12-25-2019, 08:04 AM
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - For a night, the Houston Rockets new defensive mindset was blown up completely, leading to a blowout by the Memphis Grizzlies.The Grizzlies dominated a showdown between the teams with the NBAs best records, running away from the Rockets in a 119-93 victory on Monday night.They just beat the hell out of us, Rockets coach Kevin McHale said.While the Rockets struggled, Memphis put together its best all-around performance of the season.This team could easily come in and beat us by 30, and we came in and stayed focused, said point guard Mike Conley, who led the Grizzlies with 19 points and six assists. I thought it was a good statement to the rest of the league that were one of the teams to be reckoned with.Whatever showdown was expected from the two 9-1 teams and among the best defensive squads in the league never materialized as Memphis took a 16-point lead in the first quarter and extended it in each of the remaining periods, until it reached 36 points in the fourth.Memphis coach Dave Joerger said it was nice to come out and throw the first punch.We played with force and quick attacks in the paint, he said.Seven players finished in double figures for Memphis, which won its fourth straight overall. Courtney Lee finished with 15 points, while Zach Randolph added 14. Quincy Pondexter, Beno Udrih and Jon Leuer had 13 points each.Trevor Ariza led the Rockets with 16 points, while Dwight Howard had 15 points and nine rebounds. Patrick Beverly managed 10 points. James Harden had six points, going 1 of 8 from the field.The Rockets, who entered the game allowing a league-low 89 points a game, had given up that many by the end of the third quarter.Houston, which was coming off a 69-65 win Sunday night at Oklahoma City, was a step off all night. Through three quarters, Harden, having to deal with Tony Allen, was misfiring and appeared frustrated. Turnovers plagued the Rockets from the start and the shooting hovered around 40 per cent as Memphis took the lead to as many as 31 in the third quarter.McHale considered it pointless after three with Memphis leading 97-66 and sat his key players for the fourth.When we made mistakes, they capitalized on them, Ariza said. Take no credit away from them. They just straight beat us. Thats the truth.______TIP-INS:Rockets: The Rockets have two former University of Memphis post players - rookie Tarik Black and Joey Dorsey. Black, who left Memphis for one year at Kansas, was booed when he entered in the first quarter. Dorsey received a nice ovation when he came in ...The loss was the Rockets first on the road this season after winning their first six.Grizzlies: Memphis 10-1 record marked its franchise-best start to a season. Memphis also extended its regular season home winning streak to 20 straight — the last loss coming in February to Dallas.. .The 26-point winning margin was the largest of the season for Memphis. The previous best was 12 over New Orleans on Nov. 3.CONLEY BANGED UP - Conley left the game in the third with a sore left shoulder, and didnt return, although the Grizzlies lead at time also contributed to the end of his night. I got a hit underneath the rim laying it up in the third quarter. Its just a little sore. It should be all right, Conley said as he headed to the training room for treatment.UNAPPEALING APPEAL: The Grizzlies are confident the NBA will uphold Memphis 111-110 victory over the Sacramento Kings from last Thursday. The Kings appealed the result, saying Lee did not get the winning shot off in time. Memphis coach Dave Joerger said the replay system worked at every level, and the officiating crew made the right call.HE SAID IT: The good thing about this, it is only one loss. Now we will take it out on the Lakers, but we wont forget this one. - Rockets guard Jason Terry.UP NEXT:Rockets: Host Lakers on Wednesday night.Grizzlies: Visit Toronto on Wednesday night. Cheap Air Jordan 1 China . The Toronto Argonauts (11-7) look for an opportunity to repeat as CFL champions when they host the surging Hamilton Tiger-Cats (10-8) on Sunday. Nike Air Max 97 China Wholesale . -- Quarterback Josh Johnson has returned to the San Francisco 49ers and his former college coach, Jim Harbaugh. http://www.brandshoescheaponline.com/who...-sale.html. -- Isaiah Pead took a stutter step forward, then raced to the left sideline and travelled 60 yards up the field before finally getting tripped up by a leg tackle. Cheap Vapormax China . Jacob Jacques, Andrew Ryan and Jonathan Drouin also scored for Halifax (37-18-3), who outshot the Islanders 40-26. Kevin Darveau stopped 25 shots. Bradley Kennedy had the lone goal for Charlottetown (18-33-5), which has nine losses in its last 10 games. Discount Shoes China . Cincinnati has lost back-to-back games in overtime, wasting a chance to take a commanding lead in their division.BARCELONA, Spain -- Barcelona paid 13.55 million euros (US$18.6 million) to Spanish tax authorities on Monday to cover any potential irregularities in its signing of Neymar, all the while maintaining its innocence of the fraud charges levied against it. The Spanish champion said in a statement it had paid the "complimentary" amount to cover any "eventual interpretations that could come out of the contracts signed relating to the transfer of Neymar. Meanwhile we are convinced of the legality of our initial fulfilment relating to our tax obligations." Barcelonas actions take the price of Neymars transfer to more than 100 million euros ($138 million) after the Catalan club initially said it had paid 57.1 million euros ($74 million) for the Brazil forward. That sum does not include bonus payments made by Barcelona or the 22-year-olds salary, meaning his total cost likely exceeds the record-breaking 100 million euros-plus spent by rival Real Madrid on Gareth Bale last summer. Spanish tax authorities had charged Barcelona with fraud on Thursday, alleging it swindled the state of 9.1 million euros ($12.5 million) throughh payments to varying companies and false contracts.dddddddddddd Barcelona said it had "scrupulously" met its financial obligations in signing the player from Brazilian club Santos and it would continue to work with the state authority in the matter. Neymars signing forced the resignation of Sandro Rosell as president last month, after one club members petition to learn more about the intricate details of what has become a club-record signing were kept in the dark. Rosell has preached financial prudence while signing lucrative sponsorship deals that have put advertising on the front of Barcelonas jersey for the first time in the history of an institution that considers itself "more than a club" and a symbol of Catalan values. Rosell is being investigated by the same Spanish court that laid the fraud charges against the club. Of the initial transfer fee, Brazilian club Santos received 17.1 million euros ($23 million) while Neymars father, who also goes by Neymar, earned 40 million euros ($55 million). Barcelona said the decision to make the payment came after an emergency board meeting on Sunday. ' ' '