ekansekans's blog: "df"

ORLANDO, Fla. -- If the Chicago Bulls are going to make a run at an NBA championship this season, they will need a healthy Derrick Rose to do it. For now, though, they continue to find a way to beat the top teams in the Eastern Conference without their most indispensable star. With the reigning MVP out nursing a sore groin for the fourth straight game, Roses teammates used a smothering defence and capitalized on a plethora of Orlando Magic turnovers in an 85-59 victory Monday night. Carlos Boozer picked up the scoring slack with 24 points and 13 rebounds -- his third 20-point scoring effort against the Magic this season -- and John Lucas added 20 points off the bench in just 21 minutes of action to lead the Bulls. "The real story honestly is our defence," said Boozer, whose team has beaten their next three chasers in the Eastern Conference in the past six days. "Our defence was ... that was probably one of the best performances weve had this season. "It was fitting because they kicked our butt in Chicago, (and) got a big win. For us to come back and do this ... its a big win for us." The Bulls defence was indeed the thing to marvel at Monday, with the 59 points they surrendered setting a new franchise record for fewest regular-season points allowed. It was also a milestone night for Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau, who became the fastest coach in NBA history to earn 100 career victories. Thibodeau did it in just 130 games, one game faster than Avery Johnson when he set the previous standard in 2006. "We had a lot a of guys step up," Thibodeau said. "We caught a break. They played last night in a tough game. Were fresh, so we had an advantage there and they missed some shots they normally make." The Bulls won for the fifth time in six games. They also improved to 3-1 over the past four games playing without Rose, who continued to nurse a sore groin. Thibodeau gave credit to his "great players" for his coaching record, and they gave it back to him. "He puts the work in and the time in and it shows," Lucas said. "Hes still a student of the game of basketball and hes always learning something. ... When you have a coach like that, youre going to be successful." Dwight Howard had 18 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Magic, who had 19 turnovers. Orlando had 11 in the first half, just two in the third quarter, but six more in the final 12 minutes. The Magic have lost three of their last four since posting a three-game win streak. Theyve also now gone six straight quarters without scoring at least 20 points. Turnovers were a factor in the Magics loss to the Bulls in early January and they again played a huge role Monday as Orlandos miscues yielded 25 of Chicagos points. By comparison, the Bulls 16 turnovers only led to seven points for the Magic. Orlando trailed by double-digits for most of the second half, before cutting a 15-point Bulls first-half lead to 12 entering the fourth quarter as its early turnover issues began to subside. The Bulls offence was steady down the stretch, though, and Joakim Noahs three-point play on a two-handed dunk over Glen Davis with 6:54 to play in the game put them up 72-52 to end any comeback hope. "When you play the way we played tonight, this is a team-wide thing," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "Ive got to take responsibility." Van Gundy said there isnt one singular issue ailing his team right now. "I mean, its everything," he said. "I really need to take a look at when were playing back-to-back games, and were just not creating any shots. Obviously, we played Chicago 11 days ago and we were able to create shots. We played Miami and we were able to create shots. This is clearly not satisfactory." As for where the Magic can go from here, Davis said there is still much gelling to do on the court. "If we want to win we all have to buy in -- me, the team, the most important guy all the way to the least important guy," Davis said. "Consistency (is whats lacking). Sometimes we get bored with the journey and just play to the level that we need to. "You saw a team out there playing without their biggest star and did what they needed to do to win. They beat us with no problem. I wish they would have had Derrick Rose, in a sense." Notes: Rose missed his 14th game of the season after sitting just six games in his first three NBA seasons combined. He appeared in 81 regular-season games in two of those seasons. His status continues to be day-to-day. ... Howard received his ninth technical of the season in the third quarter. ... Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said that the focus for the Magic over their final 19 games would be on reducing turnovers and building better defensive habits. "Were just not building solid habits and making good enough decisions," he said. "And at the end of the day, you are going to hit the playoffs and you are going to be left with your habits. Were running out of time. We have 5 1/2 weeks and its time." ... The Magic dropped to 7-8 in the second game of back-to-backs this season. Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys China . Schafer was reacquired by the Braves on Thursday when they claimed him off waivers from the Houston Astros. "Im excited to go back," Schafer said during an interview with The Associated Press. Wholesale NFL Jerseys China . Pierce was injured with three minutes left in the first quarter when defensive tackle Ted Laurent grabbed him by the ankles. Its the second time in three weeks Pierce hasnt been able to finish a game. http://hipstervancouver.com/ . Officials arrived Friday at a Dallas-area hotel to discuss and vote on an eight-year agreement reached with the league late Wednesday.WASHINGTON -- Until a week ago, Braden Holtbys only NHL playoff experience came from watching games on TV with his buddies. Still, the 22-year-old goalie for the Washington Capitals thinks like a veteran. When Holtby was so-so in Washingtons Game 3 loss in its first-round series against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins, he didnt let it bother him. And when the kid gave up a tying goal through his legs in Game 4, he shook that off, too. The post-season rookie was superb before and after that one blip Thursday night, finishing with 44 saves, and Alexander Semin scored the go-ahead goal, leading the seventh-seeded Capitals to a 2-1 victory over the second-seeded Bruins that tied the Eastern Conference series at two games apiece. "Thats one of the things Ive just learned over the years: Realize what you did wrong and try and fix it and then youre done with it," Holtby said, standing with bare feet in the locker room. "Youre moving on." Olie Kolzig, the longtime Capitals goalie whos now their associate goaltender coach, said he turned to goaltender coach Dave Prior after Bostons Rich Peverly tied the game in the first period. "We werent happy with that goal. Thats not the way he should play that goal, but he has the ability to bounce back," Kolzig said, seconds after trading high-fives with Capitals owner Ted Leonsis in an arena hallway. "Hes a bit of a resilient kid, and he proved it. Thats what you want: You want a kid to have a short memory, especially in the playoffs." The Canadian is 16 years younger than Bruins goalie Tim Thomas, who earned last seasons Conn Smythe and Vezina trophies, and is playing in his first NHL post-season because of injuries to Washingtons top two goalies, Tomas Vokoun and Michal Neuvirth. And the kid has looked like a grizzled veteran for all but Game 3. He stopped 72 of 74 shots in Games 1 and 2, then was terrific again in Game 4. Over the span of about a minute early in the second period, Holtby made three reflex saves to thwart Bruins chances -- and allow the Capitals to win despite playing without their top playmaker, suspended centre Nicklas Backstrom. He was lost for one game after a cross-check to Peverleys face at the end of Game 3 on Monday drew a match penalty. "When you have a goaltender that smothers everything thats thrown his way, its very calming to the rest of your team," said Capitals forward Brooks Laich, who assisted on Marcus Johanssons goal just 82 seconds after the opening faceoff. Semin put Washington ahead for good by zipping in a wrister from the left circle with 1:17 left in the second on a power-play goal, his second score of the series, which shifts back to Boston for Game 5 on Saturday. Game 6 will be in Washington on Sunday. "It was a lasser and right in the corner.dddddddddddd It was a great shot," Capitals coach Dale Hunter said. "Thomas didnt have a chance." Good as Holtby was, Bruins coach Claude Julien was disappointed in his teams work near the crease. "Thats the reason we didnt win tonight. ... A lot of loose picks around the net that they cleared and we didnt get to. The net-front presence has to be better. Not just screening, but also finding those loose pucks. And theyre finding them better than we are," Julien said. "Theres probably not a good enough commitment in that area right now and until we get that, were going to be struggling to score goals." Washington was 25-0-1 during the regular season when leading after two periods, and Holtby continued that trend, inspiring repeated chants of "Holt-bee! Holt-bee!" from the red-wearing spectators. After things got rowdy in Game 3, the Capitals did it with discipline Thursday: The hosts were called for only one penalty. Its been a tight series all the way, with neither team leading by more than one goal at any moment. Washington wasnt called for a penalty until there were just under 10 minutes left in the third period, when forward Mike Knuble -- playing because Backstrom was out -- was sent off for holding. But the Capitals killed that off without allowing any shots, making the Bruins power play 0 for 12 this series. "When you shoot 45 shots on net, you would expect your team to have more than one goal," Julien said, "so theres obviously some areas that were not happy with." There was all sorts of verbal jousting during the series off days, Tuesday and Wednesday. Hunter -- himself no stranger to mixing things up during his playing days -- accused Boston of targeting the head of Backstrom, who missed 40 games during the regular season because of a concussion. Julien said that charge was "ridiculous" and "ludicrous." After the nastiness in Game 3, the teams returned to the quiet, low-scoring ways of the Games 1 and 2. And Holtby made the difference. "Thats a big game for us, but its far from easy from now on," Holtby said. "Its a best-of-three now." NOTES: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin played fewer than 2 minutes in the final period, but it wasnt clear why. ... The NHL said after the game that crowd noise resulted in the clock starting 5.3 seconds late after a faceoff in the closing seconds -- and so a goal scored with 5.3 seconds or fewer left on the clock would have been disallowed. ... Holtbys save total was the highest for a Capitals goalie all season. ... The Capitals blocked 26 shots, 10 more than the Bruins did. ... The Bruins outshot the Capitals 14-3 in the first period, and 45-21 for the game. ... Boston had won six consecutive road games. ' ' '