Bewerbungen » day at Arizona to pull even for first

DALLAS -- Monta Ellis scored 22 points and the Dallas Mavericks matched a season high with their fourth consecutive victory, 103-81 over the last-place Utah Jazz on Friday night. All-Star forward Dirk Nowitzki had 20 points while playing only 26 1/2 minutes for the Mavericks, who moved a season-best nine games over. 500 at 30-21. It is only the second time they have been that far above the break-even mark since their 2010-11 NBA championship season. Even with Utah at full strength, putting its best lineup on the floor and Marvin Williams making four 3-pointers in the games first 6 minutes, the Jazz lost their fourth game in a row. Jazz starting centre Derrick Favors was back after missing three games with an inflamed right hip and reserve forward Jeremy Evans had missed two games with a bruised tailbone and bruised right elbow. Utah has lost all six games Favors didnt start this season. Dallas only other four-game winning streak this season came in November, one capped by a 103-93 home win over the Jazz. The Mavericks play their last three games before the All-Star break on the road, then host Miami on Feb. 18 before three more games away from home. Williams finished with 21 points while matching his career high with five 3-pointers. Trey Burke had 13 points and Richard Jefferson 10. Jose Calderon and Samuel Dalembert each had 12 points for the Mavs. Utah jumped out to a 21-14 lead in the first 6 minutes on the strength of Williams long-range shots. He already had 14 points by then. With Nowitzki getting a breather, the Mavericks then scored 11 in a row as part of a 14-2 quarter-ending run to take the lead for good. Ellis made it 21-all with a 20-foot jumper, and the tiebreaker came on Brandan Wrights dunk with 3 minutes left in the first quarter. After starting the game by making eight of 10 shots with five 3s, the Jazz missed seven shots in a row during that scoreless drought of more than 4 minutes. It was also during that stretch when Williams missed his first two shots -- both on the same play, when he missed a layup and the follow-up tip try. John Lucas III made a 19-foot jumper and a 3-pointer on consecutive possessions to get the Jazz within 35-34 with 7 1/2 minutes left in the first half. They never got closer as Dallas went on a 17-3 run, including another spurt off 11 in a row during which Williams missed a slam dunk. NOTES: The Jazz are 13-9 with the starting five of Jefferson, Williams, Favors, Gordon Hayward and rookie Burke. They are 3-24 with seven other starting combinations. ... The halftime entertainment was the Texas Southern University band, with full drum line and loud horns. ... After Ellis and Burke traded 3-pointers midway through the third quarter, Ellis then made a 22-footer and fed Shawn Marion for a dunk that made it 69-57. ... Wright had another dunk, a one-hander on an alley-oop pass from Vince Carter late in the third quarter. ... The season series will end with two games in Utah, on March 12 and April 8. Genard Avery Jersey . Expensive. The NFL fined Tomlin $100,000 on Wednesday for interfering with Baltimores Jacoby Jones on a kickoff return in the third quarter of a 22-20 loss to the Ravens on Thanksgiving night. Austin Corbett Jersey . Former two-time Olympic gold medallist Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle tested positive for the stimulant methylhexanamine in both her "A" and "B" samples, the German Olympic Committee said. http://www.cheapbrownsjerseysauthentic.c...ntgomery-jersey. - Kobe Bryant and LeBron James traded hugs, big shots and verbal jabs all night with warmth and humour. Rashard Higgins Jersey . Louis, MO (SportsNetwork. Jim Brown Jersey . -- The Sacramento Kings have signed first-round pick Nik Stauskas to his rookie contract.CINCINNATI - After a day of too much Johnny Cueto, the Pittsburgh Pirates finally knew where they were going.Home. For the playoffs.Cueto singled in the go-ahead run and got his 20th victory on Sunday, a 4-1 win that gave the NL Central title to the St. Louis Cardinals and forced Pittsburgh to settle for a wild card for the second straight season.A bit sad, but not bad at all.Its disappointing, catcher Chris Stewart said. At the same time, we cant really hang our heads. We faced a great pitcher. Yes, we would have liked to win the division, but were still in the playoffs and still have a chance to win the World Series.Pittsburgh needed to beat the Reds and have the Cardinals lose later in the day at Arizona to pull even for first place and set up a one-game tiebreaker Monday. Instead, Cueto (20-9) settled the division race with eight impressive innings and an up-the-middle single.When they saw that theyd clinched, the Cardinals celebrated in the dugout and made wholesale changes to their starting lineup, including resting scheduled starter Adam Wainwright for the playoffs.The Pirates will head home to play the Giants at PNC Park on Wednesday, with the winner facing the Nationals in the division series. Pittsburgh also hosted the wild-card game last year and beat the Reds before losing to the Cardinals, so the Pirates know what to expect.I expect it to be like last year: So loud you cant hear the ball off the bat, said Josh Harrison, who came up short in his run at the NL batting title.Manager Clint Hurdle indicated Edinson Volquez likely will start the playoff game, although he declined to make it official. Volquez has allowed only four earned runs and 16 hits in his last five starts at PNC Park spanning 34 2-3 innings.To pitch that game would be something really big for me, said Volquez, who is 13-7 overall.Jason Bourgeois opened the eighth with a triple off Tony Wilson (10-2). One out later, Cueto came to bat, worked the count full and singled through a drawn-in infield for a 2-1 lead, pumping his fist as he reached first base.Its a funny game, Harrison said. Theres nothing you can say. Cueto found a hole.Kristopher Negron added a two-run homer off Justin Wilson.Cueto gave up six hits in eight innings, including Neil Walkers homer, as he became the first Reds pitcher to win 20 games since Danny Jackson in 1988. Hes the first Reds right-hander to win 20 since 1965, when Sammy Ellis and Jim Maloney did it.Arolddis Chapman pitched the ninth for his 36th save in 38 chances.ddddddddddddThe Pirates went all-out to try to win the game, starting Gerrit Cole a€” their best September pitcher a€” instead of saving him for the playoffs. Cole did his part, giving up one run and six hits in seven innings and matching his career high with 12 strikeouts.After talking with team leaders, Hurdle decided to stay with his starting pitching alignment for the playoffs. That meant stick with Cole, who had won his last four starts.The right-hander had a tough first inning, giving up back-to-back singles by Negron and Brandon Phillips. Todd Fraziers groundout made it 1-0. Cole went on a streak of retiring 19 of 20 batters, extending his run of impressive September pitching. Cole is 8-1 in 11 career starts during the month.When the game ended, Hurdle shook each players hand in the dugout and said, Like the fight!Asked whether the Pirates are better prepared for the playoffs the second time around, Hurdle said, I dont know. Were going to find out. But I like our team. I like our fight. I like our grit.Harrison went 0 for 4, ending his career-high 15-game hitting streak and ending his chances for the NL batting title. He started the day at .318, a point behind Justin Morneau, but slipped to .315. He wasnt disappointed at finishing second.None of that means anything to me, Harrison said.The Reds played themselves out of contention by going 25-42 after the All-Star break, matching the club record for second-half futility. The 1933 team a