RaGe eSport League » seasons in Chicago and remains a team ambassador. O

DALLAS - The star of Rajon Rondos debut with the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night was Monta Ellis — the teammate whom the Mavericks hope helps Rondo form a lethal backcourt combination that will make them championship contenders.Ellis equaled his season high with 38 points, including 11 during the final four minutes, as the Mavericks rallied late to beat the depleted San Antonio Spurs 99-93. Ellis broke a 93-93 tie with a driving basket with 1:48 to play to give Dallas the lead for good. He hit 15-of-23 from the field and made four steals.The Spurs dropped their fourth straight, including three-overtime games on Wednesday and Friday.I felt it, Ellis said of his late surge. Its in my blood. Those guys were tired from last night, and their defence let up, so we took advantage.Rondo, the four-time All-Star who played his first eight-plus seasons with the Boston Celtics, scored six points on 3-for-11 shooting. Acquired Thursday in a multi-player trade, he had nine assists, seven rebounds.It was exciting, Rondo said. Best part was we got the win.Dirk Nowitzki, limited to 13 points on 4-of-14 shooting, said of his new teammate: I actually think that he knows the plays better than some of our own guys.Marco Belinelli led San Antonio with 21 points. Aron Baynes added a career-high 16 points.Spurs coach Gregg Popovich dressed 10 players and played only eight. Veterans Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, who logged 90 and 71 minutes in the triple-overtime games, respectively, were left home. Danny Green and Tiago Splitter dressed but didnt play. They already were missing injured Tony Parker (hamstring) and Kawhi Leonard (hand) while Patty Mills (back) has yet to play this season.Giving up 25 points off turnovers on the road is not going to make it easy to win a game, Popovich said. But I thought the effort and the play out of these guys was really spectacular.Rondo missed his only two field-goal attempts of the opening half and scored his first points as a Maverick with 7:59 to play in the third quarter on a drive that ended with goaltending by Boris Diaw.Rondos definitely a great player, the Spurs Cory Joseph said. He fills the stat sheet. He definitely can rebound. He can always pass the ball, so youve got to be aware on the weak side.The Spurs used a 12-point run starting in the final minute of the opening quarter to break a 21-21 tie and lead going into the fourth quarter. The Mavericks trailed 47-42 at intermission having scored their fewest first-half points of the season.___TIP-INSSpurs: They have lost six of their last eight games . San Antonio hit all of its 26 free-throw attempts. . The Spurs had won 10 consecutive regular-season games against the Mavericks, who took them to seven games in the first round of last seasons playoffs.Mavericks: Dallas won for the first time this season in five games in which it failed to score 100 points. . Coach Rick Carlisle said he doesnt expect Raymond Felton (ankle) to make his season debut by Christmas.MINUTE BY MINUTEPopovich said he has no set plans for further reducing minutes for Duncan, Ginobili or anyone else in the wake of the recent three-overtime games: It doesnt happen in one game or two games or six games. It happens over a season. You have to think in the long term.ZONE READ?Carlisle said the addition of Rondo could lead to Dallas playing more zone defence like it did with Jason Kidd: Its definitely in the tool box of things. On paper, he looks like a guy that would fit well at that scheme because of anticipation, long arms, defensive rebounding ability.UP NEXTThe Spurs will host the Los Angeles Clippers, the fifth consecutive game against teams that would currently qualify for the playoffs, on Monday.The Mavericks will host Atlanta on Monday. They are 12-2 against Eastern Conference opponents. Nike Vapormax Wholesale . Francis told several hundred members of the European Olympic Committees that when sport "is considered only in economic terms and consequently for victory at every cost . Nike Vapormax Uk Cheap . -- Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer will be out three to six weeks with a stress fracture of the third finger of his right hand. http://www.discountvapormaxuk.com/ .com) - Maria Sharapova rallied for a three- set win over Ana Ivanovic on Saturday to capture the season-opening Brisbane International tennis tournament. Nike Vapormax Sale . 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 Nike Vapormax . MLB.com reported that the Dodgers locked the left-hander in for one year at $10 million with up to $4 million in incentives.CHICAGO -- The first two happened in a single game in Colorado. There was a fly ball that barely cleared the wall, and then a screaming drive to right-centre. Jose Abreu quickly hit two more home runs against Cleveland. He beat Tampa Bay with a game-ending grand slam, an absolute laser for his second shot of the game. Some 6,000 feet of homers in just six weeks, another successful mile in a well-travelled bridge from Abreus native Cuba to the Chicago White Sox. The big first baseman is punishing major league pitching while making a difficult transition to the United States look almost routine. "I come from a place where there is very good baseball, but theres nowhere you can compare that baseball to this one," Abreu said through a translator. "This is the best baseball in the world. But the only way to achieve this, to come here and be successful, is to be disciplined, to have a lot of discipline, thats the way you improve." Abreu looks right at home. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound slugger connected in Oakland on Wednesday to become the fourth player in major league history to hit 15 homers in his first 42 games, joining Wally Berger, Kevin Maas and Wally Joyner. He is batting .271 with 41 RBIs heading into a weekend series at Houston. Abreu, who defected in 2012 and finalized a $68 million, six-year deal with the White Sox in October, is among the major league leaders in several offensive categories. Playing at hitter-friendly U.S. Cellular Field, he is a legitimate threat to become baseballs first rookie home run king since Mark McGwire for the Athletics in 1987. "Its just his strength, his power," White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham said. "I mean hes just strong. You can do what he does with how strong he is, because he doesnt do a lot with his swing, his body to get ready to hit. He just drops the head of the bat on it and its gone." All that power has captured the attention of baseball fans across the country, but it is Abreus appreciative attitude that has quickly endeared him to his teammates. No small feat considering Abreus arrival pushed franchise icon Paul Konerko into a reserve role. "Hes such a good team person and you like to see stuff like this happen to people like him," manager Robin Ventura said. Abreu is the latest in a new wave of Cuban stars finding success all over baseball, and part of a long history of successful Cuban players in Chicago. Sluggers Yoenis Cespedes of Oakland and Yasiel Puig of the Dodgers are two of the majors most dangerous bats. Cincinnati left-hander Aroldis Chapman has blossomed into an All-Star closer. Miami right-hander Jose Fernnandez was the NL Rookie of the Year last season.dddddddddddd There were a record 19 Cuban players on opening-day rosters and inactive lists this year. "I think clubs are learning more and more how to do it," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said. Cuban players often travel a dangerous road to the majors. According to court documents in a federal lawsuit in Miami, smugglers who helped Puig leave his country on a speedboat have made death threats against him and against a boxer who says he defected with Puig. When they make it to the U.S., they face what can be an isolating transition to a completely different culture and the rigours of the majors. One of the biggest challenges is the language barrier, but they also have to work through changes brought on by a level of wealth and fame far beyond what they could have experienced in their home country. Major league teams are more careful than ever these days about creating a positive atmosphere for the Cuban players, making sure there is a translator in the clubhouse and help nearby when it comes to challenges on and off the field. The 27-year-old Abreu has three Cuban teammates; shortstop Alexei Ramirez, outfielder Dayan Viciedo and catcher Adrian Nieto. Lino Diaz, the manager of cultural development for the White Sox, also is around if Abreu needs any assistance. The White Sox have had 18 Cuban-born players in franchise history, tied with the Los Angeles Angels for fourth among all major league franchises, according to STATS. Minnie Minoso, regarded as baseballs first black Latino star, played 12 of his 17 seasons in Chicago and remains a team ambassador. Orlando Hernandez helped the White Sox win their last World Series title in 2005. Abreus fast start is drawing interest back home. The slugger is followed as closely as possible in a country where, despite the appearance of recorded major league games on state TV starting in March 2013, games featuring Cuban defectors are still not shown. Cubans with access to the Internet and bootleg versions track his career and often discuss it at the "hot corner," a spot in Havanas Parque Central where baseball fans gather to discuss international and Cuban players. "Abreu is a powerful hitter, he was really good here, but personally I think that with his major league results hes really exceeded expectations," said Jose Estrada, 55. "All over Cuba were following him much more than before because hes Cuban and he represents Cuba in the country with the best baseball in the world, the major leagues, and hes showing everyone the level of Cuban baseball." That level looks better than ever right now. 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