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| The injury-ravaged Lakers would consider |
| BOSTON - Kevin Garnett stole the ball from his friend and put the finishing touch on an emotional night with a layup that helped him and Paul Pierce become winners in their return to Boston. It started with pregame standing ovations for the leaders of the Celtics last championship team and ended with an 85-79 win for the Brooklyn Nets after Garnett picked off Rajon Rondos turnover and dribbled in slowly for an uncontested basket with 20 seconds left Sunday night. "I knew they needed a 3 at that point and I just played the passing lane," Garnett said. "I thought I was going to get caught, but I got it." That gave Brooklyn an 82-77 lead. It was a rare highlight for the returning stars in a game in which they fought to control their emotions while still trying to contribute to their current team. "I had lumps in my throat and I tried to focus as much as I could," Pierce said. "Im happy we got it over with and I can go back to playing basketball." Pierce, the second leading scorer in Celtics history, and Garnett scored just six points each, and Pierce missed eight of his 10 shots. But they received several standing ovations on the court where they won the teams 17th championship in 2008. They also were honoured in tributes shown on the video screen early in the game six months after a blockbuster trade sent them to Brooklyn. "It was, by far, the hardest day that I had to focus," said Garnett, a 19-year veteran. "Its a good homecoming." Andray Blatche scored 17 points and Alan Anderson and Andrei Kirilenko had 11 each as the Nets won for the 10th time in 11 games. The Celtics, losing for the 17th time in 20 games, were led by Brandon Bass with 17 points. Rondo had 13 points, eight rebounds and eight assists one night after having dinner with Pierce and Garnett. During the video tribute to Garnett in a timeout with 2:25 left in the first quarter, he stood near his bench with a white towel draped over his head. He smiled, pounded the left side of his chest and waved several times to the crowd. The tribute to Pierce at the end of the first quarter was longer and drew a louder ovation. He looked up at the video board above centre court with a sombre expression. The camera panned to him on the court showing him repeatedly mouthing the words, "thank you." Celtics coach Brad Stevens quickly gave his players instructions then let them watch the tributes. "It was the right thing to do," he said. "Not much in my life is bigger than the next possession, but that is." Pierce spent 15 seasons with the Celtics after they drafted him with the 10th pick in 1998. Garnett was obtained in a trade with Minnesota before the 2007-08 season and, with Pierce and Ray Allen, led Boston to their most recent championship. But the Celtics are in full rebuilding mode now and trailed 59-53 after three quarters then allowed the first six points of the fourth as the Nets led by 12. Boston cut the lead to 73-70 on a 3-pointer by Chris Johnson, playing on a 10-day contract, with 4:37 remaining. The Nets scored the next five points on a layup by Kirilenko, a free throw by Deron Williams and a jumper by Pierce. That made it 78-70. With the score 80-72, Boston cut the deficit to three on a field goal by Bass and a 3-pointer by Rondo, two of only five current Celtics who played with Pierce and Garnett last season. "We got caught up in (their return)," Bass said, "but for the most part we had a job to do." Joe Johnson then missed his shot and Rondo rebounded, giving Boston a chance to tie with a 3-pointer. He moved the ball upcourt only to lose it to Garnett, who went in for Brooklyns final field goal. "Hes done it all year for us defensively," Nets coach Jason Kidd said. "Hes always in the right place at the right time." Pierce scored his first two points of the game on free throws 1:08 into the third quarter then hit his first field goal, a 16-foot jumper that capped a 10-0 Nets run 2:51 into the period. "It was just a special thing for me," Pierce said, "through my bad times, through my immature times, through my growing up, becoming a man for this city and winning a championship, everybody sticking with me. I would just like to tell them, thank you. " NOTES: The crowd gave Pierce and Garnett a standing ovation when they took the court for pregame warm-ups and when they were the last two Nets starters introduced. ... Garnett won the opening tip against Bass and got the ball back to Pierce. ... The Celtics recalled centre Vitor Faverani from the Maine Red Claws of the NBDL. Kevin Johnson Youth Jersey . The midfielder had an operation on Saturday, and is set to miss seven Premier League games, the third round of the FA Cup and the semifinals of the League Cup. J.J. Watt Womens Jersey . Brazil will open the 2014 World Cup at home Thursday against Croatia. http://www.texansstore.us.com/black-womens-vince-wilfork-texans-jersey/ .C. -- The Bobcats announced theyve signed centre Justin Hamilton to a 10-day contract. Jaelen Strong Jersey . Who knew then that the Bombers would be 2-12 and facing playoff elimination when they returned to Montreal three months later? Watch the game on TSN starting at 12:30pm et/9:30am pt. Cecil Shorts III Texans Jersey . Louis Cardinals open the season on top of the TSN.CLEVELAND -- The Pacers dont win with artistic beauty. Most times, they simply pummel teams into submission. Indiana plays ugly, and ugly usually wins. "No style points," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "None. Zero." Paul George scored 16 points, Roy Hibbert made a putback and two free throws in the final 1:09 and the Pacers turned to their defence to hold off Clevelands late rally for an 82-78 win over the short-handed Cavaliers. The Pacers led by 16 in the fourth before guard Dion Waiters brought Cleveland back by scoring 12 straight points in a 16-1 run that got the Cavs within 75-74 with 3:35 left. Hibberts free throw with 7.9 seconds left put the Pacers up 81-78, and Indiana got the ball back when Cavs forward Earl Clark stepped on the sideline on a poorly executed inbounds play with 6.9 left. David West made one free throw with 5.4 seconds remaining, and the Pacers escaped with their seventh win in eight games. At 27-6, Indiana has the NBAs best record -- now thats pretty. "We didnt finish the game the right way," West said. "They hung around and made some shots, but our defence held strong." C.J. Miles scored 21 and Waiters had 14 for the Cavaliers, who played their third game in a row without All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving. He has a bruised knee and his backup, Jarrett Jack, sat with back spasms. The Pacers had to grind this one out after taking control with 14-0 run bridging the third and fourth quarters. "I know coach is going to be on us about giving up a big lead, but we know how to play in that situation," George said. "Weve been through that before. The best thing for us is to stay together and we were able to hold them off the last couple of possessions." Lance Stephenson made a 3-pointer as Indiana closed the third with a 7-0 run and then extended the lead to 16 by opening the fourth with another 7-0 burst capped by Danny Grangers 3. Thats when Waiters, the subject of trade rumours for weeks, brought the Cavs back. He reeled off 12 in a row and fed Anderson Varejao with two nice assists to get the Cavs within 79-78. Hibbert split a pair of freee throws, but on Clevelands next trip, Waiters missed a 3 and then forced a layup in traffic.dddddddddddd Hibberts free throw gave the Pacers a two-point cushion, but Cleveland couldnt execute a simple inbounds pass without a turnover and West put it away with his late free throw. "Its another tough loss," Waiters said. "We fought back. We never put our heads down when they went up 16. These kinds of losses hurt because we were right there. Weve been there all year long, and once we find a way to close these games out well be really good." Hibbert added 15 points and West 11 for the Pacers, who shot just 36 per cent from the floor, but played their typically stout defence. Indiana has won nine straight over Cleveland and 15 of 16. Tristan Thompson added 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Cavs, who have reportedly been involved in talks with the Los Angeles Lakers for a trade involving Andrew Bynum for Pau Gasol. The enigmatic Bynum was recently dismissed from the team for detrimental conduct and the Cavs would like to deal or release the 7-footer by Tuesday, when his contract will be guaranteed. The injury-ravaged Lakers would consider bringing back Bynum -- he spent seven seasons with Los Angeles -- so they could cut him, clear salary-cap space and avoid paying the luxury tax. The Pacers, who fell behind by 14 before rallying to beat New Orleans on Saturday, shot only 37 per cent in the first half but used a 9-2 spurt to close the second quarter and lead 44-35 at the break. NOTES: Indiana came in allowing a league-low 88.9 points per game. ... Cavs coach Mike Brown would not comment on the trade rumours swirling around his team, and particularly about Bynum, who was banned from all team activities on Dec. 28. Waiters and Varejao have both been mentioned in various deals. ... Vogel says his team is a target every time it takes the floor. "Its not so much that theyre gunning for us," he said. "I think everybody looks at us and says, If we beat the Pacers, thats going to be a quality win. You do get their best shot from that standpoint. Teams recognize that you have to play a great basketball game to beat us." wholesale jerseys wholesale jerseys cheap soccer jerseys cheap nhl jerseys cheap jerseys ' ' ' |
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posted on: 10/16/2015 09:07:22 AM
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