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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- For the second straight season the Charlotte Bobcats are off to a strong start. But this time around point guard Kemba Walker feels a lot more confident about the chances of sustaining that success. The Bobcats just might if Walker continues to play as he did on Wednesday night. The third-year pro scored a season-high 31 points and the Bobcats handed the turnover-prone Brooklyn Nets their sixth loss in their past seven games 95-91. The win lifts the Bobcats to 6-6 on the season. They started 7-5 last season under former coach Mike Dunlap before losing 18 straight games and finishing 21-61, the second-worst record in the league. Dunlap was fired. This season, the Bobcats are finding success despite playing nine games without their best player, centre Al Jefferson, who has been in and out of the lineup with an ankle injury. "We are capable of a lot and being really, really good," Walker said. "We just have to be more consistent. Al is definitely going to help us a lot because he draws a lot of attention. "If I can keep on having nights like this when he comes back it will be great for us. With Gerald (Henderson) and Ramon (Sessions) and our other role players I think well be a tough team to play against every night." New coach Steve Clifford believes the Bobcats havent started to tap their potential and believes the good start isnt a mirage. "Were defending and rebounding," Clifford said. "We have yet to play any sustained time with our best offensive player. Were playing younger guys so there is a lot of room for improvement." Clifford said he hopes to have Jefferson back for Friday nights game against Phoenix. The Nets, meanwhile, arent so sure about when Deron Williams will return to the court after he sprained his ankle in the second quarter when he landed on Walkers foot and his foot twisted inward. He fell to the floor in pain, holding his ankle. He did not return to the game and finished with four points and two assists in 14 minutes. "We dont know how long hes going to be out but, hopefully its a speedy recovery," Nets coach Jason Kidd said. Walker finished 12 of 20 from the field and knocked down four 3-pointers as the Bobcats snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Nets. The Bobcats nearly lost a 10-point lead with less than three minutes, but Walker hit two free throws with 6.1 seconds left to seal the win. Walker said hes been spending more time in the gym working on his jump shot and it paid off getting back to the basics. "Lately I have been taking a lot of off-balanced shots and making it tough for myself," Walker said. The Bobcats outscored the Nets 52-34 in the paint. "We were just being aggressive and took whatever they gave us," Walker said. "There were a lot of open lanes and we took them and were able to score." With owner Michael Jordan sitting on the end of the bench, the Bobcats started the second half with a 15-1 run to take control of the game. Walker had eight points during the stretch. The Bobcats led 53-50 at halftime behind 58 per cent shooting from the floor. Walker led the way with 14 points on 6 of 9 shooting. Andray Blatche led the Nets with a season-high 25 points while Joe Johnson added 19. However, the Nets had 18 turnovers and fell to 3-8. "Fifty-two points in the paint is unacceptable," Blatche said. "Thirty-plus points in a quarter is unacceptable. Its our song all season. We keep saying its early, but until we buckle down on defence, its going to be the same results. Weve got to take pride because its embarrassing. Its real embarrassing." Said Kidd: "The defence is something that weve got to get better at. Its something that we were working on the preseason and was something we thought coming into the season we could hold our hat on." Charlotte continues to play good defence, holding its opponent to under 100 points for the ninth time in 12 games. NOTES: Gerald Henderson scored 13 points and finished in double digits for the 10th time this season. ... Nets guard Alan Anderson had a season-high 16 points. ... The Bobcats are 6-1 in games decided by six points or fewer. http://www.germanynationalshop.com/Jonas-Hector-Ge...ny-Jers ey/ .ca. Kerry, Just watched the shootout in the Coyotes/Leafs game and I have to ask, why was the James van Riemsdyk goal allowed to count? All of the video replays we were shown on TV were inconclusive about whether the puck had entirely crossed the line or not. http://www.germanynationalshop.com/Bernd-Leno-Germ...ny-Jers ey/ . -- Five former Kansas City Chiefs players who were on the team between 1987 and 1993 filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming the team hid and even lied about the risks of head injuries during that time period when there was no collective bargaining agreement in place in the NFL. http://www.germanynationalshop.com/Emre-Can-Germany-Jersey/ . Thousands of Southern California fans enveloped the Trojans to celebrate an improbable win secured by an interim coach, an inconsistent kicker and a thin defence that wouldnt break. http://www.germanynationalshop.com/Julian-Weigl-Ge...ny-Jers ey/ . Irving scored 23 points, Tristan Thompson had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Cavaliers beat the Denver Nuggets 117-109 on Friday night. http://www.germanynationalshop.com/Antonio-R%C3%BC...ny-Jers ey/ . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. From Pierre LeBrun While Anaheim GM Bob Murray said earlier this season he was not going to trade Jonas Hiller despite the fact hes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, some sources have told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun that Murray might be willing to move another goalie.BUFFALO, N.Y. -- James van Riemsdyk had at least one point on his stick with 44 seconds left. With plenty of net to shoot at, the Toronto Maple Leafs winger-turned-centre wouldve scored had it not been for Buffalo Sabres defenceman Christian Ehrhoff getting in the way. Van Riemsdyk was left to shake his head as offensive production continued to desert the Leafs in a 3-1 loss Friday night at First Niagara Center. "That was a heck of a play by him. He made a good read and sacrificed his body for it," van Riemsdyk said. "I guess we are not getting those bounces right now, but weve got to keep fighting for it." The Leafs did plenty of fighting on an emotional night in Buffalo that marked the start of the Pat LaFontaine era as president of hockey operations and Ted Nolans return as coach after a 16-year break. They outshot an opponent for just the third time all season and the first time since Oct. 5, but Marcus Folignos goal stood up as the game-winner. Coach Randy Carlyle and goaltender Jonathan Bernier pointed to losing the special-teams battle as the reason for the loss. Steve Ott scored on the power play for the Sabres, while the Leafs went 0-for-3 to fall to 2-for-12 on the power play in their past five games. Its no coincidence theyre 1-3 in that time and that the one victory came in a shootout, but theres more to these offensive woes. The Leafs have just four goals in their past four games, and just two at even strength after Trevor Smith scored in Buffalo. "Were just not getting the results," Carlyle said. "Weve had chances, we had glorious opportunities. Its just that right now were squeezing the sticks or were getting hit in the shaft or players making a big stop." The biggest stop came when Ehrhoff got in the way of van Riemsdyks shot, which couldve been his first since moving to centre after Dave Bollands injury in Vancouver on Nov. 2. Tyler Bozaks long-standing hamstring injury already tested the Leafs depth down the middle, and Nazem Kadris three-game suspension for elbowing Minnesota Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom compounded the problem. Smith, called up from the AHLs Marlies to replace Kadri in the lineup, scored his second goal of the season on his fifth shot in the second period. It wasnt the prettiest goal, but it was something. "I just tried to get it off as quick as I can," Smith said. "I think it hit a D-man in front and went in, but well take em where we can get em." The Leafs will take it, but theyd also benefit from their top offensive players scoring. Joffrey Lupul, Mason Raymond and Phil Kessel each scored once in the previous three games, but it has proven to be not nearly enough. "Its a long season, theres ebbs and flows a bit," van Riemsdyk said. "Were going to keep with the same approach: just getting a lot of pucks to the net. Were getting some good chances, weve just got to start burying them." Meanwhile, the Leafs have been counting on their goaltending to keep them in games..dddddddddddd The crossbar helped Bernier a bit as he struggled to track the puck. "It was a tough game for me," said Bernier, who made 24 saves on 26 shots. "They tipped a lot of pucks, especially in the first, and they had a lot of presence up front. They played well. They worked really hard and they kept it simple." Perhaps that could serve as a blueprint for the Leafs, starting Saturday when they host the Sabres at Air Canada Centre. Carlyle liked his teams effort and worth ethic on the road, but he lamented a lack of second opportunities. "The one thing that we could do is we could shoot the puck," Carlyle said. "Put the puck towards the net and drive people towards the net. Shoot the puck. Dont try to be so fine. It seems like were trying to pick the top corners, theyre trying to pick spots where we should be just concentrating on quicker release, get pucks directed at the net, have that second and third opportunity. And I think wed be rewarded." Van Riemsdyk shouldve been rewarded in the games final minute. With Bernier off for an extra attacker, the Leafs got their best chance of the night with goaltender Ryan Miller likely unable to get over in time. Foligno called Ehrhoffs block "something special." "It was just desperation," Ehrhoff said. "I know (Miller) was just on the other side of the net and the puck came out to van Riemsdyk and I just tried to make myself as big as I can, and I got the save." Just 12 seconds later Ehrhoff iced the game by scoring an empty-netter from his own goal line. "It brings a smile to my face," Miller said. "Christian Ehrhoff had the play of the game and saved our butts and then he put it away. It was a great turn of events there to watch him make that play on the back side, have great awareness to find it and help me out then get it down the ice and split the uprights." The Sabres gave Nolan his first NHL head-coaching victory since 2008 and first behind the bench for Buffalo since 1997. "You know what? I cant even put it into words," he said. "It was one of those games where you didnt know where this type of day would ever happen again. It was really very emotional. Ill have a good cry after everybody leaves." Bernier believed the Leafs deserved "a better fate" than a regulation loss, but Carlyle doesnt want his players crying about falling short against the Sabres. "We cant get down on what happened tonight," Carlyle said. "They dont feel very good about themselves, but its about results-oriented and thats what happens. But I thought our work ethic was strong, we did a lot of good things in the hockey game and were going to have to continue to work on that." Notes -- Rookie defenceman Morgan Rielly was a healthy scratch for the second time in three games and fourth time this season. When he played Wednesday at the Minnesota Wild, the Leafs dressed seven defencemen. ... Folignos goal was his seventh point in seven career games against Toronto. Cheap China Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China China NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China ' ' '
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