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Mar 15 '19
CHICAGO -- Moments after his successful return to Chicago with the U. Buy Saucony Shoes Australia .S. national team, Jimmy Butler pulled on a T-shirt with a picture of Brazilian soccer star Pele on the front.Yup, its almost time.Kyrie Irving scored 13 points, DeMarcus Cousins powered a dominant performance in the paint, and the United States pulled away from Venezuela for an ugly 80-45 exhibition victory Friday night.Coming off three straight flashy victories in Las Vegas and California, the United States used a strong fourth quarter to shoot 42.4 percent from the field in by far its worst offensive performance of its five-city tour in preparation for the Rio Olympics. But the Americans used their superior athleticism to limit Venezuela to 24 percent shooting and owned the interior with a 54-29 rebounding advantage.Quite frankly, Im very pleased about tonight because you dont just want to just hit 17 3s and not work hard, U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said. We had to work real hard tonight.Butler, a two-time All-Star with the Bulls, had four points and eight rebounds in 21 1/2 minutes in his first start with Team USA. He was cheered every time he was announced at the United Center.This is like home for me now, Butler said. Im glad that I got to play here for USA in front of my hometown crowd. Theyve embraced me since Day 1. I hope they continue to do so. I want to win with the Bulls. I want to win with USA and bring a championship with the Bulls and a gold medal here.Butler had one of the few electric plays for the U.S. when he ran out on the break and dunked Kyle Lowrys tip pass in the fourth quarter. DeAndre Jordan also had a vicious dunk off a lob from Kevin Durant, and DeMar DeRozan drew chants of USA! USA! with a windmill jam in the final minutes.Klay Thompson also scored 13 points, and Cousins finished with seven points and 12 rebounds. Durant had nine points of 3-of-9 shooting for the U.S., which plays one more exhibition on Monday against Nigeria before departing for Brazil.We just kept fighting defensively, and we were great (in that area), Durant said. And in the second half, we made some shots.John Cox scored 14 points for Venezuela, which will play the U.S. again on Aug. 8 in the Olympics. Nestor Colmenares pulled down 10 rebounds.Their defense is so good because they can switch everything because of their length and athleticism, Cox said. So theres not really another team in the Olympics that can do that.Irving and company were greeted with a round of hearty cheers when they came out for pregame warmups. Fans flocked to the side of the court where the Americans had their layup line, and Anthony and Durant posed for pictures with a couple of eager boys.Before Butlers introduction drew the most applause of the night, former Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau received a thunderous ovation when he was announced with the U.S. coaching staff. Thibodeau took a year off after he was fired by the Bulls in May 2015, and then was hired as Minnesotas coach and president of basketball operations in April.Hes the best as far as preparation and team player and whatever, and the fans appreciate it, said Krzyzewski, a Chicago native. It was great. I love the fact that my town gave a guy who gave them his heart and soul for the number of years hes been here, and acknowledged that. Thats a great, great thing.The star power also extended to the sideline near the U.S. bench, where former Olympians Scottie Pippen and Dwyane Wade watched the action attentively. Wade was joined by his wife, actress Gabriel Union, hours after he held his introductory press conference for his new contract with his hometown Bulls.Pippen played on the 1992 Dream Team that rolled to gold in Barcelona, and also helped the U.S. win gold in 1996. Wade was on the Americans gold medal-winning teams at each of the last two Olympics.---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap ;Saucony Shoes Outlet . Rousey will put her perfect 8-0 record and hardware on the line against another undefeated fighter, 7-0 Sara McMann in the main event of UFC 170, which will be held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas Nevada on February 22nd. Saucony Shoes Factory Outlet .Y. -- Leading 3-0 with only 11:25 left, the Colorado Avalanche committed a seemingly meaningless penalty to give the New York Islanders a power play. http://www.cheapsauconyaustralia.com/ . The Browns coaching search remains incomplete.Arsenal have been strongly linked with Juventus Alvaro Morata, but is he the striker theyre looking for? The clock was ticking towards a penalty shoot-out when Massimiliano Allegri signalled to the hunched figure sitting restlessly on the Juventus bench. Twelve minutes remained to break AC Milans resistance in a dour Coppa Italia final at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. In the end, Alvaro Morata only needed two.One hundred and twenty-two seconds after jogging onto the pitch in place of midfielder Hernanes, Morata swept Juan Cuadrados cross into the net with his first touch. The goal clinched an historic second consecutive domestic double for Juventus, and it further enhanced the Spaniards reputation as a big-game specialist. Since joining the Old Lady last season, Morata has scored in both legs of a Champions League semi-final against boyhood club Real Madrid. He has scored in a Champions League final against Barcelona. He has scored decisive goals against Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Inter Milan. And he has now scored the winner in a Coppa Italia final. Morata tired of speculation Alvaro Morata admits he is tired of speculation linking him with a return to Real Madrid. It is likely to be his last contribution for Juventus. Real Madrid have the option to activate a buy-back clause to take the striker back to the Bernabeu this summer, but the strongest interest appears to have come from Arsenal. This week the 23-year-old revealed he has received tempting offers from England, and newspaper reports put him at the top of Arsene Wengers wishlist. Watch Alvaro Moratas winning goal in the Coppa Italia final So is he the answer to Arsenals striker conundrum? Morata seems to think so. I think my characteristics mean the Premier League would be a great destination, he told Spanish newspaper AS after his call-up for the Euros. His pace and technical skill are certainly well-suited to Arsenal, and his clinical winner at the Stadio Olimpico last Saturday was a timely reminder of his finishing ability - as was his double for Spain against South Korea on Wednesday.But perhaps his next comment was more revealing. With what I have learned in Italy, if I have the chance to learn something more in England I think it would make me a more complete player, he said. By his own admission, Morata is still learning. His big-game heroics have raised his profile and sent his price-tag north of £30m, but they mask modest experience and an unremarkable overall scoring record. Morata tempted by PL Arsenal target Alvaro Morata admits he is tempted by a move to the Premier League. Since his debut in 2010, Morata has made just 35 La Liga and Serie A starts with Real Madrid and Juventus, and he has never reached double figures for goals in a single league campaign. Saucony Shoes Clearance. Last year he found himself behind Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente in Allegris pecking order. This year it was Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic.Moratas total of 12 goals in 47 appearances in 2015/16 came at a rate of one every 196 minutes. Its a long way short of the elite, and while the much-maligned Olivier Giroud might not be the striker to take Arsenal to the next level, he did at least average a goal every 140 minutes. Morata v Giroud 2015/16 Player Mins played Goals Mins per goal Alvaro Morata 2348 12 196 Olivier Giroud 3360 24 140 It highlights the scale of what is expected at the Emirates Stadium. No Arsenal striker has hit over 20 Premier League goals since Robin van Persie in 2011/12, and Wenger has made pointed references to the issue in recent months. We dont have anybody with 20 goals in the league, so that is a handicap, he told Sky Sports in April.It raises questions of Moratas suitability. His potential is considerable and his knack for delivering as an impact player in big games is undoubtedly appealing, but Arsenal have more pressing requirements. The Gunners created more clear-cut chances (88) than any other Premier League side over the course of the season, but their profligacy cost them in games against Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Norwich and West Brom to name a few. Morata will feature for Vicente del Bosques Spain at Euro 2016 Its not just a big-game specialist they need, its a consistent goalscorer. Its less than two months since Wenger pinpointed poor results against the Premier Leagues so-called smaller sides as the reason Arsenal fell short of the title, but Morata would need to drastically increase his output to meet the level the Gunners require.Wenger has always maintained that the pool of ready-made strikers who could instantly improve Arsenal is a shallow one, and he might also point to his proud record for developing striking talent. Nicolas Anelka, Thierry Henry, Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie have blossomed under his guidance, so why shouldnt Morata be next?It is a reasonable argument, but the real question is whether Arsenal can afford another gamble. Patience is wearing thin at the Emirates Stadium, and supporters have little appetite for another project as Wenger enters the final year of his contract. Arsenal are operating in the here and now. The hero of the Coppa Italia would meet very different expectations in north London. Also See: Xhaka exit a huge blow Deschamps: Giroud boos unfair ' ' '
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