20.04.2016, 03:28
SACRAMENTO, Calif. Nike Air Max 2016 Uomo Nere/Bianche/Rosa/Jade Scarpe . -- Even against the Western Conferences worst teams, nothing is coming easy for the New York Knicks right now. Carmelo Anthony scored 36 points, J.R. Smith tied a franchise-record with nine 3-pointers and the Knicks held off a furious rally to beat the Sacramento Kings 107-99 Wednesday night and move a game closer to the final playoff seed. "We needed all of them, Ill tell you that," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said, shaking his head in relief. A night after a lacklustre 127-96 loss at the Los Angeles Lakers, the Knicks avoided a monumental collapse to another of the leagues cellar-dwellers. New York led by 24 in the third quarter before Sacramento surged back, and the Knicks needed a scintillating shooting performance from its leading men to snap a two-game skid. Smith scored 29 points on 10-for-19 shooting, including 9 for 12 from long distance. Anthony shot 12 for 21 from the floor and 5 of 8 from beyond the arc. "That was big time," Anthony said. New York (30-42) is two games behind Atlanta for the final playoff spot in the weak Eastern Conference after the Hawks (31-39) lost 107-83 to Minnesota. DeMarcus Cousins had 32 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists to carry the Kings, who played without injured point guard Isaiah Thomas (bruised right quadriceps). Ray McCallum made his first start in Thomas place alongside fellow rookie Ben McLemore, and the two shook off a slow start to bring the Kings back. McCallum had 10 points, six rebounds and five assists. McLemore scored 16. But New York outshot Sacramento 54.8 per cent to 47.8 per cent and finished 15 for 26 from 3-point range. "The 3-point line killed us," Kings coach Michael Malone said. "You have J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony, thats going to be tough to beat." About the only thing that kept the Kings close most of the night-- besides Cousins -- was free throws. Sacramento shot 27 for 35 on free throws, while New York finished 12 for 13. Sacramento scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter and finished with a flurry of highlights to give the Knicks a scare. Cousins three-point play over Amare Stoudemire trimmed New Yorks lead to 96-94 with 4:30 remaining, sending most of the announced crowd of 15,494 roaring to their feet. Smith answered with a 3-pointer, and Tyson Chandler came back with a dunk to put the Knicks up 101-94. After McCallum made two free throws, Anthonys 15-footer with 1:36 to play sent a cluster of fans to the exits, and the rest soon followed. "We know what they wanted to do," Cousins said, "but we have to go out there and execute." The Knicks already assured themselves of a losing season with an embarrassing loss in Los Angeles on Tuesday night with new team president Phil Jackson in attendance. The former Lakers coach, a longtime nemesis of Kings fans, was nowhere to be found in Sacramento on this night. Not that the Knicks shouldve needed Jacksons presence to get by a rebuilding Kings team that is far from the franchise he often led the Lakers past in the playoffs during Sacramentos glory years. New York took control in the second quarter with 20-6 run highlighted by defence and dunks. Chandler capped the spurt with an alley-oop from Smith that put the Knicks up 54-38. Anthony added two 3-pointers to extend New Yorks lead to 74-50 with 6:17 remaining in the third quarter, slapping his headband with his fingers as he backpedaled on defence each time. Smith squashed Sacramentos final rally by making all three of his 3-point attempts in the fourth, moving the Knicks playoffs hopes back in the right direction. "Ive been to (the playoffs) the last four or five years now, and to be home watching it on TV is not going to be any fun," Woodson said. "So Im desperately pushing these guys to try and get em in there, because then a new season starts and anything is possible." NOTES: The teams split the two-game season series, with each winning on the others home floor. ... The last time the Kings started rookies in the backcourt was when Isaiah Thomas and Jimmer Fredette started in a loss to Houston on April 8, 2012. ... New Yorks five-game road trip resumes Friday at Phoenix. ... Sacramento begins a three-game trip at Oklahoma City on Friday. Nike Air Max 90 Outlet Italia .S. captain Tom Watson went with experience and a gut feeling Tuesday night when he filled out his Ryder Cup team with Keegan Bradley, Hunter Mahan and Webb Simpson. Air Max 1 Nere . Rangers manager Ron Washington decided to give his closer one more day of rest after a long week, and Matt Harrison had already done most of the heavy lifting to put Texas in position for another victory. PARIS -- Striker Olivier Giroud scored twice and winger Mathieu Valbuena set up three goals as France began its World Cup preparation in fine style with a 4-0 win against Norway on Tuesday. Paul Pogba headed France into the lead in the 15th minute and, after Frances performance had dropped in intensity, Giroud got things going early in the second half with an expertly-taken goal. Substitute Loic Remy scored shortly after he coming on, and Giroud rounded off a good night for coach Didier Deschamps team with a glancing header. France plays Paraguay on Sunday and then takes on Jamaica in its final friendly match on June 8 before heading to Brazil. "We played with a lot of intensity and determination, which is very positive," Deschamps said. "Were not ready (for the World Cup) yet, but you can sense that there is a collective determination in this side." Les Bleus have been drawn in Group E and will face Ecuador, Honduras and Switzerland. "Its about getting players used to our system, players who may play in a slightly different way for their clubs," Deschamps said, looking ahead to the next two matches. Deschamps rested striker Karim Benzema, winger Franck Ribery and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, with Stephane Ruffier making his second appearance in goal for France. Norway goalkeeper Orjan Haskjold Nyland wwas busy from the start. Nike Air Max 2016 Rosse. He tipped over Antoine Griezmanns header from Valbuenas freekick and then made a brilliant point-blank stop from Girouds header from the resulting corner. Griezmanns glancing header flew past him --and the post -- moments later. The fourth headed chance went in, however, as Pogba arched backward to guide in Valbuenas cross from the left. Griezmann looked lively and almost created a goal for Giroud near the end of the first half, cutting the ball back a fraction behind the Arsenal forward, and Ruffier kept out an effort from right back Tom Hogli as Norway went close in the 43rd with a race chance. Giroud made it 2-0 in the 51st, taking down a high ball from Valbuena and cutting inside defender Martin Linnes in one smooth movement before flicking a rising shot into the top corner. Frances third goal saw right back Mathieu Debuchy releasing his Newcastle teammate Remy with a defence-splitting pass, and Remy giving Nyland no chance with a confident low finish in the 67th. Two minutes later, Giroud headed in Valbuenas floating cross from the left for his seventh international goal. "Valbuena has been very good for us over the past two years," Deschamps said. "He plays with a smile on his face." France could have scored more, but Nyland denied Remy three times.