Bruins Edge Trojans In Pac-12 Quarterfinal

March 9th, 2017

The Bruins came into the Pac-12 tournament as one of the hottest teams in the country, winning 9 straight games. However, they looked nothing like that team, despite barely getting by the Trojans 76-74 in their quarterfinal matchup.

UCLA shot just 41% from the floor, and lacked the consistent energy on the defensive end that they had shown in the last month. Isaac Hamilton scored 22 points to lead the way for the Bruins, who stepped up when Lonzo Ball got into foul trouble.

Ball had 12 points, 7 assists, and 4 rebounds, but TJ Leaf helped do some damage in the paint in his return. Leaf had 14 points and 5 rebounds.

UCLA will now play Arizona on Friday night in the Pac-12 tournament semifinal. “We know we’re going to have to be better [Friday] night than we were tonight,” said UCLA Coach Steve Alford. The Bruins can expect the Wildcats to have quite a few fans in attendance based on Friday’s turnout.

The Trojans only shot 38% from the field, and Chimezie Metu was held to just 8 points, although he did have 14 rebounds. Bennie Boatwright scored 11 points, but was only 3 for 11 from the field.

“Even in a game where we were a little bit off, you look at the numbers and it was still pretty convincing that way,” Alford said. “It was only a two-point win, but it was tied for 20 seconds and we led the rest, so I’m really proud of our guys. We’ve had very, very few nights where we haven’t shot it well or scored in the 80s-plus and this was one of those nights and yet we find a way to get a win.”

The Bruins tried to pull away with a 12-0 run in the 2nd half, but the Trojans slowly fought back. They even got within 71-69 with 4:23 left.

In the end, USC had their chances but failed to capitalize. Boatwright missed a three-pointer that could have tied it with 37 seconds left. Jordan McLaughlin and Elijah Stewart later missed layups that could have made it a one-point game.

Despite the loss, USC should still be in good shape for an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament next week. “You don’t get 24 wins if you’re not a good team,” USC Coach Andy Enfield said. “And I’m going to remind you, Bennie Boatwright was out 18 games. If we were on the East Coast, that’s all we’d be talking about. But because we’re on the West Coast, no one even mentions that.”

Iginla Comes Through For Kings

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March 9th, 2017

The Kings are desperate for every win they can get right now, and they got a big 3-2 overtime win against Nashville on Thursday night. Jerome Iginla scored his first two goals as a King, including the game-winner in overtime.

“It was a hard-fought game for sure. Lots on the line,” Iginla said. “It feels good to be able to get that win as a group. “New team, to be able to find some way to contribute, it’s exciting to be out there at the end in a key situation.”

Nashville would strike first in this one. Callie Jarnkrok beat Jonathan Quick in the slot, after Roman Josi knocked the puck off of Marian Gaborik’s stick while battling along the boards. That was only the Predator’s 3rd shot of the game.

The Kings would strike back in the 2nd, when Iginla took a pass from Gaborik, and manuevered his way around Pekka Rinne for a power play goal.

Just 91 seconds into the 3rd period, the Predators would go ahead on a goal by Kevin Fiala. He knocked in a rebound after a big scramble in front of the Kings net.

However 10 minutes later, Gaborik tied the game after knocking down a shot from Alec Martinez, and tucking it underneath Rinne. It was Gaborik’s 8th goal of the season.

That’s when Iginla would send the Kings home as winners. The win pulls LA within 1 points of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, which is held by the St. Louis Blues. The Kings are coming off a 5 day break, and have played 1 more game than the Blues.

LA has its work cut out for them just to make the playoffs, but Iginla likes the Kings chances. “I’m positive. I’m very optimistic,” he said. “I know we’ve got a lot of work to do. But these guys, they’re winners. It’s a very tight-knit group. This time of year, they find ways. “It’s going to be a last fun month of the regular season. Everyone believes we can get in.”

The Kings continue their home stand on Saturday night against the Washington Capitals. Then they’ll have a big showdown on Monday night against St. Louis.

Lakers Win…..Or Did They?

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March 9th, 2017

The Lakers beat the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, but it’s debatable whether or not the 122- 110 win on the road was a good thing.

Both the Lakers and Suns are in contention for the 2nd and 3rd worst records in this summer’s NBA draft, which gives both teams a high probability of getting a top 3 pick in the 2017 draft. That’s imperative for the Lakers, who only keep their pick this year if it lands in the top 3.

After beating the Suns, the Lakers are now just 1 game worse than Phoenix in the standings. If the Lakers finish with the 2nd worst record, they have a 56% chance of keeping this years draft pick. However, if they finish 3rd, their chances fall to 46%.

“That’s going to play itself out in the end,” Lakers Coach Luke Walton said. “No matter what happens, it’s still going to come down to the luck of the balls type of thing. My job is to coach these guys to get better. We’re going to continue to do that and try to win every time we play.”

D’Angelo Russell continued his scoring tear on Thursday night, scoring 28 points, which included six 3-pointers. Jordan Clarkson also added 19 points, as the Lakers snapped an 8-game losing streak.

The last time the Lakers played in Phoenix was on February 15th, when they lost by 36 points. That was the most one-sided Suns win in the history of the Suns-Lakers matchups.

Phoenix was led by Devin Booker’s 23 points, along with 18 from Marquese Chriss, and 17 from T.J. Warren.

The Lakers will play another team in the lottery on Sunday night…..the Philadelphia 76ers. Interestingly enough, if the Lakers pick doesn’t land in the top 3, it goes to Philadelphia.

Clippers Find Their Game Against Memphis

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March 9th, 2017

The Clippers returned to the win column on Thursday night in Memphis. LA beat the Grizzlies 114-98 behind a big game from Austin Rivers.

Rivers scored 20 points, while Chris Paul added 19 and 7 assists to help the Clipps maintain their hold on 5th place in the Western Conference with the Grizzlies breathing down their neck.

JJ Redick scored 15 points as well, while Jamal Crawford and Blake Griffin each scored 14. The Clipps shot 51% from the field, and outrebounded the Grizzlies 47-34.

LA outscored Memphis 31-20 in the 3rd quarter, including a buzzer beating 49-foot shot from Jamal Crawford.

The Grizzlies never got close from there. The Clippers opened a lead as much as 22 points in the 4th.

Memphis was led by Marc Gasol who scored 20 points, as well as Zach Randolph, who had 18 points and 11 rebounds.

The win comes after the Clippers held a team meeting on Thursday morning, after Wednesday’s loss to the Timberberwolves. “It was a long meeting, but it was a truthful meeting,” Doc Rivers said. “We just talked. There wasn’t any screaming. It was just a good team discussion about what we want to be and what we need to do.

Blake Griffin knew their effort against Minnesota was poor. “We know we haven’t played the way we should,” He said. “So sometimes just scrapping the film, scrapping the walk-through and just talking and letting guys get some frustrations out, talk about what they’re seeing. “Sometimes you miss something.”

The Clippers return to action on Saturday night against the 76ers.

Ducks Shutdown Blackhawks

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March 9th, 2017

The Ducks went into Chicago on Thursday night and beat the Blackhawks 1-0. It was their 2nd win in a row, and it came behind a strong start from Jonathan Bernier.

The Anaheim netminder made 43 saves, and collected his 100th NHL win in the process. The only goal of the game was scored by Corey Perry, which came in the 2nd period.

Perry scored on the Ducks’ 14th shot, just moments after Marian Hossa’s drive dribbled off the post to Bernier’s left. He beat Corey Crawford on the stick side as he cut across the slot.

The Ducks snapped Chicago’s seven game winning streak, despite being outshot 43-26 on the night. It was also just the 2nd time in the last 14 games that the Blackhawks lost.

It was Bernier’s second shutout of the season and the 14th of his career. He started in place of the injured John Gibson who was sidelined with a lower-body injury for the 6th straight game. The Ducks moved past Edmonton for second place in the Pacific Division with the win.

As for Perry, the goal ended a 10-game drought. It was his 12th of the season, and his first since scoring two goals against Buffalo on February 9th at Buffalo.

“We weathered the storm in the first period and our goalie stood tall,” Perry said. “Got to give him a lot of credit. “Sometimes you need him, and we needed him tonight.”

Chargers Bring Back Clemens & Addae

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March 9th, 2017

The Chargers have agreed to a deal with backup quarterback Kellen Clemens. The 11-year veteran has spent the last 3 seasons with the Bolts. He’s only thrown 10 passes over that stretch.

It’s been somewhat of a quiet off-season for the team so far. The team has also agreed to re-sign safety Jahleel Addae and long snapper Mike Windt, and placed a franchise tag on edge rusher Melvin Ingram.

A few days ago the Chargers also released former 1st round pick D.J. Fluker, along with cornerback Brandon Flowers, and wide receiver Steve Johnson.

Those cuts gave the Chargers $19 million in salary cap space. The Chargers have also had discussions with free-agent running back Danny Woodhead.

The Bolts biggest need is on the offensive line. They will likely look to get help their with their modest free agent budget.

Rams Get Help In Free Agency

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March 9th, 2017

The Rams started free agency with a bang on Thursday afternoon. LA agreed to contracts with veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth and receiver Robert Woods, addressing two major needs.

The Rams had the worst offense in the NFL the last two seasons, and needed major help on the offensive line, and at wide receiver.

Woods, 24, will sign a five-year deal worth up to $39 million, if he reaches all incentives. Whitworth, 35, is expected to sign a three-year deal that could be worth up to $36 million.

It’s a homecoming for Woods. He played at Gardena Serra High and at USC before he was selected in the second round of the 2013 draft by the Buffalo Bills. He caught 51 passes for 613 yards and one touchdown in 13 games.

As for Whitworth, he’s spent his entire 11 year career with the Bengals. He’s played left tackle, left guard, and started in164 games.

The Whitworth signing could move Greg Robinson from left tackle to guard. Jared Goff was sacked 26 times in only 7 games last season.

Trojans Beat Huskies & Get Bruins Next

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March 8th, 2017

The Trojans got a scare in their Pac 12 Tournament 1st round matchup against Washington on Wednesday night. However, USC managed to get by the Hustkies, 78-73 in Vegas, likely securing themselves an NCAA tournament bid.

Chimezie Metu had 24 points and 9 rebounds to lead the way for USC. The Trojans we’re able to overcome a slow start and a sloppy finish. The Huskies came out out fast, as Matisse Thybulle hit three straight 3-pointers, helping Washington jump out to a 37-27 lead. Thybulle scored 14 points and had to step up in the absence of freshman star Markelle Fultz.

However, the Trojans switched to a zone defense and Metu helped spark a 10-2 run to end the 1st half. USC took over in the 2nd half, sparked by two straight dunks from Metu, along with four straight free throws from Bennie Boatwright, who scored 13 points on the night. The Trojans found themselves with a 14 point lead.

The Huskies wouldn’t go away though, and put a scare in the Trojans in the final minutes. Up seven points with 45 seconds left, USC avoided disaster on a missed three-pointer by Washington that would’ve tied the score.

“I thought our players did a great job of coming back,” USC Coach Andy Enfield said. “We have to play smarter offense, We have to come out of the gate and play well.”

USC was the second-to-last team in the field in the bracket of ESPN’s Joe Lunardi on Wednesday morning. This win should certainly further strengthen their position. However, cross-town rival UCLA awaits them on Thursday in the quarterfinals.

For the third season in a row, the Bruins and Trojans will meet in Vegas in the conference tournament. USC split two games with UCLA this season, but the last matchup was a 102-70 Bruins win. The Bruins are looking to secure a #1 seed in next week’s NCAA tournament, in the West Region. Meanwhile, the Trojans would most certainly cement their at-large bid if they are able to beat the Bruins again.

Clippers Don’t Bring Much Fire In Minnesota

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March 8th, 2017

The Clippers didn’t put up all that great of a fight in Minnesota on Wednesday night. LA suffered a 107-91 loss to the Timberwolves at the Target Center. It was their 5th loss in the last 8 games since the All-Star break.

This one got out of hand early. After taking a 2-0 lead, Minnesota went on a 15-0 run. The Clipps were down by 15 points in the 1st quarter and then against in the 2nd. The lead ballooned to 18 points with 2:24 left in the 4th.

The Timberwolves got a huge game from Karl Anthony Towns, who scored 29 points to go along with 14 rebounds in the win. Andrew Wiggins had 20, and Shabazz Muhammad had 17. Ricky Rubio got loose too, scoring 15 points while racking up 12 assists and 6 rebounds.

The Clippers were led by DeAndre Jordan, who scored 20 points and pulled down 13 rebounds. Blake Griffin had 16 points, and JJ Redick had 14. The Clippers shot just 42% from the field and were dominated on the glass, getting out rebounded 50-36. They also committed 17 turnovers.

The Timberwolves pulled within 2.5 games of Denver for the final playoff spot in the West. Meanwhile, the Clippers fell to 22-11 when all five of their regular starters were healthy.

Clipper coach Doc Rivers was not happy with his teams effort. “We cannot allow our offense to dictate how we’re going to play,” Rivers said. “And today, you could see it all over the floor. Guys were missing layups. Wide-open threes, wide-open shots and they let it take their spirit away. That’s what young teams do. Not veteran teams.”

Rivers pulled starters DeAndre Jordan, J.J. Redick and Luc Mbah a Moute and replaced them with reserves Jamal Crawford, Marreese Speights and Austin Rivers with 5:32 left in the first quarter.

“It wasn’t quick enough,” Rivers said. “No, I’m serious, it wasn’t quick enough. I should have done it literally four minutes earlier than that. … I honestly waited too long.”

The Clippers fell further behind the Jazz, in the race for 4th place in the Western Conference. LA will be back in action on Thursday night against the Grizzlies.

Dirk Makes History In Win Over Lakers

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March 7th, 2017

The Lakers went into Dallas on Tuesday night, and witnessed Dirk Nowitzki score his 30,000th career point against them, while also losing to the Mavs 122-111.

Nowitzki became the 6th player in NBA history, and the first international one to reach the milestone. He joins Karl Malone and Kobe Bryant as the only other players to score 30,000 for one team. The other four players to reach the 30,000 point club are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan.

The 7-foot German scored 25 points for the game, to go along with 11 rebounds. He also matched the best 1st quarter of his career with 18 points, and reached the milestone at the 10:58 mark of the 2nd quarter. It came on his trademark fadeaway jumper over Larry Nance Jr.

“There’s a reason he has 30,000 points,” Nance said. “That’s a 7-footer leaning back. That can shoot. Good luck.”

Nowitzki hit a 3-pointer a few minutes later and the Lakers called timeout. He was congratulated by teammates at that point, and given a loud ovation by the crowd. After that he waived to the crowd in appreciation.

As for the rest of the game, the Mavericks built a 31-point lead in the 3rd quarter. The Lakers fought back in the 4th quarter, but it wasn’t too late. They did however, get some good numbers from some young players.

D’Angelo Russell scored 22 points on 8-17 shooting, to go along with 4 assists and 4 steals. Julius Randle had a triple-double with 13 points, 10 assists, and 18 rebounds. Jordan Clarkson had 22 points, and Brandon Ingram had 13.

The numbers at the end of the game didn’t look so bad, but the reality of it is the Lakers were dominated for 3 quarters. LA has lost 8 in a row, and are still 2 game behind the Phoenix Suns, in the race to secure more ping pong balls in the draft lottery. The Lakers will be in Phoenix to take on the Suns on Thursday.