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make another splash in the free-agent market. "M

Started by zake201, 2014/05/08 09:49PM
Latest post: 2014/05/08 09:49PM, Views: 264, Posts: 1
make another splash in the free-agent market. "M
#1   2014/05/08 09:49PM
zake201
PORTLAND, Ore. -- His buzzer-beating 3-pointer was still under review but Jordan Crawford knew it was good. And so did his Washington Wizards teammates, who engulfed him in a dogpile on the floor of the Rose Garden. "If I could get the game ball you know I would keep it," Crawford said after his 30-foot-jumper beat the clock and gave Washington a 98-95 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night. Crawfords fadeaway and a corner 3-pointer gave the Wizards an 82-75 lead, their largest to that point, with just more than 7 minutes left in the game. Rookie Damian Lillards dunk pulled the Blazers to 91-90 with 2:21 left. Former Blazer Martell Webster and John Wall answered with consecutive dunks, but Lillard added a layup and Wesley Matthews hit a 3-pointer to tie it with 7.9 seconds left. Crawfords game winner was reviewed but it didnt stop the Wizards celebration. "I just wanted to get a clean look, make a good play," Crawford said. "John (Wall) set the play; we wanted to get the defence moving and I got open. Tonight I was able to make it. I knew that shot had a chance." Nicolas Batum had 12 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for his first career triple-double, but the Blazers lost their season-high sixth straight. The French forward was the first Portland player to have a triple-double since 2008. "I dont really count it," Batum said about his feat. "We got swept by the Wizards this year." The Wizards (9-30) have won four of their last six games -- which coincides with the return of Wall, who missed the teams first 33 games with a stress injury in his left kneecap. In his first five games, Wall averaged 15.6 points and 7.6 assists. Playing off the bench against the Blazers, he had six points and two assists. Nene and Webster each had a season-high 24 points to lead the Wizards, who won just their third on the road this season. Webster called Crawfords buzzer-beater amazing. "I told him when we were diagraming the play, If you are wide open, shoot it. If not, you catch the ball and get into your rhythm and do your thing. Hes good at that. Really good. Give the guy some room and he can do some damage." Washington opened the season with a 12 game losing streak -- the franchises worst-ever start -- that was snapped by an 84-82 victory at home against the Blazers. LaMarcus Aldridge had 17 points and 12 rebounds for Portland (20-21), which lost its fourth straight at home after a nine-game winning streak. Lillard finished with 18 points. "We need to win a game. I dont think anyone is worried or panicked. We just need to win a game," Lillard said. Nene scored 10 points in the first four minutes for the Wizards, who led by as many as seven points early. The Blazers went ahead 21-19 on Lillards 20-foot pull-up jumper, but couldnt hang on to the lead and Washington finished the first quarter ahead 34-31. Nene had 17 points in the first period alone. The Wizards led until J.J. Hicksons dunk and free throw gave Portland a 42-40 edge midway through the second quarter. Rookie Meyers Leonards long jumper and a layup to extended the Blazers lead to 48-40. Leonard was making his return after missing 11 games with a right ankle injury. But the Wizards closed out the half with a 10-3 run to narrow it to 51-50 for Portland at the break. The Blazers held off the Wizards in the third quarter but surrendered the lead when Emeka Okafors free throw put Washington ahead 60-59. Webster made a 3-pointer that made it 63-61 for Washington. The Wizards closed out the quarter with a 15-5 run to make it 69-64, but Ronnie Price narrowed it with a 3-pointer to open the final period. "I always like to say the basketball gods usually even everything out. Weve been on the other end of this so many times this year," Washington coach Randy Wittman said. "Our guys are sticking with it, learning, and making plays down the stretch when we have to." NOTES: Washingtons 34 first-quarter points were a season high. ... The Blazers 13 points in the third quarter were a season low. ... All of the Blazers starters finished in double figures. ... Batums triple-double was just the third by a Blazer at the Rose Garden. ... It was Portlands 10th consecutive game that has been decided by six points or fewer, an ongoing franchise record. ... Washington won both meetings against the Blazers for the first time since the 2004-05 season. wholesale jerseys china . The Victoria cyclist was seventh in Mondays stage to hold onto the pink leaders jersey, avoiding a crash on the final turn that took out several of the top contenders. cheap nfl jerseys . The punchless Oakland Athletics provided the perfect remedy for the vexing left-handers recent struggles. http://www.chinacheapnfljerseysst... . The school said Friday it awarded an 8.3 per cent increase annually in his guaranteed compensation over the remaining seven years of his deal now worth $36. [url=http://www.chinacheapnfljerseysstore.com/]cheap jerseys nfl store . Theyre suddenly unbeatable, having won three straight. Emeka Okafor had 19 points and 11 rebounds, leading six players in double figures as Washington cruised to its easiest win of the season, 120-91 victory over the Orlando Magic on Monday night. cheap jerseys from china . He will fill in as the backup point guard while Avery Bradley recovers from shoulder surgery. DENVER -- Arron Afflalo is back with his old team in a new role -- leader. Afflalo, a restricted free agent, signed a five-year deal with the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday and will start practising with the club Wednesday. He expects to be a leader on a young squad after spending his first four years learning from other veterans. "Its kind of weird. Ive been on, in my career, two very veteran teams," Afflalo said. "Early in Detroit and my last two years here. I gained a lot of experience and I learned a lot from those guys. Im excited to be more of a leader of the team and help everything about myself personally and the team grow at once." Denvers roster is stocked with young talent. Only four players -- Andre Miller, Al Harrington, Nene and Michael Ruffin -- have been in the NBA longer than Afflalo. Two players expected to make an impact this season are rookies Kenneth Faried and Jordan Hamilton. So despite being just 26, Afflalo is being looked at as a veteran sage for his younger teammates. "We have a lot of young guys. Its going to be a challenge but we think we have some really good veterans," Nuggets vice-president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri said. "Even though Arrons kind of a little boy himself, hes one of the older guys on the team." Afflalo, entering his fifth NBA season, averaged 12.6 points last season and took on a bigger leadership role once Denver dealt Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks in February. The team went 18-7 the rest of the way to make the playoffs. Afflaloo said he let his agent field interest from other teams but ultimately wanted to return to Denver.dddddddddddd "I always anticipated being back. Obviously I had to respect the process of being a free agent," he said. "The timing of the lockout and training camp starting probably made it seem a little more difficult. I always anticipated being a Nugget. I got my true first opportunity to flourish as a player here. Im truly grateful for that." Afflalos signing comes less than a week after Denver locked up its other restricted free agent, Nene, for five years. Ujiri said bringing back both players was important to try to establish a foundation in Denver. "Both of them were a huge priority for us," he said. "Its not only two starters getting back, which is a huge part of your team, just being able to continue consistency. Theyre going to teach the young guys a lot about our culture, the way we play and just growing as a team. "I dont think there are many of the big-time stars screaming to come out here. We have to create a culture and our free agents can create this culture and create this atmosphere and system here to make Denver a place where players want to come and play. These players are very, very important to us." Ujiri said the Nuggets are not looking to make another splash in the free-agent market. "Majorly, I think were done," he said. "There might be minor tweaks here and there but I think after seven, eight, nine days of training camp were looking forward to the season opener." ' ' '


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