Allgemein » Brett Lawrie going down with tightness in his right

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Clippers had every reason to quit down 17 points with 4 1/2 minutes to go. They had already blown a double-digit lead, fans were hitting the exits, and a long seven-game road trip waited at the end. But in their huddle, Doc Rivers and the other coaches told the players to keep believing. They did, and pulled out a wild 129-127 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night. J.J. Redick scored a career-high 33 points, Matt Barnes added 25, Blake Griffin had 23 and Jamal Crawford scored 16, including a pair of free throws that gave the Clippers the lead with 11 seconds to go. They improved to 18-3 at home with their fourth straight win. "We locked in," Griffin said. "We made the plays down the stretch, they tightened up and got a little too comfortable." Dirk Nowitzki scored 27 points and Samuel Dalembert added a season-high 20 for the Mavs, whose three-game winning streak ended when they couldnt hold a 123-106 lead. Jose Calderon hit four 3-pointers on his way to 16 points. "Theres no way we should lose this game," Nowitzki said. "Weve got to do a better job of protecting a lead. We made some bad decisions and gave up some 3s." Redicks seventh 3-pointer with 34 seconds to go had the Clippers trailing 127-126. Nowitzkis step-back jumper hit the rim. "We had J.J. guarding Dirk on one play and it worked," Rivers said. "I cant explain that game." After Crawfords two free throws put the Clippers ahead 128-127, Calderon missed a 3-pointer with 3 seconds to go, and DeAndre Jordan got fouled. After his first free throw hit the right side of the backboard, he made the second for a 129-127 lead. DeJuan Blair inbounded the ball but his pass was intercepted by Jordan to end the heated and stunning finish. "It was like a playoff game the last three or four minutes. Everybody was mouthing back and forth and getting techs, and it became a brawl out there," Shawn Marion said. "But if you let that take away from what your main focus is -- executing at both ends of the floor -- then its going to take you out of your game." Griffin uttered expletives at Dalembert after they scrapped for a rebound near the baseline late in the game. One of the referees put both his arms around Griffins waist and backed him away. Nowitzki was waiting with an earful as Griffin ended up near him. "I was more upset about some of the things that were said than the situation," Griffin said. Dalembert was called for a technical. Griffin made the free throw and the Clippers retained possession. Crawford drove the basket and scored to pull them to 125-118. "It was a difficult and a physical game," Dalembert said. "Some calls were suspicious, and it was just one of those games. So many things happened in those seven minutes. We have to keep some of their guys under control." Redick said Dalembert stepped on his head and he ended up with a cut in his ear. "Any time a 270-pound man steps on your head it takes a little while to get it back," he said. Down 127-118, Barnes hit a 3-pointer and Nowitzki fouled Crawford on a 3-point attempt. Crawford made two of three free throws, pulling the Clippers to 127-123 with 1:10 to play. Crawford struggled for most of the game, and in the final 6 minutes the coaches were debating whether to take him out. "He was off-balance, he was going too fast and turning the ball over, yet you keep him in because he has ability to score," Rivers said. "He can miss 20 in a row. He just needs to make one and he thinks hes hot." Crawford credited Rivers patience with him this season for making a difference. "Hopefully I make him look good in the end for still believing in me," he said. Earlier in the fourth, Vince Carter was hit with a technical, one of four in the game for the Mavs. Griffin picked up one in the third. The Mavs outscored the Clippers 60-40 in the paint, and outrebounded them 47-38, with both teams shooting at least 50 per cent. "Thats awful on our part," Rivers said. Dallas opened the fourth with consecutive 3-pointers by Monta Ellis and Calderon. They keyed a 25-6 run that gave the Mavs a 123-106 lead. The Mavs borrowed a page from the Clippers high-flying playbook, with Brandan Wright dunking off Carters alley-oop pass against the Clippers hapless defence. Notes: Rivers said the team anticipates signing free agent F Hedo Turkoglu. Rivers expects Turkoglu to join the team for the start of its seven-day, 11-city trip that begins Friday in New York. Turkoglu was cut by Orlando earlier this month. He played just 11 games last season because of injuries and a 20-game suspension for use of performance-enhancing drugs. ... Clippers F Reggie Bullock returned after hurting his left ankle on Dec. 7 at Cleveland. ... Mavs G Devin Harris, who had left foot surgery, isnt expected to play this trip. ... The Clippers Grammy trip comes a month earlier than usual since the music awards held at Staples Center were moved up to avoid conflicting with the Olympics. Cheap Vapormax 2019 . -- The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Cuban shortstop Erisbel Arruebarrena to a $25 million, five-year contract Saturday. Nike Air VaporMax Flyknit Black Anthracite . Halladays resume as a Blue Jay is among the elite in the franchises 36-year history. Over 12 seasons in Toronto, he was named an All-Star six times. He had arguably the finest campaign of his career in 2003 when he posted a 22-7 record, a 3. http://www.clearancevapormax.com/cheap-vapormax-2-clearance.html .com) - Carmelo Anthony tallied 31 points to help the New York Knicks continue their improved play of late with a 100-92 victory over a short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder squad. Vapormax Clearance . -- Deshorn Brown scored twice, the first coming 13 seconds into the game, and the Colorado Rapids beat the undermanned Seattle Sounders 5-1 Saturday night. Wholesale Vapormax 2 . Louis and Ryan Kesler have demanded to be traded.PHILADELPHIA - Although general manager Alex Anthopoulos insists he hasnt read any of the rumours, he saw fit to comment on frequent reports out of Chicago that the Blue Jays are hot for Cubs ace right-hander Jeff Samardzija. "I havent read them or seen them, but whatever they are, I guess I can say this; I have not had any conversations with anybody about active trade talks," Anthopoulos told assembled media on Tuesday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. "If that ends up shooting down reports like we do every so often ... no, I have not engaged in dialogues, exchange of names, nothing. Its so rare that teams engage in trade conversations so early (in the season.") Read between the lines. There is a difference between speaking to his Cubs counterpart, Jed Hoyer, and having scouts watching Samardzijas starts. The Blue Jays are hardly alone in tracking Samardzija, whos winless in seven starts despite posting a 1.62 ERA. The 29-year-old has one year left of club control before becoming eligible for free agency following the 2015 season. The Cubs are rebuilding and multiple reports suggest previous efforts to get Samardzija signed long-term havent been fruitful. Anthopoulos repeated he will not mortgage the future for short-term gain, citing the Jays relatively uneventful offseason as proof he wont make moves for the sake of saving his job. What about if the right deal comes along? Would he be willing to part with a top prospect or two? "I think you value everything on whats the contractual status, whats the control, how much do you value your own players, wheres the club at, short-term, long-term, all that stuff," said Anthopoulos. "Just like anything there are a lot of players you are reluctant to move and that would be reflected in the price to really push those players. But I just dont know that youre ever in a position where players are untradeable. I think sometimes the value you place on them makes them almost untradeable because no one will pay you the ask. But I dont look at it that way that under no circumstances you hang up the phone." WILL MORROW NEED SURGERY? On Monday via Twitter, Brandon Morrow shared a photo of the splint hell be wearing for the next week or so on his injured pitching hand. Morrow tore a tendon sheath at the base of his right index finger on his second-to-last pitch of the fifth inning on Friday night in Pittsburgh. The injury will require season-ending surgery if an attempt to rehabilitate the finger fails. "From what I was told that wasnt going to be needed," said Anthopoulos of surgery. "If something changes down the road, but from what I was told at the time, surgery was not required." In striking an optimistic tone, Anthopoulos said he expects Morrow to return some time around the All-Star Break in mid-July. "We expect him to come back, we expect him to recover," said Anthopoulos. "He wasnt necessarily rolling but I thought he looked great against the Indians that game. But Brandon has the stuff to get on a streak at any time and even in that last game, I followed it obviously, it didnt seem like his slider was there and command but I think Brandon at any point can get hot and when he comes back hell be a big add for us." In six starts this season, Morrow is 1-2 with a 5.93 ERA. His fielding independent pitching (FIP) statistic, a mmeasurement of ERA based on factors only the pitcher can control, is 4.dddddddddddd.03, suggesting hes been better than his actual ERA. Morrows 1.720 WHIP, which includes 30 hits and 17 walks in 27 1/3 innings pitched, is bloated. Efficiency was an issue prior to Morrows injury. He pitched into the sixth inning only twice. LIND LIKELY FOR THURSDAY Anthopoulos hadnt spoken to manager John Gibbons to confirm Adam Linds return date but the aim is for Thursdays series finale against the Phillies in Toronto. "The plan is to play nine innings of first base tomorrow in a Florida State League game," said Anthopoulos. "Ill talk to Gibby about it but hopefully we would look at potentially activating him on Thursday. I havent talked to Gibby about it but that would be one of the thoughts I have." Lind, 30, went on the disabled list April 16 with tightness in his lower back. FRANCISCOS FUTURE The imminent return of Lind will force the Blue Jays to make a decision on Juan Francisco. "Wed like to keep Juan," said Anthopoulos. "Hes playing well and ideally you want to be able to hang on to him. I know Gibby is fond of him and rightfully so. Hes played well." Entering Tuesdays play, in 14 games played with the Blue Jays, Francisco was hitting .280/.390/.520 with three home runs and seven RBI. His history suggests Franciscos batting average and on-base percentage will come down significantly. But hes a power threat off the bench and can spell starters at first base and third base. The Blue Jays would surely lose Francisco to another team on waivers should the club decide to designate him for assignment. Hes out of options, meaning he cant be sent to the minors and remain on the 40-man roster. Anthopoulos credited one of the clubs Dominican stars - Francisco is from the Dominican Republic - with helping lure Francisco to Toronto after he was released by the Milwaukee Brewers in late March. "Edwin Encarnacion was a big help in signing him," said Anthopoulos. "I think he really encouraged him to sign with us." Encarnacion and Francisco also were teammates, briefly, with the Cincinnati Reds in 2009. LAWRIES POSITION The Blue Jays have an offensive hole at second base. Prior to Brett Lawrie going down with tightness in his right hamstring, hed started at second base in three games in National League parks. The position switch allowed manager John Gibbons to keep Juan Franciscos bat in the lineup by putting him at third base. Would the Blue Jays consider extending the defensive alignment into American League games when Adam Lind is back? A lineup featuring Jose Reyes, Melky Cabrera, Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, Adam Lind, Juan Francisco, Brett Lawrie, Colby Rasmus and Dioner Navarro would be potent. It certainly would be better offensively than what any of the alternatives provide at second base. "There hasnt been any talk of full time like that at all," said Anthopoulos. "No, its strictly for right now. We know he can do it, I know he had a two or a three game stint last year but Bretts athletic enough you could put him anywhere on the field, I really believe that. I do believe that if you gave him enough time at any position and you gave him enough reps he could be a gold glove defender anywhere." ' ' '