alongside the 27-year-old Waston.Ive seen videoss of him and hes an important player, said Rodriguez. Mike Williams Youth Jersey. I can learn a lot from Kendalls game. I hope I get an opportunity to play with him.Kah was by far the most vocal player on the pitch Monday and added that he still feels he has plenty to contribute and is ready to fight for a spot in the starting 11.If I didnt see myself as a starter then I wouldnt play soccer, said Kah. A football player whos content to be on the bench — thats not me.Apart from the remodelled defence, the Whitecaps also acquired another Uruguayan in 23-year-old striker Octavio Rivero as a young designated player in December as Vancouver looks to improve on last seasons performance that ended with a first-round playoff loss to FC Dallas.The guys that have come in have already shown theyre easy to get into the team and theyre good guys. Hopefully well see the same tight-knit group as last year, said goalkeeper David Ousted. I saw the people we brought in and it looks exciting. I cant wait to play with them and see what kind of players they are and get to know them. Its important to get to know the guys and get them in the team and get that chemistry.Kah, Waston and Rodriguez are all aggressive central defenders and Robinson said part of the reason for having five capable bodies in the fold is the inevitable suspensions that will come during the course of the season because of yellow card accumulation.At some stage, whether its a wrong decision by a player, a wrong decision by an official, it does happen, said Robinson. Its important I have the cover. Im not worried about that because I dont want to take their strengths out of their game. One of their main strengths is the aggression, the physicality.You look at the successful teams in this league, theyve got physical centre backs and I think its the first time we can say we have as well.The Whitecaps — who will practice in Vancouver all week before heading to Arizona to continue pre-season training — had an up-and-down 2014 campaign, but Robinson is confident the moves for Kah, Rodriguez and Rivero have the team in a good position ahead of the opener on March 7 against Toronto FC.Its important to be a forward-moving club that the players you bring in have to be better than the players that are leaving, said Robinson. Bringing in starters or players you think can start will give you more headaches because you have to disappoint a few more players. But unfortunately thats the life were in.Notes: The Whitecaps announced on Monday that 21-year-old midfielder Ben McKendry has graduated from the clubs residency program and signed an MLS contract. The Vancouver native joined the Whitecaps youth system at the age of 14 back in 2007.___Follow @JClipperton_CP on Twitter. 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 ' ' '
|