making their first with 7:02

Dołączył: 22 Paź 2019 Posty: 330

CLEVELAND -- The Nets lounged their way into the NBA playoffs. Brooklyn coach Jason Kidd sat his starters for the season finale and the Nets wound up with the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs following a 114-85 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. Although the Nets could have clinched the No. 5 spot with a win, Kidd elected to rest Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Joe Johnson, Deron Williams and Shaun Livingston, who spent the night on the bench as the worlds highest-paid cheerleading squad. Kidd also limited the minutes of key reserves and used only seven players. Brooklyns loss, coupled with Washingtons win at Boston, dropped the Nets into the sixth slot because they lost the tiebreaker with the Wizards. Brooklyn will begin the post-season at Toronto on Saturday. The Nets and Raptors split their four games during the season. "I like right where we are," Kidd said. "A good place. Weve been playing some pretty good basketball of late. Weve rested and guys have gotten their work in at the same time of healing some of the injuries theyve had -- some nicks and bruises healed. Now its time to figure out a way to win a game on the road." Tyler Zeller scored 22 points with 11 rebounds and Dion Waiters scored 19 for the Cavaliers, who finished a disappointing 33-49 in coach Mike Browns first season back and missed the playoffs for the fourth straight year. All-Star Kyrie Irving scored 15 and afterward addressed the likelihood hell be offered a contract extension by the club this summer. "If they do offer me, that it would be exciting and Ill make the best decision for me and my family," Irving said. "Thats what its going to boil down to for myself. Ive been a part of this and I want to continue to be part of this. Were making strides in the right direction, especially in this organization and I want to be part of something special in Cleveland. "If they do, I dont have a definitive answer to that right now, but it will be something special." Marcus Thornton and Andray Blatche scored 20 apiece for Brooklyn. Before the game, a defensive Kidd dismissed the notion the Nets were "tanking" down the stretch so they wouldnt have to play Chicago in the first round. Brooklyn lost to the Bulls in the first round last year. Kidd started Thornton, Blatche, Jorge Gutierrez, Marquis Teague and Jason Collins -- a group that had made a combined seven starts. It was the first start with Brooklyn for Collins, the leagues first openly gay player. Afterward, Kidd said hes not concerned about the Nets losing four of five heading into the playoffs. "Its the playoffs," he said. "Its a new season. Everybodys zero and zero. Its the first one to four." The Cavaliers showed better effort than in recent losses to Milwaukee and Boston, uninspired performances that brought Browns future into question. The Cavs endured injuries, inconsistency and the firing of general manager Chris Grant, dismissed one day after an embarrassing loss to a Lakers team that finished the game with just five players. Brown expects to meet with owner Dan Gilbert in the next few days to discuss what went wrong and what will happen next. "Dan gave me this opportunity," Brown said. "I wouldnt be sitting in this seat without him. Its his team and whatever decision he makes with anything Im going to support." Also, Gilbert has to decide whether to retain interim GM David Griffin. Gilbert had promised his team would not be back in the draft lottery, but the Cavs will once again be hoping for the lucky bounce of some pingpong balls to improve their draft position. There were a few positives in Clevelands finale. Rookie Anthony Bennett, the No. 1 overall pick last year, played for the first time since March 8 and had an impressive dunk. Also, rookie Carrick Felix returned after missing 38 games with a broken kneecap. NOTES: The Nets ended 2013 at 10-21, but went 34-17 the rest of the way. ... Before tip-off, Cavs F Luol Deng was presented with the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award, given annually by the Pro Basketball Writers Association for exemplary community service. Deng missed Clevelands last three games with a sore back. Hes an unrestricted free agent and unlikely to return. ... Deron Williams averaged 14.3 points, his lowest since his rookie season (10. Cool

in 2005-06. ... Several Browns players, including Pro Bowlers Joe Thomas, Josh Gordon, Joe Haden and Jordan Cameron attended the game. Wholesale Shoes China Free Shipping . TSNs coverage of the Third Round gets underway Sunday with Game 1: Los Angeles at Chicago at 3pm et/Noon pt. TSNs broadcast schedule for the Third Round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs is as follows: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Los Angeles Kings• Game 1: Los Angeles at Chicago – Sunday, May 18 at 3pm et/Noon pt• Game 2: Los Angeles at Chicago – Wednesday, May 21 at 8pm et/5pm pt• Game 4: Chicago at Los Angeles – Monday, May 26 at 9pm et/6pm pt Featured in the broadcast booth for TSN are play-by-play announcer Chris Cuthbert and game analyst Ray Ferraro, with Farhan Lalji contributing reports from rinkside. Best Cheap Fake Shoes . To be fair, the celebrations are already anything but tame. Nerf ball tricks shots are just the tip of the iceberg for a group that has performed in zero gravity, faced pro-skateboarder Rob Dyrdek and an assembled team on the MTV series "Fantasy Factory", and even hit a basketball trick shot from a passing blimp. http://www.cheapshoes.us.org/ .com) - Longtime Senators star Daniel Alfredsson returned to Ottawa on Thursday to officially announce his retirement. Authentic Shoes Wholesale . LOUIS -- St. Cheap Shoes Outlet Stores . Just ask Arsenal fans. However, Arsene Wenger has repeatedly told anyone willing to listen that finishing in that spot is more important than winning a cup competition.HOUSTON - Heading into a game with the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale had his eye on a few matchups. A specific one that caught his eye was getting Dwight Howard in the post.The plan worked.With San Antonio missing big bodies Tim Duncan, who was rested along with fellow veteran Manu Ginobili, and Tiago Splitter (right calf tightness), Howard dominated the interior from the opening tip, scoring 32 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in leading Houston to a 98-81 victory.We looked at some stuff (on tape) and we got him in the post, McHale said. I thought (Howard) rolled hard and got some late at the rim. He was really devastating on those high passes. Its important that he gets in a rhythm and plays. It doesnt matter who is out there playing for them, hes got to play well for us.The win runs Houstons record to a league best 6-0 while dropping San Antonios mark to 2-2.With no Duncan or Splitter inside Houston had a decided advantage down low and exploited it from the beginning, feeding Howard at every turn. Whether on the pick-and-roll, at the elbow, or on alley-oop passes, Howard was the target and had a double-double — 20 points and 12 rebounds — by halftime as he exploited a vulnerable Spurs interior defence where Matt Bonner, Jeff Ayers, and Aron Baynes struggled to keep up.We are a sum-of-the-parts team, Popovich said. We have to have all our parts to be at our best. We cant rely on one player. We have to do it as a group. If we have injuries, we need our full bench to continue to play at our best.When Howard was not scoring inside, James Harden filled the stat sheet, adding 20 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Rockets. While he had his share of points, Harden was clear after the game about the advantage of having a force inside.Its tough with the best big man in the league rolling down the paint, Harden said of Howard.dddddddddddd Hes a lob target, and you have shooters around him. Its tough to guard it.As the Spurs struggled to keep Howard from gutting them in the middle, they had little consistency when they had the ball. They started the game sluggish, going scoreless in the first six minutes.While San Antonio rebounded and pulled to within 18-15 at the end of the first quarter, that was as close as the Spurs would get. The tough night finished with the defending NBA champs, who trailed by as many as 31, shooting just 34.4 per cent from the field.It was a bad night tonight and I couldnt hit a shot, Tony Parker, who finished with just six points, said. Defensively, we did OK, but we never got into an offensive rhythm.Cory Joseph led the Spurs with 18 points off the bench and Baynes had 12 points and 11 rebounds.TIP-INSSpurs: Marco Belinelli was an injury scratch due to a strained right groin and was replaced by Bonner. . San Antonio started 0-for-15 on 3-pointers, making their first with 7:02 to go in the third quarter, and finished 2 for 20 from beyond the arc.Rockets: Terrence Jones missed his second straight game with a leg contusion. . Patrick Beverley missed the game due to a strained hamstring and was replaced by Isaiah Canaan, who scored 12 points along with Jason Terrys 16 points. . Houston has now won six games over the Spurs dating to last season.WINNING BIGHouston has won each of its first six games by 10 points or more. According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Rockets are the first team to accomplish the feat since the 1985-86 Denver Nuggets.DEFENDING THE ARCHouston came into the game holding opponents to 29.1 per cent from beyond the arc. That number will improve after holding the Spurs to 2-for-20 shooting from 3-point range.UP NEXTSpurs: Host New Orleans on Saturday.Rockets: Host Golden State on Saturday. ' ' '