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04.01.2019 03:12
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MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester City stayed alive in the English Premier League title race by beating West Bromwich Albion 3-1 thanks to first-half goals by three Argentines on Monday. Pablo Zabaleta and Sergio Aguero struck in the opening 10 minutes at Etihad Stadium to set third-place City on its way to a victory that trimmed the gap to league leader Liverpool to six points, with a game still in hand. Graham Dorrans spectacular 16th-minute volley halved West Broms deficit but Martin Demichelis bundled in a close-range finish in the 33rd to help secure a routine win for City that was marred by a second-half injury to its playmaker David Silva. The Spain international was carried off on a stretcher after receiving a knock to his right ankle, which has been causing him pain for the last few weeks. City, which moved a point behind Chelsea, likely has to win its final four matches if the team has any chance of reeling in Liverpool. "We always talk with the players that if Liverpool win their (last) three matches and win 14 in a row, they will be champions," City manager Manuel Pellegrini said. "Our duty is to try to win the games and in that way Liverpool can feel pressure." Pellegrinis side rediscovered the creativity and bite to its forward play that was lacking in last weeks 2-2 draw with Sunderland that severely dented its hopes of catching Liverpool. Much of that can be put down to the return of Silva, who prompted many of Citys attacks in the opening blitz that proved too much for West Brom, before being taken off in the 69th with his right leg in a brace following an innocuous challenge by Morgan Amalfitano. "His injury started with a kick some weeks ago and every week he plays in the last game with pain," Pellegrini said of Silva. With City facing upcoming trips to Crystal Palace and Everton, a long injury absence for Silva would be a huge blow to the teams title aspirations. By the time he departed, the damage had been done by Citys three Argentines. Zabaleta stooped to head home a rebound inside three minutes after Agueros shot was palmed out by West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster, and Aguero buried a low shot into the corner from 25 metres in the 10th for his first goal since Jan. 29. Like against Sunderland, the striker lasted only around an hour as he looks to return to full fitness after a hamstring injury. Dorrans finished off a fast counterattack, which had its origins in a botched free kick by City close to West Broms area, by twisting and turning Gael Clichy and letting fly with a fierce volley that crashed into the net off the post. However, Demichelis restored the two-goal lead after receiving the end of Vincent Kompanys flick-on from Samir Nasris corner and West Brom rarely threatened in the second half. "The first half I think we played very well, we scored three goals and we had clear chances," Pellegrini said. "It was the team we see the whole season at the Etihad." City climbed four points clear of fourth-place Arsenal but will be looking up in the standings, not below, as it goes in search of a second title in three years. West Brom stayed 16th, three points above the relegation zone with four games remaining. Wholesale Jordan Shoes From China .com) - Willie Cauley-Stein and Karl-Anthony Towns each scored 12 points in the top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats 70-55 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide. Cheap Jordans From China . Gaborik was acquired in a trade with Columbus on Wednesday and skated on the top line with centre Anze Kopitar and right-winger Justin Williams. "We created some things," said Gaborik, who logged 16:38 of ice time. http://www.cheapairjordanchina.com/ . To get things started, heres a little photo tour to get you acquainted with all the main characters. Buy Cheap Jordans Online Real .com) - Coming off a pair of tough losses last week, the Syracuse Orange will try to put an end to their first losing skid of the season when they pay a visit to the Maryland Terrapins at the Comcast Center on Monday night in Atlantic Coast Conference action. Wholesale Retro Jordans . His actions are much louder on the Fenway Park mound. De La Rosa had another strong home start, going seven solid innings to lift the Boston Red Sox to a 2-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.TORONTO -- Dwane Casey has been carrying around a contract in his briefcase for the past few months, signed by all the Toronto Raptors and the teams staff. The contract, just two or three lines long and something that "wouldnt hold up in court," Casey said laughing, was a pledge of commitment. Its headline: "Im all in." Perhaps no one was more committed than Casey to the Raptors success this season, and on Tuesday, the 57-year-old coach was rewarded with a new three-year contract. The announcement came two days after Torontos season ended, but a couple of months after GM Masai Ujiri first approached the coach to get a new deal done. "Coach Casey was really classy because he said to me and he said to the players, Lets leave this and concentrate on the season, this is our chance to prove ourselves," Ujiri said, recounting his initial contract talks with Casey back in March. "He said, If Ive preached that to the players, then I owe it to them to continue this and well talk about (contract negotiations) after the season. I really give him credit for that." Casey led a young Raptors team to a remarkable and unexpected season that included a franchise-record 48 wins, an Atlantic Division title, and the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. Toronto pushed the vastly experienced Brooklyn Nets to seven games in the opening round of the playoffs, losing Game 7 by just a point. Casey said he drew up his "Im all in" pledge right after the February all-star break. In their next game, the Raptors recorded a big 103-93 win at Washington. "(It was about) committing to the process. Leaving their egos at the door," said Casey, who said he might have the contract framed. "Each player dedicated themselves, gave themselves to the season, and also as far as Im concerned to the future. Because this year was just a start of what we want to grow and develop with Masai as our leader and also the guys that are coming back here." Kyle Lowry was the first player to jump up and sign the pledge, said Casey. Retaining Lowry, the point guard whose teammates say was their heart and soul this season, will be one of the Raptors top priorities in the coming weeks -- the 28-year-old becomes a free agent on July 1. Lowry spoke glowingly in exit interviews a day earlier about his love for his teammates and the city, and Ujiri sounded, on Tuesday, as if the feeling was mutual. "Its very important (to re-sign Lowry) in terms of continuity," Ujiri said. "Kyle has had a phenomenal year. I thought Kyle was a huge, huge key to our season. For me, negotiating is easy if we want Kyle to be here and Kyle wants to be here. "Hes grown tremendously, to be coached and to work with," Ujiri continued. "His teammates, everybody has said that. Were proud of him. And so well go through that process, but were optimistic stuff will happen." Lowry and his teammates praised Casey in season-ending media interviews, noting the consistency of his message. For his part, Casey said he never considered testing the market. Ujiri made a commitment to the coach when the season began, and Casey said it was only fair he reciprocate. Caseys job status was uncertain when the season began. He was hired by Bryan Colangelo, and Ujiri had just replaced Colangelo as GM. "Masai could have made any decision when he ffirst took over the job last spring.dddddddddddd" Casey said. "He was true to his word, he gave all of us a platform to go out and prove and show, even the players, what you can do. And he was true to his word. Thats all you can ask for in this business is an opportunity. "It would be so disingenuous to even go out and put your foot in the market and think that was a possibility, so I didnt even give it a second thought. My heart is here, my mind is here." The Raptors thrived after the seven-player deal last December that sent Rudy Gay to the Sacramento Kings. Casey, who is almost fatherly in the way he communicates with his team, worked four new players into the roster, and from that point forward Toronto had the best mark in the Eastern Conference at 41-22. Casey and Ujiri were proud of the teams performance in the playoffs. They squared off against a Nets team that was built for success right now, whereas the Raptors are very much a work in progress. Casey was named head coach in June 2011, shortly after he helped guide the Dallas Mavericks to an NBA title. When asked which season -- the championship in Dallas, or this Raptors campaign -- was more satisfying, he said this one. "Its far more gratifying watching kids grow, watching development ... watching guys go through Game 6, when our compete level in the first half was probably one of the lowest we had all year, and then turn it around and put ourselves in a position to win the game," Casey said. Casey said the biggest mistake the team can make now is be complacent, so improvement is the focus of the off-season. He pointed out how sophomore centre Jonas Valanciunas will work with NBA legend and former Raptor Hakeem Olajuwon over the summer. The coach said, for his part, hell do what he does every off-season and examine tape of every game, looking for what they did wrong, what they could have done better. Both Casey and Ujiri spoke again about the incredible fan support in Toronto, noting that support helps when theyre trying to sell the city to free agents. Casey called it easily the best in the NBA and compared it to the 1996 NBA finals. He was with the Seattle SuperSonics that year, bowing in the final series to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. "KeyArena was rocking, loud. The Finals in 96, I thought that was loud," Casey said. "That didnt compare to the Air Canada Centre on Sunday when Deron Williams was shooting his free throws (in the dying seconds). You could just hear it vibrating. The official had to lean over to me and whisper in my ear, which I felt kinda creepy ... but you couldnt hear yourself talk. Thats a home-court advantage, its second to none in the league." Ujiri mentioned his predecessor at the end of Tuesdays 45-minute news conference at Air Canada Centre. "I think Bryan Colangelo did an unbelievable job here," he said. "He hired Dwane Casey. The starting five were picked by Bryan Colangelo as young players. I think the guy did an unbelievable job. He was a boss here, my boss and a mentor. He needs to be given some credit." Casey was named NBA Eastern Conference coach of the month in December. The Raptors finished in the Top 10 in the NBA in defensive field goal percentage (.450) and points allowed (98.0), and also posted a franchise-best 22 road wins. 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