h a difficulty I could not predict," was the first pitcher on the field | Forum

                                      The Dallas Mavericks are coming off arguably their best performance of the season going into Wednesday nights matchup with Detroit at American Airlines Center. Olivier Giroud Jersey .The Pistons cant say the same.The Mavericks (6-18) scorched Denver 112-92 Monday in the opener of a quick two-game homestand. Six players scored in double figures, Dallas scored a season-high in points in regulation and shot a season-high 58.4 percent.The Mavericks also recorded new season highs for points in the paint (48) and fast-break points (21). Dallas led by as many as 28 points, its largest lead in any game this season.The performance was even more impressive considering the Mavericks are without Dirk Nowitzki, Andrew Bogut and J.J. Barea. In their place, Dallas received big contributions across the board.Wesley Matthews tallied a team-high 25 points to go along with four rebounds and two steals in 32 minutes. Matthews has posted at least 25 points five times in his last eight games.Matthews is averaging 18.9 points per game over his last 15 games, and has connected on 47.3 percent (61-129) from 3-point territory in that span.My teammates are finding me and Im getting good looks, Matthews said. I put a lot of emphasis this year on working hard on my shot after practice. Im a product of energy and when we are playing the right way and we are locked in I feel like I can knock down shots.Harrison Barnes scored 18 and Deron Williams added 17 points. Rookie forward Dorian Finney-Smith, starting in place of Nowitzki, set or matched season highs in points (13), rebounds (nine), assists (three) and blocks (two) in 32 minutes. Justin Anderson and Seth Curry scored 11 and 10, respectively, off the bench.The Mavericks have been forced to rely on relatively inexperienced players such as Finney-Smith, Anderson, Curry and Salah Mejri due to injuries all season. Beating the Nuggets served as a needed confidence boost.Weve just got to keep working and build off this win, Anderson said. We wont go away. We are not going to get down we are going to continue to build off this.The biggest thing, it is a huge learning experience for all the younger guys. Going through these ups and downs in the NBA, and keep pushing to get better.The Pistons (13-13) took a step back in Sundays 97-79 home loss to Philadelphia. The 76ers opened the game on an 18-4 run and never looked back.Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy took blame for the loss and the team not being ready to play. He gave the team Saturday off and didnt hold a morning shootaround practice Sunday because of severe weather in the Detroit area.We just werent ready. We were just not ready, Van Gundy told reporters after the loss. Its not that they dont have some responsibility in that, no matter what the conditions. Youre an NBA player. Its your job to be ready to play. But I didnt do my job in getting them ready.Marcus Morris did score a season-high 28, and Andre Drummond recorded his seventh consecutive double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds.Van Gundy experimented in the Philadelphia game with duo point guards Reggie Jackson and Ish Smith together on the floor with starting shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope sitting out with a knee injury. Caldwell-Pope is expected to play against Dallas.That pairing didnt work well against the Sixers, but Van Gundy hope to try it again in an effort to manufacture more offense.The Pistons rank second in terms of opponents points per game, giving up just 96.1 points a game. Theyre also first in fewest turnovers per game, averaging just 11.6 turnovers a contest.Detroit went 1-1 against the Mavericks last season. The Pistons have lost six of the past eight games in Dallas, but have won the last two. Cheap NGolo Kante Jersey . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. It was a victory that ended a decade of frustration for Parker and a talented French generation, which lost the final against Spain two years ago and took bronze in 2005. Chelsea Jersey 19 20 Cheap . Gather a group of friends, or find a league to join online, draft your team, set your lineup and compete in a number of different formats. http:///...ta-youth-jersey.html . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91.SAN FRANCISCO -- Drenched in all kinds of liquids poured out of a beat-up bucket that teammates conjured up in the clubhouse, Tom Koehler never felt better as a major league pitcher. Pinch hitter Marcell Ozunas two-run single gave Koehler his first victory in nine career starts, and the Miami Marlins rallied past the San Francisco Giants 2-1 Thursday night. "I smell like a bar," Koehler said. "Other than the day I met my wife, this is probably the happiest moment of my life. Definitely the happiest baseball moment." In his first career pinch-hit appearance, Ozunas line drive to right field in the eighth inning off reliever Jeremy Affeldt (1-3) ended Koehlers run of futility. After six appearances in the bullpen, Koehler (1-5) had been winless in seven starts this season -- and took the loss in his lone start last year -- for the worst team in the majors. He hugged Ozuna in the dugout following the hit that flipped the score. Koehler also had the game ball in his locker -- soon to be resting on the mantle in his "man cave" back home, he said -- that Steve Cishek handed to him after recording his 11th save in the ninth. The right-handers victory ended the third-longest winless streak to start a career in Marlins history, behind Marc Valdezs nine-start stretch from 1995-96 and Kevin Olsens 12-start streak from 2001-02, according to STATS. "It definitely didnt weigh on my confidence, but to say I didnt think about it would be a lie," Koehler said. "Every time I went out there I wanted to win the game. I was wondering what it would take to do it." Giants starter Chad Gaudin tossed 4 1-3 scoreless innings, but he left the game after taking a hard line drive off his right throwing elbow. The team said he had a bruised elbow. Far more concerning for the Giants was the status of centre fielder Angel Pagan, who was on a rehab assignment with Class-A San Jose. Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Pagan injured his leg running to first base and was carted off the field. Bochy said more information on Pagans injury would come Friday. One of the few good moments for San Francisco came when Joaquin Arias extended his hitting streak to 11 games with an RBI triple in the seventh. Koehler kept the Giants off the scoreboard otherwise. He didnt even allow a hit until Gregor Blancos one-out single in the sixth. He struck out three, walked three and allowed three hits. "He was really happy," Ozuna said. San Francisco seems to be houndedd by unfortunate injuries of late. David Luiz Youth Jersey. Gaudin took a line drive from Derek Dietrich off his elbow, fielded the ball and threw him out for the first out of the fifth inning. Gaudin grimaced as he paced around the mound, then he took a couple practice pitches before coming out. Gaudin gave up two hits and two walks while striking out one. He was making just his fourth start of the season since entering the rotation for the injured Ryan Vogelsong. "It didnt hit bone at all, just muscle," Gaudin said. "Its a little sore but there are no breaks or anything. It hurt. It hit square on top of the elbow. Its frustrating but something I cant control. Ill just deal with it." It also was the second straight game the Marlins had taken out an opposing pitcher. Arizonas Trevor Cahill left in the first inning after a line drive from Ozuna bruised his right hip in Miamis 3-1 loss Wednesday. The only blemish on Koehlers first victory came when Belt hit a two-out double in the seventh, sliding in safely when right fielder Giancarlo Stantons throw sailed wide. Arias followed with an RBI triple in the right-centre field gap. Sandy Rosario was taken out after 2 1-3 innings when he walked Justin Ruggiano leading off the eighth. Ozuna later lined a two-out, two-run single to right on an 0-2 count against Affeldt to give the Marlins the lead. The rookie had never pinch hit in the majors before. "Hes a pretty good pinch hitter," Marlins manager Mike Redmond quipped. NOTES: The Marlins have won eight in a row at AT&T Park since July 28, 2010. ... Giants 3B Pablo Sandoval, on the disabled list since June 9 with a strained left foot, will join Class-A San Jose on a rehab assignment Friday -- a day earlier than originally expected. He will likely join the Giants in Los Angeles on Monday. ... The Giants announced that Joseph Zito, the father of pitcher Barry Zito, died Wednesday in Van Nuys, Calif., at age 84. The cause of death was not disclosed. Zito, who said in a statement his fathers death "has presented me with a difficulty I could not predict," was the first pitcher on the field for batting practice Thursday. He will still make his next start Saturday. ... Ozuna, mired in a 1-for-20 slump, wasnt in the starting lineup off for the first time since being called up from Double-A Jacksonville on April 30. ... The Marlins send Ricky Nolasco (4-7, 3.61 ERA) to the mound Friday and the Giants counter with Tim Lincecum (4-7, 4.57 ERA). ' ' '