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| a sprawling Michael Hutchinson in the St. Johns | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Nov 18 2016, 12:30 AM (57 Views) | |
| cherry452 | Nov 18 2016, 12:30 AM Post #1 |
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CLEVELAND -- A season that looked like a lost cause two weeks ago has suddenly turned around for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Kyrie Irving scored 22 points and the Cavaliers won their sixth straight game, 101-93 over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night. The winning streak has put Cleveland within three games of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Considering where they were on Feb. 5 when they hit rock bottom with an embarrassing loss to an injury-decimated Los Angeles Lakers team that finished the game with five players, the Cavaliers have made a big leap forward in a short period of time. Irving, chosen MVP of the NBA All-Star game Sunday, paced a balanced offence that extended the Cavaliers longest winning streak since they won eight in a row in March 2010. That was LeBron James final season in Cleveland. "Its been nothing specific," Irving said of the resurgence. "Were coming together as a team. Were enjoying the game out there, a lot more smiles and a higher level of competitiveness. Were having fun, but were also competing." General manager Chris Grant was fired the day after the loss to the Lakers. It appears the Cavaliers learned some lessons from the low point of the season. Cleveland won its last four games before the All-Star break and routed Philadelphia on Tuesday. "We know what it feels like to be on both sides, whether down or up," Irving said. Cleveland played without guard Dion Waiters (hyperextended left knee) and centre Anderson Varejao (sore back). Luol Deng scored 17 points, while Tyler Zeller and Tristan Thompson each added 16 for the Cavaliers, whose 21-point lead was cut to two late in the game. Arron Afflalo led Orlando with 23 points. The Magic have lost 14 consecutive road games and are an NBA-worst 3-25 away from home. Orlando coach Jacque Vaughn is at a loss to explain his teams road woes. "I have no secret formula," he said. "They can see how the second half transpired -- thats the secret. Whether its back-to-back games or youre playing four in five nights, playing like that with mental toughness is the only way to get it done." The Cavaliers built an 18-point lead in the first quarter and were ahead by double figures until Orlando rallied in the third. The Magic outscored the Cavs 32-17 in the period and cut it to 72-70 in the early seconds of the fourth. Cleveland went up 89-81 but Orlando scored six straight points to cut the margin to two again. Zellers three-point play, two free throws by Irving and Dengs 3-pointer pushed the lead to 97-89 with 35 seconds remaining. Orlando forward Glen Davis, the subject of trade talk leading up to Thursdays deadline, left early in the first quarter with a sore right Achilles and didnt return. The Cavaliers led 26-11 after one. Orlando missed its first nine shots and fell behind 15-2. The Magic were 3 of 21 from the field in the quarter. Irving, who had 31 points and 14 assists in the All-Star game, ended the first half with a 3-pointer from a couple of steps behind the line that gave Cleveland a 55-36 lead. The Cavaliers scored the first basket in the second half, but the Magic cut the lead to 10 midway through the third, and Nikola Vucevics two free throws made it 72-68 going into the fourth. Victor Oladipos basket to open the period cut the lead to two points. Thompson had 14 rebounds for Cleveland. Vucevic scored 20 points for the Magic, and Tobias Harris added 19. Cleveland has won all three matchups with Orlando this season. Both teams have been linked to trade talks. Reports have indicated the Cavaliers have told teams Deng is available. The veteran moved into the starting small forward spot after being acquired from Chicago on Jan. 7, but can become a free agent after the season. "In 10 years, my name has come up a lot. I never fell into rumours or what goes around," Deng said. "I just have to have the mindset that Im here, then at the end of the day whatever happens, I have to deal with that situation." In addition to Davis, its been reported that the Magic would also be open to dealing Afflalo and Jameer Nelson. Waiters was injured against Philadelphia and had an MRI on Wednesday. Waiters said on his Twitter account that the knee is sore, but nothing is torn. Cavaliers guard C.J. Miles sprained his left ankle while driving to the basket in the fourth quarter. He hit the floor hard and was down for several moments. Miles remained in the game to hit the two free throws before limping to the locker room. NOTES: While the Cavaliers are listing Varejao as being out with a back injury, hes been dealing with an assortment of ailments, including a sore knee. The team hopes some time off will help his injuries heal up. ... Orlandos last road win came on Dec. 16, an 83-82 victory over Chicago. Deng led the Bulls with 26 points in that game. ... The Magics 11 points in the first quarter were a season low for any period. ... The Magic lost 87-81 in overtime at Cleveland on Jan. 2 as Varejao tied the Cavaliers record with 25 rebounds. Antoine Roussel Jersey .com) - The Chicago Cubs reportedly signed recently-acquired outfielder Dexter Fowler to a one-year contract on Friday, avoiding arbitration. Sergei Fedorov Jersey . Cilic cruised to victory, beating the seventh-seeded Seppi 6-1, 6-3 in just 72 minutes. He faced only one break point, winning 24 out of 29 points played on the first serve. http://www.officialhockeyproshop.com/Chicago-Blackhawks-Tony-Esposito-Jersey/ . Radulov scored the lone goal in the shootout, and the Predators edged the Minnesota Wild 2-1 on Tuesday night to reach 100 points for the second time in three seasons and fourth in seven. Ales Hemsky Jersey . -- Desperate to stop Tom Bradys latest comeback bid, the Miami Dolphins sought help from a reserve safety making his NFL debut after being signed Tuesday off the San Francisco 49ers practice squad. Ted Lindsay Jersey . Cleary also had two assists and Patrick Eaves added two goals for the Red Wings, who also ousted Phoenix in seven games during the first round of the 2010 postseason. Todd Bertuzzi had a goal and an assist for Detroit, which got a goal apiece from Tomas Holmstrom and Niklas Kronwall and suffered no shortage of offense despite the absences of Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen.NORFOLK, Va. -- The St. Johns IceCaps got third-period goals from four different skaters, and weathered a Norfolk offensive storm to earn a 5-3 win over the Admirals for a 2-1 lead in their American Hockey League Eastern Conference playoff series. Josh Morrisey got the offence going with a goal just 39 seconds into the final period and Ben Chiarot, Jerome Samson and Adam Lowry added the others for IceCaps. "To get a goal in the first shift of such an important game lifts the bench and builds momentum," said IceCaps coach Keith McCambridge. "I thought after that, we got back to doing what we needed to, and that was managing pucks better and being a harder team to play against." Eric ODell scored in the first period for St. Johns. Jesse Blacker, Max Friberg, and Josh Manson scored for the Admirals. Norfolk led 2-1 going into the final period, after Friberg and Blacker scored within 1:42 of each other in the first period. The Admirals, who have struggled offensively all season, had been outshot 14-6 up until that point. After a scoreless second period, Morrisey tied the game on a shot from the blue-line behind two screening teammates. "You give up a goal in the first minute of the third period with a 2-1 lead, thats not a recipe for success," Norfolk coach Trent Yawney said. Chiarots goal, also scored from well outside, gave the IceCaps a 3-2 lead eight minutes later. "I was tryying to box out the player in front of me, and the shot went through my legs," said Norfolk defenseman Manson.dddddddddddd "I dont think (goaltender Brad Thiessen) saw it." Manson replied 47 seconds later, scoring from the right faceoff circle over a sprawling Michael Hutchinson in the St. Johns net. The IceCaps Zach Redmond pushed Norfolks Matt Bailey into Hutchinson, knocking him down and clearing the way for Mansons shot. That tie was short lived, though. Samson scored from short range at 10:05 to give St. Johns the lead, which it nursed the rest of the way. Lowry scored into an empty net. "Ive always had good games here," said Samson. "Now its playoff time, and its even better." Hutchinson turned back 25 shots for his fourth win of the playoffs. Admirals goalie Thiessen made 26 saves. Thiessen, a playoff veteran with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for four seasons, but the backup since coming to Norfolk in November, was thrust into the starting role after the Anaheim Ducks recalled John Gibson to replace the injured Frederik Anderson. Gibson, who was 4-2 in the playoffs with a 1.45 goals-against average and a 0.955 saves percentage when he was called up, started for Anaheim against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. "That doesnt surprise me," said McCambridge about Gibsons call-up. "He looks like hes the real deal." Game 4 is Monday at Norfolk. Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' ' |
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8:24 AM Jul 11