Knicks President Phil Jackson was expecting a decision from Carmelo Anthony on Thursday. "But I expected one yesterday and the day before yesterday," Jackson said. "But no, were waiting." And hoping. Jackson said he was still expecting good news, although he said he hadnt heard from Anthony since meeting with him a week earlier. Speaking to reporters at the Knicks summer league practice in Las Vegas, Jackson said he has texted Anthony a couple of times since then, but hasnt gotten a response. But he felt confident about keeping the All-Star forward after their last discussion. "I felt really good about my conversation with Carmelo. We really struck a chord," Jackson said. "The two of us, I think feel really passionately about what were trying to get accomplished. Its his ability to stay, be patient, lead and watch us develop a winner." The Knicks offered Anthony a maximum level contract, worth nearly $130 million over five years, at their meeting in Los Angeles. Anthony had previously met with Chicago, Houston, Dallas and the Lakers. Jackson added that he had made perhaps five contract proposals to Anthony. He has said he hopes the NBAs leading scorer in 2012-13 would be open to taking less than the max to allow for more future spending flexibility. Jackson also confirmed that he had reached out to one of his former players, Pau Gasol. The Lakers star is a free agent and Jackson is interested, even while acknowledging the Knicks have far less money to offer than Gasol is worth. But Jackson is trying to pitch him on the value of being in New York, even noting the importance to the Spaniard of being in the same city as the United Nations. "He knows what he has here and what is possible and I think hed like to play with Carmelo and I think hed like to play for a winner," Jackson said. "And we cant guarantee that but with him, wed guarantee a much better chance." .Y. -- Cory Schneider has to make the most of his opportunities to guard the New Jersey Devils net to earn more playing time. . -- Two out of three aint bad.
http://www.airmaxbelgique.be/.com) - Mike Conley scored 20 points with five assists to help the Memphis Grizzlies remain unbeaten with a 91-89 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday. . Omar Rahou made the discriminatory gesture several times while celebrating scoring a goal against Romania at Antwerp in January, UEFA said. The sanction was double the five-match ban Nicolas Anelka received from an English Football Association independent tribunal last week for the same act. . Dallas also Monday recalled defenceman Aaron Rome from his conditioning assignment with the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League and assigned goaltender Jack Campbell to the AHL squad.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Anaheim Ducks will try to take the Western Conference semifinals on Wednesday by recording a fourth straight win over the Los Angeles Kings in Game 6 from Staples Center. You can watch the game live on TSN and TSN GO at 9:30pm et/6:30pm pt. Anaheim lost the first two games of this best-of-seven series on home ice, but has since rattled off three consecutive victories to grab a 3-2 advantage over the Kings. The Ducks became the first home team to win a game in this series when it notched a 4-3 win in Mondays Game 5 encounter in Orange County. The Kings, however, are unbeaten in elimination games this spring. L.A. won four in a row to beat San Jose in the opening round after dropping the first three games of that set, becoming the fourth club in NHL history to win a series after falling behind 3-0. The emergence of John Gibson has been the big story over the last two games, as the Ducks rookie goaltender is 2-0 with a 1.50 goals against average and .957 save percentage since getting the surprise start in Game 4. The 20-year- old posted a 28-save shutout in his postseason debut in Game 4 at Los Angeles and stopped 39-of-42 shots in Mondays close victory. "I think I got tested more," said Gibson after Game 5. "I got more shots, and the guys did a really good job in front of me again. Thats why were winning." Devante Smith-Pelly scored twice on Monday to help move Anaheim one victory away from its first appearance in the conference finals since 2007, when the team won its only Stanley CCup title.dddddddddddd "Its huge. Thats a pretty good team over there and we dont want to give them too many chances to get off the mat," said Smith-Pelly about the upcoming game. "Were going to be ready for that game, for sure." Nick Bonino and Jakob Silfverberg also scored goals for the Ducks, who won the Pacific Division title this year before beating the Dallas Stars in the opening round. Ducks forward Mathieu Perreault returned Monday from a one-game absence due to a lower-body injury. He assisted on one of Smith-Pelleys goals and has five points (2G, 3A) in nine postseason games this spring. Fellow forward Matt Beleskey has missed the last two games for Anaheim with a lower-body injury and is questionable for Game 6. Marian Gaborik lit the lamp twice in the loss and Trevor Lewis added the other goal for the Kings. Jonathan Quick give up all four goals on 24 shots in the loss. "Now we have to go home and win a home game," said Los Angeles forward Anze Kopitar. "Thats the bottom line. There is no secret to it. We want to come back here and give us a chance." Gaborik leads all players with eight goals in the playoffs, while Kopitar has 16 points for the top spot in the postseason The Kings, the 2012 Stanley Cup champions, are attempting to make the conference final round for a third straight spring. This series, which has been dubbed the "Freeway Faceoff," is the first playoff matchup between these Southern California rivals. ' ' '
