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CLEVELAND -- No one will fault the Charlotte Bobcats for taking a moment to savour their second post-season appearance in franchise history. Nike Air Max 90 Womens Sale . Theyve come a long way in a short period of time. Al Jefferson scored 24 points, including seven in overtime, and the Bobcats clinched a playoff spot with a 96-94 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night. Charlotte is in the post-season for the second time in its 10-year history and the first time since 2010. The Bobcats (39-38) are over .500 for the second time this season and hold seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Steve Clifford, the Bobcats third coach in three seasons, praised his teams character. "This is a significant accomplishment for our group of guys, and it puts us in a different place in the league," he said. "The guys in the locker room are excited -- and they should be -- because weve got a good group of guys and a group of guys who are truly deserving." While the Bobcats were celebrating, the Cavaliers slim playoff hopes suffered yet another damaging loss despite a career-high 44 points from Kyrie Irving. Cleveland (31-47) trails eighth-place Atlanta by 3 1/2 games for the final playoff spot in the East. The Bobcats have made significant progress since finishing 7-59 in the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season. Charlotte was 21-61 last season. "Words cant describe it," guard Kemba Walker said. "For me, Gerald (Henderson), and Biz (Bismack Biyombo), we were the original guys here. We were on the worst team my first two years, so to go from there to here, its like night and day." Hendersons basket gave Charlotte a 90-89 lead with 1:08 remaining and the Bobcats made four free throws down the stretch to seal the win. Walker scored 20 points and Henderson added 15 for the Bobcats, who have won four straight and swept the four-game season series with Cleveland. "This means a lot, individually and as a team," Henderson said. "I thought we would be good, but I think weve exceeded everybodys expectations -- even our own." Irving, who defended himself before the game over reports hes unhappy in Cleveland, was 16 of 31 from the field, including five 3-pointers. He added eight assists and seven rebounds. The Cavaliers could be eliminated from contention before they play again Wednesday. Irving admitted hell be paying attention to what Atlanta and New York -- the teams ahead of Cleveland -- are doing. "In this game, anything can happen," he said. "I know the Knicks and Hawks play some pretty tough teams coming up. Ill definitely be watching. Well see." Walkers 3-pointer with 32 seconds remaining in regulation gave Charlotte an 82-80 lead, but Irvings jumper 7 seconds later tied the game. Irvings basket gave Cleveland an 89-86 lead with 1:55 remaining in overtime, but Jefferson hit a free throw and Hendersons basket put the Bobcats ahead. Following a Cleveland turnover, Walker missed a jumper, but Cody Zeller got the rebound and passed it out to Walker, who was fouled and made both shots with 17 seconds remaining to make it 92-89. After Dion Waiters sank two free throws, Walker split a pair of foul shots with 11 seconds to go. Following a time out, Irving took the inbounds pass at the top of the key, but his wide-open 3-pointer rimmed out. "Thats as good a look that I had all night," he said. "It was in and out. It was a crucial miss, (but) I can live with that." Hendersons two free throws with 7 seconds left gave the Bobcats a 95-91 lead. Spencer Hawes made a 3-pointer with 4 seconds to get the Cavaliers within one before Jefferson hit a free throw with 2.3 seconds left. He missed the second, but the Cavaliers had no timeouts remaining and Hawes desperation full-court heave was short. NOTES: Charlotte has defeated Cleveland five straight times. ... Bobcats assistant coach Mark Price, who starred for the Cavaliers from 1986-95, got a big ovation when he was shown on the scoreboard in the second quarter. ... The Bobcats are 3-14 all-time at Quicken Loans Arena, the worst record by a visiting team at the 20-year-old arena. Nike Air Max 90 Mens Trainers .C. -- The Charlotte Bobcats said head coach Steve Clifford underwent a successful procedure Friday to have two stents placed in his heart. Nike Air Max 90 Womens Cheap . Fifth-seeded Cilic gained his fourth title in Zagreb and became the third Croat overall to win at least 10 career titles. Cilic also lifted his career record in Zagreb to 22-4, winning 20 of his last 21 matches at the event.BOSTON -- The pine tar on Michael Pinedas neck was a stain for the New York Yankees. General manager Brian Cashman was "embarrassed." Manager Joe Girardi called it "poor judgment." And Pineda was "sad" and vowed not to do it again. The Yankees right-hander was ejected for using pine tar less than two weeks after appearing to get away with using a foreign substance in another game against Boston, and the Red Sox beat New York 5-1 on Wednesday night. The previous time, Pineda said he used "dirt" on his right palm to get a better grip in cold weather in a 4-1 win over Boston on April 10 in New York. This time, he said he decided to put pine tar on the right side of his neck after allowing two runs in the first inning on another chilly night so he could use it to grip the ball. "Ill learn from this mistake," a downcast Pineda said. "It wont happen again." He was thrown out in the second inning when plate umpire Gerry Davis found the substance on the right side of Pinedas neck after Red Sox manager John Farrell asked him to check. Pineda walked from the mound without protest. "When its that obvious, something has got to be said," Farrell said. "Our awareness was heightened, given what we had seen in the past." Davis said he found pine tar and Pineda gave no explanation as he left the mound. Cashman said that in a similar situation, "I would want my manager to do what John Farrell did." He said the issue was discussed with Pineda after the game on April 10 and again after he was ejected. Now he expects Pineda to be suspended. "He did what he did, but were also responsible that somehow he got out of our dugout and was on the field in that manner," Cashman said. "That never should have happened." Pineda (2-2) had nothing on the right side of his neck in a photo of him on the mound in his tough first inning, when four of the first six batters reached on hits. Another photo taken in the second showed a shiny horizontal substance on his upper neck below his right ear. After Pineda struck out the first two batters and had a 1-2 count on Grady Sizemore, Farrell talked to Davis. The umpire went to the mound, looked at the ball then touched the substance on Pinedas neck with his right index finger. Then he gestured with that same finger, indicating Pinedas ejection. "He had a hard time gripping the baseball. Unknown to us, he put it on and went out there," Girardi said. "Its a young kid. I dont think hes trying to do anything, cheat. I think hes just trying to go out there and compete." Rule 8.02(b) says a pitcher shall not "have on his person, or in his possession, any foreiign substance. Nike Air Max 90 Mens Sale. For such infraction of this section the penalty shall be immediate ejection from the game. In addition, the pitcher shall be suspended automatically." "We will talk to the umpires tomorrow and review their report before taking any action," Major League Baseball spokesman Michael Teevan said. In recent suspensions of pitchers for pine tar, Tampa Bays Joel Peralta was penalized eight games in 2012, the Los Angeles Angels Brendan Donnelly 10 days in 2005 and St. Louis Julian Tavarez 10 days in 2004. The suspensions of Donnelly and Tavarez were cut to eight days after they asked the players association to appeal, and Peralta dropped his challenge with no reduction. In Pinedas previous start against the Red Sox, Farrell didnt see a photograph of Pinedas hand until the fourth inning; when Pineda came out to warm up for the fifth, his hand was clean. On Wednesday, with the game time temperature at 50 degrees, Sizemore started the first with a triple and scored on Dustin Pedroias single. With one out, Mike Napoli singled Pedroia to third. After Mike Carp flied to left, A.J. Pierzynski singled up the middle, scoring Pedroia. After Pinedas ejection, David Phelps came in and completed the strikeout of Sizemore. John Lackey (3-2) allowed one run and seven hits in eight innings with 11 strikeouts and no walks. Koji Uehara struck out three in the ninth in a non-save situation. "There is such a thing as too many strikes if youre hitting the white part of the plate," Lackey said. "I was fortunate enough tonight to be hitting the corners more times than not." Napoli had three hits and Boston scored two runs in the first and two more in the third. The Yankees scored on Alfonso Sorianos sacrifice fly in the sixth. NOTES: Girardi pushed a television camera focusing on Pineda in the tunnel. Girardi called it a "private area" and said "the camera is meant for the dugout and not the tunnel," adding "all I did was turn it." ... Boston Marathon mens champion Meb Keflezighi threw out the ceremonial first pitch wearing a Red Sox jersey with the name "MEB" and the number "26.2" on the back, the mileage distance of the race. ... Ortiz played in his 1,643rd game as a designated hitter, matching Harold Baines major-league record. ... Boston sent OF Daniel Nava to Triple-A Pawtucket and recalled RHP Alex Wilson. ... Mark Teixeira struck out four times. ... Derek Jeter was 0 for 4, ending his 11-game hitting streak. ... In the finale of the three-game series Thursday night, New Yorks CC Sabathia (2-2) pitches against Felix Doubront (1-2).cheap nfl jerseys cheap jerseys ' ' ' |
