LOS ANGELES -- From Jodie Meeks big day to the final result, this was definitely a surprise.
Niles Paul Jersey . Meeks scored 24 of his career-high 42 points in the second half, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat Oklahoma City 114-110 on Sunday despite a triple-double by Thunder star Kevin Durant. Pau Gasol added 20 points and 11 rebounds for the injury-ravaged Lakers, who had lost 29 of their previous 37 games. Meeks was 11 of 18 from the field and 14 for 14 at the line while becoming the third player to reach the 30-point mark this season for last-place Los Angeles (22-42). "The most important thing is that we keep going out there and fighting and not giving up," Meeks said. "The season isnt going the way that we planned, but we still have 18 games left. So well play them hard and see what happens." Meeks is averaging 19.2 points in 11 games since returning from a sprained right ankle. Before the injury, he was averaging 14.4. "He got on fire," coach Mike DAntoni said. "He has really improved his game. Defensively, he was out of sight on Russell Westbrook the whole time. He put out a lot of energy in this game, but he has been doing that on a pretty consistent basis. Jodie has been our most consistent performer. Its really fun to watch someone get better." Durant had 27 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists for his third triple-double this season. Serge Ibaka had 21 points and 15 boards for Oklahoma City. The Thunder (46-17) began the day in a three-way tie with San Antonio and Indiana for the NBAs best record. The Pacers played at Dallas on Sunday night and the Spurs were idle. "We lost. In some games, someone will have 40 points on you that is not supposed to have 40," Durant said. "We pressure hard so high out on the pick-and-roll that it opened everything up, and they exploited it. They were hitting the pocket passes and going through the lane to get the ball to their shooters. But that is how we play, so we have to figure out how to make second and third efforts." After giving up an average of 136 points over their previous three games while losing to New Orleans, the Clippers and Denver, the Lakers trailed the Thunder by as many as 18 in the second quarter before taking their first lead on a pair of free throws by Meeks that made it 71-70 with 4:35 left in the third. "I was trying to get my teammates involved, and they did a great job finding me in transition and in some set plays. So I give credit to those guys for helping me out with a big game," Meeks said. "Being in a rhythm like that is fun, but getting a win is also fun. That was most important thing. We were down 18, so I was trying to do anything I could to help the team get back in the game." The Thunder are 3-5 since beating the Lakers 107-103 at Staples Center on Feb. 13 behind 43 points by Durant, who is vying for his fourth scoring title in five seasons. The Lakers took a 12-point lead into the fourth quarter and increased it to 95-77 on Jordan Farmars 3-pointer with 9:42 remaining. Durant then fueled a 20-7 run with 10 points and former Laker Derek Fisher capper the rally with back-to-back 3s 24 seconds apart, pulling the Thunder to 102-97 with 4:36 to play. Russell Westbrook, who had 20 points, seven rebounds and eight assists for the Thunder, narrowed the gap to 110-107 on a driving dunk with 57.3 seconds on the clock. But he missed everything on another 3-point try 24 seconds later and newly acquired Kent Bazemore helped put it away with a driving layup -- two of his seven points in the final 2:02. Westbrook finished 7 for 23 from the field and tied a season worst with eight turnovers. "We need to have a sense of urgency, knowing that teams are coming at us every night," Westbrook said. "I missed some shots, but I do not think the game is all about shooting." NOTES: Nick Young had 31 points for Los Angeles in an overtime loss at Chicago on Jan. 20, and Farmar scored a career-high 30 on Feb. 28 in a home win against Sacramento. ... Durant has scored 25 or more points in 28 consecutive games -- one shy of his career-best streak, which occurred in 2009-10. No other NBA player has had a longer streak of 25-point games in the last 25 years. ... Fisher, second on the Lakers career list for 3-pointers behind Kobe Bryant, shot 51.3 per cent (39 for 76) from behind the arc in his previous 22 games before going 2 for 4 Sunday. ... This was the first game of the Lakers home-and-home set against Oklahoma City, which will be followed by a home-and-home set against the Spurs. ... Lakers point guard Kendall Marshall played 27 scoreless minutes -- the fifth time in eight games that he has failed to score. ... The Lakers have trailed after three quarters in 47 of their 64 games.
Keelan Cole Jersey . FIFA said the suspension was requested by ethics prosecutor Michael Garcia, making Beckenbauer the first person to be punished as a result of the case. Beckenbauer refused "repeated requests for his assistance, including requests that he provide information during an in-person interview or in response to written questions provided in both English and German," FIFA said in a statement.
Telvin Smith Jersey . Observant Muslims avoid food and liquids from dawn to dusk during Ramadan but can, and often do, skip it if travelling or doing hard physical labour. Some devout Muslim athletes choose to fast during training or competition, but it can create selection difficulties for the coaches in team sports.CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Yadier Molina got the loudest boos during pregame introductions. The five-time All-Star catcher got booed again as he rounded the bases for his game-turning homer. On opening day, he was driving them batty in Cincinnati again. Molina broke a seventh-inning time with a home run and made a pair of slick defensive plays on Monday, leading the defending National League champion St. Louis Cardinals to a 1-0 victory over the Reds. Everyone knew the star of this one. "Matt Holliday said it best when we were coming in shaking hands: Yadi wins," starter Adam Wainwright said. It wasnt all Molina. The Cardinals impeccable pitching was in top form, too. The Reds were blanked on opening day for the first time since 1953, ending the second-longest streak of scoring in at least one run in season openers in major league history. The Phillies went 62 years without being blanked in an opener from 1911-72. Wainwright used his refined sinker to finally get the best of the Reds, who have hit him like no other team. Wainwright allowed three hits in seven innings, fanning nine. "Ive never pitched great against the Reds," said Wainwright, who threw 105 pitches. "Today I wanted to make the emphasis on executing pitches. I tried to simplify it as much as possible." St. Louis escaped a threat in the eighth, when the Reds had runners on first and third with nobody out. Trevor Rosenthal retired all three batters in the ninth, finishing a three-hitter. "We werent able to get a hit there," said Bryan Price, who lost his managing debut. "It was disappointing, but there will be more disappointments along the way." During pregame introductions, Molina got by far the loudest boos from the crowd of 43,134 -- the second-largest for a regular-season game in Great American Ball Park history. Fans still havent forgiven the five-time All Star catcher for a 2010 brawl at home plate with Brandon Phillips. They were booing again after his first-pitch homer in the seventh, his second career off JJohnny Cueto (0-1).
Logan Cooke Jersey. It was one of only three hits off Cueto in seven innings. Not that the catcher noticed all the commotion from the stands. "I come over here and try to win games," he said. "Thats why Im here." Molina also fielded Joey Vottos grounder in front of the plate to start a double play in the third inning, part of an impressive game all-around. "Im biased, but I think hes the best Ive ever seen at that position," Wainwright said. Wainwright won 19 games and finished second in the NL Cy Young Award voting last season, when he had his biggest trouble with the Reds. He went 1-3 in four starts with a 7.77 ERA against Cincinnati, getting knocked around so much that he called it a "head-scratcher." Wainwright (1-0) refined a sinker in spring training and was in control on a breezy, 64-degree afternoon. He fanned new Reds leadoff hitter Billy Hamilton four times. The Reds best chance came in the eighth, when the Cardinals committed two errors. Phillips became the first Reds runner to reached third base, but was caught in a rundown on Jay Bruces grounder. Carlos Martinez fanned Todd Frazier for the final out, stranding a runner at third. Cuetos third straight opening-day start was a reminder that its a matter of staying healthy. He was on the disabled list three times last season, limited to 11 starts. He changed his delivery slightly to try to avoid injury, and was on the mark on opening day until Molina connected. There were no close plays that merited replays. NOTES: Cincinnatis last shutout loss on opening day was a 2-0 loss to the Milwaukee Braves. ... Former Reds SS Barry Larkin and Dave Concepcion threw ceremonial pitches. ... Cueto was hit on the left wrist by Matt Carpenters comebacker on his fifth pitch of the game. A trainer checked him, and he made a few practice throws. ... Hits king Pete Rose attended the game. ... The teams are off on Tuesday. Michael Wacha starts for St. Louis on Wednesday night against LH Tony Cingrani.
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