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LOS ANGELES -- Pau Gasol and Steve Nash watched the entire fourth quarter from the bench. wholesale jerseys . Kobe Bryant sat one row behind them in a black shirt and suit. The Lakers three veteran stars were spectators for one remarkable show put on by five Lakers reserves who werent ready to cede Los Angeles supremacy to their Staples Center rivals. Xavier Henry scored a career-high 22 points, Jordan Farmar added 16, and the Lakers surged past the Los Angeles Clippers in the final minutes for a 116-103 victory in both clubs season opener Tuesday night. By the time the Lakers reserves were done with Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, coach Doc Rivers Clippers debut was wrecked -- and so were many preconceptions about the Lakers prospects this season. The Lakers 76 bench points were the most in club history since March 1985. "Its not a bad thing to be the underdog sometimes," said Jodie Meeks, who scored nine of his 13 points in the fourth quarter. "No expectations. We go out there and play hard. Whats the worst that can happen? We lose, and people say were no good?" The Lakers 41-point fourth quarter was downright stunning, but the identities of the players responsible for this exciting, free-flowing opener were even more jaw-dropping. "Mike (DAntoni) did a great thing: He didnt bring his starters back in," Rivers said. "There was a point where I was thinking: Please bring them back in." A team that was 28th in the NBA in reserve scoring last season got outstanding bench play from a five-man unit, including three guys who werent even on the team last season: Wesley Johnson, two-time NBA champion Farmar, and Henry, the former first-round pick who burned out in Memphis and New Orleans. A new season is a chance for a fresh start, and Henry needs one just as much as the Lakers. He scored 12 points in the fourth quarter while leading a 28-8 run. "Were a deep team, and people dont think were that good," Henry said. "That always fuels us. People are saying were going to finish 12th or whatever, but we have a great group of guys who go out there and play hard. Were young. Were athletic. We get after it." The long-established hoops hierarchy in Los Angeles flipped earlier this year: The Clippers won a division title and became veteran championship contenders, while the Lakers lost their stars to injury or free agency and prepared for a long rebuilding process. At least in the opener, the Lakers flipped it again -- and embarrassed Rivers in the process. "We were not ready tonight," said Rivers, the longtime Celtics coach who hopes to push the Clippers into title contention. "(The Lakers) have heard for probably the last two months how good (the Clippers) were going to be ... so you knew that they were going to play like this was the world championship -- with that type of energy. And I thought we never matched it. Everything they did was harder than us and more physical than us. They destroyed us on the glass and destroyed us in turnovers. So it was a good lesson for us." Griffin scored 19 points and Paul had 15 points and 11 assists for the Clippers, who beat the Lakers four times last season on the way to their first Pacific Division title. DeAndre Jordan added 17 points and 11 rebounds. "Youve got to give it to them. They outplayed us," Griffin said. "They did a good job. They were ready. They turned up the heat in the fourth quarter, and we didnt respond." Gasol scored 11 of his 15 points in the first quarter, and Jordan Hill added 12 points and eight rebounds as the Lakers improved to 42-24 on opening night, the best winning percentage in NBA history. After the off-season losses of Dwight Howard and Metta World Peace, not much is expected from the Lakers. Yet they thrived for a night without Bryant, who missed a season opener for the first time since 2006. The fourth-leading scorer in NBA history hasnt returned to practice this fall after tearing his Achilles tendon late last season. The Clippers led 57-55 at halftime while hitting nearly 59 per cent of their shots. They pushed their lead to eight points in the third quarter, but the Lakers went ahead 86-83 with 9:06 to play on Meeks three-point play. "Oh, man, it seemed like it just happened so fast," Paul said. "Those guys executed their game plan, and when youre missing somebody like Kobe, you feed off that energy." NOTES: The evening began with a moment of silence for Bill Sharman, who died last week at 87. He coached the 1971-72 Lakers to their first championship in Los Angeles, winning an NBA-record 33 consecutive games along the way. ... The Clippers won their final seven games of the regular season last spring. ... Floyd Mayweather Jr., Diddy, Yasiel Puig, Tommy Lasorda and Flea attended the game. cheap jerseys . -- Michael Phelps has competed in the second event of his comeback and failed to advance to the 50-meter freestyle final. nfl jerseys china .ca NBA Power Rankings, but there are changes among those teams in pursuit.PARIS -- Ireland held on grimly in a nail-biting finish to beat France 22-20 and win its first Six Nations since 2009, giving centre Brian ODriscoll the perfect send-off in his last test on Saturday. With just over a minute remaining, ODriscolls and Irish hearts sank when France No. 8 Damien Chouly scored in the right corner, but the try was disallowed for a forward pass from captain Pascal Pape. "Im over the moon, very happy for the lads and obviously very happy for Brian in his last international," Ireland captain Paul OConnell said. "Historically, this is always our toughest Six Nations with England away from home and France away from home, so to win the championship with these two fixtures is a great success." Ireland flyhalf Jonathan Sexton scored two tries among a personal 17 points to steal the limelight in ODriscolls world-record 141st and final test. Right winger Andrew Trimble got Irelands other try. "There is where it all began and to finish with a medal around my neck 15 years later is incredible," said ODriscoll, who was still in his jersey at the news conference. "Its been a fantastic Six Nations for us. Ive enjoyed every second. I dont really want to take this jersey off yet." Irelands last win in Paris was in 2000, when ODriscoll, nine months into his great career, scored a hat trick of tries and made his name. "I dont think anybody will step into Brians shoes," Ireland coach Joe Schmidt said. "Theyre rather big, but hopefully they can grow into them." Irelands title was only its second in 29 years, and relegated England to second for a third straight year. England beat Italy 52-11 in Rome earlier, forcing Ireland and France, a long shot for the title, to win or miss out. France finished fourth, Wales rising to third with a 51-3 defeat of Scotland. France, after an indifferent campaign, came to the party with all guns loaded and produced the games highlight moment, its first try to fullback Brice Dulin. There was a controversial second try from hooker Dimitri Szarzewski, who knocked on before scoring against the post. "Of course its frustrating to finish fourth," France coach Philippe Saint-Andre said. "You cant say our players cant play rugby and that they dont have any desire. We showed enormous ambition to play good rugby. The highesst level is very cruel and you have to congratulate Ireland and ODriscoll. cheap nfl jerseys. " France missed chances in the last 10 minutes to take the lead, when replacement scrumhalf Jean-Marc Doussains penalty drifted wide and the disallowed try. "I would have liked to have closed it out a lot better than we did," OConnell said. "Ive been coming to Paris since I was 22, its a very tough place to win. Ive never won here before. In my year as captain, at 34 and in Brians last cap, it really is an incredible feeling." ODriscoll kissed the Six Nations trophy before OConnell raised it aloft, sending Irelands large contingent of fans into delirium again. "I tried to channel the emotions into the performance. You cant allow the occasion to get the better of you," ODriscoll said. "You have to try and make sure youre a cog in the wheel of the team. The emotions come after and they did, and Im sure therell be a few tears later on with multiple beers on board. But its a wonderful way to finish." Early momentum, especially from centre Mathieu Bastareaud, was with France for a 6-0 lead. Sextons first try cut the lead to one, and soon after, scrumhalf Conor Murrays clever footwork and pass released Trimble for a try and 12-6. Stung back into action, the French pack took control. With blood pouring from a cut under his right eye, Szarzewski gained ground and flyhalf Remi Tales lofted a pin-point cross-kick to the right corner, where winger Yoann Huget brilliantly palmed it down to Dulin, who scored. It was Frances best move of the tournament. Sexton missed a penalty, the last act of the half, to allow France to go into the interval 13-12 ahead but without prop Nicolas Mas, who trudged off with his right arm in a sling. In the second half, Trimbles superb run down the right almost earned the supporting ODriscoll a try. Ireland recycled, and Murray sent Sexton over for the seven-pointer. Another penalty from Sexton made it 22-13. But France wasnt finished. Just after the hour mark, Szarzewskis try that really wasnt cut the margin to two. The Irish resisted the final French onslaught to send ODriscoll into a happy international retirement "Not many people get to finish their career on their own terms and with high emotions," ODriscoll said. "I feel very fortunate." wholesale nfl jerseys cheap jerseys from china ' ' ' |
