PHILADELPHIA -- Steve Nash celebrated his 40th birthday with a vintage performance. Nash scored a season-high 19 points and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Philadelphia 76ers 112-98 Friday night. Wesley Johnson and Chris Kaman each scored 17 and six Lakers finished with double-digit points. Nash, the oldest player in the NBA, played like the guy who was a two-time NBA MVP a decade ago. He had five assists, four rebounds and shot 8 for 15 in just his eighth game of the season. "I thought I could play well, I could contribute," he said. "At this point, I dont take anything for granted. Its a grind for me to get ready to play every day. Im just thrilled I can move out there without restriction and help my team." In a way, Nash also helped his opponent by putting on a clinic for the younger guys. "Hes a great player, always under control, uses his screens well. I can learn a lot from him," Sixers rookie point guard Michael Carter-Williams said. Tony Wroten scored 16 and Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes each had 15 for Philadelphia, which lost its fifth straight game, seventh in a row at home and 15th of 18 overall. "It appears we play better on the road," Sixers coach Brett Brown said. "Everybody wants to do better in our city, in front of our fans." The Lakers won their second straight game after losing seven in a row. A pair of once-proud franchises that last met in the NBA Finals in 2001, both teams are headed for the draft lottery this season. The Sixers own the leagues third-worst record while the Lakers came in tied for seventh-worst. The Sixers led the entire first half, going up by as many as nine points a few times. Blake hit consecutive 3s for the Lakers to cut it to 64-61 at halftime. The Lakers took their first lead, 68-67, in the third on Sacres dunk. They were up 87-82 when Wroten sank a 62-footer at the buzzer. It was his second shot beyond half court in two games. He made a 58-footer to end the third in a loss to Boston on Wednesday. Los Angeles pulled away early in the fourth. Kaman and Jordan Hill combined for all the points in a 10-0 run that put the Lakers up 101-90 and the Sixers never recovered. "It feels great to get two wins in a row," Kaman said. "This was satisfying because it was a total team effort. Steve Nash was amazing. Hes incredible to do what he does at age 40. Hes a true professional and were lucky to have him." After finishing Wednesdays win at Cleveland with four healthy players and a guy who fouled out, the Lakers had nine active players against the Sixers. Coach Mike DAntoni used a little-known NBA rule to keep Robert Sacre on the court after he fouled out against the Cavaliers. They didnt need any help in Philadelphia. Nash was enough. "Youre around him and you marvel at what he does," DAntoni said of Nash. "The way he works every day, you watch his speed and hes about the same speed he was at 30 years old. Hes not real blinding, but he knows how to play. He plays a little bit, hell get his legs and hell start knocking more shots down." NOTES: The seven straight losses at home are Philadelphias longest since 1996-97 season. ... Nash was MVP in 2004-05 and 2005-06 with Phoenix. ... The last 40-year-old to score 19 points in a game was also a Laker. Karl Malone had 20 for Los Angeles against Houston on April 1, 2004. ... Lakers guard Kendall Marshall had 10 assists in 20 minutes. The last Laker to do have that many assists in 20 or less minutes was Magic Johnson on March 30, 1989. . Team officials did not indicate the extent of the injury Saturday, simply listing Rose with "left knee soreness." Rose has played two preseason games without any sign of problems. The first NBA game in South America now will be missing its biggest star. .com) - Eric Fehrs goal 42 seconds into overtime lifted the Washington Capitals to a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over Columbus, halting the Blue Jackets seven-game win streak.
http://www.cheapraptorsjerseysauthentic ... aka-jersey. Alexander was released last week by the Edmonton Eskimos, where he spent the past three seasons at safety. He had 121 defensive tackles, five special teams tackles and seven interceptions in 51 regular-season and three playoff games. . -- Southern Illinois coach Barry Hinson couldnt hear himself amid the roar in Koch Arena, so he kept stomping on the floor in a fruitless attempt to get his teams attention. . Malone will become an unrestricted free-agent and as per the collective bargaining agreement, the Lightning will be responsible for two-thirds of the remainder of his contract over twice the length of the rest of the deal.CLEVELAND -- As long as hes Miamis quarterback, Ryan Tannehill will play in Dan Marinos shadow. Someday, he hopes to cast his own. Tannehill, surrounded by more offensive weapons in his second NFL season, passed for 272 yards and a touchdown, leading the Dolphins to a 23-10 win on Sunday over the Cleveland Browns, who lost their ninth straight opener and fell to 1-14 in Week 1 since 1999. Tannehill threw a 34-yard TD pass to Brian Hartline in the third quarter, and completed 6 of 7 passes for 78 yards on the Dolphins game-clinching TD drive in the fourth. "Any quarterbacks job is to get the ball in the end zone," Tannehill said, downplaying his role in a win where Miami had several stars. Daniel Thomas had a 1-yard scoring plunge with 6:48 left, putting the Dolphins up by 10, and Miami then handed it over to a defence that recorded six sacks and pummeled quarterback Brandon Weeden from start to finish. Defensive end Cameron Wake had 2 1/2 sacks and Dimitri Patterson had two of the Dolphins three interceptions. Its only one win. But for the Dolphins, who have had four consecutive losing seasons, its a big step. "If youre the same team you are Week 1 that you are Week 17, 16, then youre not making very good strides, youre probably not a post-season team," said Hartline, who had nine catches for 114 yards. "Were hoping to grow." Tannehill went 7-9 as a starter during an up-and-down rookie season (12 touchdowns, 13 interceptions), but the former first-round pick showed the Dolphins enough promise that they invested more in his future. The club signed free-agent wide receiver Mike Wallace and Brandon Gibson, and re-signed Hartline to a five-year, $30 million contract. The first game of his second season couldnt have gone much better for Tannehill, but coach Joe Philbin was cautious with his praise. "First glance, I thought he played pretty well," Philbin offered. For the Browns, coach Rob Chudzinskis opener was like so many previous ones. Cleveland hasnt won its first home game since 2004, and despite some renewed energy with the addition of better players, the Browns havent changed. Weeden finished 26 of 53 for 289 yards and one TD, but he was plagued by several drops and his offensive line was manhandled. "Its not the way we drew it up," Weeden said. "Were all going to learn from this. Theres no reason to point any fingers." Rookie Caleb Sturgis kicked field goals of 49, 45 and 36 yards for the Dolphins, who were leading 13-10 when Tannehill took the Dolphins 85 yards to set up Thomas short TD. Tannehill opened the drive with completionns of 24 yards to Gordon and 16 to Hartline.dddddddddddd Tannehill moved the Dolphins down the field without once hooking up with Wallace, who had just one catch for 15 yards and didnt want to discuss his performance with reporters afterward. "Ask coach," said Wallace, who signed a five-year, $60 million deal with the Dolphins in March after four seasons with Pittsburgh. Tannehill didnt get any boost from Miamis running game as the Dolphins were held to 20 yards on 23 carries. "Thats not a good way to live in the NFL, youve gotta have balance," Philbin said. "Obviously we did not have that." Weeden was missing top wide receiver Josh Gordon, who is suspended for the first two games for violating the leagues drug policy. Gordon would have helped some, but the Browns also hurt themselves with nine penalties and couldnt get running back Trent Richardson away from Miamis tacklers. He had 47 yards on 13 carries, but none in the fourth. "Its just the first game," Richardson said, trying to point out a positive after the disappointing loss. "Dont get it wrong. Were going to come back and play hard. This season aint over with." Tannehill connected with Hartline in the third quarter to give the Dolphins a 13-7 lead. Three plays after Browns safety T.J. Ward dropped a possible interception in the end zone, Tannehill waited for Hartline to run a double move and get past cornerback Buster Skrine before hitting his wide receiver in stride down the left sideline. Weeden and the Browns offence overcame a bizarre, ugly first half -- five penalties, three interceptions -- to somehow lead 7-6 at halftime. With 28 seconds left, Weeden hit a leaping Jordan Cameron in the back of the end zone for Clevelands lone TD, a score that brought a fist pump from Chudzinski, a lifelong Browns fan who landed his dream job and knows he has a lot of work to do with one of the leagues youngest teams. "A disappointing game and a tough start," Chudzinski said. "Theres a lot of football left to be played this season." NOTES: Dolphins rookie DE Dion Jordan picked up his first sack with 1:55 left, his only tackle. .... It was Wake 10th career multi-sack game. His 43 sacks entering this season were the most by a Dolphins player in their first four years. He had 15 sacks last season. .... Thomas led Miamis rushers with 14 yards on eight carries. ... Miami has only won two openers since 2005. ... Tannehill had three interceptions in last seasons opener, a 30-10 loss to Houston. .... Patterson left in the second half with a groin injury and didnt return. ' ' '
