OKLAHOMA CITY -- Thunder coach Scott Brooks joked during pregame that he didnt
like what he saw from Kyrie Irving at the All-Star game.
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. Brooks coached the West and watched as Irving led the East to a comeback win
on his way to earning MVP honours. Brooks didnt like what he saw from Irving on
Wednesday night, and it was no joke this time. The point guard made it look like
All-Star weekend again, scoring 14 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter to
help the Cleveland Cavaliers beat Oklahoma City 114-104. Irving also had nine
assists, five rebounds and four steals. "Kyrie had a huge performance for us,"
Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. "He was very efficient in the 43 minutes that
he played tonight, I thought offensively, especially." The young Cavaliers,
still adjusting to roster changes since the trade deadline, picked up a
meaningful victory. Cleveland shot 14 for 21 from the field in the fourth
quarter against the Western Conference-leading Thunder. "To come here and get a
win in this building versus this team and those players and that coaching staff,
for us, is a good confidence booster," Brown said. "Everything for us right now
to be a positive will help us long term just as much as it will short term." It
was Oklahoma Citys third straight home loss since the All-Star break. The
Thunder lost three games at home the entire season before the break. "No one in
the locker room, including myself, feels good about it," Brooks said. "The
exciting thing is we know we can do better. We just have to maximize our
potential." Jarrett Jack scored 21 points, Spencer Hawes scored 19 and
Tristan Thompson added 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who snapped
a three-game losing streak. Kevin Durant had 28 points, 10 rebounds and nine
assists, Russell Westbrook had 24 points and nine assists and Serge Ibaka added
16 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder. Oklahoma City is 0-3 since Westbrook
returned from his latest knee surgery. Brooks said the bigger issue for the
Thunder is their suddenly porous defence. Oklahoma City, one of the leagues top
defensive teams all season, allowed 103 points on 55 per cent shooting against
Miami and 125 points on 52 per cent shooting against the Los Angeles Clippers
before its latest collapse. "Its a defensive toughness," Brooks said. "We have
to get tough on the basketball because were giving up too much penetration. We
have to fight through screens. These are things that weve done a great job at,
we just have to get back to it." In the closing seconds of the first half,
Westbrook dribbled as the clock wound down, then pulled up in front of Irving
and drained a 3-pointer to give the Thunder a 52-51 lead at the break. The
Thunder committed 12 turnovers in the first half, but made up for it by shooting
57 per cent from the field. Durant scored 15 points before the break and
Westbrook had 13 points and six assists. Irving had 14 points, four assists and
three steals at halftime. The Thunder opened the second half with 3s from Durant
and Thabo Sefolosha to take a 58-51 lead. A mid-range jumper by Ibaka stretched
Oklahoma Citys lead to 62-53, leading Brown to call a timeout. Cleveland
regrouped and cut Oklahoma Citys lead to three on an unusual play. The Cavaliers
Luol Deng shot a jumper and Nick Collison was called for goaltending and issued
a technical foul for grabbing the net. Irving made the free throw to make it a
69-66 game. The Thunder led 76-72 at the end of the period. "Oklahoma City, they
came out and kind of punched us in the mouth a little bit in that third quarter,
and our guys didnt panic," Brown said. "They kind of stayed with it." Matthew
Dellavedova tied the game at 81 with a floater early in the fourth quarter.
Later, a breakaway dunk by Alonzo Gee gave the Cavaliers a 90-86 edge with 7:10
to play. Durants 3-pointer gave the Thunder a 97-95 lead, but the Cavaliers
responded with an 8-0 run, highlighted by 3-pointers from Jack and Irving, and
they controlled the game from there. "Obviously, playing against a great team,
youre going to get up for it," Irving said. "Everyone in the league wants to
play against a great team like this, especially on their home floor. But this
game doesnt mean any more than any other game that we have coming up. Every game
just means a lot at this point, no matter who were playing." NOTES: It was the
second consecutive start for Thunder C Steven Adams. He replaced
Kendrick Perkins, who is out for six weeks with a groin injury. ... Hawes
started for the second time since being traded from Philadelphia. ... Durant was
honoured during pregame for being selected as the Western Conference player of
the month for January. ... Thunder G Derek Fisher was issued a technical foul
early in the second quarter, his third of the season.
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. It looked like being another miserable day for Moyes when Ashley Westwood put
Villa in front from a 13th-minute free kick. But Rooney headed United level
seven minutes later, and the striker netted his 16th of the season for the
struggling champions from the penalty spot before halftime.
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. The second-ranked Serb has been practicing hard as he prepares for this weeks
Italian Open and the French Open, which starts in two weeks. "Right now I feel
much more confident at the state of my wrist and I know that Im ready much more
to play a match than I was one week ago," Djokovic said Sunday after attracting
thousands of spectators to a practice session with Australian Open champion
Stanislas Wawrinka on the Foro Italicos spectacular Pietrangeli court, which is
lined with neo-classical statues.ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- After a falling out with
the New England Patriots, linebacker Brandon Spikes is embracing his fresh start
with the Buffalo Bills. Spikes joined the Bills late Friday night on a one-year
contract. The Bills have been active in free agency thus far, signing six free
agents. The middle linebacker is easily Buffalos most intriguing addition. The
26-year-old Spikes is an aggressive, hard-hitting defender. A second-round pick
of the Patriots in 2010, Spikes started 39 of 53 games in New England, with 286
tackles and five forced fumbles. He was third on the Patriots in tackles in 2013
with 86. "I was excited the whole time to get going with a new start in a new
beginning in a new place," Spikes said on a conference call Monday. "I feel like
its going to be fun and Im down for a challenge. I want to help change the
culture there." Spikes is known for the physical nature of his play. "All the
old-school, throwback backers, I just moulded my game after them and it just
stuck with me this whole time," Spikes said. "I wouldnt call it intimidating, Im
just playing and going hard and relentless and play every play like its your
last." The addition of Spikes is one of many moves the Bills hope will fix their
porous run defence. With Spikes taking over middle linebacker duties, the Bills
plan on moving young standout Kiko Alonso to the weak side after spending his
rookie season in the middle. The Bills also signed former New York Giants
linebacker Keith Rivers to a two-year contract on March 12. The Bills finished
28th against the run in 2013, allowing an average of 128.9 yards per game. "I
actually think it was like seven games where they gave up 150 yards on the
ground. I just want to come and help them out," Spikes said. "Thats one of my
strengths, stopping the run, and I feel like I can help. Whatever they need me
to do, Im willing to ddo and do it at a high level.
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" Spikes joins a defence that has its fourth co-ordinator in four seasons.
Former Detroit head coach Jim Schwartz is installing a base 4-3 following the
departure of Mike Pettine, who left Buffalo after one year to become head coach
of the Cleveland Browns. Spikes is set to reunite with his former linebackers
coach, Pepper Johnson, now Buffalos defensive line coach. Johnson made the move
from New England in January and Spikes said his presence was one of the reasons
he decided to come to Buffalo. "A great coach, a great inspiration to the game,"
Spikes said. "He loves the game and hes definitely what I want to be down the
road; hes a legendary ball player and coach." After playing with a knee injury
for several weeks in New England, Spikes was placed on injured reserve on Jan.
6. An ESPN report later said Spikes was placed on IR after being late to a team
meeting during a Boston snow storm. On Saturday, after the contract was
official, Spikes tweeted: "Free at last, free at last. I thank God Im free at
last. Free at last, Free at last !!!!!! #LetsGetIt #PoWwWwW." "I just want to
kind of close that chapter," Spikes said. "I just want to put that all behind
me. Its great just to have a new beginning. Im excited. The past is the past. Im
happy now and Im ready to get to work and Im just ready to help." Spikes is
hoping to follow in the footsteps of his cousin, Takeo Spikes. Takeo Spikes was
a standout linebacker with the Bills from 2003-06. After wearing number 55 in
New England, Spikes is returning to the number 51, which he wore earlier in his
career, in honour of his cousin. "He inspired me to be great," Spikes said. "He
inspired me to have a dream and chase it. ... Watching him in Buffalo growing up
inspired me to wear the number 51 ... hes just somebody I look to be like."
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