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NEW YORK, N. Jonathan Ogden Ravens Jersey .Y. - In nearly 800 NBA regular-games, Carmelo Anthony had never played in one like this. It didnt matter. Eliminated from post-season contention for the first time in his 11-year career, Anthony said it was tough even coming to the arena on Sunday night. "But mentally, you just had to put yourself in that mindset. Although youre not playing for nothing, if you suit up, youve still got to go out there and play ball," Anthony said. He and the Knicks did it well, getting 20 points from Tim Hardaway Jr. and beating the Chicago Bulls 100-89. No longer with any hopes of their own, the Knicks snapped the Bulls seven-game winning streak and dropped them back into a tie with Toronto for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference with two to play. "We let a big game slip tonight. It was probably the biggest game of the season," Bulls centre Joakim Noah said. "Disappointing the way our mentality wasnt good today, but overall we just wont have time, just got to let this one go, get ready tomorrow." Anthony and J.R. Smith each had 17 points for the Knicks, who were eliminated Saturday when Atlanta beat Miami, ending New Yorks run of three straight post-season berths. Anthonys first season without a post-season comes as he prepares to become a free agent in July. He had a hard time looking ahead beyond the next two games — which he isnt even sure he will play in because of nagging shoulder pain that he might get checked. "Its just hard for me to even think past tonight, right now, at this moment," Anthony said. "Everything is just, for me, just cloudy. Ive never been in this situation before. I dont even know what to say about this situation." A 54-win division champion last season, they believed they were built to play deep into the spring, so confident in what they had that Amare Stoudemire said the expectations should have been even higher. "On paper, we might be the best team in the league," he said before the game. "Weve got great players on this team whove accomplished so much. We just couldnt put it together." Noah had 13 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists for the Bulls. Jimmy Butler scored 17 points, but Chicago was just 6 of 22 (27 per cent) from 3-point range. "Defensively, we werent very good," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "I liked the fight to come back. I thought we made some good plays down the stretch and we missed some wide-open 3s that you live with." The Knicks led 45-39 at halftime, then Smith hit consecutive 3-pointers and Raymond Felton made one for a 9-0 spurt that opened a 60-46 advantage, and the lead reached 67-50 when Anthony nailed a 3. Chicago was down 17 again with 7 1/2 minutes to play before finally making a push, cutting it to 93-87 when Taj Gibsons three-point play capped a 15-4 run. But they repeatedly misfired from the perimeter, preventing them from getting any closer. The Knicks have played well in March and April, beating Toronto on Friday, but its too late after they had already fallen to 21-40. "Being the coach, I just apologize to the fans, because again, they pay their hard-earned money to come out and see us play and we didnt come into this season expecting this," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. Whatever expectations the Bulls had were gone after Derrick Rose was lost to season-ending knee surgery in late November and Luol Deng was traded on Jan. 7. But Chicago has not only regrouped but flourished, bringing an Eastern Conference-best 35-14 mark in 2014 into Sundays play. But they will need help now — perhaps from the Knicks, who host Toronto in Wednesdays finale — to get the No. 3 spot, since the Raptors would get the tiebreaker as a division champion. Chicago closes against Orlando on Monday and at Charlotte on Wednesday. Notes: The game was originally scheduled for a 1 p.m. start and be shown nationally on ABC, but was booted shortly after the Bulls 109-90 rout of the Knicks in Chicago on March 2. The Indiana-Oklahoma City game was shifted to that marquee spot. ... Chicago was trying for its first eight-game winning streak since Feb. 20-March 7, 2012. Womens White Steve Smith Sr Elite Jersey . Almost 18 months after Armstrongs seven Tour wins were wiped from the record, an independent panel created by the new International Cycling Union leadership has begun work to discover the extent of the sports past problems. Jimmy Smith Jersey . Later, his catcher delivered the deciding stroke. Price struck out 10 in his Detroit debut and was long gone when Alex Avila homered in the 12th inning to lift the Tigers over the New York Yankees 4-3 Tuesday night. SHIMA, Japan -- Japans Shiho Oyama shot a 4-under 68 on Friday to take the first-round lead in the Mizuno Classic, the final tournament in the LPGA Tours five-event Asian swing. Oyama had six birdies and two bogeys at Kintetsu Kashikojima in the event also sanctioned by the Japan LPGA Tour. "I have been having this neck ache thats been affecting my golf recently," Oyama said. "But yesterday I had some massage and the pain is gradually fading." Jiyai Shin, the tournament winner in 2008 and 2010, was a stroke back along with fellow South Korean players Chella Choi, Hee-Won Han, Na-Ri Lee, Eun-Bi Jang, American Brittany Lincicome, Japans Junko Omote and Kaori Nakamura and Swedens Pernilla Lindberg. Defending champion Stacy Lewis opened with a 71. The American, the top-ranked player in the field at No. 3, has three victories this year. "It was kind of up and down," Lewis said. "I probably coould have played a lot better but I think it could have been worse. Justin Forsett Ravens Jersey. I played really tough through a lot of cross winds and I just hung in there all day." Torontos Rebecca Lee-Bentham also opened with a 71. Lincicome had an eagle on the first hole before carding four birdies against three bogeys. South Korean star Inbee Park, who leads the money list and player of the year rankings, is sitting out the tournament as is Suzann Pettersen of Norway, who trails Park on both lists. Lewis leads the LPGA Tour in top-10 finishes this season with 16. Her three victories this season include a major championship, and she still has a remote shot at winning the player of the year award with three events remaining. Karrie Webb of Australia, who won here in 2006, was tied for 36th place after an even-par 72. The 54-hole Mizuno Classic is made up of 43 LPGA Tour players and 35 members of the LPGA of Japan. ' ' ' |
