Dein erstes Forum » Clippers have not tired of inflicting

DALLAS -- The Los Angeles Clippers have not tired of inflicting fourth-quarter pain on the Dallas Mavericks. The Clippers rallied from a 10-point deficit in the final period to beat the Mavericks 109-103 on Thursday night. Los Angeles has won all three meetings thus far, with second-half rallies in each game. Each meeting has also featured plenty of emotion. On Thursday, the teams combined for six technical fouls charged to players on the floor, three on each team. "We need to start playing like that more often, to tell you the truth," Chris Paul said after leading Los Angeles with 31 points, a night after going 0 for 12 in a two-point loss in New Orleans. "We knew it was going to be a playoff-type game. Theyre not just playing for their playoff lives; were trying to gear up for the playoffs, too." The Clippers got double-doubles from Blake Griffin (18 points, 13 rebounds) and DeAndre Jordan (16 points, 15 rebounds). Los Angeles maintained its one-game lead over Houston for third place in the Western Conference. Vince Carter scored 23 points off the bench for the Mavericks, going 4 for 5 on 3-pointers. Dirk Nowitzki had 21 points but only two in the fourth quarter. "Its tough. Its very frustrating," Carter said. "But we fought like hell to give ourselves a chance to win, and thats all you can do." Samuel Dalembert was questionable going into the game for Dallas because of a stiff back. He started, played 22 minutes and led the Mavericks with 11 rebounds -- all in the first half. The loss dropped Dallas a half-game behind Phoenix and into ninth place in the tight race for the final playoff berths in the West. The score was tied at 81 going into the final period before the Mavericks ran off the first 10 points. Los Angeles chipped away and tied it at 101 on a drive by Griffin. Dallas then committed a backcourt violation when a pass from Nowitzki back to Jose Calderon near midcourt went astray. Griffin followed with a spinning runner to give the Clippers the lead for good at 103-101. Griffin was pleased with the defence that he played on Nowitzki, who was 7 for 15 from the floor. "For the past how many years, everything Ive heard is the things I couldnt do," he said. "One of the many things I cant do is play defence. "I take pride in the things I cant do. I just use that as motivation." The Clippers victory Thursday was their least dramatic in the series so far. They outscored the Mavericks 16-2 down the stretch to win by seven points in the first meeting on Jan. 5. Twelve days later, they rallied from 17 points down to win by two. A shoving match broke out early in the third quarter after the Mavericks brought the ball into the forecourt. Paul pushed Dallas Shawn Marion, who knocked into the Clippers Matt Barnes while falling over the end line. Barnes and Marion then had words, and Barnes shoved Marion. Paul, Marion and Barnes were all assessed technical fouls. "I just think its been a heated battle," Barnes said. "They had us down in the fourth three times, and theyre playing for the playoffs." Clippers coach Doc Rivers noted his team responded after Wednesday nights last-minute loss to the depleted Pelicans. "You could see our guys were fresh," Rivers said. "In a joking way, we should have been fresh because we didnt use a lot (Wednesday) night." The Mavericks are 3-3 on a franchise-record, eight-game homestand, having opened the stretch in seventh place with a 1 1/2-game cushion on ninth-place Phoenix. "Its basically the next game becomes the most important game of the year," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "Thats just how it is going to be, every one down the stretch." The Mavericks will then close the season with five road games among their final seven. That includes one more game against the Clippers, at Staples Center on April 3. "We have one more chance," Calderon said. "Hopefully, next week maybe we can beat these guys." NOTES: The Clippers J.J. Redick, out since early February with a back injury, said he hopes to return before the end of the season. . Nowitzki, a 91.8 per cent shooter from the free throw line going into the game, was 6 for 10, equaling his most misses this season. Wholesale NHL Jerseys China . The Red Sox maintained a share of the AL wild-card lead Tuesday night, using four home runs to beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-7 and set up a dramatic conclusion to the regular season. The skidding Red Sox were 6-19 this month before rebounding to edge the last-place Orioles. NHL Jerseys Outlet .A. remained bitter for Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers on the long flight back home to New York. https://www.chinanhljerseys.us/ . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Tonight, Michigans Nik Stauskas of Mississauga, Ontario. Wholesale NHL Jerseys . And once again, Team Homan emerged as the victor with the reigning national champions defeating Team Sweeting at the Pintys All-Star Curling Skins Game Friday night in the tournaments opening draw at The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre in beautiful Banff National Park. Custom NHL Jerseys . -- Ricky Romeros comeback bid hit another road bump Tuesday in an ugly 18-4 Jays loss to a Detroit Tigers split squad.ALBANY, N.Y. -- Any chance the St. Johns IceCaps had of stealing a second American Hockey League road playoff victory was ruined by penalties. The Albany Devils were awarded nine power-play opportunities Saturday night and cashed in three of them to defeat the IceCaps 4-2. After the IceCaps 2-1 victory Friday night, the best-of-five series is tied at one game apiece as the teams move to St. Johns, N.L., for the remaining games. "We have to stay more disciplined," said defenceman Brenden Kichton, who scored both St. Johns goals. "Youre not going to win hockey games when youre in the box, but we to have credit them. They did a good job on their power play. They got three goals out of it, and thats not how we play to win." The IceCaps, who allowed the Devils only two power-play chances in Game 1, still got out of Albany with a split. "Its a five-game series here, as everybody says, and we were able to get the one game in here," St. Johns coach Keith McCambridge said. "We would have really liked to get this game. Well have a chance to refocus here and get ourselves back in the right direction for Wednesday." The Devils, buoyed by the largest home crowd at 8,026 in Albanys 21-year AHL history, made their potential path to the next round a little more negotiable. A loss would have forced Albany to sweep three games at St. Johns in order to advance. "Going into that building and having to win all three would definitely be pretty tough," Devils coach Rick Kowalsky saiid.dddddddddddd "We said before, you cant sit here and talk about a must win. We talked about individually and as a team trying to be better than we were last night and realizing that I felt we grew as a team just in that short 60 minutes." Stefan Matteau, Mattias Tedenby and Scott Timmins had Albanys power-play goals. Kelly Zajac assisted on two of them, winning face-offs both times on the St. Johns half of the ice. Tedenby snapped a 2-2 tie at 8:08 of the second. Zajac won a draw just outside the IceCaps blue-line and skated in a 2-on-1 with Tedenby, who took the pass and beat St. Johns goaltender Michael Hutchinson from in close. Timmins got an insurance goal with 9:59 remaining in the third. "We would have liked not to be on the short end of the penalties for a good majority of the night," McCambridge said. "Weve got to make sure we are in control. Weve got to make sure we realize where we are in the game and try to keep it 5-on-5." St. Johns had only four power-play opportunities. Kichton first goal bounced in off the skate of Devils defenceman Jon Merrill. He also converted on a power play early in the second period, capitalizing when Albany defenceman Seth Helgeson fell at the blue-line. Keith Kinkaid, who gave up a soft goal with 23.1 seconds remaining Friday night, got his first professional victory in goal. Both he and Hutchinson made 30 saves. "There were a lot of opportunities tonight," Kichton said, "and we didnt cash in on those." ' ' '