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 Geplaatst: 20-12-2019 07:29:17 Onderwerp: e Andrew Whitwor |
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| PHOENIX - The Memphis Grizzlies are back in the playoffs and the upstart Phoenix Suns are staying home. Mike Conley and Zach Randolph made the critical plays in the final 68 seconds and the Grizzlies pulled out a 97-91 victory over Phoenix that clinched the last playoff spot in the West and eliminated the Suns from post-season competition. Randolph scored 32 points to lead the inside power game that was just enough for Memphis to beat the Suns for the fourth time in four games this season. There were 15 lead changes in an intense fourth quarter, with Memphis scoring the final seven after Phoenix took a 91-90 lead on Miles Plumlees tip-in with 1:27 to play. Conley, taking a pass from Randolph, followed with a 3-pointer that put the Grizzlies up 93-91 with 1:08 to go. It was the first go-ahead 3 of Conleys career with two minutes or less remaining in a game. Dragic threw the ball away on Phoenixs next possession and Randolph scored the final two of his 32 points to give Memphis a 95-91 cushion with 47.4 seconds to go. "Its stressful, being in a game that both teams are going back and forth," Conley said. "Every time we made a play, they made a play. Give them credit, they played their hearts out. We were just able to make enough plays down the stretch." Memphis weathered 19 turnovers to win its fourth straight, a streak that began with a win over Miami. "Weve needed every game basically since February it seems like," Conley said. "Weve played every game like a playoff game. Its been fun to be part of a group that comes in and stays focused and to get back in the playoffs. Its huge from where we started off this season." The Grizzlies were 10-15 after a loss to Dallas on Dec. 18. "This is a culmination of not just this week or not just March or April, this is a culmination of everything weve been through since December," first-year Memphis coach David Joerger said. "For these guys, its a happy locker room, a relieved locker room and just a bunch of very proud guys with great chemistry." Mike Miller added 21 points, Marc Gasol 17 and Conley 13 for the Grizzlies, in the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Markieff Morris had 21 points, and Channing Frye scored 14. So did Dragic, playing on a sore ankle. The Grizzlies can move ahead of Dallas for the No. 7 spot with a victory at home over the Mavericks in their regular-season finale Wednesday night. The Suns lost their third straight to come up just short of the playoffs in a remarkable turnaround season under first-year coach Jeff Hornacek, winning 22 more games than a year ago, with one to play, after going 25-57 in 2013. "Its really tough to say something positive right now," Dragic said. "Nobody expected us to play so good. We built some good chemistry with this team. A lot of new faces, a lot of young guys, new coaching staff, new GM, so I think were headed in the right direction. "When you are so close to the playoffs, you always want some little bit more." Phoenix is only the fifth team in NBA history to win 47 games and not make the playoffs. "These are the hardest games to win," Hornacek said, recalling his days as a player. "You have to do everything right. You cant have bad stretches." The last of Millers five 3-pointers — in six attempts — put the Grizzlies 86-85 with 3:10 to go. Miles Plumlee made a 16-footer and Phoenix led 87-86, then Gasol scored on a driving layup and Memphis was on top 88-87 with 2:23 left. Bledsoes 15-footer gave the lead back to Phoenix, then Conley sank a 20-footer, a hint of what was about to come, to make it 90-89 Memphis. Then came Plumlees tip-in and Phoenixs final lead. An early 15-4 run put the Grizzlies up 22-11 and it was 24-14 at the end of the first quarter. Memphis took its biggest lead, 44-31, when Randolph converted a three-point play with 2:54 to play in the second quarter. But the Grizzlies didnt score again in the half. Bledsoe ended the Suns string of eight straight missed 3-pointers and Phoenix scored the final nine points of the half to cut it to 46-42 at the beak. It could have been closer. Bledsoe missed a free throw what could have been a 3-point play and, after a Memphis turnover, P.J. Tucker took an off-balance shot before the halftime buzzer when Bledsoe was wide open for a layup. The Suns run continued in the third quarter, when Phoenix outscored Memphis 11-4 to start the period and took a 53-50 lead on Channing Fryes 16-foooter. Nobody led by more than six points the rest of the quarter, with Tony Allen going coast-to-coast in the final seconds for a layup that tied it at 67 entering the fourth. NOTES: The Suns havent made the playoffs since 2010. ... The Suns conclude their season at Sacramento on Wednesday night. ... Of Memphis potential first-round foes, the Grizzles were 0-4 this season against San Antonio, 1-2 against Oklahoma City. Air Max Plus Clearance . The Brazil defender was substituted 13 minutes into Wednesdays 2-1 Copa del Rey win at Athletic Bilbao because of a right hamstring problem. Scans revealed a second grade tear which could keep him out for a reported four to six weeks. Vapormax Plus White Sale . The Los Angeles Clippers showed them just how ugly that life could be. Jared Dudley scored a season-high 21 points, Chris Paul added 16 points and 17 assists, and the Clippers jumped all over the Bulls in Roses absence for a 121-82 victory Sunday. http://www.airmaxplusstoresale.com/ .C. -- Theyll remember the OT from the first Syracuse-Duke game -- and the Ts that decided Round 2. Air Max Plus 97 Sale . During halftime, Love told The Associated Press he would receive treatment Saturday night and hoped to play Monday night against Houston. "I knew that my quad was bothering me pretty bad so I went out there and tried to move around a little bit and it just wasnt quite right," Love said. Black Tns Sale .The Los Angeles Lakers star passed Michael Jordan for third on the NBAs career scoring list Sunday night in a 100-94 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.CINCINNATI - Jeremy Hill got the ball on Cincinnatis first four plays, setting the Bengals on course for an opening touchdown drive in Cleveland.Hill kept at it all game, running for 148 yards during a 30-0 victory that kept Cincinnati atop the AFC North and left the Bengals one victory away from another playoff appearance.Credit a rookie who has kept them running in front.Jeremy did a great job running the ball, quarterback Andy Dalton said. We need to keep that going.Hill leads all NFL rookies with 877 yards rushing, ranking 11th overall. His latest big game kept the Bengals (9-4-1) a half-game ahead of Pittsburgh and Baltimore. He joined Rudi Johnson as the only Bengals running backs to have three games of at least 148 yards in a season.Hes the first NFL rookie running back with at least three 140-yard games since Cadillac Williams did it with Tampa Bay in 2005.Offensive co-ordinator Hue Jackson has decided to make Hill the featured back the rest of the way, replacing Giovani Bernard as the starter. Theyd been splitting the role during games, but it wasnt working out.Jackson figured that giving Hill most of the carries would help him get into a flow.Its what Ive been accustomed to my whole life, just being the guy and getting the bulk of the carries, Hill said. Anytime I can do that, I can feel the defence out. Its just stuff you cant really do if youre only getting five or six carries.The game on Sunday was significant for the Bengals offence. Cleveland dominated during a 24-3 in Cincinnati on Nov. 6, with the Bengals held to 165 total yards. They went to Cleveland determined to run. They had linemen pulling on various carries.We hit them with a lot of stuff they havent seen before and a lot of stuff we have run over the year, Hill saiid.dddddddddddd It kept them off-balance, and it kept them adjusting.The second-round pick is averaging 5 yards per carry. The last Bengals running back to average that for a season was James Brooks (5.1 yards) in 1990, which is the last season when the Bengals won a playoff game.The one outstanding issue: holding onto the ball. Hill has four fumbles this season, though the Bengals have lost only one of them.Hes got to hold onto the football though, or hell find himself standing by me more often than he wants, coach Marvin Lewis said. We cant have the ball on the ground. Thats important for anyone thats carrying the ball for us.The Bengals host Denver (11-3) and the leagues second-best run defence on Monday night. The Bengals can clinch their fourth straight playoff berth — a franchise record — with a victory. They end the season in Pittsburgh.A team that is known more for Dalton-to-A.J. Green is morphing into one that could be known more for Gio-and-Hill.Honestly, the running game has put us in the situation weve been in and we need to continue to believe in it and let it be a part of who we are, left tackle Andrew Whitworth said. As weve grown throughout the year, the running game has continued to evolve and were getting better at it.In the games weve run it more, weve played really well. I think guys are starting to get more confident in it, like with anything else.Notes: The Bengals will clinch at least a wild card berth with a victory over the Broncos. They would clinch the division title if Pittsburgh and Baltimore both lose as well. ... Linebacker Vincent Rey is the Bengals nominee for the NFLs Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for philanthropy.___Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' ' |
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