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LeBron set to return Friday
LeBron James is expected to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ lineup against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, while Antawn Jamison will be a game-time decision.
They were just two of six players to miss practice Wednesday for the Cavaliers, who took advantage of a break in the schedule to rest all five of their regular starters.
James missed two games after twisting his right ankle last Friday against Detroit, but is likely to play at Philadelphia, Cleveland coach Mike Brown said. James has played the sixth-most minutes in the league this season, averaging 39 per game.
Jamison won’t practice the rest of the week after revealing Wednesday he has a cyst behind his left knee that is filled with fluid. Shaquille O’Neal continues to rehab following surgery on his right thumb, while Anthony Parker and Mo Williams also took Wednesday off to rest nagging injuries. Key sub Anderson Varejao also missed practice, but it wasn’t clear if he had an injury or just took the day off.
All are expected to play Friday except for O’Neal and perhaps Jamison. An MRI earlier this week showed no damage to the knee and Jamison said it’s the same injury that hampered him early in the season when he was with Washington.
Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com
Owens meeting with Bengals
Terrell Owens headed to Cincinnati on Tuesday to see if the Bengals are interested in adding him to their stalled-out passing game.
Receiver Chad Ochocinco has been lobbying for the Bengals to sign Owens since the end of last season, when the Bengals’ passing game lacked a deep threat.
The newspaper reported that Owens had dinner with the coaching staff Tuesday night and would visit the Bengals offices on Wednesday.
Owens told WKRC-TV in Cincinnati that he would welcome playing with Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer.
The 36-year-old had tweeted earlier in the day that he was on his way to Cincinnati from Los Angeles.
“En route [at] Natti land!!” Owens tweeted. “i’ll let u guys know how the mtg went! Cn’t go 2 bad considering the pursuit of tht Lombardi shiny thing!!”
Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com
Gold Medal Could Be Silver Lining For Nash
A painting of Rick Nash hangs in the office of Blue Jackets interim coach Claude Noel, an abstract piece of art in which one would struggle to identify the player within the frame.
The picture perfectly captures Nash’s career. Seven seasons in Columbus and Jackets fans still are not exactly sure what to make of the team’s best player. He is an enigma wrapped in a CBJ sweater.
Is Nash a top-15 player in the league? Sometimes. Is the Blue Jackets’ captain an effective leader? Maybe. This much is clear: Nash is a nice guy and ever-improving playmaker who might simply need a healthy dose of big-time success to finally bring his work into focus.
Winning Olympic gold as a member of Team Canada may well be that dose. Just as Mario Lemieux took a huge step forward in his NHL career by scoring the winning goal in the 1987 Canada Cup, Nash has a chance with his Olympic success to take his career from good to better. And to take the CBJ along with him.
Blue Jackets Fredrick Modin and Sammy Pahlsson both said they benefited from being a part of Sweden winning gold at the 2006 Olympics.
“It helped me in terms of experience, to go through a thing like that,” Modin said. “I’m not going to say I became a better leader after winning the gold medal, but it made me feel really good. Rick is going to experience a lot of emotions and be feeling very confident about what he has accomplished, and that stuff rubs off on teammates right away. So that’s a positive for us.”
Click here to read the full article – By Rob Oller of Columbus Dispatch
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Jackets Probably Will Be Sellers
While many Blue Jackets headed to the tropics, the desert or the Olympics over the past 24 hours, general manager Scott Howson packed his bags for a scouting trip this week through several small Canadian towns.
That’s not the only short stick Howson drew during the NHL’s two-week Olympic break.
While many GMs are looking to add talent for a stretch drive toward the Stanley Cup playoffs, Howson expects to be unloading players.
“It’s a gray area, but we’re probably leaning more toward being sellers,” Howson said. “Nothing is final yet.
“It is difficult for all of us, yes, because we didn’t expect to be in this situation. But that’s the reality. You have to make the most of it.”
The Blue Jackets are nine points behind eighth-place Calgary for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, with 19 games remaining.
Yes, they’ve looked more resilient and energetic in five games under interim coach Claude Noel (3-1-1), but the Jackets would need a record of 16-2-1 or 16-3-0 the rest of the way to even sniff the postseason.
They’d need to pass six clubs — Minnesota, St. Louis, Anaheim, Detroit, Dallas and Calgary — which might be the tougher task.
Click here to read the full article – By Columbus Dispatch
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LeBron leads way as Cavs extend win streak to 13 games
When he arrived in Cleveland, Shaquille O’Neal made it clear there would be no more double-teaming Orlando’s Dwight Howard.
He’d handle things himself, as he did Thursday night. Oh, and he wants his cape back.
“I don’t really consider it manning up until you play me straight up,” O’Neal said. “I’ve never doubled anybody. So you tell me who the real Superman is.”
LeBron James had 32 points and 13 assists as the Cavaliers — with a big fourth-quarter defensive effort from O’Neal — matched their franchise record by winning their 13th straight game with a 115-106 victory over the Magic.
It was a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference finals, and both teams are again on top of the East this year, but O’Neal, who had 10 points and six rebounds on Thursday, has made a huge difference for Cleveland.
Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com
Mason Starring In Masterpiece Theater Again
There are 18 skaters, and then there is the goalie, who lives on an island. He is detached from the X’s and O’s. He has his own position coach. Although he is intrinsically tied to the fortunes of his team, he stands alone on his own merit.
How is it, then, that Steve Mason has been unbeatable since the Blue Jackets replaced Ken Hitchcock with Claude Noel? The goaltender is the last player who ought to be affected by a coaching change. Mason admits as much.
“Hitch always supported me,” Mason said. “I liked him as a coach, and I’ll never say anything bad about him.”
In fact, Mason said he shares the responsibility for getting Hitchcock fired. And he does. Pre-Noel, Mason was 13-18-6 with a goals-against average north of 3.10 and a save percentage south of .895. He had given up five or more goals seven times. This is the guy who won the Calder Trophy and finished second in the Vezina voting last year.
Now, he’s back — at least, it sure looks that way. The Jackets last night beat the San Jose Sharks, the top team in the Western Conference, 3-0. Mason stopped each of the 40 shots he faced and posted his second shutout in three games.
Since Noel took over, Mason is 3-0 with 90 saves on 91 shots. The one goal he gave up came on a tip that popped up, hit Jake Voracek’s leg and snuck in on a lark.
What is different, other than the coach?
“I can’t explain it,” Mason said.
But he can. He now admits that, without a stint in the American Hockey League, he did not have an adequate grasp of what it takes to be a professional. He says he needed to learn how to carry himself, to prepare and to handle adversity. It took time.
Click here to read the full article – By Michael Arace of Columbus Dispatch
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Freeney says ankle feels better each day
Indianapolis Colts All-Pro defensive end Dwight Freeney says the pain in his sprained right ankle is subsiding and he still hopes play in Sunday’s Super Bowl.
Freeney said Wednesday that in addition to using an oxygen tent, he has been walking barefoot and in the Florida sand to strengthen the ankle.
It appears to be working.
Though it’s been a slow progression, Freeney says the ankle feels a little better each day.
One other Colts starter, cornerback Jerraud Powers, also is questionable with a left foot injury. Coach Jim Caldwell said Powers is improving but he may not practice until later this week.
Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com
Jackets’ Torres Likely On Trading Block
One month and one day from the NHL trade deadline, all signs point to Blue Jackets left winger Raffi Torres being traded to a playoff contender in exchange for draft picks or prospects.
As of yesterday, the Blue Jackets and Torres’ agent, Eustace King, had not discussed, even preliminarily, a contract extension that would prevent Torres from becoming an unrestricted free agent July 1.
When asked whether he was frustrated by the lack of progress toward a new deal, Torres said: “I want to stay here and play hockey here. I’m very happy here in Columbus.
“To be honest, I have to stop thinking about (a contract extension) and just worry about what’s happening on the ice. I don’t feel like I’ve been playing my best hockey for the last couple of weeks or so.”
The Blue Jackets, who play the Colorado Avalanche at 9 tonight in the Pepsi Center, would like to keep Torres, too, but money likely will be an issue.
Click here to read the full article – By Columbus Dispatch
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Colts make up 11-point deficit to push aside Jets on way to fourth Super Bowl
This is perfect for the Indianapolis Colts: They have Peyton Manning and they’re back in the Super Bowl.
The four-time MVP threw three touchdown passes and the Colts rallied from an 11-point, first-half deficit to beat the New York Jets 30-17 Sunday in the AFC championship game.
The Colts (16-2) are now headed back to the NFL title game for the second time in four years and their fourth Super Bowl in franchise history. Better yet, they’re heading back to their lucky city — Miami, where they’ve played all four of those games and won there twice.
“I thought we just kept our mouths shut and went to work this week,” Manning said.
The big-talking Jets, and their equally big-talking coach, Rex Ryan, were all the incentive Indy needed Sunday.
Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com
LeBron helps Cavs beat Raptors, move to 15-3 at home
Shaquille O’Neal had one regret about moving into elite NBA scoring air. It should have happened long ago.
O’Neal became the fifth player to score 28,000 career points, and the Big Diesel made his enormous presence known at both ends of the floor as the Cleveland Cavaliers began a long stretch of home games with a 108-100 win over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night.
O’Neal reached the major milestone with a layup in the first minute. He was proud of the achievement, but felt it was overdue.
“I’ve missed like 5,000 free throws,” O’Neal said. “If I had at least hit half of those, then I would be at 30,000 right now.”
Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com
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