Neues » half against the likes

MILWAUKEE -- When Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel benched his starters for the entire game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night, it meant extended playing time for the teams reserves. Chris Copeland made sure to take advantage. Copeland scored a season-high 18 points and made a difficult driving layup with 1.2 seconds remaining, giving the Pacers a hard-fought 104-102 that moved them back into first place in the Eastern Conference. "Its big for our confidence, the second unit," said Copeland, who came in averaging three points. "Just to get the opportunity out there. A lot of us have been waiting for that all year. So it was very cool for us to get out there and get a win and show the starters that weve got their backs when they need rest." Copeland also tied a career high with four 3-pointers and matched a season high with 17 minutes of playing time. Following a pair of timeouts, the Pacers inbounded the ball to Copeland, who drove hard to the basket for the winning shot. "I tried to rip through to the basket and tried to use my size," Copeland said. "I saw help coming, so I shot it." Copelands shot came after Milwaukees Khris Middleton had tied the game at 102 after making three free throws. Middleton drew a foul while attempting a shot near the 3-point arc with 4.9 seconds remaining that referees initially ruled a 2-point attempt. After a review, the call was reversed, sending Middleton to the line for three shots. Luis Scola also recorded a season high with 24 points and Evan Turner added 23 for Indiana. Vogel made the unusual move to keep all of his regular first-team players on the bench after saying his team appeared tired following a 107-88 home loss to Atlanta on Sunday, when the Pacers were held to a franchise-low 23 points in the first half. "It was a great win for our guys, a great team effort," Vogel said. "We had a lot of good contributors." Even without the starters, Indiana moved a half-game ahead of the Heat heading into Fridays matchup in Miami. After leading the East most of the season, the Pacers had lost five of six games coming into the matchup with the Bucks. Still, the Pacers came in just a half-game behind Miami, which lost at Memphis. The Bucks, who had only eight players available due to injuries, have lost six in a row and were on the losing end of all four games with the Pacers this season. Brandon Knight had 25 points and Ramon Sessions 20 for Milwaukee. Jeff Adrien pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds. The game featured 23 lead changes. Usual Indiana starters Paul George, David West, George Hill and Lance Stephenson dressed but didnt play. Another starter, Roy Hibbert, was inactive for the game. All five are expected to start against the Heat. Vogel insisted that the move would allow the starters to get some minor injuries healed and for his reserves to play extended minutes. The Pacers starting lineup consisted of Scola, Turner, Rasual Butler, Ian Mahinmi and Donald Sloan. The five had a combined scoring average of 21.7 points, equal to Georges per-game average. "It was great for us starting guys to sit out and get some rest as well as our bench rotation guys to get some rhythm going late into the season," George said. "Its tough to be a spectator. But I had to be a good teammate." Adrien wasnt pleased with the benching of the Pacers starters. "It was kind of like a smack in our face," he said. Sessions also was surprised to see Indianas entire starting lineup on the bench. "They are fighting for something so it was a little surprising to see those guys sit," he said. The Pacers built a nine-point lead in the fourth before the Bucks late rally. Indiana held a 53-50 lead at the half, paced by Scolas 16 points and 14 from Turner. Sessions and Knight each had 11 first-half points for the Bucks. The game was tied at 25 after the first quarter. Scola tallied 12 points in the period for Indiana. Notes: Indiana guard C.J. Watson returned after missing 13 consecutive games with a hamstring injury. ... Milwaukee centre Larry Sanders was activated and began serving his five-game suspension for failed drug tests. ... New Marquette University mens basketball coach Steve Wojciechowski attended the game. Phil Jones England Jersey . -- The Oakland Raiders added a veteran presence to their young receiving group by signing free agent James Jones to a three-year contract Monday. Harry Maguire England Jersey . The Brazilian-born strikers brace drew him level with Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo as the leagues leading scorers with 17 goals apiece through 16 rounds. "The important thing is to help the team win, not the goals," Diego Costa said. After a first half dominated by defence, Atletico pressed Valencia into its area and Diego Costa did the rest. http://www.englandsoccerpro.com/Jack-Butland-England-Jersey/. It will mark the 22nd time the tournament has been held in this country and fourth in Atlanta Canada but will make its first appearance ever in played Nova Scotia. Jack Butland Jersey . Manager Ryan Nelsen has confirmed Brazilian No. 1 Julio Cesar will be rested for Wednesdays first leg of the semifinal. That opens the door for Bendik, who started 33 games for Toronto last season. David Beckham Jersey . -- Catriona Matthew remained atop the Airbus LPGA Classic leaderboard Friday, birdieing four of the last seven holes to take a one-stroke advantage over Charley Hull into the weekend.MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Timberwolves were coming off consecutive blowout losses to end a six-game road trip, were missing three starters and had two other key veterans getting IV fluids before the game just to suit up.Then came the cure for what ails any reeling NBA franchise these days — the New York Knicks.Kevin Martin shook off an illness to score 37 points and the Timberwolves snapped a five-game losing skid with a 115-99 over the Knicks on Wednesday night.I know a lot of guys just wanted to lay down, Martin said after the Wolves went 1-5 on a six-game trip in which Ricky Rubio and Nikola Pekovic were injured and Thaddeus Young left the team after the death of his mother. And Flip (Saunders) came in here and had one of the most intense practices Ive seen in the last 10 years. ... We knew we had to respond so we dont have another one of those practices.Martin tied a career high with seven 3-pointers and Shabazz Muhammad had 17 points and eight rebounds in his first career start for the Wolves.Carmelo Anthony had 20 points and Amare Stoudemire added 19 for the Knicks. But New Yorks 23 turnovers led to 28 points by Minnesota, and the Knicks got swept in the Milwaukee-Minnesota back-to-back.Anthony and Stoudemire combined to shoot 14 of 19 and the rest of the Knicks were just 20 for 50.I just dont want to get used to feeling this feeling, you know, losing basketball games, games that we should be winning, Anthony said. Just letting it slip out of our hands, regardless if its early in the season or not.The Wolves were playing their first home game in 18 days and both Martin and Corey Brewer needed fluids before the game in order to play. Martin then scored 13 points on 5-for-8 shooting in the first quarter to get the Wolves rolling.The Knicks have been among the worst teams in the league at defending the 3-pointer this season, which invited even the Timberwolves to let it fly. They entered the night last in the league in 3-point attempts per game at just over 14 tries a night.Martin hit 3 of 4 from deep in the first quaarter and the Wolves made eight by halftime, which was more than they had made in an entire game this season.ddddddddddddThey finished with 11.The gimpy Stoudemire was spry in the first half against the depleted front line, but both he and Anthony combined for just four points in the entire second half.A lot of things have to change, new Knicks coach Derek Fisher said. Its not really to talk about. Its for us to do the work and get there.TIP-INSKnicks: Fisher played it coy before the game when asked about the status of injured PG Jose Calderon and F Andrea Bargnani, both of whom are believed to be nearing a return. Fisher said they would be evaluated on Thursday and Friday before making a decision about the game on Saturday against the 76ers. ... Jason Smith was the only other Knick in double figures with 14 points.Timberwolves: Saunders was using rookie PG Zach LaVine in the starting lineup after Rubio went down on the second game of the road trip. But with LaVine looking a little overwhelmed, Saunders gave the veteran Mo Williams the start and he delivered his best game of the season with 14 points and 13 assists. ... Brewer finished with 14 points on 5-for-8 shooting.PLAYING BIGGERStoudemire got off to a great start by bullying the smaller Wolves in the paint, scoring 17 points on 6-for-8 shooting in the first half against the likes of Robbie Hummel and Anthony Bennett. But he played only six minutes in the second half and the Wolves still managed to out-rebound the Knicks 35-33, including 15-8 on the offensive glass.MUHAMMADS BIG NIGHTMuhammad was maligned as a rookie last season for his offensive limitations. But he dropped 20 pounds in the off-season and worked hard to improve his game, and it showed in his first start. He threw down a soaring dunk on a lob from Brewer and battled the bigger Knicks on the glass to jumpstart the Wolves.I think hes learning how to use his aggression in more positive ways, Martin said.UP NEXTKnicks: Host Philadelphia on Saturday.Timberwolves: Host San Antonio on Friday. ' ' '