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. But Rinne still displays big-game confidence
in Maps Discussion Wed Jul 04, 2018 10:26 amby zxlbxj1 • Farseer | 487 Posts | 4870 Points
(SportsNetwork.com) - The Los Angeles Clippers will try to avoid losing their third straight game at home when they welcome the Boston Celtics to Staples Center on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The Clippers are 17-7 at home and posted a 117-108 road win over the Sacramento Kings Saturday night thanks to Blake Griffins game-high 30 points on 11-of-16 shooting. Matt Barnes had 26 points and 10 rebounds, while J.J. Redick netted 18 points. I saw we were struggling there in the first half so I had to pick it up for my team, said Barnes. In the third quarter we were able to open it up a little bit. We had a run there that really got us going. Chris Paul registered 12 points and nine assists for Los Angeles. Los Angeles, which has won seven of its last 10 games, will host Brooklyn on Thursday and is fourth in the NBA with 106.9 ppg. The Clippers are third in field goal percentage (47.2) and 11-8 against Eastern Conference opponents. The Celtics will begin a six-game western sojourn Monday against the Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves. Boston is only 4-12 on the road this season and has lost six of the last seven as the guest. It went 1-2 on a recent homestand and suffered a 119-103 setback to the Chicago Bulls on Friday, as Jared Sullinger posted a team-best 20 points. Brandon Bass (16), Kelly Olynyk (14),Tyler Zeller (12) and Evan Turner (11) rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Celtics, who shot 49.4 percent from the field and made 14-of-16 free throws. Its on us as individuals to be up and ready, said Celtics coach Brad Stevens. The Celtics have lost 11 of their last 14 games and will play the first of two matchups with the Clippers Monday afternoon. Both teams will meet again March 29 in Beantown. LA took both games against Boston last season and has won four of the previous six contests in this series. Edgar Martinez Jersey . 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Nick Holden scored two goals and had an assist and the Avalanche held off the Nashville Predators 5-4 Saturday night for their fourth straight victory.MINSK, Belarus -- In winning its group at the world hockey championship, Team Canada beat goaltenders Jan Laco, Jakub Kovar, Patrick Galbraith, Daniel Bellissimo, Anders Nilsson and Steffen Soberg. None of them are Finlands Pekka Rinne, who stands as Canadas biggest challenge in Thursdays quarter-final round. Even while a young Finnish team has struggled with penalties, turnovers and a lack of offensive depth, Rinne has been a rock with a 1.65 goals-against average, .929 save percentage and two shutouts. "Pekka is our most important player -- absolutely," coach Erkka Westerlund said Wednesday. "We built our whole system so that goalkeeping is No. 1, and then we try to build the strength (of) defence in front of him. Thats how it is, (how) hockey works." Westerlund said he was not yet satisfied with his teams defensive play but expects improvement. Even if that doesnt happen, Finland has a good chance in Canada if for no other reason than Rinne. Fortunately for the Finns, Rinne is not experiencing any injury problems after missing four months of the Nashville Predators season with a hip infection. Naturally, it took a while for him to get back to feeling right. "Its a process, and I think even when I came here (to Minsk) I thought that hopefully I can improve all the time and I didnt maybe feel 100 per cent," Rinne said. "But now I do, and Im really happy and I feel like my game has been getting better and (Im) just feeling more comfortable." Rinne is playing with confidence and instilling it in his teammates, only six of whom are back from the Sochi Olympics, where Finland won a bronze medal. Tuukka Rask and Kari Lehtonen were the goalies then, but as former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov pointed out, the best thing about his country is knowing there will always be great goaltending. Still, this isnt the Olympics. "Its a different roster, its a different tournament," said Komarov, who repeated his desire to return to the NHL last season. "Its a new day, a new life." But the same, old, reeliable Rinne.dddddddddddd Canadian defenceman Ryan Ellis knows all about that from parts of three seasons as a Predators teammate of Rinnes. Unlike a lot of other goaltenders, Ellis said Rinne doesnt let game action detract from his practices. "Every day, every practice its like a game," Ellis said. "He tries so hard in net in practice. I remember by first couple years there, I dont think I scored him in the first 10 or 15 practices. And then every time I did, I was pretty impressed with myself, pretty happy." Ellis said Canada was less concerned with how they were going to score on Rinne and more worried about his puck-handling thwarting attack time. "Hes active back there with the puck, so I think the biggest thing that were focused on is keeping the pucks away from him on dumps and stuff," Ellis said. "He gets out to play them a lot. Getting them in the glass and try to get them out of his reach." Thats especially important to a Canadian team that tries to play a hard, North American style on the bigger, international ice surface. Canada has succeeded at holding on to the puck to create chances and through seven games has averaged 34 shots a game. The strategy against Rinne is the same as many other elite goaltenders. "Were going to have to get pucks and traffic to the net," Ellis said. "Its tough for goalies when they get that kind of presence in front of him. Weve got some big guys, so hopefully we can get those guys going." Whether that happens or Rinne keeps rolling will go a long way to determining whether Canada has a date with the United States or Czech Republic in Saturdays semifinals. Westerlund said the Finns "dont have pressure (because) we are underdogs." Thats true. But Rinne still displays big-game confidence. "Im feeling good and Ive been enjoying hockey," Rinne said. "I think thats the biggest thing, when youre just having fun and just letting it go. Just dont think about anything, just play, and I feel like Ive been doing that." Cheap NFL Jerseys Throwback Cheap Jerseys Discount NFL Jerseys Wholesale Authentic Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Discount Jerseys Wholesale Stitched Jerseys ' ' '
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