OTTAWA - Canadas highly paid Olympic mens hockey professionals are insured against acts of terrorism when they compete in the Sochi Games but it is not at all clear the same coverage extends to their amateur brethren on the Olympic team. As for regular Olympic spectators, theyre being warned that most travel insurance policies wont cover acts of terrorism or war. The Games in southern Russia, which run from Feb. 7-23, are being staged amid unprecedented security and under global warnings of danger. An extraordinary travel advisory from the Canadian government highlights Sochi terrorist threats in bold red script. "In July 2013 Imarat Kavkaz leader Doku Umarov called on militants to derail the Sochi Olympic Games using any necessary means, and lifted his previous moratorium on actions of militants in Russia outside the North Caucasus," states the governments travel advisory page. "On January 19, 2014, the Ansar Al-Sunna terrorist group took responsibility for the December 2013 attacks on Volgograd ... and threatened further attacks if the Olympic Games were to take place." Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney reinforced the message last week by issuing a statement warning that special security at Olympic venues "does not eliminate the risk of terrorist attacks." Such government warnings wont likely make a travellers insurance void, says John Thain, president of the Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada. Only an outright government advisory not to travel in a country or region may void travel insurance, he said. But check the fine print on terrorism because most policies dont cover it, he added. "One of the messages were trying to get across to all Canadians is know and understand your policy," Thain told The Canadian Press. It is advice that should apply to athletes attending in the Games as well. The Canadian Olympic Committee, which handles insurance for most of the Canadians competing in Sochi, flatly rebuffed questions about its insurance coverage. "Internal matters including HR (human resources) and administrative policies for employees, athletes and mission team members are simply not subjects we discuss publicly," the committee told The Canadian Press in an email statement. Agent Kris Mychasiw, who represents bobsled Olympian Kaillie Humphries, said all the terrorism talk is "being blown out of proportion." "London had the same issue. Athens had the same issue," said Mychasiw. Asked whether Canadas Olympians are insured against a career-ending injury caused by an act of terrorism, Mychasiw responded "to my knowledge, no." "Even if you were to get insurance for it, the odds of something like that happening, or being in an environment where that would happen, are slim to none," said the agent. Thats not the tack taken by National Hockey League and its players association. Greg Sutton of Sutton Special Risk, which insures more than 450 profession hockey players including Sydney Crosby, said hes taken a number of calls from concerned players and their agents in the run-up to Sochi. "All of our policies actually include terrorism, but what they arent covered for is any acts of terrorism which use nuclear, chemical or biological means," Sutton said in an interview. Bob Nicholson, the president of Hockey Canada, said group insurance for Olympic pros was handled through the International Ice Hockey Federation. That was part of the agreement for getting the pros to Sochi, said Nicholson. Sutton said some players have asked to include the extra nuclear-chemical-biological coverage, known as NCB, and that adds about 10 to 15 per cent to the premium. Other players are also taking out additional personal insurance. "There are players who are still young enough that theres a need for them to protect their future value, too, and thats where the personal coverage comes in. We do both." Sutton said Hockey Canada inquired about adding NCB but hes not sure if it ended up taking the extra coverage. Any difference between insuring Canadas amateur Olympians and the NHL pros comes down to a business decision based on guaranteed, multi-million-dollar contracts, said Mychasiw. "The NHL is taking precautions because thats a money-making business. Theyre looking at protecting their assets, from the NHL Players Association right up to the league." On Monday, the British Broadcasting Corporation reported that a British government intelligence report warns that more terrorist attacks in Russia are "very likely to occur" before or during the Sochi Games. The BBC reports that the leaked assessment says Sochi itself may be difficult to attack due to massive Russian security operations. With files from Joshua Clipperton. Saquon Barkley Jersey . 1 status and was unable to prevent a late season collapse, James Reimer said he wants to put the past behind him and is looking forward to spending the next two years in a Maple Leaf uniform. Phil McConkey Jersey . Phoenix got injured centre Emeka Okafor and a top-12-protected first-round draft pick in 2014 -- giving the rebuilding Suns potentially four choices in the opening round. The Suns also sent guards Kendall Marshall, Shannon Brown and Malcolm Lee to Washington so the deal will work financially. http://www.giantsrookiestore.com/Giants-...ersey/.com) - A top-10 showdown is on tap in at the McKale Center on Saturday, as the 10th-ranked Arizona Wildcats play host to the eighth-ranked Utah Utes in a key Pac-12 matchup. Dalvin Tomlinson Womens Jersey . The game got off to a less-than-ideal start for the Jets as Oliver Ekman-Larsson found a wide open net from the slot and opened the scoring for the Coyotes a lead in the first period, but Olli Jokinen answered back just over half a minute later. Darius Slayton Womens Jersey .com) - Robert Martin and Josh Hicks combined for more than 300 yards rushing and three touchdowns, as Rutgers rolled past North Carolina, 40-21, in the Quick Lane Bowl.TORONTO -- The Maple Leafs boast a predominantly Canadian roster with 20 players holding Canadian passports; however, many are struggling when it comes to deciding who to cheer for come Fridays semifinal of mens hockey at the Olympics, which features Leafs teammates Phil Kessel and James van Reimsdyk against the Canadians. The Leafs were back on the ice Wednesday following an 10-day break. It apparently wasnt long enough, as Team Canadas 2-1 win over Latvia didnt conclude before the Leafs began practice. "I was thinking we might get a little delay, but it was nice to get out there," said Tyler Bozak of watching Wednesdays game." Bozak, a native of Regina, Sask., centres a line of Kessel and van Riemsdyk. He also shares an apartment with Kessel in Toronto. He has been in touch with his linemates during the break. "Theyre enjoying it, they said everythings great," said Bozak. "The village is nice, theyre meeting lots of new people and having fun. Theyre winning lots of games and playing really well." When asked who hed be cheering for in Fridays rematch of the 2010 gold medal game, Bozak appeared on the fence. "Its going to be an exciting game to watch for sure. I really cant make any predictions," he said. "I dont knowa the U.S. has been playing great. Canadas kind of snuck by with a few wins, but every games different and it should be a fun one to watch. "I just hope Phil and JVR play really well and maybe Canada wins, I dont know." Nazem Kadri, who spent his break along with Bozak and Frazer McLaren in the Caribbean, isnt sure of Canadas chances. "I want to say Canada, but to be honest, I think the U.S. looks a little bit better," said the London, Ont. native. "In tournaments like these, its all about one game, one period swing where that could be the difference." Sudbury, Ont. native, Randy Carlyle admitted cheering for Canada isnt as easy as it may appear. "I wish our players all the success in the world and I think its important for us to never lose sight of the fact that youre part of a team, but agaain, I am Canadian," said Carlyle, who spent his break in California.dddddddddddd "There is things pulling at your heart strings in different directions thats for sure." Kessel has been the talk of the tournament leading the way with five goals and eight points heading in to Fridays game. He was also the topic de jour at the Leafs practice facility in Etobicoke Wednesday. When asked if Kessel, who is second behind just Alexander Ovechkin in regular season scoring with 31 goals, has put himself amongst the best players in the NHL, Carlyle was quick to pump the breaks. "Thats a big statement for anybody to come out and proclaim on any player. It takes a longer period of time than just five years (or) six years," Carlyle said. "Hes not a one-dimensional player as people described him previously. Hes a guy who still has some things that wed like him to stop doing, but hes become more of a two-way player." Kadri, who according to Carlyle returned with the best-looking tan on the team, isnt surprised at Kessels success in Sochi. "I think we all knew Phil was going to achieve more especially on that big ice," he said. "Not too many players in the league can skate with him so. Phil does a great job finding areas to get open." Carlyle admitted one player he is concerned about is Nikolai Kulemin. Kulemin was part of the Russian team, which fell 3-1 to Finland in the quarter-finals. "Nobody asks questions about how youre going to feel about Nikolai Kulemin coming back and thats a tough one," said Carlyle. "Host country and the way their tournament unravelled. "Hes part of our hockey club and weve got to find a way to build him back up and get him going again." Notes: Injured forwards David Bolland (foot), Peter Holland (lace bite), Carter Ashton (hand) and Trevor Smith (undisclosed) were all participants in Wednesdays 50 minute skate at the MasterCard Centre. Once Bolland, Smith and Ashton return from injured reserved, the Leafs will have 25 players on their active roster and will require some moves. Cheap JerseysChina NFL JerseysCheap NBA JerseysWholesale NHL JerseysWholesale MLB JerseysCheap Soccer Jerseys ChinaWholesale NCAA JerseysWholesale Football JerseysWholesale Basketball JerseysWholesale Baseball Jerseys ' ' '
VANCOUVER -- They expect to have one of their best players back on the pitch Sunday when they face one of the worst teams in Major League Soccer, but the Vancouver Whitecaps know taking Chivas USA lightly could prove costly. The Whitecaps are in a battle for a playoff spot in the tight Western Conference. With nine games left on the schedule, and the team playing their next three on the road, the Whitecaps (10-9-6) cant afford to squander a chance at three points playing at BC Place Stadium. "The margins are dwindling," interim captain Kenny Miller said Saturday after the Whitecaps practised at the University of British Columbia. "After our indefinite results (lately), for us its important we get back to our winning ways. Well be going out to win the game and the right result can push us up the table a few places." Camilo Sanvezzo, who leads the Whitecaps with 14 goals, missed last weeks 1-0 loss to the L.A. Galaxy with a slight groin pull. He has trained this week and looks ready to play against Chivas. "I am feeling very confident," said the Brazilian striker. "I have been striking some balls and feel very good." The one-week break could play dividends down the stretch for Sanvezzo. "I didnt want to stay out but I think it helped a lot," he said. "I feel very confident for this game." Heading into Saturdays MLS play Vancouver was seventh in the Western Conference with 36 points. Only four points separated the second-place Galaxy from the Whitecaps. Chivas is last in the West with 21 points (5-14-6) and are just 1-8-3 on the road this season. The Goats have shown some life recently and upset the New York Red Bulls 3-2 at home last Sunday for their first MLS win since March. It will be the third meeting of the season between the two teams. Chivas won the first 2-1 while the Caps earned a 3-1 victory at BC Place on June 19. It is tempting for the Whitecaps to look past Chivas, especially when they play their next three games on the road against Dallas, San Jose and Montreal, before returning home for a Sept. 28 match against Western Conference leading Real Salt Lake. Head coach Martin Rennie said his team is focused on the task at hand. "The players know what they need to do," he said. "This is when the season really starts. "They (Chivas) have a couple of dangerous forwards. They are a good possession team. We have to make sure we close them down. You always have to be on your toes because they are dangerous." The addition of Erick Torres has added more punch to the Chivas attack. The 20-year-old from Guadalajara scored twice in the victory over the Red Bulls and has four goals in six games. The Whitecaps will be looking for Sanvezzo to bring a scoring touch that lacked against the Galaxy. Vancouver is second in MLS with 25 home goals, but 16 of those came in a six-game stretch earlier this year. The Whitecaps are currently struggling through a 1-4-1 run where they have scored just four goals and been shutout three times. Rennie preferred to look at the glass half filled. "We have scored a lot of goals," he said. "Last game we missed Camilo. "I think we know we have to work hard but we are confident we can score goals. We need to prove that." Miller, who has scored seven goals this season, said Sanvezzo brings an artists flair to the Vancouver canvas. "He brings back goals," said Miller. "This season he has scored a lot of big goals and in a lot of games hes come up with important goals. "He brings all kinds of threats whether it be dead-ball situations or whether it be open play. We missed it last week, we missed his goal threat. Hopefully this week we can get back to the winning ways." The Whitecaps will be without midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker who will serve a suspension after receiving his eighth yellow card of the season against the Galaxy. Captain Jay DeMerit, who recently married Olympic skicross gold medallist Ashleigh McIvor, is also questionable. The 33-year-old defender is still recovering after rupturing his Achilles tendon in the March 2 season opener. DeMerit did play 70 minutes in a scrimmage with the UBC Thunderbirds last week. "Hes coming on really well," said Rennie. "Hes got himself training consistently. "He probably needs a little more practise game time, then he will be in contention." Baker Mayfield Browns Jersey . Onyshko, from Minnedosa, Man., will compete in artistic gymnastics while Hanet, from Kelowna, B.C., will compete in lawn bowling as a para-athlete. "It is exciting that our Canadian athletes are starting to arrive at the Games Village," said Chantal Petitclerc, Canadas Chef de Mission. Joe Thomas Youth Jersey . The Brewers finalized a US$36 million, three-year contract with free agent third baseman Aramis Ramirez on Wednesday, adding a much-needed bat to their lineup. http://www.footballbrownsnflprostore.com...te-Jersey/. Vonn had another scary moment at Saturdays World Cup downhill in Val dIsere, ending up clutching her knee in pain after losing her balance and missing a gate. But she gave a reassuring answer shortly afterward, saying no new damage had been done to the surgically repaired knee, and that her plans for the Sochi Olympics were still intact. Austin Seibert Womens Jersey . -- 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. Greedy Williams Womens Jersey . -- Even as Chris Paul remained evasive about his future, he did what team leaders are expected to do.LONDON -- Insisting they deserve the chance to stage the World Cup, Qatars football leaders on Saturday hit back at their English counterparts for suggesting that FIFA consider taking the 2022 tournament away from the desert nation. New English Football Association chairman Greg Dyke incensed the Qataris by arguing that the heat in the tiny emirate could be "very dangerous" and calling on FIFA to find a new location for the World Cup or anger European leagues by rescheduling it in winter. Concerns about Qatars plans have mounted since its bid surprisingly triumphed in 2010 despite being declared "high risk" by FIFAs own inspection team, which highlighted the sweltering summer heat in the Persian Gulf where temperatures can hit 50 degrees Celsius (120 Fahrenheit). But the Qataris on Saturday insisted that they could deliver footballs biggest event and that the 2010 vote was the "right decision." "Football is the most popular sport in the Middle East and the people of our region deserve the opportunity to have history made in their part of the world," the Qatar World Cup supreme committee said in a statement to The Associated Press. "We are committed to delivering on the promises we made in our successful bid. We are ready to host in summer or winter." Although the English FA is open to rescheduling the tournament for the cooler winter months in Qatar, the English Premier League is firmly against any changes that would disrupt its Augustt-May season.dddddddddddd. FIFA President Sepp Blatter recently agreed that his executive committee should consider in October whether the showpiece event should be moved to the winter, having described a summer tournament in Qatar as "not rational and reasonable." "We have always maintained that this issue requires the agreement of the international football community," the Qatar statement said. "A decision to alter the dates of the 2022 FIFA World Cup would not affect our infrastructure planning." Qatar planned to counter the extreme heat by building air-conditioned stadiums, but potential health concerns remain for players, fans and officials travelling around the country -- an issue the organizers didnt address on Saturday. "The development of environmentally friendly cooling technologies is an important legacy issue for our nation, region and in countries with similar climates," the statement said after Dyke questioned how air conditioning stadiums fits with a "green policy." Oil-wealthy Qatar successfully saw off rival bids from the United States, Japan, South Korea and Australia to land the World Cup, allowing FIFA to take the tournament to a new frontier. "Clearly people wanted to take football to a place like Qatar where theres no footballing tradition," Dyke said. "But it wasnt thought through properly ... if thousands of fans turn up for a tournament in Qatar it could be very dangerous." Cheap JerseysChina NFL JerseysCheap NBA JerseysWholesale NHL JerseysWholesale MLB JerseysCheap Soccer Jerseys ChinaWholesale NCAA JerseysWholesale Football JerseysWholesale Basketball JerseysWholesale Baseball Jerseys ' ' '
MIAMI -- The flop is having an impact on the playoffs, and its being caught much more than it was in the regular season. Miami guard Dwyane Wade became the latest recipient of a post-season flopping fine Monday when the NBA ordered him to give up $5,000 after a review showed he over-exaggerated a foul during Game 2 of the finals that was charged to San Antonios Manu Ginobili. And theres an ironic twist -- Ginobili is often considered a master flopper, but he wasnt even warned once about it this season. "He took a swipe and he hit me," Wade said Monday, before the fine was announced. "It was a late call by the ref, but he called it." The league saw it a little differently. It was the fifth flopping violation of the playoffs, which works out to one in every 17.2 games. The NBA said 35 flops were caught in the regular season, or one in every 35.1 games. Players are not fined in the regular season until their second flop of the year; in the playoffs, every flop is a fine. "Flopping," Miami guard Shane Battier once said, "is a silent killer." Well, unless it works. Wade drew the foul against Ginobili with 4:09 left in the second quarter on Sunday night. Ginobili, who took a big swipe at the ball about 35 feet from the basket, wound up going to the bench with his third foul of the half. Wade went to the line and made the two resulting free throws, since Miami was already in the bonus. The Heat wound up winning by two points. "I saw Manu coming out of the corner of my eye to try to steal it so my only thing was to make sure that he didnt steal it," Wade said. "He swiped and he wound up hitting me and the ref called a foul. We move on." The Heat-Spurs matchup is tied 1-1, with Game 3 in Miami on Tuesday night. Some of the flops in the playoffs have been almost circuslike acting jobs, including a pair by Indiana guard Lance Stephenson -- the official leaguewide leader in flopping this season with two violations in the regular season and two more in the post-season. Hes had to pay $20,000 for those flops, or basically about 2 per cent of his seasons salary. For Wade, whos made nearly $19 million in salary this season, the $5,000 was mere pocket change. And situations like that were pointed out last year by now-retired NBA Commissioner David Stern, who said the small fine "isnt enough. Youre not going to cause somebody to stop it for $5,000 when the average players salary is $5.5 million." Stern added then that anyone who thought the fine would stop the flop is allowing "hope to prevail over reason." So it would be no surprise if tougher flopping penalties were at least discussed when the NBAs competition committee when that group meets this summer. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said hes not surprised that the rate goes up in the playoffs, saying Monday that it could be as simple a reason as "more people in the league office watching each possession." Besides Stephenson and Wade, the other post-season flop fines have been assessed to Indianas Roy Hibbert and the Spurs Tiago Splitter. All of those flops were cited in the conference-final round or later. Indianas season ended with a third straight playoff loss to the Heat. And not surprisingly, it wouldnt seem like the Pacers are rooting for their conference member this time of year -- a media relations official from East finalists tweeted shortly after the Wade-Ginobili play Sunday that the Heat guard deserved a flopping fine and even made what seemed like a lighthearted plea to the league: "Cmon NBA, do it for Lance." Scarpe Nike Scontate .Y. -- The Buffalo Bills will head into the regular season short on experience at quarterback after trimming the roster on Friday. Air Max 90 Uomo Ingrosso . -- David Freese is starting to pick up his run production, which is something the Los Angeles Angels have been waiting half a season to see. http://www.scarpenikeingrosso.it/. Sami Vatanen had a goal and an assist and Anaheim used a four-goal first period to extend their winning streak to six games with a 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night. Scarpe Nike Sconti Online . Lineup news, Fantasy tips and more in Scott Cullen’s Statistically Speaking. HEROES Blake Comeau – The Penguins winger had a hat trick in a 4-3 overtime win against Toronto. Vapormax Scontate . A rainy day saw the former champion Djokovic handle 14th-seeded Frenchman Jo- Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) under the roof on the famed Centre Court. MIAMI -- Dwyane Wade saw LeBron James was on the move and unguarded, so he lobbed the ball toward the rim and waited for the predictable outcome. The alley-oop looked easy -- just like everything else after halftime for the Miami Heat. James scored 32 points, Wade added 22 points and eight assists, and the Heat trailed by 11 early in the second half before running away to a 107-88 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. That alley-oop was one of the first salvos in what turned into a 59-26 run by the two-time defending champions. "Were an old team, man," Wade said. "It takes us a while sometimes to get the juices flowing. Playing against a lot of young teams, they come in loose, ready. Weve got to get our body going a little bit." Chris Andersen was 7 for 7 from the field and scored 15 points, and Chris Bosh added 12 points and nine rebounds for the Heat (27-8). Wade added eight rebounds for Miami, which got 11 points from Ray Allen. "We were able to turn the game around pretty fast," James said. Anthony Davis led the Pelicans with 22 points and 12 rebounds, most of his numbers coming in the first half. Eric Gordon scored 15 and Tyreke Evans added 13 for New Orleans (15-18). "Give them credit. They came out in the third quarter and stepped up the pressure," Pelicans coach Monty Williams said. "They made a lot of tough shots but our guys, as a whole, weve got to grow up and understand that when you have a (good) half against a team, theyre going to come out and attack and put pressure." Thats precisely what happened. The Heat shot 61 per cent in the third, outscoring the Pelicans 32-21 and with James nearly outscoring them by himself, putting up 16 in the period. And in the fourth, the Heat wasted no time taking full control. Allens 3-pointer from the same spot where he connected with 5.2 seconds left in Game 6 of the NBA Finals started a 7-0 run to start the quarter, with the margin growing steadily from there in Miamis final game before setting out to play its next six away from home. &quoot;I was encouraged by the second half," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.dddddddddddd "Thats a very talented team and in the first half we couldnt quite figure it out defensively." It was very much a tale of two halves. Davis had a double-double by halftime, 16 points and 10 rebounds in the opening two quarters -- only the second time the 2012 No. 1 pick has managed that in his career. He was dominant with seven offensive rebounds, three steals, two blocks and 7-for-11 shooting in that half, numbers that certainly wont hurt his shot at playing in the All-Star Game in New Orleans next month. And the Pelicans were giving Miami all it wanted. The Heat found themselves down by as many as nine in the first half and the Pelicans had a chance just before the break to push their advantage into double figures. Instead, two mistakes -- less than a second apart -- sent them into intermission up by only six. Evans was whistled for a discontinued dribble with 1.1 seconds remaining. Miami called a timeout to set up a play, James connected with Bosh on a 35-foot pass and Bosh got fouled while attempting a 3-pointer from the top of the key. He made all three free throws with 0.2 seconds left, and Miami got within 49-43 at the half. Mentally, that was a huge lift for the Heat. "Every possession is very key," James said. "That was a huge point right there." New Orleans scored the first five points of the third, getting the lead up to 11. Less than five minutes later, the lead was already gone, and the Heat were starting to roll. "They started making shots and the momentum switched," Davis said. "And they never looked back." NOTES: It was the 10th 30-point game of the season for James. The Heat are 9-1 when he scores that many. ... The Pelicans announced Tuesday morning that F Ryan Anderson, averaging 19.8 points, is out indefinitely with a herniated disk. He got hurt against Boston on Jan. 3. ... A fan seated courtside yawned in the fourth quarter. "You tired?" Wade asked her, causing the woman to laugh for about a minute afterward. Cheap JerseysChina NFL JerseysCheap NBA JerseysWholesale NHL JerseysWholesale MLB JerseysCheap Soccer Jerseys ChinaWholesale NCAA JerseysWholesale Football JerseysWholesale Basketball JerseysWholesale Baseball Jerseys ' ' '
Carson, CA - Gennady Golovkin extended his knockout streak to 18 consecutive matches, this time stopping Marco Antonio Rubio in the second round. Rubio failed to make weight Friday, which ultimately cost him his interim WBC belt and a shot at Golovkins WBA middleweight belt, but the 34-year-old was no match for his opponent from Kazakhstan. Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) landed a right uppercut and then delivered a left hook that connected to the top of Rubios (59-6-1, 51 KOs) head. Rubio fell to the canvas and was counted out at 1:19 of the second round. Because Golovkin now holds Rubios WBC interim belt, he is slated to fight the winner of the Miguel Cotto bout versus Canelo Alvarez. On the undercard, Nicholas Walters scored a sixth-round knockout to Nonito Donaire to win the WBA featherweight title. With 30 seconds left in the third round, Walters (25-0, 21 KOs), who was in his first championship bout, landed a solid right uppercut that put Donaire (33-3, 21 KOs) on the canvas for the first time in his career. By the time the fourth round began, Donaires right eye was starting to swell from a cut that he sustained. With the sixth round about to come to a close, Donaire missed with a left hook, and Walters countered by landing a right to the top of the head. Donaire, who was making his first title defense, was officially counted out with one second remaining in the round. Deshaun Watson Youth Jersey . Almost 40 years to the day, the two teams will meet again, this time at BC Place, to celebrate the past and try to earn important points for the present. Andre Johnson Youth Jersey . The Senators will put the busy off-season and training camp behind them when they open their regular season on the road. They kick things off Friday against the Buffalo Sabres and then head to Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs on Saturday. http://www.officialhoustontexanspro.com/...ersey/.com) - Carmelo Anthony scored 31 points with eight rebounds to lead the New York Knicks to a 92-80 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Justin Reid Texans Jersey . The struggling New Orleans Pelicans were simply overmatched. Crawford hit seven 3s on his way to 24 points, and the Clippers beat the Pelicans 123-110 on Monday night. "We understand what we do well. If we all do what we do well, well make our team stronger," Crawford said. Deshaun Watson Womens Jersey .J. Ward appeared in court Friday on misdemeanour charges that he threw a glass mug at a bartender at a Denver strip club.DENVER -- Wilson Chandler made pivotal shots down the stretch for the Denver Nuggets -- and Andre Miller bailed him out when he made a key miss. Chandler scored 19 points, including a 3-pointer and three free throws late in the game, and the Nuggets held off the Minnesota Timberwolves 117-113 Friday night for their third straight win. Miller helped the Nuggets keep the ball away from the Timberwolves in the waning seconds by rebounding Chandlers missed free throw. "I was happy when he got it. I just knew that last free throw (wasnt) good," Chandler said. Minnesota got within 115-113 on a 3-pointer by Kevin Love with 18.9 seconds remaining. Ricky Rubio then fouled Chandler with 15 seconds left. He made the first of two free throws, and Miller swooped in from outside the key to grab the rebound for the Nuggets. Miller was fouled and made one of two at the line to rebuild Denvers lead to four points. The Timberwolves final shot in the last seconds was blocked by Kenneth Faried. Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman complained that Miller left the 3-point line, where he was positioned, before Chandler took the free throw. "It makes no sense why the league allows that to happen," Adelman said. "Its the only shot in basketball you cant box out on. You cant box him out. Hes at the 3-point line. They let him run in there, theres a wrestling match in there. Its just one of those things you have to deal with, but for all the stuff we change, we never look at that situation. Somebody will lose a big game in the playoffs and theyll change something." Miller said the Timberwolves gave him a clear shot at the rebound by failing to cut him off. "We found a way to get extra possessions," Miller said. "We talk about those things in practice, and blocking out on our side. TThey didnt do it.dddddddddddd They kind of had their hands on their knees and I just kind of snuck in there just in case (the ball came out)." Faried added 16 points and 10 rebounds for Denver, and Ty Lawson had 14 points and 10 assists. Lawson left with 32 seconds remaining when Corey Brewer inadvertently hit him in the right eye with his hand as he was defending the guard on a drive into the lane. The Nuggets said Lawson had a cornea abrasion and was probable for Saturday nights game at Houston. "I should be ready. It looked a lot worse than it was," said Lawson, whose eye was almost swollen shut after the game. Love led the Timberwolves with 28 points and Kevin Martin, who missed Wednesdays game against Cleveland because of an illness, added 27. "A little bit unlucky," Love said. "It was our defence all game. Our rotations werent there. We needed to help the helper, ball screen rotations, they were off all night but we were still right there at the end. We feel as if we can get a lot better with this team. Its still mid-November and were going to get a lot better." Trailing by four at the half, the Nuggets opened the third with an 11-2 run, fueled by Jordan Hamiltons 3-pointer. They carried an 86-81 lead into the fourth and stretched their advantage to 105-92 with 5:46 left when Miller had a 3-pointer and Faried jammed home a dunk in successive possessions. The Timberwolves led 60-56 at halftime after trailing by as many as 14 points. NOTES: Timberwolves C Ronny Turiaf has missed eight games since he hurt his right elbow. Theres no timetable for his return. ... The Nuggets were playing the front end of a back to back. They play at Houston on Saturday. ... The Nuggets are 14-3 against the Timberwolves at the Pepsi Center since 2005-06 season. Cheap JerseysChina NFL JerseysCheap NBA JerseysWholesale NHL JerseysWholesale MLB JerseysCheap Soccer Jerseys ChinaWholesale NCAA JerseysWholesale Football JerseysWholesale Basketball JerseysWholesale Baseball Jerseys ' ' '
Atlanta, GA (SportsNetwork.com) - Atlanta Braves outfielder Nick Markakis underwent successful surgery on Wednesday to mend a bulging disk in his neck. Markakis, who signed a four-year contract for a reported $44 million on Dec. 5, is expected to resume training in eight weeks and should be ready for spring training. The 31-year-old won his second Gold Glove award in 2014 and batted .276 with 14 home runs and 50 RBI over 155 games for the AL East champion Baltimore Orioles. Markakis owns a career batting average of .290 with 141 homers and 658 RBI over 1,365 appearances spanning nine seasons with the Orioles. Jordan Scarlett Womens Jersey . Not only that, when Julian de Guzman first stepped on the pitch for Deportivo de la Coruna he became the very first Canadian to play in Spains top tier. Brian Burns Youth Jersey . Nikolai Khabibulin was yanked in the second period, and the Ottawa Senators looked ready to put away a big road win. http://www.thepanthersofficialstore.com/...rs-jersey/. - Kevin Labanc and Joseph Blandisi were a potent combination for the Barrie Colts on Friday night. Carolina Panthers Jerseys . McCutchen hit his first home run in over a month, doubled twice and scored two runs to help the Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 on Sunday and take three of four from the defending NL West champions. Christian Miller Jersey . Kyle Shanahan was hired as offensive co-ordinator Monday after spending the previous four years in the same role with the Washington Redskins.ATLANTA -- For Ryan Doumit, the wait was agonizing. Imagine how the Milwaukee Brewers were feeling. Doumits pinch-hit single brought home two runs after the Brewers summoned a relief pitcher who had not even been warming up, capping a three-run seventh inning that carried the Atlanta Braves to a 5-4 victory Thursday night. Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke told the umpires that Will Smith would take the mound in a double switch, even though Smith had not thrown at all in the bullpen. After a lengthy delay while the umpires tried to sort things out, even getting on the headsets to talk with the video review centre in New York, Smith was forced to face Doumit after tossing only the customary eight warm-up pitches. Doumit fouled a ball off each foot before ripping a single to left, bringing home the tying and go-ahead runs. "It was a painful at-bat," he said, "but a good result." The Brewers were down two coaches, and that certainly affected their game protocol. Pitching coach Rick Kranitz and bullpen coach Lee Tunnell were both excused to attend graduations, and Rick Tomlin, normally the minor league pitching co-ordinator, filled in for Kranitz. "My fault. Miscommunication," Roenicke said. "Theres a certain way we do things, and when Kranitz isnt here, I didnt go back and tell Rick Tomlin who to get up and bring in. Its my fault." The Braves trailed 4-1 heading to the bottom of the sixth. B.J. Upton hit a two-out homer, barely clearing the right-field wall, and the Braves rallied for the win the next inning. Gerald Laird also had a key hit, a run-scoring double that ricocheted off an infielders glove. Jean Segura had three hits for Milwaukee and scored two runs, driven home both times by two-out hits from Jonathan Lucroy. Alex Wood (4-5) worked a scoreless inning for the win, and Craig Kimbrel earned his 12th save. Brandon Kintzler (1-2) took the loss, failing to retire the only batter he faced. Chris Johnson started the Atlanta seventh with a single. Dan Uggla, in a rare start, singled to left after fouling off three pitches to keep the at-bat alive. Kintzler took over for starter Matt Garza, but Laird ripped one off the glove of third baseman Mark Reynolds, the ball rolling into short left fielld.dddddddddddd A run scored, and Laird hustled to second for a double that barely got out of the infield. Then things really went haywire for the Brewers. After the botched pitching change, Milwaukee pulled in the infield, hoping to cut off the tying run at the plate. Doumit foiled that strategy by lining one past the shortstop, bringing home both Uggla and Laird. Doumit was frustrated with all the delays in the game, which dragged on for 3 hours, 36 minutes and featured three overturned replay calls, not to mention the confusion over Milwaukees pitching change. "Theres a certain pace to the game," Doumit said. "As a player, I dont like waiting around." The Braves would go on to load the bases with one out, extending the rally after yet another video review. Scooter Gennett made a brilliant backhanded stop on Jason Heywards grounder and flipped the ball in one motion to the shortstop Segura, who came off the bag quickly to make a throw to first. That was too late to get Heyward, and the Brewers wound up with no outs on the play when Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez challenged the call. The replay showed Seguras foot came off the bag a split-second before he squeezed the ball in his glove. The Braves failed to take advantage of the overturned call. Smith struck out Freddie Freeman with the bases loaded, and Rob Wooten came in to fan Justin Upton to end the threat. It didnt matter. Dave Carpenter worked a 1-2-3 eighth and Kimbrel worked around a hit batter to lead off the ninth, striking out the side. Garza went 6 1-3 innings, giving up five hits and four runs. Logan Schafers squeeze bunt brought in another Milwaukee run, and Khris Davis finished off Atlanta starter Aaron Harang with an RBI single in the sixth. Harang allowed nine hits and all four Brewers runs in 5 1-3 innings. Notes: Milwaukee slugger Ryan Braun left the game in the fifth because of tightness in his right side. ... Uggla also had a walk and scored two runs in only his second start since May 6. ... Gavin Floyd (0-1) will go against Colorados Jordan Lyles (5-1) on Friday in the opener of a three-game series at Turner Field. The Brewers head to Miami, where Marco Estrada (3-2) will take the mound against Tom Koehler (4-3) of the Marlins. Cheap JerseysChina NFL JerseysCheap NBA JerseysWholesale NHL JerseysWholesale MLB JerseysCheap Soccer Jerseys ChinaWholesale NCAA JerseysWholesale Football JerseysWholesale Basketball JerseysWholesale Baseball Jerseys ' ' '
MINNEAPOLIS -- Kevin Love is used to carrying the beat-up Minnesota Timberwolves lately. This time, he finally had some help when he sat down to take a rest. Love had 42 points and 16 rebounds, Ricky Rubio tied a franchise high with 17 assists, and the Timberwolves beat Paul George and the Indiana Pacers 104-91 on Wednesday night. J.J. Barea scored 12 points off the bench as the Wolves took control early against the Eastern Conference leaders. "This is one of my favourite wins of the season just because we played a very good team," Love said. "We did it without two key players and we fought hard." George led Indiana with 35 points, but managed just two in the fourth quarter as the Pacers lost for the third time in five games, never once taking a lead. "We just didnt have a whole lot of pop tonight," said David West, who scored four points and struggled guarding Love all night. "This is a game that I thought we would come out and play a little better than we did. We just didnt have it, just a step or two slow." It was Loves eighth straight game with at least 25 points and 10 rebounds, the longest streak since Shaquille ONeal accomplished the same feat Jan. 3-19, 2005. Love has an NBA-best 14 games with 30 points and 10 rebounds this season. "I thought a lot of the shots he made was good defence," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "You have to give him credit. He is an extraordinary player and he played an extraordinary game tonight." In their first game since the All-Star break as they try to make a late-season run and catch Golden State for the final playoff spot in the West, the Wolves came out running and led by 16 when Love came out for a rest 3 minutes into the second quarter. Minnesotas reserves have been unable to hold their ground when Love goes to the bench recently, but they did fine on Wednesday. Barea, the subject of recent trade rumours, scored eight straight points during one stretch -- including a circus shot on the fast break over C.J. Watson that increased Minnesotas lead to 20 with 6:48 left in the half. "When he gets his rest, we need other people to step up," Barea said. "Tonight, we were able to do that." Love scored 18 points in the third quarter, including a jumper from just inside the 3-point line with 0.8 seconds left that pushed the Wolves lead back up to 10 after an Indiana run. Minnesota, playing without injured starters Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Martin, led by as many as 17 in the third quarter. However, with Love sitting to start the fourth, a jumper from Watson early in the quarter cut Indianas deficit to five and gave the Pacers hope. But again, Minnesotas reserves held on. Barea knocked down a jump shot in front of the Wolves bench to extend the lead back to 11 with 8:33 to play and the Wolves never looked back. "Coach came to me and said hes going to give me a little bit of a rest," Love said. "He came to me during the timeout and said These guys are rolling. I said Great, just keep them in as long as you need to. Those guys just did a great job and really stepped up and took advantage of the opportunity tonight." When Love returned, he reeled in a full-court pass from Rubio with his fingertips and slammed it home to give the Wolves a 98-84 lead. Indiana went into the All-Star break stuck in a shooting slump, but shot 50 per cent in a win over Atlanta on Tuesday. The Pacers made just 8 of 22 shots to start Wednesdays game and finished at 40 per cent. "We will reflect on this," George said. "We really didnt want to lose and drop this game. But we have to move on. Its all about the next game." George Hill finished with 13 points and Lance Stephenson had 10 despite missing his first six shots. NOTES: Wolves coach Rick Adelman on how trade rumours impact players as the deadline approaches: "I think it definitely affects them. But its all part of the business, especially now," he said. ... The Pacers are 8-7 on the second game of a back-to-back. "Not really," Vogel answered after he was asked if he, George and Roy Hibbert have caught up on rest after All-Star weekend. "Im a little more tired than usual. Im sure those guys are. But it doesnt mean anything. Still have to go out and win games." The Wolves still dont know when Pekovic or Martin will return. Adelman said Martin will get his injured thumb examined again in the next day or two. .. Wolves centre Ronny Turiaf left in the fourth quarter with a right knee injury and didnt return. Hydro Flask Black Friday . The Montreal Alouettes announced Tuesday that they have acquired the return specialist from Calgary, as well as the Stampeders fifth-round draft pick in the 2014 CFL Canadian Draft. Swell Cyber Monday . - Kevin Labanc and Joseph Blandisi were a potent combination for the Barrie Colts on Friday night. http://www.waterbottleblackfriday.com/. As their best player continued to orchestrate his dramatic exit from the club, the Whitecaps added size and creativity at Thursdays Major League Soccer SuperDraft. Swell Cyber Monday Sale . -- Michael Frazier II scored 21 points, Dorian Finney-Smith added 11 and No. Hydro Flask Black Friday Sale . With nothing tangible at stake, the Raptors turned in their most impressive outing of the fall in their seventh and second to last exhibition tilt against their stiffest competition yet, but they lost a couple starters in the process.Kauai, HI (SportsNetwork.com) - FACTS AND STATS: Course Architect: Robert Trent Jones Jr. (1991, 2011). Year Opened: 1991. Location: Koloa, Kauai, Hawaii. Slope: 128. Rating: 74.5. Par: 72. Yardage: 7,123. Hole-by-Hole: 1 - Par 4 428 Yds 10 - Par 4 429 Yds 2 - Par 5 524 Yds 11 - Par 3 193 Yds 3 - Par 3 209 Yds 12 - Par 4 435 Yds 4 - Par 4 380 Yds 13 - Par 4 384 Yds 5 - Par 4 355 Yds 14 - Par 5 537 Yds 6 - Par 5 573 Yds 15 - Par 4 427 Yds 7 - Par 3 179 Yds 16 - Par 4 501 Yds 8 - Par 4 374 Yds 17 - Par 3 225 Yds 9 - Par 4 420 Yds 18 - Par 5 550 Yds Par 36 3,442 Yds Par 36 3,681 Yds Awards Won: Premier Resort by Golf Magazine (1994, 1997-2000, 2004, 2014-15), Rated one of Best Golf Courses in Hawaii - Hawaii Magazine (2013), Top 100 Greatest Courses in North America - Golf Digest (2013), Ranked #13 by Golf Digest - Best in State, Hawaii (2013-14), Top 125 Golf Resorts by Conde Nast Traveler (2012), Golf Weeks Americas Best Golf Resorts (2006-07, 09, 2011-12), Rated #7 Best Courses You Can Play in Hawaii (2011-12), Rated 4 1/2 stars by Golf Digests Best Places to Play. Key Events Held: PGA Grand Slam of Golf (1994-2006), U.S. Womens Amateur sectional qualifier (2014-15), USGA Senior Amateur qualifier (2014), U.S. Amateur Public Links qualifier (2011). Course Record: 59 (Phil Mickelson, 2004). Website: poipubaygolf.com. HISTORY: Built near the site of the ancient Hawaiian village of Kaneiolouma, with remains of Hawaiian heiaus (place of worship), Poipu Bay Golf Course is a wonderfully crafted design by Robert Trent Jones II. Often considered Kauais father of golf, Jones II designed four of the nine venues on the island, with Poipu Bay being his last on the Garden Island. With more than 270 courses in over 40 countries on six continents to his credit, RTJ II boasts more than 100 courses to have hosted tournaments on every major golf tour in the world. It will include the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay (Washington). Poipu Bay features four archaeological sites on the course dating back over 500 years. The first of these special areas is on the ninth hole, which includes a lava rock heiau located to the right side of the fairway. The final three areas where the remnants have been incorporated into the course are on holes 16-18. The 16th features a heiau, just short of the green on the left side, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, while the 17th hole sports another ancient structure next to the elevated tee and a stone wall down the right side of the cart path and through to the 18th tee. When we came upon a heiau, we obviously respected it and went around it, specifically on 16 and 17, Jones said. In some cases, we worked with the historical society and rebuilt part of the heiau wall in the old-fashioned way. It wasnt difficult, it was interesting and it added a cultural story to the course. The layout is built on the south shore on the island of Kauai, on 210 acres of breathtaking land, featuring rocky cliffs 150 feet above the mighty Pacific. Not only does the course possess ancient archaeological significance, it sports beautiful tropical foliage and flora, not to mention its mix of design strategy, making Poipu Bay Golf Course a unique, golfing experience. What started out as a 6,959-yard venue has been stretched to over 7,100 yards with room to grow! The challenge and adventure of Poipu Bay is all about the design. RTJ II used the lay of the land to create a precise layout, not only to challenge the best players in the world, but to make for a most enjoyable visit by the resort golfer. Poipu Bay is on the dry and arid part of the island, and its more exposed to the wind, Jones said. So our challenge at Poipu Bay was to lay it out as a continuous 18 that reaches way out and way back. This is similar to St. Andrews and Pebble Beach, so once you start playing golf, you have to play golf, youre committed. The pillar of our design philosophy is that every project is site specific, Jones added. We listen to the land and work with it to create the best golf design possible on every unique site. As with most courses in Hawaii, the elements can play havoc on your game and Poipu Bay is not without its share of weather, especially when discussing the trade winds, which whip throughout the layout. The course finishes along the coast and we laid it out in that direction, rather than in reverse of that, to take advantage of the prevailing winds finishing, so the winds are at your back, Jones continued. The winds are a form of a hazard, so you can either learn to use it as a player or be abused by it. As a designer, we like you to finish happy, so we wanted you to play downwind. But Jones II did not create just up and back holes. His layout features holes that play with the wind, into the breeze and across, just enough to keep you guessing on each and every shot. The word Poipu literally means crashing waves in Hawaiian and the final four holes run alongside and well above the Pacific Oceans mighty bounty. Just under one mile in length, the closing four holes are without a doubt the signature grouping at Poipu Bay, with the worlds largest water hazard on the left. The 16th is what many consider RTJ IIs autograph. In fact, he considered this gem as the Pebble Beach of the Pacific. It comes as no surprise that Poipu Bay Golf Course has received the accolades and awards that it has, such as one of Golf Digests Americas 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses, and since 2000, Conde Nast Traveler considers the course and the Grand Hyatt Resort as one of the top resorts in the United States. We wanted to distinguish Poipu Bay from the other courses, so the greens are generally smaller and somewhat rounded on the edges, Jones said. Theyre a little like a Donald Ross concept, like an inverted concept and thats pretty tricky in the wind. Its a shorter course and compact and a real golf experience. Its produced a lot of excitement and a lot of history and fun when the Grand Slam was here. After just three years of opening its tee boxes, the powers that be at the Professional Golfers Association of America decided to bring its premier after-season event to Poipu Bay. The PGA of America was certainly pleased, as from 1994 through 2006 Poipu Bay hosted the Grand Slam of Golf, which features the winners of the four majors in that calendar year. The champions during this time frame read like a whos who of World Golf Hall- of-Famers, led by seven-time winner Tiger Woods. In addition, other HOFs who captured the Grand Slam at Poipu Bay were Greg Norman, Ben Crenshaw, Ernie Els and course record-holder Phil Mickelson. Two other winners, Tom Lehman and Jim Furyk, can possibly reach this pinnacle in the near future. When Norman captured the 1994 event, he became the first alternate in the history of the event to win the title. Norman capped off his final round 66 with a 5-foot eagle on the last hole to win by three shots over Nick Price, who had recorded wins that year in the PGA Championship and the British Open. A more dramatic finish came the next season, when Crenshaw holed his 50-yard approach on the last for an eagle to clip Steve Elkington and Corey Pavin by a shot. It should be noted that John Daly also eagled the closing hole by reaching the green in two and making the putt. According to Daly lore, the long-hitting lad from Arkansas leaped over part of the sacred ground (stone wall), but still made eagle. Call it irony or karma, but Daly has not won again on the PGA Tour since. Els set a tournament record in 1997, as he finished the two-day event at 11- under-par 133, besting Woods, then a first-time participant, by three shots. Woods started his streak of five consecutive wins at the Grand Slam of Golf by defeating Vijay Singh 2-up in match play as the PGA of America changed the format. Following another match-play win the following year over Davis Love III, the PGA of America returned the format to stroke play, and Woods edged Singh again, this time in a playoff. Woods made eagle in regulation to force the playoff and then eagled the 18th hole again in the extra session. In 2002, Woods obliterated the field by carding a 36-hole total of 127, which included a final-round 61 for a whopping 14-stroke win over Davis Love III and Justin Leonard. Making his first appearance at the Grand Slam, Furyk cruised to an eight-shot win over Masters champion Mike Weir. Furyk, who captured his only major at the U.S. Open in 2003, had 11 birdies in the two-day event and needed just 55 putts. Playing in the event for the first time, Mickelson made history when he carded a course-record 59 to win by five shots over three-time runner-up Singh in 2004. Mickelson played flawless golf during his record run, as he tied Woods for the lowest 36-hole total in event history. In his round, he made 11 birdies and an eagle and needed only 24 putts. The round could have been better if he had only made a 9-foot eagle putt on the last! Woods returned to Poipu Bay for the final two seasons of this event in Hawaii and did not disappoint, as he captured the 2005 and 06 events. In all, Woods recorded seven wins and one runner-up finish in his eight appearances at Poipu Bay. Over the years, Woods recorded 87 birdies and eight eagles for a scoring average of 66.75 and earnings of $3.15 million. Its hard to argue with success and Woods certainly has had his share. This facility here, the Hyatt, is absolutely fantastic, all of the amenities that they have. Its a pretty great place, said Woods. In 2010, Poipu Bay underwent a facelift of sorts, as the greens were transformed from traditional Bermuda to the eco-friendly Seashore Paspalum. In addition, several of the bunkers and tee boxes were upgraded. The main thing we changed were the greens, said Chad Dusenberry, head golf professional at Poipu Bay. Initially we had Tid Dwarf Bermuda, which wasnt a consistent putting surface for the weather that we have. After researching to find the best product to fit our conditions that we have, such as ocean breeze, we settled on Seashore Paspalum. We were looking for more consistency, quality and something we could speed up more, so that in the future we might be able to host another event here. HOLE-BY-HOLE REVIEW: The opener is a pretty straightforward hole, playing uphill from tee to green. Bunkers guard both sides of the landing area off the tee, but with the trade winds at your back, a solid tee ball will certainly avoid the trouble. A medium to short iron should remain to a fairly large putting surface that slopes toward the front and to the right. Stay below the hole, avoid the bunker on the left and youll get off to a good start. The second is a boomerang par-5 that stretches 524 yards from the back markers. Playing uphill from the tee to the fairway, the key here is to avoid the bunker down the right side of the landing area. Cut the corner if you dare, but missing the short grass might eliminate your shot at getting home in two. If youre forced to lay up, this shouldnt be a problem, as long as you stay left of the grouping of bunkers down the right. With a wedge in hand, the player should be able to stick one close to the flag and set up a great chance at birdie. Although the yardage does not suggest that the third hole will be the longest of the par-3s, trust me, it is, as it plays directly into the wind. The trouble here is pin placement and club selection. The green wraps around a deep bunker on the right side of the putting surface, so when the flag is tucked, stay away and play toward the center. A gentle, left-to-right shot, riding the breeze is the play here. This is not the time to be heroic. Make your par and move on. The fourth hole is an average par-4 of just 380 yards in length. Simple, right? Not so fast. At first blush, it might appear to be a real birdie chance, but with the elements in your face and a cross-bunker staring at you, youd better be careful. With a successfull tee shot, youll have a medium iron remaining and dont forget to take enough club, as sand short of the green is not the place to be.dddddddddddd The green is fairly simple, but if you miss right, youll finish in a tightly mown chipping area. The shortest par-4 on the course, the fifth is just 355 yards in length, but it requires pinpoint accuracy off the tee as fairway bunkers tighten the landing area. Missing the fairway will most likely end in bogey, but a quality tee ball can produce a birdie. From the shortest to the longest, as the Z-shaped sixth is a monster par-5 of 573 yards from the gold markers. One large fairway bunker guards the right corner of the first dogleg. Usually downwind, this hole can be had despite its length. A successful tee ball can set up a shot at the green in two, but a more sensible effort would be to lay up just past the bunkers on either side of the landing area, thus setting up a simple run to the pin. Your hardest choice will be what club to play to the putting surface, as this is one of the longest on the course with a huge slope splitting the green. Place your approach in the proper spot and youll have a great shot at birdie. One of the prettiest holes on the course, No. 7, is also the shortest of the par-3s at 179 yards. Club selection is critical in more ways than one, as a large pond protects the entire right side of the hole and with a back-right pin placement, youll need to be spot on, otherwise a double-bogey or worse might mess up your scorecard. I know first hand of this! A critical juncture of the golf course, the eighth, although short, is generally played back into the breeze, making this one of the more difficult par-4s. Two fairway bunkers squeeze the landing area off the tee and with the wind in your face, it would be best to avoid them at all costs. Your slightly uphill approach gets even more difficult with the fact that the putting surface is guarded by a dozen bunkers and is the smallest green at Poipu Bay. Lets not forget the undulating and tiered surface and you have one diabolical hole. The closing hole on the outward nine is rated as the most difficult on the course. A par-4 reaching 420 yards from the tips, this bad boy is also the first hole on the course to feature historical sites dating back over 500 years. Playing back into the trade winds, the ninth requires an accurate tee shot, as the bunkers lining the undulating landing area, crimp the fairway to just 24 yards. From here its a guessing game, as your approach plays uphill to an elevated green, so take an extra stick. To top it off, the first rock heiau (ancient worship site) is located on the right side of the hole and is a culturally sensitive area, where players are not allowed to enter or play from. The back nine opens with the fourth-most difficult hole on the course. A long, 429-yard par-4, the 10th features fairway bunkering that narrows the landing area, so much so that many players will use 3-metal off the tee for accuracy. Now youre faced with a 200-yard approach to a very tight putting surface, guarded by deep bunkers. Miss right of the green and youll be faced with a difficult up-and-down from a tight chipping area. Number 11 is a slightly downhill par-3, just under 200 yards in length. A pond guards most of the green, from the center to right, while a pair of bunkers protect the left. The winds generally blow left to right, so play out to the left for your best chance at par, especially when the pin is tucked to the right behind the pond. Any shot long will end up in a deep, chipping area, so your best play is middle of the green. Playing away from the ocean and toward the mountains, the 12th is a straightaway par-4 that reaches 435 yards in length. The large fairway bunker on the left side of the landing area off the tee pinches the short grass and must be avoided. Your approach to the green will be uphill and into the breeze, so choose the right club to bypass the bunker that fronts the putting surface. The green itself runs from front to back and is quite narrow, which will test your skill level. Missing the putting surface might result in bogey, as several bunkers lay in wait. This hole concludes a stretch of five holes that rank in the top 10 of most difficult on the course. If there ever was a chance to get a stroke back, the 13th is certainly that chance. The final of four par-4s under 400 yards, No. 13 can be had, especially with a good tee shot. Playing back toward the water, the trade winds will once again blow from left to right, so avoiding the bunker left and the trees right will be important to your success. The difficulty will be with your approach. Although youll have a short iron, the tiered putting surface is protected on the left by sand and the right by another pond. Another back- right pin can spell doom, especially since the water wraps around the green, so be careful not to go long. Half of the green is encased beautifully by a surrounding rock wall, from the front-center to behind the green. Adjusting your ball flight will serve you well. The final stretch of holes, starting with the 14th at Poipu Bay, are as rock- solid and as exciting as many of the courses in Hawaii. This par-5 is only 537 yards long, but plays longer than all of the three-shotters due to the uphill climb from tee to green and the fact that the wind blows against you. The landing area is one of the largest on the course, so let it fly off the tee. Your second shot, most definitely a layup, must avoid the long fairway bunker that stands right-center of the landing area. With a short iron in hand, your approach, again uphill, must be struck with precision, as the green is long with plenty of undulations. The 15th is a dynamic par-4 of just 427 yards. Dynamic because of the huge water hazard to your left, the Pacific Ocean. From an elevated tee, this hole plays down breeze and does not play as long as the yardage indicates. It does, however, require an accurate tee shot, as three fairway bunkers down the right, tighten the landing zone. A successful tee ball with leave a short iron to a green that features a bunker on either side and a severe slope on the left. Dont be cute, play toward the center of the putting surface and trust your putter. The final four holes play atop a 150-foot cliff overlooking the ocean. Many believe the 16th is the signature hole at Poipu Bay, and with good reason. Stretching 501 yards from the back markers, this par-4 is as difficult as it is breathtaking. Again with the Pacific down the left, your tee ball must favor the right side, avoiding the fairway bunker. Although this hole also plays down wind and slightly downhill, it will plays almost as long as its yardage. Called the Pebble Beach of the Pacific, by Jones II, since it hugs the coast and bends to the left, similar to its counterpart in California. Number 16 stifles the best of players, especially with your approach, which is played uphill from the fairway. With the ocean crashing down below and an ancient rock wall squeezing the fairway by the green, your target looks as small as a thimble. Toss in a back-left pin placement and youll be begging for bogey. At 225 yards, the final par-3 on the course - the 17th - is outstanding and difficult, to say the least. Although downhill and down breeze, youll need a long iron or fairway metal to reach the putting surface. Be careful to avoid the heiau to the right of the green and, of course, the bunkers guarding the left and right portions of the putting surface. Take time to take a look back from behind the green at the wonder of the Pacific Ocean. Trust me, its worth it. From the back tee, the closing hole plays like a dogleg right, as it bends around a stand of trees. Although it has been reached in two, No. 18 is really a three-shot, par-5 of 550 yards in length. Although the tee shot is important, it is the second shot thats crucial, as it must play short of the pond fronting the green and the bunker to the right. Roughly 100 yards will remain to a putting surface that runs from middle to back, so land soft to set up a birdie chance. If you played your cards right, you will be rewarded. FINAL WORD: Poipu Bay Golf Course is another Robert Trent Jones II classic on the island of Kauai, complete with rolling terrain, awesome elevation changes, dramatic views of the Pacific (as much of the golf course sits almost 90 feet above the ocean and 150 feet in some places), several water holes, over 85 bunkers and, yes ... the elements. The trade winds blow on an average of 15-20 miles per hour each and every day, making Poipu Bay quite a challenge. Jones laid the golf course out so that the wind direction is diverse throughout the layout. In doing so, Jones made club selection and strategy crucial in playing the course. As if you didnt have enough problems to worry about! The average player should not be overly concerned, however, as Poipu Bay is for all levels of golf. The playability, depending upon what skill level you are, and the different tees, makes it enjoyable for all different player types, Dusenberry said. From the high handicapper to the low handicapper, depending upon what tee boxes you play, it will provide a challenge. There are not a lot of forced carries, and you can miss it left and right and still keep your golf ball in play. Poipu Bay is a great mix of holes, such as three par-3s over water, with the quartet of one-shotters ranging from 179 to 225 yards. There are four par-4s under 400 yards in length, five over 420 yards and one over 500. Finally, the spectacular par-5s are all laid out in different directions, presenting their own set of problems. Our philosophy also calls for the creation of courses that combine playability for the average golfer with sufficient difficulty from championship tees to challenge the worlds best players, Jones said. Providing alternative lines of play adds another crucial strategic component to our courses. Although not as flamboyant as The Prince Course on the north shore, Poipu Bay is itself quite unique, with its several archaeological sites that boast Heiaus and ancient stone walls. The one aspect of the course that really stands out is the natural beauty of the layout. The conditioning of the layout is top notch and the flora and fauna throughout the course are stunning. From tropical flowers, such as the beautiful pink blossoms by the 18th green or the thick vegetation and timeless palms scattered throughout, make Poipu Bay a visual delight. As mentioned before, the fact this course is playable for all levels makes it a favorite amongst the locals and, of course, the resort guests. The forward tees are 5,372 yards in length and are followed up by the white markers (6,127 yards), the blue (6,612 yards) and finally, the gold tees at 7,123 yards. The inexperienced player, not to mention the medium handicap player, will enjoy the course, while the best of players will be extremely tested on a course that at times plays as difficult as any. Youll be forced to play shots that you normally dont on the mainland, such as knock-down shots with a 6- iron from 150 yards away or putting from 10 yards off the green. So pick a spot or mix and match and youll have the time of your life. The fairways are generous, the greens are undulating and slick and the course as a whole is a top-caliber venue that will bring you back, time and time again. Hey, if the golf doesnt bring you back, then the dramatic views of the Pacific Ocean, the waves crashing down below, the seals sunbathing and the surfers hanging loose will. Did I forget to mention the 21,000 square foot clubhouse, with a fully stocked pro shop, complete locker room facilities, a restaurant and a lounge. To top it off, the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa is just a short walk from the first tee, so take advantage of this beautiful resort and its 602 luxurious rooms. As with all the courses on Kauai, Poipu Bay is a must play and should be on everyones proverbial bucket list. Aces, pars or bogeys, send your thoughts to psokol@sportsnetwork.com. Cheap JerseysChina NFL JerseysCheap NBA JerseysWholesale NHL JerseysWholesale MLB JerseysCheap Soccer Jerseys ChinaWholesale NCAA JerseysWholesale Football JerseysWholesale Basketball JerseysWholesale Baseball Jerseys ' ' '
TORONTO - Its beginning to feel a lot like spring 2014 for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and thats not a good thing.Back then, the Leafs lost eight straight in regulation and 13 of their final 16 games as a playoff appearance slipped away. Now, theyve lost five in a row and again 13 of 16 in regulation as the season seems to be sliding away.Its been like this for a couple years now, hasnt it? star winger Phil Kessel said. I have no idea. We go through great stretches and then we have these just horrendous stretches. Its pretty frustrating.Back in 2011-12, with many of these same players in place, the Leafs lost six in a row and 10 of 11 to cost Ron Wilson his job. Since last seasons late swoon, coaches have been switched again from Randy Carlyle to Peter Horachek.Its early in Horacheks tenure as interim coach, but the results havent been encouraging.Its similar, isnt it? Kessel said. Same stuff keeps happening. I dont know what to make of it anymore.When general manager Dave Nonis explained why Carlyle had been fired, he pointed to inconsistency. The same Leafs that went 9-1-1 earlier in the season have been outscored 24-9 in the past seven games under Horachek.Its extremely frustrating that were doing a lot of things in areas that we werent doing earlier in the year better and now its the other side of that were having a tough time with, captain Dion Phaneuf said.As the Leafs have tried to forge an identity, theyve established something of a reputation of letting losing streaks snowball.Just momentum, centre Nazem Kadri said. Momentums a killer. Once you get on a slide, it seems like other teams are more eager to keep you on that slide.And the Leafs havent done much to help themselves, either. Horachek expressed frustration that during Monday nights 4-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes players reacted to falling behind by cheating to try to score.Its a 60-minute game, and you cant let one event — whether a bad call, an injury, a goal — affect you, Horachek said. We know that we havent scored a lot in the last four games. ... We know that we havent won.And though Horachek hasnt been around for past losing streaks, players have. Kessel said players must always stay positive, but Kadri knows its difficult to block out recent history.Its not impossible, but its definitely a frustration that builds over time, Kadri said. Obviously a win would help kind of ease things, and we know how it is around here and we know how it has been.The Leafs have one chance to end this skid before the all-star break, when they visit the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday. Between the loss to the Hurricanes and that puck drop, Horachek is intent on keeping the negativity from seeping into the locker-room.Theres no way to move forward with any kind of negativity inside that room, Horachek said. Theyre going to have to stand up, face the music and go that much harder and work their way out of. Theres no easy way out of times like this. Theyre going to have to have some conviction and some resolve and its going to be hard.___Follow @SWhyno on Twitter D.K. Metcalf Seahawks Jersey . General Manager Sam Presti said the three-time All-Star had knee swelling that would not subside, and the procedure was intended to solve the problem. He said doctors determined that a loose stitch was to blame for the swelling, that Westbrooks lateral meniscus has healed properly and the procedure was successful. Chris Carson Jersey . The Spanish champions decision not to sign a defender during the January transfer window may have backfired after Valencia took advantage of a lethargic, uninspired effort by its hosts at the Camp Nou, where former Spain coach Luis Aragones -- who previously coached the Catalan side -- was honoured after his death on Saturday. http://www.seahawksfansofficial.com/marq...ir-jersey/. -- Aaron Rodgers isnt out for revenge in Green Bays season opener. L.J. Collier Youth Jersey . In mens doubles, Vancouvers Vasek Pospisil and American Jack Sock reached the quarter-finals with a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-4 win over Croatian Mate Pavic and Andre Sa of Brazil. Shaun Alexander Jersey . Last July, F1 teams held in-season testing sessions at Silverstone to assess new tires provided by Pirelli after several blowouts on the same circuit at the British Grand Prix in June prompted a furious response from drivers and even a boycott threat the following week.STUTTGART, Germany -- Two-time defending champion Maria Sharapova needed eight match points to put away top-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4, 6-3 Friday for a place in the Porsche Grand Prix semifinals. Sharapova has won 11 consecutive matches on Stuttgarts indoor clay. Her semifinal opponent will be eighth-seeded Sara Errani, who was leading 6-3, 6-7 (6), 3-0 when Carla Suarez Navarro retired with a hand injury. "This was a big victory for me, the biggest since my injury," said Sharapova, who returned late last year after missing more than four months following shoulder surgery. Ana Ivanovic outlasted 2009 Stuttgart champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 in a battle between two former French Open winners. Ivanovic is seeking her third title of the year and is the only player remaining in the tournament to have won an event this year. Radwanska played her best tennis in the penultimate game, when she fought off sixx match points and finally broke Sharapovas serve.dddddddddddd Under pressure from Radwanska, Sharapova made two straight backhand errors as she dropped her serve. But Radwanska could not keep the momentum and Sharapovas forehand winner down the line gave her two more match points. Sharapova wasted the first with a wild forehand that was both long and wide, but then nailed a forehand winner to the corner to end the match. Sharapova is aiming for her first title of the year and the 30th of her career. Ranked No. 9, she would have fallen out of the top 10 with a loss Friday. "Ive been on the tour for so long I wasnt really thinking about it," she said. Suarez Navarro received treatment after winning the second set and quit three games later. "I feel really sorry, I have huge respect for her," Errani said. "It is not easy to play her. I tried to move her around and to be aggressive." Cheap JerseysChina NFL JerseysCheap NBA JerseysWholesale NHL JerseysWholesale MLB JerseysCheap Soccer Jerseys ChinaWholesale NCAA JerseysWholesale Football JerseysWholesale Basketball JerseysWholesale Baseball Jerseys ' ' '
Willie Desjardins will be meeting with the Canucks in Vancouver this weekend and according to TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie, the team will introduce him as their new head coach next week assuming all goes as expected in the hiring process. Desjardins, 58, led the AHLs Texas Stars to Calder Cup victory win over the St. Johns IceCaps this past season. He has served as the Stars head coach for the past two seasons, following a three-year stint as an assistant coach with Dallas. The native of Climax, Sask. also won a WHL championship in 2004 as coach of the Medicine Hat Tigers. The Canucks fired both general manager Mike Gillis and head coach John Tortorella at the end of last season. Canucks alumnus Trevor Linden was named President of Hockey Operations in April and hired Jim Benning as general manager last month. Wil Lutz Jersey . The Canucks figured to be active prior to Wednesdays trade deadline, getting a jump on things the previous day when they dealt goaltender Roberto Luongo to the Florida Panthers for netminder Jacob Markstrom and forward Shawn Matthias. Sam Mills Saints Jersey . -- When the Los Angeles Kings are on top of their formidable defensive game, they revel in the silence they can create in a frustrated road arena. http://www.saintsrookiestore.com/Saints-...oy-Jersey/. Both sides of the deal have formally announced acquisitions: TFC introduced Jozy Altidore as a designated player on Friday, while their counterparts announced a three-and-a-half-year deal with Jermain Defoe. Cameron Jordan Womens JerseyRickey Jackson Youth Jersey . Watch the announcement live on TSN.ca at 12:30pm et/9:30am pt. This years honourees will be recognized at the 2014 Hockey Canada Foundation Celebrity Classic, scheduled for June 23-24 in Vancouver.PORTLAND, Ore. -- Nicolas Batum hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer and finished with 11 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in the Portland Trail Blazers 115-105 home-opening victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night. Damian Lillard had 25 points, seven assists and seven rebounds, and LaMarcus Aldridge added 24 points for the Blazers, who led by as many as 13 points. Tim Duncan sat out the Spurs 91-85 win Friday night against the Lakers after bruising his chest in Wednesdays season-opening victory over Memphis. He had 24 points in the first loss this season for the Western Conference champions. Portland has won 13 straight home openers. Marco Belinelli hit a 3-pointer that pulled the Spurs to 104-100 with 1:24 left. After Lillard made two free throws, Duncan had a short jumper. Wesley Matthews dunked for Portland but Belinelli hit another 3 to make it 108-105 with 19 seconds left. Lillard and Batum made free throws before Batum hit a long 3-pointer for the final margin and the triple-double. The Blazers were also playing the second game of a back-to-back. Aldridge scored nine of his 25 points late in the fourth quarter to help the Blazers hold off Denver 113--98, snapping the Nuggets 23-game regular-season home winning streak.dddddddddddd The Blazers jumped to an 18-11 lead, with Aldridge scoring 10 points. The Spurs tied it at 26 on Boris Diaws short jumper. Portland went ahead 37-31 on Lillards 3-pointer 3:58 before the break, and last seasons Rookie of the Year added two long jumpers to extend the lead to 41-33. Aldridge made a fast-break jumper to give Portland a 50-39 halftime. He led all scorers with 14 points in the first half. The Spurs closed the gap to 71-67 in the third quarter on Diaws basket and free throw, and Manu Ginobilis 3-pointer. But Lillard hit a clutch 3 just before the third quarter ended to give the Blazers an 82-74 lead. Blazers centre Robin Lopez, acquired from the Pelicans in an off-season trade, had a turnaround jumper that pushed Portlands lead to 84-72. NOTES: The Blazers dropped their season opener on the road to Phoenix, 104-91. ... Portland encouraged a "white-out" for the opener by giving all the fans a "This is Rip City" T-shirt on their seats. ... Portland claimed last seasons series with the Spurs 2-1. ... The Blazers have won three straight against the Spurs. Cheap JerseysChina NFL JerseysCheap NBA JerseysWholesale NHL JerseysWholesale MLB JerseysCheap Soccer Jerseys ChinaWholesale NCAA JerseysWholesale Football JerseysWholesale Basketball JerseysWholesale Baseball Jerseys ' ' '
PETERBOROUGH, Ont. - Chiles Hugo Leon fired a 6-under 65 to take a three-shot lead after two rounds of The Wildfire Invitational on Friday. Leon, who won at The Great Waterway Classic last week, has the largest 36-hole lead of the PGA Tour Canada so far this season. Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., and American Kyle Stough trail in second while Victorias Cory Renfrew is four strokes back. Leon said a hot putter helped continue his recent streak of strong play. "Today was my best putting day easily all year. I rolled in so many good ones today," said Leon. "I wasnt aggressive as I was yesterday, so the putts were a little longer but still I made so many good ones today. I made three or four putts today that were incredible." Leon capped the day with a 28-footer for birdie, bouncing back from his only bogey of the day at the eighth to reach 6-under on the day. Christian Miller Panthers Jersey . -- Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run homer, Colby Rasmus drove in two runs and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Detroit Tigers 9-4 on Saturday. Cam Newton Youth 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. http://www.thepanthersofficialstore.com/...rs-jersey/. Listen to the Rangers vs. Kings live on TSN Radio starting at 7pm et/4pm pt. You can also stream the post-game press conferences live on TSN. Will Grier Womens Jersey . Finlands Kari Lehtonen made 26 saves to lead Dallas over the Phoenix Coyotes 2-1 Saturday night. He received plenty of help from the Stars defence and got goals from Ray Whitney and Russias Valeri Nichushkin. Carolina Panthers Jerseys . With a win tonight, Buehrle will match Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka for the most wins in the majors with 11. Buehrle is 10-4 with a 2.32 earned run average, but has lost his last three starts, including a 7-3 setback at Yankee Stadium last Wednesday.ARLINGTON, Texas -- Mariners designated hitter Corey Hart will be sidelined for four to six weeks after he strained his left hamstring stealing a base over the weekend. The Mariners placed Hart on the 15-day disabled list before Tuesday nights game at Texas. They recalled infielder-outfielder Nick Franklin from Triple-A Tacoma. The 32-year-old Hart injured his leg swiping second during the fourth inning of the Mariners 6-2 victory at Minnesota on Sunday. He has appeared in 37 games, hitting .209 with five home runs and 17 RBIs. With no one other natural DH on the roster, manager Lloyd McClendon said he will mix and match to fill Harts vacancy in the batting order. "We all agree we dont have a prototypical No.dddddddddddd 4 hitter," McClendon said. "We dont have a guy thats going to hit 40 home runs. Well do the best we can." Franklin was leading the Pacific Coast League in hitting at .376. Hes a natural second baseman who played three infield positions, the outfield and served as the DH over six appearances for Seattle during a brief April call-up. McClendon said Franklin will again float around multiple positions, including second base when Robinson Cano occupies the designated hitter spot. "A lot of it depends on his legs," McClendon said of Cano, 31. "I know he prefers to play the field." Cheap JerseysChina NFL JerseysCheap NBA JerseysWholesale NHL JerseysWholesale MLB JerseysCheap Soccer Jerseys ChinaWholesale NCAA JerseysWholesale Football JerseysWholesale Basketball JerseysWholesale Baseball Jerseys ' ' '
TORONTO - Toronto FC has signed another marquee player.Hot on the heels of landing U.S. international striker Jozy Altidore, the MLS club announced a deal with Italian star playmaker Sebastian Giovinco on Monday.The 27-year-old will join Toronto on July 1 after his current contract with Juventus expires.Known as the Atomic Ant, the five-foot-five Giovinco will become a designated player for Toronto.Seba is in the prime of his career and he has chosen to join Toronto FC and MLS at a time when many of the top clubs in the world were pursuing him, Toronto FC general manager Tim Bezbatchenko said in a statement. We are very pleased to bring a fantastic player to Toronto FC for our club and for our fans, especially those in the Italian community.Giovinco is in his sixth season with Juventus, having registered 20 goals and 23 assists in 130 career appearances. With Juventus, Giovinco has won consecutive Italian Serie A (2012-13 and 2013-14) and Supercoppa Italiana titles (2012-13).Giovinco has earned 21 caps and scored one goal for the Italian national team.Sebastian Giovinco is a complete player with the ability to not only create but also to score goals as hes proven throughout his career in Italy, Toronto FC head coach Greg Vanney. We are very excited for the 2015 season and adding another important piece to an already solid core group only makes us stronger. Swell Nederland Kopen .C. -- Panthers offensive tackle Jordan Gross is saying goodbye to the NFL after 11 seasons. Swell Fles Nederland . - Jason Day and Cameron Tringale shot an 8-under 64 on Friday in modified alternate-shot play to increase their lead to three strokes in the Franklin Templeton Shootout. http://www.swellbottlenederland.com/hydr...rland.html. -- Conor Casey scored two goals, his first of the season, as the Philadelphia Union beat Chivas USA 3-0 on Saturday night. Swell Bottle Nederland . Its the games against the leagues struggling franchises that have proved to be an issue. Swell Bottle Sale . But this time, the Gunners weathered the storm. Arsene Wengers team was on the ropes in the early stages of a lively FA Cup tie, until Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored a goal against the run of the play.LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Blake Griffin had 27 points and 14 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Clippers made it consecutive 50-win seasons with a lacklustre 106-98 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night. The Clippers became the ninth NBA team to have different head coaches guide the club to 50 victories in back-to-back seasons. They reached the mark five games earlier under Doc Rivers than they did last season under Vinny Del Negro, when they set a franchise record with 56 wins and captured their first division title before losing to Memphis in the opening round of the playoffs. This is Rivers fifth 50-win season as a head coach, including four with Boston. Chris Paul had 14 points and seven assists for the Clippers, who have won 13 of 14 overall and a season-best eight straight at home. Griffin had his 29th consecutive game with at least 20 points, the longest streak by a Clippers player since the franchise relocated from San Diego in 1984-85. Ramon Sessions had a season-high 28 points for the Bucks, who have lost eight in a row and are a league-worst 13-58. They are 1-19 on the road since beating the Lakers by 15 points at Staples Center on New Years Eve — their only road win against a Western Conference team. Power forward Ersan Ilysova sat out on the second night of a back-to-back set because of a sore right ankle that has bothered him all season. Beleaguered coach Larry Drew used his 26th starting lineup, inserting Jeff Adrien in Ilysovas spot and Sessions at shooting guard because of rookie Nate Wolters broken left hand. It was the first start for both players since they joined the Bucks in a Feb. 20 trade that sent Luke Ridnour and Gary Neal to Charlotte. Sessions made his first six shots and finished 13 for 21 from the field, sccoring 11 points during a 3:43 span down the stretch.dddddddddddd. Adrien had 14 points and seven rebounds. They were the 15th and 16th players to start a game for the Bucks this season. Los Angeles never trailed, extending its five-point halftime lead to 71-60 on Darren Collisons three-point play with 5:34 left in the third quarter. The Bucks got as close as 82-80 on back-to-back dunks 28 seconds apart by John Henson, but Glen Davis responded with consecutive layups and Jamal Crawford scored seven points during a 3:52 stretch, including a 3-pointer that gave Los Angeles a 99-92 edge with 3:08 to play. The Clippers built a 33-18 lead late in the first quarter after centre DeAndre Jordan and forward Matt Barnes got in early foul trouble. Jared Dudley, who spent the previous four games on the bench, provided a brief spark with a 17-footer and a 3-pointer 50 seconds apart to give Los Angeles a 45-38 lead with 8:03 left in the half. The Bucks have gone more than a year since the last time they won consecutive games — March 17-19, 2013, when they beat Orlando and Portland. Both games were in Milwaukee. NOTES: Los Angeles came in with the leagues best 3-point defence (33.1 per cent), and Milwaukee had the worst (38.4 per cent). The Clippers finished 8 for 18 behind the arc, and the Bucks were 5 for 13. ... The teams met for the first time since Jan. 27, when the Clippers ended their seven-game Grammy road trip with a 114-86 rout. Paul missed that game because of a separated shoulder. ... The Clippers are 31-5 at home, and the Bucks are 5-31 on the road. ... The Bucks have lost six straight and 13 of 14 to the Clippers in Los Angeles. ... The Clippers head out on a five-game trip before ending the regular season with five of six at Staples Center. Cheap JerseysChina NFL JerseysCheap NBA JerseysWholesale NHL JerseysWholesale MLB JerseysCheap Soccer Jerseys ChinaWholesale NCAA JerseysWholesale Football JerseysWholesale Basketball JerseysWholesale Baseball Jerseys ' ' '