NEWS » oses success in the stretch run

After months of optimism surrounding a potential new collective bargaining agreement that would allow the NBA and the players union to avoid another work stoppage, the momentum has slowed a bit as a critical date approaches.Both sides have until 11:59 p.m. on Thursday to opt out of the current deal. If that were to happen, they would have until the end of June to negotiate a new contract. Neither the owners nor the players believe it will get to that point, with both sides seeking a deal to ensure the league keeps enjoying skyrocketing revenue and rising television ratings.Were working tirelessly, union president Chris Paul said this weekend.Many of the major parts of the deal have been addressed, including keeping the basketball-related income split the same as it is in the current agreement. There was a belief in early November that an accord could be struck by Thanksgiving, but the complex negotiations have carried on well into December.There remain a few issues for the sides to settle before a deal can be voted on, and the owners overseeing the leagues side of the negotiations planned to meet on Monday for a progress report. If the two sides do not agree to a deal by the deadline, they could implement an extension to give them extra time.While union vice president Carmelo Anthony told ESPN that he was skeptical that a deal would get done by Thursday, there remained a healthy amount of optimism from both sides of the negotiating table that a deal will eventually be reached.We still got a few days, union vice president LeBron James told reporters in Cleveland on Saturday. Obviously, our game right now is the best its ever been, from where it is right here domestically to all the way around the world, so hopefully both sides come to an agreement.---GRIZZLIES ROLLINGWhen Mike Conley was diagnosed with a back injury that was expected to keep him out at least six weeks, the consensus was that the Memphis Grizzlies would have a difficult time remaining in the Western Conference playoff picture. But Grit `n Grind has always been much more than just a catchy slogan for the Grizzlies, who have once again refused to give in when misfortune strikes.Memphis (17-8) has won six straight since Conley went down, climbing to fifth place in the West, just a half-game behind Houston and the Los Angeles Clippers. First-year coach David Fizdale has inserted little-known Troy Williams into the starting lineup for Conley, while veterans Tony Allen, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph have all stepped up their games to pick up the slack.The Grizzlies are also missing free agent prize Chandler Parsons (knee) and veteran Vince Carter (hip), but they thumped the Golden State Warriors on Saturday by 29 points, the first time they won a game by more than five points during this streak.---THE WEEK AHEADA look at some games to watch this week:Memphis at Cleveland, Tuesday: The red-hot Grizzlies face the rolling Cavs in a home-and-home back-to-back starting at Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday night.Minnesota at Chicago, Tuesday: Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau coaches in Chicago for the first time since he was fired by the Bulls in an acrimonious split two years ago.New York at Denver, Saturday: Its been six and half years since the trade, but its always worth watching when Carmelo Anthony returns to face the Nuggets.Oklahoma City at Portland, Tuesday: The human triple-double against Damian Lillard? Sign us up.---STAT LINE OF THE WEEKKlay Thompson, Golden State Warriors: 60 points, 21-33 FG, 8-14 3s, 29 minutes. The Splash Brother may be the most explosive player on Golden States star-studded roster, and proved it with an incredible scoring binge in just three quarters of work. Had coach Steve Kerr played him in the fourth quarter, Kobe Bryants 81 points were certainly in jeopardy.---This story has been corrected to show CBA deadline is Thursday. Richard Sherman Womens Jersey . -- The boos poured down on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at the end of a horrible first half. Russell Wilson Jersey . -- Bobby Ryan helped the U. http://www.seahawksfansofficial.com/russell-wilson-jersey/ . 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 . Marquise Blair Seahawks Jersey . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. L.J. Collier Seahawks Jersey . White came in fourth place in the event. He was the two-time defending gold medallist. The gold medal went to Swiss snowboarder Iouri Podladtchikov.SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Raffi Torres showed the San Jose Sharks during his short stint both the attributes that make him a valuable player and the negatives of his suspension-filled history that sidelined him for the final six games of the playoffs. General manager Doug Wilson decided that the rewards outweighed the risks, signing Torres to a $6 million, three-year deal Thursday that prevents him becoming an unrestricted free agent July 5. "Every player comes with some level of risk and obviously were very comfortable with this," Wilson said. "Hes really transformed and evolved his game. Hes a very effective player. I wont comment and cant comment on the suspension in the playoffs. We think he brings all the skill sets were looking for: speed, strength, he can shoot and he has a high skill level to play with high-end players." Torres showed those skills almost immediately after coming over in a deadline deal from Phoenix on April 3. He had two goals and four assists in 11 regular season games and provided a needed spark with his speed and physical play that helped San Jose wrap up a playoff spot. He then scored an overtime game-winner in Game 2 of first-round sweep against Vancouver and turned himself into a key component on the Sharks. That all ended when he hit Los Angeles Jarret Stoll in Game 1 of the second round against Los Angeles. Pointing to a long history of impermissible hits that included a 21-game suspension for a blow to the head of Chicagos Marian Hossa in the 2012 playoffs, NHL senior vice-president of player safety Brendan Shanahan banned Torres for the rest of the second round. It was his fourth career suspension. Wilson and the Sharks said at the time that it was a "clean hockey hit" and the principal point of contact was with Stolls shoulder, not head. The organization was fined $100,000 for the comments, but Torres appreciated the strong support. Torres had committed only six minor penalties in 39 regulaar games since returning from the Hossa suspension in an effort to change his game.dddddddddddd. "I still feel like there wasnt anything wrong with that Stoll hit," Torres said. "At the end of the day, its something that Im always going to be working on until the day Im done playing -- thinking the game a little bit more and obviously try not to put myself in a vulnerable position with those borderline hits." The Sharks felt Torres absence as it forced Joe Pavelski to move from third-line centre to wing on one of the top lines and hurt the scoring depth that was key to San Joses success in the stretch run. Instead of having a third line of Pavelski, Torres and either Marty Havlat or Tommy Wingels, the Sharks had to load up their top two lines and got little production from their bottom six forwards. "Thats a line thats tough to match up with and I think would have been a big mismatch," Wilson said. "That was part of the thought process when we did it at the trade deadline to be able to put people in the proper roles. We did miss him." Now they will have him for three years in a deal that gives Torres the stability he had been seeking. Since being traded from Edmonton to Columbus following the 2007-08 season, Torres has played for five teams and has not spent two full seasons with any of them. "Pretty much since I left Edmonton, its been tough," he said. "You felt like you had to reprove yourself. I felt like I had to do that a couple of times in my career. I still feel like I have a lot more to give to this game especially now with the Sharks. Knowing there will be stability there is something I look forward to. I wont have to worry about anything else except going out there and playing hard." Torres has 134 goals and 121 assists in 630 career games, with his most productive season coming when he scored 27 goals in 2005-06 to help Edmonton make it to the Stanley Cup finals. ' ' '