D-Will in Fridays starting line up?

ANDREW THEODORAKIS/ NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

The Nets stand on the court stunned after blowing a 103-100 lead with 17.2 seconds remaining.

It has been reported that D-Will will most likely be in the starting lineup on Friday VS OKC. I asked Tim Capstraw about a player feels after the past loss and they said they do get down on themselves but putting him back in the lineup will allow him to gain confidence.

Luis Collazo Interview

Tomorrow night in Brooklyn will be a major fight for pride at the Barclays center. I have the privilege to attend and enjoy the match. This fight besides being a fight for pride will show Brooklyn once more how diverse we are. In the Barclays we have seen the top singers,Basketball and now boxing.


Tomorrows match  is Luis Collazo V.S Victor Ortiz. I will be tweeting live @Interviewking1 and I am hoping to have a lot of fun!

Today I had the opportunity to interview one of the stars of the match and world champion Luis Collazo. ( Interview is posted below) it is quote for quote and nothing has been changed.

1) Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I'm a former world champion n current wba international champion. I think I been underrated all my career but I love it cause it makes me work harder to prove people wrong.

2)Tomorrow night you will be taking on Victor Ortiz,what are you looking forward to about the match?

ooo man I get to perform for the boxing fans. I love giving the fans a great outing n excitement cause that's my job as a fighter.

3)What is your regular routine on fight day?

well wake up eat breakfast go back home watch tv n stay off the legs as much as possible til fight time.

4)what was it like going in to the match on April 2, 2005?

a life changing moment you trained so hard for so many years n now that moment you been waiting for has presented itself.

5) What did winning on April 2, 2005 mean to you?

everything cause I had accomplished my dream as a fighter. It's the best feeling as a fighter 

6) What advice would you give to someone trying to pursue a career in some sort of fighting art?

.to give it there all don't worry what people say cause theirs always someone trying to bring your goals n dreams down. Stay focus n have faith in God n them selfs. Cause with God all things are possible.

7)Do you have a way fans can stay in touch? Twitter,Fanmail...

yes they can reach me @RealLuiscollazo on Twitter n instagram

Nets big WIN against Dallas

The Nets defeat Dallas to a 107-106 win. It was close but none the less a win. The game was exhilarating and again Coach Kidd was tieless. Is it really he tie? What ever it is it's working! The Brooklyn boys are RED HOT! I hope we can keep it up,maybe even win a championship?

Teletovic-33 had a career high of 34 points. WOW! That's awesome! I think we are seeing a new team. Let's go BROOKLYN!
Tune in Monday at 6:30 as the Nets take on Boston!

Last nights VIP Nets game

Joe Johnson signing autographs
for fans pre game.

Hi everyone!
So I went to a Nets game and that game changed my life! The experience was so surreal and I still can't wrap my mind around the experience:

So,I get to the game and like usual I start to hand out my business card. So I got to meet Ian Eagle-TV reporter from YES network,I got to speak to Billy King,Gary Susman,Brett Yormark and others.

After the game I started to talking to an executive from the NBA,Mr. Robison. He was super cool and gave me passes to meet the Magics VIP. After I was meeting all the Magics I see him running at me. He starts to tell me "Glad you didn't leave,here,take these passes and go to the VIP club to meet some of the Nets! My mouth dropped and I couldn't believe it! It was insane! A memory I will never forget

Me with Ian Eagle

Goals

Me with NBA legend Keke 

I received 4 emails this week asking me what's my plans for the 2014. So here is the answer:

1) Develop relationships with teams and organizations. I have been in contact with the Mets,Giants,Knicks and others... 

2) Develop relationships with actors on a personal level as opposed to through their PR staff. This will allow me to get advice when needed. I'd like to shout out to: Bill Curry,Gregory Jbara,Cardinal Robbins,Geno Segers,Keke Vandeweghe and many others.

3) Get involved in charity. I am in touch with the Jason Kidd foundation and in the middle of coordinating an event with them.

4) Get in touch with people who do this for a living.

5) Start my intern with TwinAmerica.com as a PR intern.

6) Interview sports figures for this blog.

7) Redo my website and preform SEO.

Thanks for the emails! Please feel free to contact me michael@universalinterview.com

Bill Curry ineterview

Here is an interview with an NFL legend,Bill Curry.

1)Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am a seventy one year old person who has been blessed in many ways. I am have been married to a wonderful woman for fifty one years, and we somehow love each other more now than ever before. Carolyn is the light of my life. Our family includes two grown, married children and six grandchildren. We treasure every moment with them. I was raised by thoughtful, caring people in the Christian tradition. We were taught to respect all faiths and all people, and I do not subscribe to the notion that one religion has all the answers. This past fall was the first season in 58 years that I did not have a fulltime job in the sport of football. Needless to say it was a time of adjustment, but one filled with happiness since I could be with family and friends on a regular basis at their events, rather than “my” team’s events. All my career I have spent my time and energy seeking to serve my student-athletes, and many of them remain in touch, and that is an added joy.

2) How did you start your career in football?

Involuntarily! I went out in high school (eighth grade) and hated every minute of football. I would have quit except for my father. He had not made me go out, but did require that I finish what I had begun. All I wanted was to pitch for the NY Yankees. As time passed I began to see that my only route to Yankee stadium was through hiking a football, and I began to love my teammates, the huddle, and the demanding contests. I did indeed play in Yankee Stadium, only not in the pinstripes, and not with a round ball! (The Giants used to play home games there, and we played against them when I was with the Baltimore Colts and Houston Oilers. Each of those teams has obviously moved.)

3)How did you feel coming in to the first Super Bowl as the starting center?

We were excited, and ready to play. I was injured and had to leave the game, but it was great fun for our team. Kansas City was better than anyone imagined, but we had a great football team and Coach Lombardi was in rare form.

4)What does it mean to be the first super bowl winning center?

I don’t think it means very much as a specific experience. There were many years of NFL football before we started calling the championship “Super.” In the minds of modern culture there is an unhealthy disconnect, as if nothing counts that occurred prior to 1966. I think it is very unfair to the men who came before us and established the NFL.

5) In the Super Bowl against Joe Namath was the team scared to play him,especially after he'd guaranteed he'd win that season?

Joe is a good guy and a friend of mine, but we laughed at his saying such a thing. Our record was 15-1 at the time, and Jets, while they were a good team, were not awe inspiring. They beat us because they played well, and because we turned the ball over again and again, not because Joe predicted it. We beat them the next four times we played, but nobody knows or cares.

6) What did it mean to you becoming the Coach of the same college you attended?

It was awe-inspiring. Georgia Tech has a great tradition of scholarship and excellence on and off the field. We had fallen on hard times, and the responsibility to bring the program back to respect was a powerful obligation.

7) As a coach, did you realise new aspects of the game that you didn't see as a player?

I was terribly underprepared to be a head coach, and had to learn every day. There was so much I didn’t know! There is still a great deal I don’t know.

8) Do you wear your super bowl rings daily? Is it your most cherished item from the NFL?

I do indeed love the rings, because they symbolize my teammates, and the synergy we were privileged to build. Sadly, my fingers are so swollen from arthritis I can no longer wear them. I look at them and remember my buddies. The friendships are the most cherished aspect of the NFL experience.

9) Do you have any of your own or other players memorabilia from when you played?

I have a few footballs, jerseys, helmets, bowl watches, and programs.

10) What advice would you give someone attempting to pursue a career in football? 

Be very careful. We are learning more every day about brain trauma, and its devastating consequences. Know what you are getting into. Football has become a twelve month obligation because of the training required. Be sure the coaches are people of character, and that they teach eternal values, including respect for all people. They will leave their marks on every child…for better or worse.

11) Is there a way fans can contact you for autographs or just to talk?

I can be contacted through our website: www.billcurry.net. I am always happy to communicate if possible.

Nets suiting up for epic game in London; facing jet-lag and overall fatigue

 

(Getty Images) Paul Pierce plans some sightseeing as Andrei Kirilenko & Co. try to get in gear for Thursday's game.

                               LONDON –- No sleep till Brooklyn? Try no sleep in London.

The Nets went straight into practice Tuesday morning after their trans-Atlantic trip, and more than a few members of the contingent confessed to fatigue as they prepare for Thursday’s game with the Atlanta Hawks in the British capital.

But, said Paul Pierce, shut-eye can wait.

The veteran has made this long-distance journey before, for a preseason matchup with the Boston Celtics in 2007. Although some might privately grumble about having to divert overseas in the middle of what has become a tougher than expected season, Pierce's sightseeing schedule is already mapped out.
“You cherish every time you get to be places you don’t know,” he said. “Even though I’ve been a couple of times, it’s been six, seven years since I was here. I probably will go to the London Eye, check out Big Ben, take a couple of pictures."

There is little opportunity to be idle. The NBA will use what has become an almost annual trip to press the flesh with sponsors and roll out the kind of offcourt activities normally reserved for the All-Star Game.

That means VIP receptions, a NBA Cares clinic and assorted events designed to promote the league to a British audience that still ranks basketball far below soccer on the popularity list.

Yet this game -- at the 19,000-capacity 02 Arena -- sold out within 24 hours, a quicker pace than on the Nets’ last visit to face the Toronto Raptors in 2011.

And there is still talk that, one day, there will be a European Division with franchises in cities like London, Paris, Madrid and Moscow.

“The growth of the international fans has come because of the international players,” Pierce said. “The more and more players you see from international parts of the world, the more the fan base of the NBA grows. That’s really the biggest part of it; you have players from China, from Germany, from all over the world.

“When you have that type of culture in the NBA, it spreads. I can’t even tell you how many players from different countries there are in the NBA. Just in this team alone, we have four, five, six. That says a lot about the way the game’s going.”

Still, some remain skeptical about the concept of fulfilling what was a long-term vision of outgoing NBA commissioner David Stern by adding teams outside North America.

Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov has extensively promoted the Brooklyn brand in his native Russia, mirroring much of the outreach undertaken by the Houston Rockets when Yao Ming opened a door into China.

One-off regular-season contests, TV deals, jersey sales? Simple. But frequent flyer miles to Europe? Not so fast.

“I don’t think it’s realistic only because of the traveling,” Nets forward Andrei Kirilenko said. “Maybe if it’s going to be a whole division, like the Euroleague is a division for the NBA, like the West or Eastern Conference -- so once a year you go to another continent and play three games there and then come back and adjust, maybe it's going to work.

“But it’s definitely not going to work coming to London then coming back. It’s physically impossible.”

ALL BUSINESS: Rested or not, Jason Kidd put his team through a light practice Tuesday at London’s Imperial College at what was the equivalent of breakfast time in New York in a bid to get his team quickly acclimated to British time (five hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time).
Neither Brook Lopez nor Deron Williams have joined the traveling party with assistant coach John Welch (personal reasons) also remaining in the United States.

Williams will continue to get treatment on his injured ankle, but Kidd has yet to determine whether the All-Star will be available when Brooklyn returns to face the Knicks on Monday at Madison Square Garden.

“He’s going through his rehab, and we’ll see where he’s at when we get back,” the Nets head coach told reporters.

With five wins out of their past six, the one thing Kidd will hope his players have not lost en route is that momentum as they look to match their victory over Atlanta on Jan. 6.

Their loss Saturday to the Raptors apart, there is a feeling among the coaching staff that greater consistency in the rotation will be vital in making up lost ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

And, Joe Johnson added: “We’ve kind of figured out some minor things and to roll with what we’ve got. And we’ve been doing a pretty good job of guys helping one another on both ends of the floor. We’re just trying to develop some kind of cohesiveness, just trying to string some wins together.”

The role of Shaun Livingston in filling the void left by Williams’ latest injury could prove vital.

The eighth-year guard struggled against the Raptors, notching just eight points and three assists, but he has been a steady hand during Brooklyn’s resurgence, featuring alongside Johnson, Pierce and Kirilenko at various times as Kidd has shuffled his lineup.

“It’s been fun because he’s a different threat,” Johnson said. “He’s a different point guard, a big point guard who’s pass-first but who can really score the basketball.

“He has a mismatch every night, and he helps us all out with it because he draws so much attention by getting in the paint and making easy plays, making the guys around him better.” (credit ESPN)

Pelicans lose against a No.1 Seed.

NEW ORLEANS -- Tim Duncan stood under New Orleans' basket for several seconds, a bemused expression on his face, seemingly pondering how he could have fouled out with half a quarter still left in a surprisingly tight contest between the Western Conference-leading Spurs the reeling New Orleans Pelicans.

As Duncan finally starting walking to the bench, with mocking cheers raining down from the stands, Spurs point guard Tony Parker decided it was time for him to take over.
Parker capped a 27-point outing with three clutch layups in the final minutes, and the Spurs held on for their fifth straight victory, 101-95 on Monday night.
"I was in attack mode," Parker said. "When I saw TD go out, I knew I was going to be aggressive and try to create for myself or for my teammates."
Duncan scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds before fouling out with 6:02 to go. Manu Ginobili added 14 points, Kawhi Leonard 13 and Marco Belinelli 12 for San Antonio, which sent hobbled New Orleans to its sixth straight loss since leading scorer Ryan Anderson went out with a herniated disk.
Anthony Davis had 22 points and 11 rebounds, while Brian Roberts, starting at point guard for the injured Jrue Holiday (fracture right tibia), scored a season-high 19 points for New Orleans. Eric Gordon added 12 points and Al-Farouq Aminu pulled down 13 rebounds.
"We really don't like moral victories, but we came in and competed," Roberts said. "Unfortunately, they made plays down the stretch. They are a veteran team. They are going to keep their composure through those stretches. Hats off to them.
New Orleans led from late in the first quarter until late in the third, when Parker's 17-foot jumper gave the Spurs a 74-73 lead. The shot was part of an 11-0 run, capped by Matt Bonner's 3, that put San Antonio ahead 79-73 early in the fourth quarter.
New Orleans, however, declined to fold, and kept it close into the final minute.
"They made it hard on us. We were in survive mode in that first (half)," Parker said. "You have to give them a lot of credit. They played with a lot of energy and it was hard to get that win."
Davis' running hook as he was fouled by Duncan gave New Orleans one more brief lead at 87-86 with 7:08 to play. San Antonio regained the lead on Parker's layup, but then Duncan fouled out when he tried to stop Gordon's drive.
Gordon missed the second of two free throws to tie it, however, the Pelicans were further hurt by three turnovers down the stretch, two by Davis and one by Aminu.
San Antonio led 94-90 on Belinelli's 3, but Roberts came right back with a 3 for New Orleans. Leonard responded with a 3 of his own, but Roberts' runner off the glass pulled New Orleans to 97-95 with 1:46 still left. Gordon's steal set up a potential tying possession, but Davis' short jumper rimmed out, and Parker converted a difficult reverse scoop with 44 seconds left to make it 99-95.
The Pelicans set up Roberts for a quick 3, but it rimmed out and New Orleans did not threaten again.
"We had our chances tonight and we just didn't execute down the stretch. We had three costly turnovers in the last few minutes of the game," Pelicans coach Monty Williams said. "We had 87 looks tonight -- 87 shots. We just need to put the ball in the basket."
The Pelicans managed to open up a double digit lead in the second quarter when Anthony Morrow's floater made it 41-30.
The Spurs quickly closed the gap later in the period with an 8-0 run capped by consecutive layups by
Duncan and Parker.
 The Pelicans maintained the lead for the rest of the half, but Belinelli, who played for New Orleans when the club was called the Hornets, hit a 20-foot fadeaway to pull San Antonio to 51-50 at halftime.

Notes: San Antonio G Danny Green missed his first game with a fractured finger in his left hand and is expected to be out for about four weeks. ... The Spurs improved to 24-0 when leading after three quarters. ... New Orleans G Austin Rivers scored 11 points, his sixth time in double digits this season. ... Davis now has 12 games this season in which he has scored at least 20 points and grabbed at least 10 rebounds.

(Credit to CBS Sports)

Knicks win their fifth straight!

Kenyon Martin fouling the Suns’ Leandro Barbosa near the end of regulation. Barbosa’s two free throws sent the game to overtime. Barton Silverman/The New York Times

The Knicks and the Phoenix Suns did not always play well Monday night. They played hard. They played it close. And eventually they played into overtime.

Give the Knicks credit for grinding out a hard-fought 98-96 victory at Madison Square Garden that extended their winning streak to five games. The Knicks (15-22) played stingy defense in overtime, when they held the Suns without a field goal on 0-for-7 shooting.

Carmelo Anthony (29 points, 16 rebounds) led the offense, but Kenyon Martin (8 points, 9 rebounds) was stellar defensively. Martin feels the Knicks’ defensive effort has become contagious.

“We’re making each possession tough,” Martin said. “There’re going to be a few lapses here and there, but we’re trying to make each possession tough. It’s mental focus. I think we’re locking in.”

With the Suns trailing by 3 points with 40 seconds left in overtime, the Knicks put Martin on Phoenix point guard Goran Dragic (28 points), who carried his team offensively. Martin moved his feet well as Dragic drove to the basket, forcing him into a missed shot.

Raymond Felton, who had 19 points, driving against the Suns’ Miles Plumlee in the Knicks’ win. Barton Silverman/The New York Times

The Knicks rebounded, and after Anthony missed on a jumper, the Suns had one last chance with 3.2 seconds to play. But Raymond Felton intentionally fouled Channing Frye with 2.5 seconds to play. Frye missed the first free throw before making the second. The Knicks called timeout, inbounded the ball to Anthony, who was intentionally fouled, then ran out the clock on the next inbounds pass.

The Knicks learned why the Suns (21-16) are one of the N.B.A.’s surprise teams. Dragic was too quick for anyone who tried to defend him, particularly Felton. Suns guard Leandro Barbosa (21 points) also spent the fourth quarter creating openings and knocking down shots.

“For the fifth game in seven nights against a team that has been playing very well, I thought they gave a heck of an effort tonight,” Suns Coach Jeff Hornacek said. “We just didn’t make any shots.”

The Suns were finishing a five-game trip, and the Knicks seemed a step quicker in overtime. Anthony’s alley-oop dunk off a pass from Martin gave the Knicks a 2-point lead to open the scoring in the extra period. Then Martin scored on a put-back dunk off a Felton miss to put the Knicks ahead, 96-92, with 3 minutes 13 seconds left in overtime.

After a Suns timeout, Andrea Bargnani fouled Frye on a drive, but Frye made just one of two foul shots, leaving the Knicks with a 3-point lead. The Knicks went back to Anthony, who converted a baseline jumper to give the Knicks a 98-93 lead with just under three minutes to play, and the Suns never fully recovered.

The fourth quarter came down to the Suns’ final possession, with the Knicks leading, 92-90. Barbosa drove into the lane and really had no place to go, defended tightly by the taller Martin near the foul line. As Barbosa rose for the shot, Martin reached in for the block as Barbosa tried to lift the ball over his head for the shot.

Martin’s hand had plenty of ball, but he was still called for the foul with 1.2 seconds to play, and the crowd erupted in displeasure.

Kenyon Martin, guarded by the Suns’ Gerald Green, left, and Miles Plumlee, had 8 points and 9 rebounds and starred defensively. Barton Silverman/The New York Times

Asked if he fouled Barbosa on that play, Martin smiled and said, “Next question.”

Barbosa calmly made both shots to tie the game. J. R. Smith (10 points) shot an air ball 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded, sending the game into overtime.

Anthony made a spinning baseline jumper to pull the Knicks to within 88-87, but Barbosa answered with a driving layup to put the Suns ahead by 3 again. Martin slam-dunked a rebound off a Felton miss, and the Knicks were back to within 1, 90-89.

The Knicks took a 75-68 lead into the fourth quarter. This was a game of spurts, and the Knicks had more of them. But the Suns were pesky. Trailing by 52-43 at halftime, the Suns opened the third quarter with a 9-2 run that tied the game at 54-54.

Hardly anyone expected the Suns to be formidable this season, but they have been a surprising young team, led by Dragic and guard Eric Bledsoe. Even though Bledsoe is expected to miss the next four to six weeks following knee surgery, the Suns are still hoping to make the playoffs.

So are the Knicks. Winning games like this will help their chances.

REBOUNDS

Tyson Chandler (upper respiratory infection) missed his fourth consecutive game, but Coach Mike Woodson thought Chandler might play Tuesday night in Charlotte. “It was serious,” Woodson said. “He was in the bed for a while. He’s now up and around and was at the gym yesterday. We’ll see how he feels (Tuesday) and then go from there.” ... Woodson is hoping J. R. Smith got the message after being benched last week against the Heat. “J. R. and I spoke, and the bottom line is he’s got to be more of a pro and do the right things and just concentrate on playing basketball,” Woodson said.

Brooklyn Beast.(A special thanks to NYTIMES.com for use of their article)

Nets lose to the Raptors, now head to London to face the Hawks

Raptors hand Nets first loss of 2014

AP 1:34 a.m. EST January 12, 2014

(Photo: Nick Turchiaro, USA TODAY Sports)

Story Highlights

• Raptors won for the seventh time in nine games, snapping Nets' five-game win streak with first loss of 2014
• DeMar DeRozan scored 26, and Patrick Patterson had 14 points and 12 rebounds
• Nets blew 10-point lead at end of the third and went scoreless for almost four minutes to open fourth

TORONTO (AP) — Running on empty after a double-overtime win against Miami, Brooklyn's best stretch of the season came to an end at surging Toronto.
DeMar DeRozan scored 26 points, Patrick Patterson had 14 points and 12 rebounds and the Raptors snapped the Nets' five-game winning streak with a 96-80 victory on Saturday night.
Paul Pierce scored 15 points and Alan Anderson had 13 for the Nets, worn out after arriving in Toronto in the wee hours of the morning after playing two extra periods in Friday's big win over the Heat.
BOX SCORE: Raptors 96, Nets 80
"Guys were definitely tired from last night, getting in late," said guard Joe Johnson, who had 11 points for the Nets.
Brooklyn dropped to 1-6 this season in the second part of games on consecutive days.
Terrence Ross scored 14 points, John Salmons had 13 and Kyle Lowry finished with 12 as Toronto won for the seventh time in nine games and strengthened its lead in the Atlantic Division.
"Our guys showed mental toughness and won a slug-out game, which I don't know if we could have won a few months ago," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "It's a testament to our guys' mental growth and mental toughness to win a game like that."
After squandering a 10-point lead in the final minutes of the third quarter, the Nets missed six straight shots at the start of the fourth and went scoreless until Pierce made one of two from the line at 8:10.
"The last six minutes of the third was tough on us," Pierce said. "It was tough for us to execute, we turned the ball over. We were up 10 points and we had a chance to really do some damage. Maybe it was fatigue, I don't know."
Brooklyn guard Shaun Livingston, who played 51 minutes Friday, was 3-for-11 from the field against the Raptors, but said blaming fatigue was the "easy way out."
"It's always disappointing for me, as a competitor," Livingston said. "That's a game I'd like to have back."

Already without injured guard Deron Williams, the Nets gave center Mason Plumlee his first career start in place of Kevin Garnett, who got the night off after playing 36 minutes against Miami.

Plumlee fouled out with six points.
While the winning streak is over, Plumlee said the Nets are feeling better about themselves.
"We do have a rhythm, we do have more confidence as a group now," he said.
Livingston agreed, but cautioned against any excess enthusiasm.
"Don't relax," he said. "I think that's the main thing. We won five games but we still haven't done anything."
The Raptors closed the third with an 18-4 run, then kept up the pressure in the fourth. Back-to-back layups by Amir Johnson and Patterson gave Toronto a 78-65 lead with 7:24 remaining.

Brooklyn responded with six straight points, but Lowry hit a 3 and Patterson made consecutive jump shots to restore the double-digit cushion, putting Toronto up 85-71 with 3:46 to go.
"It was really important with them being a divisional team and playing really well right now," Lowry said. "We needed to get this win for our confidence."

DeRozan scored eight points in the opening quarter, two of them on a breakaway slam dunk after a midcourt steal, and Lowry added six to help Toronto to a 24-18 lead.
"They're playing extremely hard, they're shooting the 3 extremely well," Nets coach Jason Kidd said. "DeRozan and Lowry are playing at a high level."

The Raptors were up 40-27 with 6:16 left in the second before Brooklyn put together a 13-4 run, including back-to-back 3-pointers by Mirza Teletovic. After a Raptors timeout, Ross hit a 3, but Pierce was fouled with less than a second remaining and made both free throws, trimming Toronto's lead to 47-42 at halftime.

The Raptors went cold to start the third, missing their first six field-goal attempts before DeRozan connected on a jumper at 6:43. Brooklyn, meanwhile, started the second half on a tear, hitting four 3s in an 18-3 run that gave the Nets a 60-50 lead.

Sparked by 11 points from DeRozan, and five consecutive missed shots by the Nets, Toronto moved in front again at the end of the third. DeRozan connected on three straight possessions, including a 3 with less than a second left, as the rejuvenated Raptors carried0 a 68-64 lead into the final period.
"A lot of things were against us tonight and we still had a chance there until the end of the third quarter," Pierce said.


NOTES:
 Raptors F Tyler Hansbrough (left ankle) missed his fifth straight game. ...

Brooklyn's next game is Thursday in London against Atlanta. ...

The Nets are 5-13 on the road. ...

Toronto outrebounded Brooklyn 49-39. ...

The Nets have used 17 different starting lineups this season. ...

 Rapper Drake, who is Toronto's 'global ambassador,' was honored with a Drake Night promotion. The Grammy winner announced the starting lineups, and his official: DJ Future the Prince performed at halftime.

Jrue Holdiay, Pelicans PG, out with a leg fracture.

The former point guard star from the Sixers, currently of the New Orleans Pelicans is out indefinitely with a leg injury due to stress.Bleacher Report covered the story, as well as ESPN.

Jrue Holiday Injury: Updates on Pelicans Star's Leg and Return

Howard Smith/USA Today

New Orleans Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday will be sidelined for an indefinite period of time due to a stress fracture in his right leg.

Jim Eichenhofer of the team's official site noted that there's no initial timetable for Holiday's return to the lineup and pointed out the guard's durability during his career:

The Pelicans said Friday morning that point guard Jrue Holiday will be out indefinitely after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right tibia. The 6-foot-4 point guard had been the only New Orleans player to appear in all 34 games this season. The durable fifth-year NBA veteran played in 78 games last season, as well as 65 of 66 games during the shortened 2011-12 campaign. As a second-year pro in 2010-11, Holiday appeared in all 82 games.

It's the second injury setback in as many weeks for the Pelicans. They are also without power forward Ryan Anderson, who leads the team in scoring at a shade under 20 points per game but is recovering from a herniated disc.

Holiday joined the Pelicans after spending the first four seasons of his career with the Philadelphia 76ers. He was averaging over 14 points and nearly eight assists while playing more than 33 minutes per contest in his first season with the team.

The Pelicans' studio host, Daniel Sallerson, reports Brian Roberts spoke with the media and is expected to get the start in place of Holiday against the Dallas Mavericks:

Chris Haynes of CSN Northwest reports the timeframe for Holiday:

Center Jason Smith said the team has to overcome its injury woes, per Nakia Hoganof The Times-Picayune:

As a team we just have to stay upbeat. You can't let anything get you down. Obviously Jrue and Ryan going down that's a big hit for us offensively. But at the same point we got guys that need to step up. We are going to have to have them step up and play good tonight.

While it appears Roberts is going to get the first opportunity to replace Holiday, Tyreke Evans will probably take on a larger ball-handling role as well. Austin Rivers could also see more playing time in the revamped guard rotation.

Can the Pelicans still make the playoffs?

Yes, they are still a threat in the West.No, injuries have doomed them.SUBMIT VOTE vote to see results

If Holiday ends up missing an extended period of time, it'll be a significant blow to the team's playoff hopes. New Orleans is only four games off the pace in the Western Conference playoff race, but it will be difficult to remain within striking distance while missing two key pieces.

That said, it's unclear exactly how long Holiday will be out, so the Pelicans are in a holding patten with hope he returns while they are still in the mix.

(KUDOS TO BLEACHER REPORT AND CNN)

NEW ORLEANS -- New Orleans Pelicans starting point guard Jrue Holiday is sidelined indefinitely with a lower right leg injury.

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Issac Baldizon/NBAE/Getty ImagesJrue Holiday expects his shin fracture to be re-evaluated in a month.

Holiday, who met with reporters shortly before Friday night's game against Dallas, says the injury is a stress fracture in his tibia. He believes he played with the injury for an undetermined amount of time before the pain led him to ask trainers to take a closer look.

Holiday played 29 minutes in Wednesday night's 102-96 loss at home to Washington. He now is using a stabilizing boot to walk and says he expects to be re-evaluated in about a month.

In 34 games this season, the 6-foot-4 Holiday is averaging 14.3 points, 7.9 assists and 4.2 rebounds. His injury comes while New Orleans also plays without leading scorer Ryan Anderson, who has a herniated disk.

(KUDOS TO ESPN AND GETTY IMAGES)

Knicks and Nets both victorious vs. the Heat

Knicks and Nets both victorious vs. the Heat 

Both the Knicks and the Nets had a great weekend, beating the Heat on the Heat's sad road trip.

KNICKS RECAP:

NEW YORK -- They don't look like the lowly losers of last month. The New York Knicks are playing as if it's last season -- when they even had mighty Miami's number.

Carmelo Anthony scored 29 points, Andrea Bargnani had 19, and the Knicks beat the Heat 102-92 on Thursday night for their season-high third straight victory.

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Often in these rivalry games, the Knicks look like contenders and the Heat's investment appears questionable, Brian Windhorst writes. Dime

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With LeBron & Co. in MSG, Carmelo Anthony reigned as king for a night, scoring 29 to steer his Knicks to a confidence-boosting win, Ian O'Connor writes. Story

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• Knicks Blog | ESPN New York

"You can tell it's different than one month ago," Bargnani said. "Our faces are different, our body language is different."

Raymond Felton had 13 points and 14 assists for the Knicks, who seized control with a 16-2 run spanning the third and fourth quarters and beat the Heat for the fourth time in five meetings over the last two seasons.

New York was second to Miami in the Eastern Conference last season when it won the series 3-1, but there was little reason to suggest until recently the Knicks were ready to compete with the NBA champions this season. New York is 13-22 but has won four of five in 2014, with victories over San Antonio and Miami -- last season's NBA finalists.

"It wasn't going to last all season like that," Felton said. "We were just going through a slump, now I feel like we're out of it."

With Tyson Chandler out sick and J.R. Smith stuck on the bench as an apparent punishment,Amar'e Stoudemire had 14 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.

LeBron James scored 32 points for the Heat, who played without injured starters Mario Chalmers and Shane Battier and didn't get much from Chris Bosh, who was held to six points on 3-of-10 shooting.

"All I know about this game is they outplayed us and they earned that win," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

Dwyane Wade scored 23 points but missed all six free throws after sitting out the morning shootaround as Miami had its three-game winning streak snapped.

"I only missed six," Wade said. "I didn't miss 20. It wasn't that damn bad."

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Smith didn't play after the reigning Sixth Man of the Year's latest trouble, a $50,000 fine when he attempted to untie an opponent's sneaker for the second straight game, after he'd been warned by the NBA not to do it again. Knicks coach Mike Woodson criticized Smith's behavior during a radio interview Wednesday but said before the game he wouldn't discuss Smith any longer.

But the benching did the speaking for him. Smith often stood far away from the huddle during timeouts, but his teammates sure didn't miss him on the court.

Woodson again wouldn't comment after the game, but no Knicks player, not even Smith, seemed to know he wouldn't play.

"I didn't know anything about it," Smith said. "I expected to do the same thing I always do. I did my same routine and it didn't happen."

Though the roster is different and the results are way worse, Woodson said before the game he believed the things that worked so well against the Heat last season could still do so, and for this night he was right as New York shot 54 percent from the field.

"We're moving forward," Anthony said. "We're taking strides. We're getting better. We're learning from our mistakes we've made in the past and we're going to continue to build on this and see what happens."

The Knicks surged into the lead late in the third. Bargnani answered back quickly after James blew by him for a dunk, converting a three-point play to tie it and ignite a 9-0 spurt that helped New York lead 75-71 entering the final 12 minutes.

New York ran off seven in a row to open the fourth, making it 82-71 on Stoudemire's basket, and there was never really a run for the Heat, who couldn't get closer than five from there.

"They played a great game," James said. "They made some timely shots."

The Heat were opening a six-game trip, but the start of it couldn't be more convenient. They are just a few miles away Friday to visit Brooklyn in a game in which players from both teams will wear nicknames on their jerseys.

But the best they can do is salvage a New York split, even after shooting 54 percent in this one.

Miami scored the final seven points of the first quarter to take a 27-21 lead. The Knicks scored 11 in a row early in the second, but Rashard Lewis made two 3-pointers from the corner in the final 1:11 to help the Heat grab a 48-43 halftime edge.

Game notes

James played in his 800th career game. ... The Heat return to New York on Feb. 1, the night before the Super Bowl just across the river in New Jersey.

Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

NETS RECAP:

NEW YORK -- Shaun Livingston was flying all over the court. LeBron James could only sit and watch.

Joe Johnson scored 32 points, Livingston helped Brooklyn dominate the second overtime after James fouled out, and the Nets beat the Miami Heat 104-95 on Friday night for their fifth straight victory.

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Livingston had two baskets and two blocked shots in the second OT, finishing with 19 points, a career-high 11 rebounds and five assists over 51 minutes in a sensational effort while starting for injured Deron Williams.

The Nets followed the lead of a player who spent years revitalizing a career that was sidetracked by a horrific knee injury, jumping on the Heat early and fighting them off late.

"Gutsy. Gutsy," Kevin Garnett said. "I thought we fought for 48-plus minutes."

Paul Pierce scored 23 points but missed jumpers that could have won it at the end of regulation and the first overtime. Still, the Nets remained unbeaten in 2014, adding a victory over the two-time defending NBA champions to their recent wins over Oklahoma City and Golden State.

"It was huge," Livingston said. "We've obviously been playing better as of late. I think our momentum that we were carrying into this game, we're trying to ride that wave."

James had 36 points, seven rebounds and five assists, but fouled out on an offensive foul with 36 seconds left in the first overtime and the Heat trailing by two. It was the first time James fouled out in the regular season since 2008.

Miami pushed it to a second overtime without him, but it was all Nets from there against a Heat team that was already missing Dwyane Wade and two other starters.

James was visibly frustrated with his teammates in the first half -- he said he apologized at halftime for his attitude and body language. He was irate when Mirza Teletovic flagrantly fouled him, but nearly overcame all that to help Miami pull it out.

"We're a no-excuse team, but right now we have three starters that didn't play," James said. "Even though we've got a lot of depth, it is hard to make up for three starters being out."

Miami totaled six points in the overtimes, fewest ever in the shot clock era (since 1954-55) in a game that went at least two overtimes.

Norris Cole scored 18 points, but Ray Allen was 2 of 14 for nine points in place of Wade, who rested his sore knees after playing 39 minutes in a loss at New York on Thursday.Shane Battier and Mario Chalmers also sat out the game, which featured players on both teams wearing nicknames on their jerseys, a first of its kind in the NBA.

Livingston and Johnson made the first two baskets of the second overtime, then Livingston blocked a shot by Cole.

Pierce followed with a 3-pointer, Garnett made a jumper and Livingston spun into the lane for a dunk and a 104-93 lead. He had another block on Allen, who finally made the Heat's only basket of the second OT on a wide-open layup with 16 seconds to go.

The Heat came up with the idea to wear nicknames on their jerseys and wanted another team to participate, and the Nets were selected.

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Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images

LeBron James had 36 points but fouled out in the first OT of Friday night's loss, in which players wore jerseys with their nicknames on the backs.

So in place of the teams' regular jerseys were ones reading names such as King James and J. Shuttlesworth (for Allen's character, Jesus Shuttlesworth, in the film "He Got Game").

The Nets wore their road black jerseys with Truth (Pierce) and Big Ticket (Garnett).

Gimmicks are nice but good games are even better, and the Heat and Nets delivered a great one.

"This was a playoff atmosphere-type game," Pierce said. "You just felt the energy in the building."

The Nets led 93-89 in the first OT and were still up two after James fouled out, but Cole pushed the ball up the court and nailed a jumper with 3.3 seconds to go to tie it.

The Nets controlled the second extra period, handing Miami a second loss in two nights in the Big Apple and matching their win total for both November and December, with eight games left this month.

Even short-handed, James and the Heat played as though they desperately wanted this one, erasing a 14-point deficit. James looked ready to fight when Teletovic wrapped his arms around James' neck to stop a drive to the basket with a flagrant foul.

"He went around my neck," James said. "It's not a basketball play."

Said Teletovic: "Just tried to make a foul to stop the score. He shouldn't be reacting like that. It's OK. It's just basketball."

It was tied at 89 with 40 seconds left after a free throw by James, and Pierce's long jumper rimmed out as time expired.

"They made bigger plays going down the stretch in the overtime," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "When we pushed it to that point, even with LJ out, we thought we had a chance. Guys really competed down the stretch."

Game notes

The teams will wear the nickname jerseys again on March 12 and April 8 in Miami. The Heat will also wear them at home against Boston on Jan. 21. ... The Nets begin a three-game, three-country road trip Saturday in Toronto. They face the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday in London, then return home to visit the Knicks on Jan. 20.

Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press