Administratoren Bereich » past couple of games, so theyre go

LOS ANGELES -- There was no emotional letdown by the Utah Jazz following their stunning upset of the two-time defending champion Miami Heat over the weekend. The Los Angeles Lakers just didnt have enough healthy front-line players to make that happen. Reserve Alec Burks scored 13 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter and the Jazz sent the injury-riddled Lakers to a franchise record-tying sixth straight home loss, 96-79 on Tuesday night. It was the second time this season that the third-year shooting guard led Utah in scoring during a victory. The other was Jan. 13 against Denver, when they rode his career-high 34 points to a 118-103 triumph at Salt Lake City. "Alec is kind of our Jamal Crawford in some games, and we need him to come in and score for us," Gordon Hayward said. "He brings a lot of energy off the bench, and hes had some really huge games for us this year. We can usually tell from the beginning that when hes active and hes more engaged in the game, hes going to have a good night. "And, tonight, you could tell right away that was going to happen." Hayward scored 15 points and reserve Jeremy Evans had 14 for Utah, which enjoyed a 55-40 rebounding edge. Derrick Favours had 11 points and 10 rebounds. "It was a great effort by the bench and the starters," Burke said. "Everybody played great. Everybody was aggressive and fought hard." Chris Kaman had 25 points and 14 boards for the Lakers, who have dropped nine of 11 overall and 21 of 26 since Dec. 21. The loss to Utah put Los Angeles in 14th place in the Western Conference, a half-game behind the Jazz and a game ahead of last-place Sacramento. Undermined all season by a run of injuries, the Lakers most likely will miss the post-season for only the fifth time since the franchise relocated from Minneapolis to Los Angeles in 1960-61. Five of their top six scorers -- Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Jordan Farmar, Nick Young, Jodie Meeks and Xavier Henry -- are still on the shelf. The only one from that group who played Tuesday was newcomer Kendall Marshall, who had seven points and seven assists. "Its frustrating," Kaman said. "A lot of our guys are just trying to figure out where theyre supposed to be and what theyre supposed to be doing, because weve had so many guys hurt and then come back." Marshall had 20 points and 15 assists against the Jazz on Jan. 3 -- the last time the Lakers won a game at Staples Center. That was the first of his 15 starts at point guard before Steve Nashs return to the starting lineup on Sunday. The 40-year-old Nash made a quick recovery from Sundays loss to Chicago, which he left in the third quarter after getting hit in the his left leg -- the same one that was fractured last season. The two-time MVP, who missed 39 games with a nerve problem in his back before returning to the lineup last week, played 16 1/2 minutes against the Jazz before sitting out the second half. He had two points and two assists. "He wanted to come back in the second half when we had so few guys to play," coach Mike DAntoni said. "We just have to get through this period and get guys back after the All-Star break. Well have three or four guys back then, and that will help." Then there was Steve Blake, who also left the building less than 100 per cent. "My arm got stuck in a screen between two guys and I hyperextended my arm again," said Blake, who recorded his 500th career steal in the fourth quarter. "It hurt, but I wasnt going to sit down. I just played through it." DAntoni used his 26th different starting lineup, with Kaman replacing Robert Sacre at centre and Shawne Williams at power forward instead of Ryan Kelly. Kaman made 11 of 24 shots, after scoring 27 points with a career-high 13 field goals against the Bulls. Williams, who signed a 10-day contract last Thursday after getting waived on Jan. 7, had 11 points in 37 minutes. The Lakers first four baskets of the night came on 3-pointers, but they didnt make another one the rest of the way and finished 4 for 16 behind the arc. "We tried to keep them on the same side, and they werent getting as many looks," Hayward said. "We had our hands up, contested their shots and made them put it on the floor." The Jazz rallied from a 15-point first-quarter deficit to lead 48-37 at halftime as Los Angeles shot 4 for 18 in the second period. Utah wants to keep things going when it hosts Philadelphia on Wednesday night. The 76ers are coming off a 43-point loss to the Warriors, which followed a 45-point drubbing by the Clippers. So this is a golden opportunity for Utah to improve on its 4-10 in the second half of back-to-back sets. "Tomorrows going to be a big game," Hayward said. "Obviously, Philadelphias been beaten pretty handily the past couple of games, so theyre going to come out with something to prove." NOTES: The 1992-93 Lakers lost six consecutive games at the Forum in March of that season under rookie coach Randy Pfund. ... The Jazz are 15-9 when their starting five consists of Hayward, Al Jefferson, Marvin Williams, Favors and Trey Burke. The rest of the time, they are 3-24. ... The 18-34 Lakers have been taken off a nationally scheduled telecast for the third time this season, with ESPN scrapping plans for the Feb. 23 at home against the Brooklyn Nets. Joe Corona Jersey . The Henry Burris-led squad finished second in the East Division before advancing to the Grey Cup where they ultimately fell to the home field advantage wielding Saskatchewan Roughriders. Michael Bradley USA Jersey . Luis Enrique signed the deal with club president Josep Bartomeu two days after it was announced by the club. That was two days after coach Gerardo Martino stepped down when Barcelona finished its first season without a major trophy in six years. http://www.soccerusateamonline.com/Eric-Lichaj-America-Jersey/ . Colton Sissons also scored for Milwaukee (19-12-8), which went ahead with a two-goal third period. Wade MacLeod and Greg McKegg replied for Toronto (23-12-4). Erik Palmer-Brown USA Jersey . Torres scored the first goal by an English team in the knockout phase of the Champions League this season when he met Cezar Azpilicuetas cutback in the ninth minute of their first leg match in the last 16. But Chelsea failed to make the most of its counterattacks and the Turkish champions equalized in the second half after gaining in confidence and cutting out their defensive mistakes. Geoff Cameron USA Jersey . Top-seeded Djokovic, who is making only his second appearance this year after reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, was a 6-3, 6-3 winner over 54th-ranked Istomin of Uzbekistan. "It wasnt as easy as the scoreline indicates," said Djokovic, who has won in Dubai on four occasions.NEW YORK -- One of the greats to wear green, Paul Pierce found it strange playing for the other side. "It was a little weird looking over and seeing all the green uniforms," he said of his first game against the Boston Celtics. "Im used to lining up in the green and white for so long." Pierce made just one basket but grabbed 10 rebounds and added five assists to help the Brooklyn Nets beat the Celtics 82-80 on Tuesday night in the first matchup between the teams since a blockbuster trade on draft night. Brook Lopez scored 20 points and Andrey Blatche had 14 starting in place of Kevin Garnett for the Nets, who won it when Chris Johnson made two free throws with 7.0 seconds left after the game was tied at 80. Pierce finished 1 of 6, his only basket a driving layup with 6.2 seconds left in the first half in the first meeting between the teams since the deal that sent Pierce and Garnett to Brooklyn. Coach Jason Kidd told Pierce to treat it like a green and white scrimmage -- and the white pulled it out. "I thought he handled it well, as any professional would," Kidd said. Courtney Lee led the Celtics with 14 points but missed a potential tying jumper in the final seconds. Pierce was the first Nets starter announced after he was always the last guy called in Boston. Originally shaken by the trade, he seemed to enjoy reminders of his past and cattching up with his old teammates.dddddddddddd. He had a chat with Rajon Rondo by the Celtics bench while the Nets were shooting free throws, and later said something that drew a smile from Avery Bradley after blocking the guards shot. Pierce also visited the Celtics in their locker room before the game to wish them luck this season. "It was weird at first, but its at a point now where people just got to get used to it," Celtics forward Jeff Green said of the trade. Pierce spent 15 years with the Celtics and is second on their career scoring list and was the MVP of the 2008 NBA Finals. He knows he has a lesser role on a deep Nets team, but wont accept that his days as an elite scorer are over. "I still have it in the tank," he said. "When the big games come, I still am more than capable." Garnett didnt play as part of a regularly scheduled night off after the Nets played Monday in Philadelphia. Kidd called it a "reward" for Garnetts good work during the preseason, though Garnett has already made it clear he doesnt want nights off. The Nets were also without Deron Williams, who remains out with a sprained right ankle, and key reserves Andrei Kirilenko (back spasms) and Jason Terry (left knee), who was also part of the trade. The Nets host the Miami Heat on Thursday night. They will retire Kidds No. 5 before the game. ' ' '