defence in the bottom half behind Carlos Villanueva, w | Forum
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Feb 26 '18
CLEVELAND - The NBA All-Star weekend is the unofficial halfway mark of the NBA season and to say Anthony Bennetts rookie campaign hasnt gone quite as expected so far would be an understatement. Martellus Bennett Jersey . The 20-year-old rookie from Toronto, the first Canadian ever selected with the first overall pick in the NBA Draft when the Cleveland Cavaliers grabbed him in 2013, has had anything but a storybook beginning to his professional career. While the rest of the NBAs best and brightest spent their weekend in New Orleans for All-Star festivities, Bennett was just the second No. 1 pick to not be selected for the annual Rising Stars game, composed of the leagues best rookie and sophomore players since Washingtons Kwame Brown in 2001. Bennett is patient when asked about his struggles. After starting his professional career 0-for-15 from the floor, hes had to get used to talking about it. "Well, its not the way I planned it to go, I can say that," Bennett said. "Im pretty sure everything will turn around soon. Im working hard and Ive got my teammates with me. The coaching staff has been helping me a lot so Ive just got to keep my head up and go hard." While his start hasnt been ideal, Bennett has faced the music and remained calm amid pressures and criticisms coming from all angles. Speaking in the Cavaliers locker room before a recent game in Cleveland, Bennett was frank about his struggles this season, while also confident that the tide was turning. "Its overwhelming, but Im pretty level headed," Bennett said. "Ive got nice teammates who have been in the league a few years. They can tell me a lot of what theyve been through. Ive been humble, level headed and working every day." The advice from teammates and coaches is the same: keep working. A visit to the Cavaliers practice facility showed he is taking that advice to heart. Long after everyone else has left the floor, Bennett remained. Practising free throws under the watchful eye of an assistant coach, Bennett looked like any other NBA rookie. "Everybody has had their part," Bennett said of the Cavaliers organization. "Helping me with my game, shooting after practice, or pulling me aside and giving me pointers here and there. Everybody has been really helpful." Injuring his shoulder prior to the NBA Draft, Bennetts rookie season was derailed before it began. Missing the Las Vegas Summer League where rookies get their first taste of NBA life, while also being unable to train during the offseason, Bennett came into the Cavaliers training camp with extra weight to accompany the extra pressure that every first overall pick carries with him. Playing sparingly at the beginning of the season, Bennett has worked hard to shed the extra pounds and get into game shape so hes ready to go when his name is called. Last Tuesday night, in a victory against the Sacramento Kings, Bennett posted his best performance to date, recording 19 points and 10 rebounds. He followed up the next night with a two-point, two-rebound performance. Bennetts roller-coaster experience serves as a reminder of the patience necessary when drafting young players each year. With half a season behind him, Bennett is starting to get a feel for what to expect each night he steps onto the floor as a pro. "In college it would be one game, someones a seven-footer, but the next game someone is six-foot-six," Bennett said. "Everyone is pretty much the same size now. Youve got to go hard every time." In addition to staying after practice for extra work, Bennett often returns for a second session. How does the first overall pick deal with the lows that have accompanied his season thus far? With a little help from his hometown friends. "My close friends from back home, theyve been with me from the start, before this [being in the NBA], so they see my ups, they see my downs. They know what Im going through." After a game where he hasnt performed well, or even gotten the chance to get off the bench, they are the ones who help keep Bennett focused on whats in front of him. "Every time I have a bad game or am feeling down, I hit them up and they tell me to keep staying with it," Bennett said. "Theyll come out here and after bad games theyll go with me straight to the gym. Thats something thats really helpful for me and Im thankful for it." As Bennett begins to show flashes of why the Cavaliers wanted him in the first place, he isnt allowing an unexpectedly difficult beginning make him lose sight of the fact that hes living his NBA dream. "Its a huge honour. Its a blessing, you know? I just cant let this opportunity slide for me. I have to work hard every day. This is my job. I have to work hard and be happy about it." Jason Spriggs Jersey . A knee to the thigh might have stung him the most, but his sixth straight double-double made up for the brief burst of pain. Green Bay Packers Jerseys . Rockies manager Walt Weiss was unhappy, too. Weiss addressed the issue in a 15-minute meeting with his pitcher and catcher after the Rockies gave up 14 hits and lost 10-1. De La Rosa lasted only 4 1-3 innings and allowed five runs in his first opening-day start. OAKLAND, Calif. -- Derek Norris knack for big swings in big moments bailed out the Oakland Athletics again. Norris hit a three-run homer with two outs in the eighth inning, and the As rallied to beat the Chicago Cubs 8-7 on Tuesday night to regain the AL West lead. Five of the catchers 11 career home runs have given Oakland the lead. "He does his best work late in games with runners in scoring position," As manager Bob Melvin said. "Hes gotten big hits for us since he got here last year. If youre going to get a few hits in certain situations, obviously the bigger situations are the type of things that get the respect of your teammates and give us confidence when he comes up there in big situations he can get it done." Norris, who entered the game with a .195 batting average backing up the injured John Jaso, sent the 2-2 changeup from James Russell (1-2) over the left-centre field wall for his fourth home run this season. Josh Donaldson and Chris Young also homered to put the As a half-game ahead of Texas, which lost 9-2 at Seattle. Lefty Stephen Vogt wouldve started at catcher for the As against Scott Feldman, but the Cubs traded the right-hander in the morning. When Norris showed up at the ballpark, he learned lefty Chris Rusin had been called up from Triple-A Iowa to take Feldmans place. "I figured it was probably my turn," Norris said, grinning. Alfonso Soriano hit a three-run homer to highlight a five-run fourth inning and Welington Castillo drove in three runs for Chicago, which twice blew a two-run lead. The Cubs are 35-46 at their seasons midpoint after another win evaporated because the bullpen couldnt hold a lead. "Just didnt make a good pitch when I needed to and paid for it," Russell said. Dan Otero (1-0) tossed one scoreless inning for his first career win, and Grant Balfour finished it for his 20th straight save this season and 38th overall. Oakland can once again thank its on-again, off-again catcher for a comeback. Besides his big home run, Norris threw out Luis Valbuena for a double play in the ninth when Balfour struck out Starlin Castro. After tossing his first complete game to beat Homer Bailey and the Cincinnati Reds his last time out, As starter A.J. Griffin gave up 10 hits and tied his career high with seven earned runs in 5 2-3 innings. Bailey threw his second career no-hitter Tuesday night to lead the Reds past the Sann Francisco Giants, 3-0. Montravius Adams Jersey. "Im just fortunate enough that I have a team that scores a ton of runs," Griffin said. Rusin allowed six hits, struck out two and walked none in 3 1-3 innings for a no-decision in his first major league start this season. He was pitching on three days rest, so Cubs manager Dale Sveum pulled Rusin after 61 pitches. The As roughed up Rusin at the outset. Donaldson hit his 14th home run in the first, and Young followed with his eighth longball of the season in the second to give Oakland a 3-0 lead. The As missed a chance to pile on -- and perhaps run Rusin out of the game even earlier -- when Jed Lowrie struck out with the bases loaded to end the second. While Rusin regrouped in his short stint, so did Chicagos offence. Soriano started the scoring burst when he sent the tying homer over the wall in centre for his 10th home run. The Cubs sent 10 batters to the plate in the fourth inning, with Darwin Barney adding a sacrifice fly and Castillo hitting an RBI single to stretch Chicagos lead to 5-3. The Cubs collapsed on defence in the bottom half behind Carlos Villanueva, who allowed two unearned runs in 3 1-3 innings of relief. Running back and to his right on Adam Rosales short fly, shortstop Castro collided with Soriano in left field and the ball dropped. Coco Crisp followed with a tying, two-run single. Castillos two-run double over the head of Young in centre put the Cubs back ahead, 7-5, and chased Griffin. But as has been the case so often this season, Chicago couldnt protect its lead. "Just gotta get the ball down. Its that simple," Russell said. "Its not that difficult. Its just that one thing. Get the ball down and that wont happen." NOTES: Melvin said RHP Jarrod Parker felt a slight discomfort and tightness in his right hamstring during a bullpen session. Melvin said a decision will be made Wednesday on whether Parker, who left with the injury in the fourth inning of Saturdays loss against St. Louis, will make his next scheduled start Thursday against the Cubs. ... The Cubs had never played a regular-season game at the Oakland Coliseum. The franchise has now played in every current major league city and every active ballpark except the new Yankee Stadium. ... Bartolo Colon (11-2, 2.79 ERA) looks to win his ninth straight start when the As face Matt Garza (3-1, 3.82 ERA) and the Cubs on Wednesday. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
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