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01-19-2017, 09:47 AM | #1 |
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PHILADELPHIA -- Rajon Rondo is starting to feel like his old self -- and the Boston Celtics are starting to win again. Chicago Cubs Ryne Sandberg Jersey . Rondo had eight points, 11 assists and nine rebounds in his eighth game back from a serious knee injury, and Jeff Green scored 17 of his 36 points in the third quarter in the Celtics 114-108 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night. "Its only a matter of time before we got on the same page," Green said about Rondo. "He puts me in my spots, gets it to me in the open floor. He sees the floor very well. Hes helping me get into a good rhythm. I have to continue to make sure I get open for him." Jared Sullinger had 19 points and 10 rebounds for Boston. The Celtics improved to 17-33, winning their second straight game after losing 19 of 22. Rondo had 19 points and 10 assists in Bostons win over Orlando on Sunday. "Im getting back to my old self," Rondo said. "Im not there yet but Ill take the progress." Brandon Bass had 18 points for the Celtics, 2-6 since Rondos return. Thaddeus Young had 20 points, and Tony Wroten added 18 for Philadelphia. The 76ers (15-35) have lost four straight and 14 of their last 17 games. They also have lost six in a row at home for the first time since the 1996-97 season. Spencer Hawes added 13 points and 13 rebounds for Philadelphia and Lavoy Allen had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Sixers coach Brett Brown noticed the difference in the Celtics with an effective Rondo. "Hes their compass," Brown said. "Hes a great point guard and a leader." Green scored 13 straight points during a 2-minute stretch in the third quarter, capped by a 3-pointer that gave the Celtics their biggest lead to that point, 83-71 with 3:44 left. Boston coach Brad Stevens credited Rondo for helping Green succeed. "He made a lot of shots and Rondo found him a couple of times early," Stevens said. "His job is simplified with Rajon out there. He pushed the tempo better than Ive seen him in the first eight games. He got us a lot of good looks. His greatest strength is he makes everyone else better and thats really shown true the last two games." Said Rondo: "Everybody needs easy buckets, especially a guy (Green) whos that talented and athletic. All he needs to do is see it go through a couple of times, get to the free-throw line. He gets hot quick." Wroten made a 58-footer at the buzzer to cut it to 88-82 entering the fourth. Philadelphia got as close as three points in the final quarter on Wrotens two free throws with 8:35 left but never got closer. The Sixers had a chance to get it to two points, but Evan Turner missed a baseline jumper with 1:13 left, and Sullinger converted a three-point play on the ensuing possession off an assist from Rondo with 59.4 seconds left to give Boston a 112-105 advantage. "He made a ton of good decisions and some huge plays late," Stevens said about Rondo. The Boston point guard, who is still getting into game shape, also got some help from his teammates. After going down at one point, Bass resuscitated a winded Rondo. "Nothing was wrong," Rondo said. "I was winded. He brought me back to life a little bit. Those guys pick me up. Whoever hits the floor helps each other up. Were a team and thats what they did on that particular play." The Sixers havent won since last Wednesdays buzzer-beating 95-94 win at Boston. Notes: Philadelphia guard Michael Carter-Williams was selected the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for January. It was the second honour for Carter-Williams, who also was recognized in November to join Allen Iverson as the only Sixers to earn the award multiple times. Carter-Williams averaged 16.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists last month. ... Sixers guard James Anderson (back contusion) left in the first half but returned after halftime. Chicago Cubs Anthony Rizzo Jersey . Wrights first stint with Milwaukee was on a 10-day contract from March 14-23. He played in two games, averaging six points and two rebounds in 16. St. Louis Cardinals Mike Shannon Jersey . Louis second-period goal increased the New York Rangers lead but Dustin Brown has countered for the Los Angeles Kings who now trail the New York Rangers 2-1 in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final at Madison Square Garden. Ron Santo Jersey - Ron Santo T-shirt - Authentic Replica Ron Santo Chicago Cubs Jerseys ." Those traits were clear to the 24,071 at Olympic Stadium on Saturday as the Impact dominated the scoring chances but settled for a 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls in a battle of still-winless Major League Soccer teams.TORONTO -- This isnt a situation the Toronto Maple Leafs wanted to find themselves in. Two centres are out indefinitely: Tyler Bozak with a hamstring injury and Dave Bolland after undergoing surgery to repair a severed tendon in his ankle. That has meant making adjustments, most notably regular left-winger James van Riemsdyks move to centre, and increased pressure on Nazem Kadri and Jay McClement. "Obviously theres going to be more responsibility," Kadri said. "Thats pretty much the reason why Reemer (van Riemsdyk) is moving to the middle is because were kind of running out in that position. But I think everyones pretty prepared and the coaching staffs done a good job preparing us." Having plenty of time to prepare is the biggest positive right now for the Leafs. With six days between the end of their Western Conference road trip and Fridays game against the New Jersey Devils, coach Randy Carlyle has ample opportunity to help his players adjust to the new reality caused by injuries. "We believe that repetition is going to re-enforce some of the staples which we believe we have to play to and how we have to play," Carlyle said Wednesday. "We look at our team to play a tighter brand of hockey and to continue to show some growth. We think our growth has stalled with our team, and we dont think that weve played to the template that weve created and some of the things that were struggling with are things that we have to overcome." Picking up the level of play is something Carlyle has stressed for a while, even when the Leafs (10-5-0, 20 points) were in first place in the Atlantic Division. But its something else to have to overcome losing two centres this early in the season. Bozak has been out since injuring his hamstring Oct. 25 at the Columbus Blue Jackets. Losing him put more onus on Kadri, but then Bolland suffering a severed tendon Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks put Toronto in quite the quagmire. Naturally, buzz about the Leafs making calls around the NHL about forwards picked up. "We are going to look at and explore all of the options that are available to us, but theres nobody in the league looking to give you a handout, I guarantee you," Carlyle said. The option the Leafs went for was signing veteran centre Jerred Smithson to a one-year contract. Smithson, 34, spent last season with the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers and was on a tryout with their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. Smithson is expected to fill in on the fourth line, while van Riemsdyk is being counted on to centre the first line. Van Riemsdyk has played centre before, though that was during his two seasons at the University of New Hampshire from 2007 to 2009. Van Riemsdyk saidd Monday moving to the middle doesnt change his approach too much, but it is an adjustment. Detroit Tigers Victor Martinez Jersey. "When youre used to playing a certain position, you kind of just naturally know where to go and maybe you have to think about it a little bit more," he said. "Its a lot about timing, centre, just being in the right spot at the right time so youre not losing your speed and all that stuff. I think its a timing thing and you get that through repetition and some experience there." And repetition is what hes getting. On Monday van Riemsdyk didnt sound quite sure whether hed actually be making the move to centre or was just practising there, but Wednesday he was back between Joffrey Lupul and Phil Kessel. It was one of many chances the 24-year-old will have to get used to centre before games against the Devils and Boston Bruins. "Obviously you want a guy to get some practice time in," Carlyle said. "We try to work on things that hes going to be faced with in the game against Jersey. Down low is one of the coverages its going to have to be something thats ingrained in his mind here over the next three or four days. Theres no time like practice." Wednesdays practice was over an hour long. Even if thats not the norm the rest of the week, van Riemsdyk will get some help from teammates off the ice about his adjustment. "All the centremen all the time we get together and kind of review what has to happen, whether its in the D-zone or neutral zone or whatever it may be," Kadri said. "Also faceoffs is another big thing with that. Usually the centremans responsible for calling out the plays off the draw. Really its just being prepared and getting prepared to execute a game plan." Van Riemsdyk said he feels "OK" about his faceoff game, but after taking just 10 draws so far this season itll become a bigger area of concern. To take some pressure off van Riemsdyk, Carlyle could lean even more heavily on McClement and Kadri in the faceoff circle. This kind of hole requires more than just one player to step up, and Carlyle is asking his players to consider the situation from a team aspect. "Were all going to help each other out," Kadri said. "We got four other guys, five other guys to help us out. Really weve just got to stick together as a team and fight through some adversity." Notes -- In conjunction with singing Smithson, the Leafs assigned centre Trevor Smith to the Marlies. ... Defenceman Mark Fraser (knee) took part in a full practice Wednesday and is expected to be available to the Leafs for Fridays game against New Jersey. Its uncertain if Fraser will play, as Carlyle said decisions must be made with eight options on the blue-line. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
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