PHILADELPHIA -- Paul Millsap is headed to his first NBA All-Star Game. And the Atlanta Hawks could be headed for a prime seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Especially if Millsaps teammates continue to contribute like they did Friday night. Mike Scott and Elton Brand scored 18 points apiece to lead seven Hawks in double figures and Atlanta routed the Philadelphia 76ers 125-99. DeMarre Carroll contributed 13, Paul Millsap, Jeff Teague and Lou Williams had 12 apiece, and Kyle Korver added 11 for the Hawks, who moved within eight games of the Miami Heat for first place in the Southeast Division. "Guys have to be ready," said Brand, who added eight rebounds. "You never know when your name is going to be called." Millsap learned on Thursday that he had been named to his first NBA All-Star Game in his eight-year career. He spent the first seven seasons with the Utah Jazz and signed with the Hawks as a free agent last July. Millsap, who will be a reserve for the Eastern Conference All-Stars next month in New Orleans, received plenty of help against the Sixers. "Hes been one guy weve leaned on heavily this year," Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. Teague was a game-time decision with a sprained left ankle and he responded with a productive start. "Weve been happy with Jeff," Budenholzer said. "He set a tone early. I thought he was attacking the basket." Thaddeus Young scored 29 points, Michael Carter-Williams added 17 and Elliot Williams had 15 for the Sixers, who have dropped 11 of their last 13 home games, including five straight. The Sixers, now 8-16 at home, havent lost five in a row at home since the 2009-10 season. "It was the poorest performance of our season tonight," Sixers coach Brett Brown said. "The effort wasnt there." Atlanta led 27-21 after the first quarter and took advantage of 10 Philadelphia turnovers, a season high for any quarter. After going into the locker room with a 64-52 advantage at the break, the Hawks blitzed the Sixers for 38 points in the third quarter to take a 102-75 lead and prompt a chorus of boos from Sixers fans. "We had a lot of turnovers and that was the biggest thing," Young said. "Just too many turnovers." Before the game, Brown praised the Hawks ball movement and the fluidity of their offence. Atlantas precision was evident as it had 36 assists on 45 made field goals. NOTES: Korver hit a 3-pointer with 6:10 left in the first quarter, extending his streak to 114 straight games with at least one, an ongoing NBA record. . Sixers C Spencer Hawes was whistled for a technical foul with 8:17 remaining in the first. G Evan Turner also picked up a technical 49 seconds into the third . Millsap had five steals in the first half . The Sixers committed 15 turnovers in the first half. . I suppose Sternberg has earned the right to speak out since his Rays, despite one of the lowest payrolls in the Majors at $58 million, are entering the final weekend of the regular season holding down the first Wild Card spot in the American League, one game ahead of Cleveland and two up on Texas. . That Ginette Reno can sing.
http://www.officialcapitalsfanstore.com ... ls-jersey/. -- Mike Shanahan gave Robert Griffin III a rest, and may have turned up the pressure on himself, too. . -- The Sacramento Kings have signed first-round pick Nik Stauskas to his rookie contract. .Y. -- Major League Soccer has agreed to new measures to protect gay players from discrimination and harassment as a result of meetings with New Yorks attorney general.TORONTO - After an uneven performance at the Americas Rugby Championship, a reinforced Canadian squad looks to take it up a notch on its November tour of Europe.The Canadian men open Nov. 2 in Leicester, England, against an RFU Championship XV, an all-star squad from Englands second tier. Then there are Test matches against Namibia in Colwyn Bay, Wales, on Nov. 7, Samoa in Vannes, France on Nov. 14, and Romania in Bucharest on Nov. 22.Coach Kieran Crowley has named 33 players for the tour but will have to manage his roster given that the opening contest falls outside the IRB Test window so top clubs do not have to release their players. Crowley will field a non-Test Canada XV squad for that game.Crowley is looking for a step up from the ARC, where a Canada A side finished third with a 1-2-0 record after losses to the U.S. Selects and Argentina Jaguars and a win over a depleted Uruguay side.I was pretty disappointed in our overall performances, Crowley said bluntly from London where he was attending International Rugby Board meetings ahead of the tour. The results werent great. Some of the rugby we played wasnt the best. But it was a good competition. It was a step up for some of our guys and I think their skill level got exposed because of the speed of the game. Argentina and the U.S. had very strong teams there.From a long-term perspective, it certainty showed that there were a couple of players there that have put themselves in contention for World Cup selection now. And there will be a couple probably that were disappointed in their performances.Crowley has been able to summon the likes of captain Tyler Ardron, Jamie Cudmore, DTH van der Merwe, Aaron Carpenter and Hubert Buydens for the November Tests.Buydens is coming off winning the ITM Cup Championship in New Zealand with the Manawatu Turbos in a 32-24 decision over a Hawkes Bay side that featured fellow Canadian prop Jason Marshall. Jake Ilnicki, another prop, has been playing for the NSW County Eagles in Australia.These guys have had outstanding experiences, just showing the fact that when they do get the opportunity that they are up to that level, said Crowley, a former New Zealand All Black.Thats good news for Crowley and scrum coach Mike Shelley with the World Cup roster expanded to 31 with the addition of another prop.The European tour represents a demanding schedule for the 17th-ranked Canadians. No. 9 Samoa, No. 16 Romania and No. 22 Namibia have all qualified for next years World Cup, with Namibia joining Canada in Pool D alongside No. 5 Ireland, No. 7 France, and No. 14 Italy.Its going to be a challenge, particularly with the travel, said Crowley.The RFU Championship XV game could also be a banana skin with a roster reinforced by players on loan from Premiership teams.Crowley will be watching closely, with an eye to World Cup selection.Theres still a number of holes actually. Weve got a few players here that I want to have a look at. Probably foor some of those guys its their last opportunity to really put their foot forward.dddddddddddd At the end of November I will hopefully have a real sense of where were going for next July and that Pacific competition.After the November tour, the Canadians will go to Fiji in March for the Pacific Nations Cup. Canada will also play the U.S. in July.The Canadian tour side will be without the injured Matt Evans, Harry Jones, Phil Mack, Phil Mackenzie, Mike Scholz and Liam Underwood, with Crowley saying some of the omissions are more of a precautionary nature.Former captain Aaron Carpenter will miss the first two games on tour because his wife is expecting.The tour will allow the Canadians to stay at one of their World Cup bases in Leicester.———Canadian Tour SquadTyler Ardron (capt.), Ospreys (Wales), Lakefield, Ont.; Ray Barkwill, Niagara Wasps RFC, Niagara Falls, Ont.; Nick Blevins, Calgary Hornets, Calgary; Connor Braid, James Bay AA, Victoria; Brett Buekeboom, Plymouth Albion (England), Lindsay, Ont.; Hubert Buydens, Manawatu Turbos (New Zealand), Saskatoon; Aaron Carpenter, Cornish Pirates RFC, Brantford, Ont.; Jamie Cudmore, ASM Clermont Auvergne (France), Squamish, B.C.; Nanyak Dala, Castaway Wanderers, Regina; Sean Duke, UVIC Vikes, Vancouver; Kyle Gilmour, St. Albert RFC, St. Albert, Alta.; Ryan Hamilton, Capilano RFC, Vancouver; Jeff Hassler, Ospreys (Wales), Okotoks, Alta.; Ciaran Hearn, Castaway Wanderers, Conception Bay South, N.L.; Tyler Hotson, London Scottish RFC (England), Vancouver; Jake Ilnicki, NSW County Eagles (Australia), Williams Lake, B.C.; Jamie Mackenzie, UVIC Vikes, Oakville, Ont.; Jason Marshall, Hawkes Bay Magpies (New Zealand), Vancouver; Gordon McRorie, Calgary Hornets, Calgary; John Moonlight, James Bay AA, Pickering, Ont.; Patrick Parfrey, Swilers RFC, St. Johns, N.L.; Taylor Paris, SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne (France), Barrie, Ont.; Seb Pearson, London St. Georges, London, Ont.; Jon Phelan, Castaway Wanderers, Montreal; James Pritchard, Bedford Blues (England), Parkes, Australia; Jebb Sinclair, London Irish, Fredericton; Richard Thorpe, London Welsh (England), Beckenham, England; Andrew Tiedemann, Plymouth Albion (England), St. Albert, Alta.; Conor Trainor, UBCOB Ravens, Vancouver; DTH van der Merwe, Glasgow Warriors (Scotland), Regina; Sean White, James Bay AA, Victoria; Jordan Wilson-Ross, James Bay AA, Alliston, Ont.; Doug Wooldridge, Lindsay RFC, Lindsay, Ont.Head Coach: Kieran CrowleyManager: Gareth ReesAssistant Coach: Neil BarnesAttack Coach: Scott HansonScrum Coach: Mike ShelleyStrength and Conditioning Coach: Andy EvansPerformance Analyst: Calum Ramsay———ScheduleNov. 2 at Sixways Stadium, Worcester, EnglandCanada XV vs. RFU Championship XVNov. 7 at Parc Eirias, Colwyn Bay, WalesCanada vs. NamibiaNov. 14 at Stade de la Rabine, Vannes, FranceCanada vs. SamoaNov. 22 at Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, BucharestCanada vs. Romania———Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter ' ' '
