Unser Forum » uarter, and Cousins tip-in not long befo

Marian Gaborik could be staying with the defending Stanley Cup champions next season and beyond. While nothing is done yet, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports that the Los Angeles Kings and the pending unrestricted free agent are close on a new contract that could get done over the next 48 hours. The Kings acquired Gaborik from the Columbus Blue Jackets at the trade deadline and the veteran winger was instrumental in the teams Stanley Cup win. In 41 games with the Blue Jackets and Kings, Gaborik scored 11 goals and 19 assists. He missed 17 games with a sprained knee and 22 games with a broken collarbone last season. Gaborik, a native of Slovakia, was drafted by Minnestota in the first round, third overall, in 2000. He spent the first eight years of his career with Minnesota followed by a four-year stint with the New York Rangers. Gaborik was dealt to Columbus at the 2013 trade deadline. Gaborik is coming off a five-year contract that paid him an average annual value of $7.5 million per season. The 32-year-old has 347 goals and 357 assists for 704 points over 810 career games in the NHL. He has represented Slovakia numerous times on the international stage, including the 2006 and 2010 Olympic Games. Nike Air Max 270 Wholesale . -- The Tampa Bay Lightning are disappointed, though not discouraged. Air Max 270 Cheap Online .J. -- While Martin Brodeur wasnt willing to say he stole one for the New Jersey Devils against the Columbus Blue Jackets, almost everyone else was. http://www.cheapairmax270ireland.com/. The 90-plus minutes of play are about trends and approach. Cheap Air Max 270 Ireland . The motion to expand the stadiums capacity passed through by a count of 39-3, with Toronto mayor Rob Ford being among those in opposition. Air Max 270 Ireland . -- Jose Bautista never worries about hitting homers during the regular season.PORTLAND, Ore. - Even after losing All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge to an injury, the banged-up Portland Trail Blazers found a winning combination.Damian Lillard scored 22 points, including the go-ahead basket with 1:20 remaining, and Portland ended a three-game losing streak Monday night with a 98-94 victory over the Sacramento Kings.Lillard had six points during the final 80 seconds and helped rally the Trail Blazers (31-11) from an 11-point, second-half deficit. Wesley Matthews scored 17 for Portland.The news wasnt all good for the Blazers, though, because Aldridge exited in the second quarter with a left thumb injury. Portland coach Terry Stotts said the status of Aldridge, who leads the team with averages of 23.5 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, was under further review.The loss of Aldridge added to an already-depleted Portland front line, with centres Robin Lopez (wrist) and Joel Freeland (shoulder) out for extended periods. And without three of its top inside players, Portland got whipped on the boards by Sacramento (16-25), which outrebounded the Blazers 53-35.Being relatively undersized, we had to create some offence with our defence, Stotts said.Stotts turned to lightly used reserves Thomas Robinson and Will Barton for long stretches. They, along with Lillard and Matthews, were vital in helping Portland own the fourth quarter, when the Blazers forced eight turnovers and outscored Sacramento 31-19.I thought Will and Thomas energy would have a chance to change the game, Stotts said.The Kings were led by Rudy Gay with 26 points, while DeMarcus Cousins had 22 points and 19 rebounds. But in a game Sacramento dominated for three quarters, the Kings eight fourth-quarter turnovers proved to be their undoing.Thats eight more possessions that we had that they didnt, Lillard said. It came down to us just tightening up. We got a little more physical on defence, got a little more stingy, and offensively we valued those possessions.The Blazers, trailing 75-67 after three, grabbed an 84-83 lead with 5:03 remaining on a 3-pointer by Nic Batum that capped a 12-2 spurt.Cousins tied it at 89 on two free throws with 1:50 left, then fouled out 8 seconds later.That was huge, Lillard said. In my opinion, hes one of the best bigs in the league. It would haave been a handful down the stretch to stop him.ddddddddddddLillard gave the Blazers the lead for good at 91-89 on a reverse layup. Portland held off Sacramento by making five free throws during the final 1:02.I thought we did a great job. The pace of the game was good. I thought we fought hard tonight and gave ourselves a chance to win. Its a disappointing loss, but Im happy with the effort from the guys, Kings coach Tyrone Corbin said after his teams fourth consecutive loss.If we play and compete this hard every night, weve got a chance.Sacramento dominated most of the first quarter, and Darren Collison and Ben McLemore hit 3-pointers to ignite a 23-5 run for a 25-14 Kings lead.Portland ran off nine consecutive points to cut the deficit to 31-27 early in the second. A 7-0 surge, punctuated by Meyers Leonards fast-break dunk, gave the Blazers a 47-43 lead 3 minutes before halftime. But the Kings had a strong finish to the quarter, and Cousins tip-in not long before the buzzer gave Sacramento a 56-51 halftime lead.Sacramento continued to control the game during the third quarter, using an 8-0 run to build a lead as large as 11 points.___TIP-INSKings: F Jason Thompson played his 500th career game with Sacramento, third-most in franchise history. ... Sacramentos 23 turnovers were a season high for a Portland opponent. ... In the first game between these teams on Oct. 31, Gay scored a season-high 40 points.Trail Blazers: F Victor Claver, who played only 10 minutes in Portlands previous nine games, started the second half in Aldridges absence. ... Before the game, Blazers owner Paul Allen presented a plaque to Matthews after he became the franchises career leader in 3-pointers with 778.BENCH COMES UP BIGWith Aldridge out, Stotts turned to his bench for a scoring boost. Portland reserves scored 37 points, their most since the Blazers bench scored 44 against Houston on Dec. 22. Leonard and Dorell Wright had nine points each.DOUBLE TROUBLECousins had his 20th double-double in 22 games. The 6-foot-11 centre also had four blocked shots. Cousins, coming off a one-game absence due to a sprained ankle, is tied for the NBA lead in double-doubles with 24.UP NEXTKings: Home against New Jersey on Wednesday.Trail Blazers: At Phoenix on Wednesday. ' ' '