Dein erstes Forum » Wright had kind of a lengthy lead. W

METIAIRE, La. -- The New Orleans Pelicans have waived veteran forward Alonzo Gee, a move that keeps recently acquired guard Lance Stephenson on the opening night roster.I was nervous but confident at the same time, the 6-foot-5 Stephenson said after practice Monday. I try to control what I can control. I can control going hard in practice. I control being with the coaches and learning everything I can possibly learn and being a good teammate.Stephenson has struggled to find a long-term fit since leaving Indiana in 2014, playing with Charlotte, the Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis during the past two seasons. Deserved or not, he became saddled with a reputation of being selfish and unreliable. He said he intends to show everyone that he is not the person that you heard about.Stephenson was productive late last season with the Grizzlies, averaging 14.2 points in 26 games. The Pelicans decided to give him a chance with a low-risk, non-guaranteed contract, meaning he had to make the team in preseason.I just had to earn a spot and it shows how confident I am, Stephenson said. I feel like I can do whatever the coach wants me to do. I can rebound or play defense. I can play the point. I can make something happen. Im a great play-maker.The 6-foot-6 Gee, acquired by New Orleans during the 2015 offseason, appeared in 73 games with the Pelicans last season, averaging 4.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in 22.4 minutes per game.Gee also has played with Washington, San Antonio, Cleveland, Denver and Portland since going undrafted out of Alabama in 2009. He has career averages of 6.8 points and 3.3 rebounds.We probably needed another play-maker, so thats why we went with Lance, Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. It helps in that hes a ball-handler and he does have the ability to maybe play in three different positions.Gentry added that Gee did a lot for our team last year and hes a guy tats well-respected on this team. So what happens is you just make a basketball decision and thats basically what it came down to.The Pelicans, who open their season at home against Denver on Wednesday night, have two regular guards and a small forward sidelined for the time being. Starting point guard Jrue Holiday is on indefinite leave to tend to his wife, retired soccer star Lauren Holiday, who is recovering from brain surgery and gave birth last month to their daughter. Guard Tyreke Evans and small forward Quincy Pondexter are rehabilitating from knee surgeries.Gentry said those absences were a factor in keeping Stephenson.Weve still got some guys injury-wise thats going to be out, so we took a chance on bringing him in and taking a look at him, and we just felt like he could do some things that we needed that we didnt have available right now, Gentry said. All I can do is judge him by what hes done here. I havent had any problems at all coaching him. I havent had any problems at all when I corrected him. Paul Hornung Womens Jersey . Just not the game. Kyle Palmieri scored two straight goals in the third period to rally the Anaheim Ducks past the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Tuesday night. Brett Favre Youth Jersey . And when it opened, every player was at his stall. Thats a sure sign that a team is in a slump and is searching for answers. "Its embarrassing to be at home and play the way we did," said defenceman Josh Gorges. http://www.packersrookiestore.com/Packers-Jaire-Alexander-Jersey/ . Despite dominating possession, Schalke needed an own goal from Nicolas Hoefler for the breakthrough a minute before the interval. The Freiburg midfielder misjudged Jefferson Farfans corner and bundled the ball into his own net. Dave Robinson Packers Jersey . Anthony Davis had 31 points and 17 rebounds in his seventh straight game with more than 20 points, but that was only enough to keep the Pelicans competitive into the final minutes. Andrew Bogut had 10 points and 15 rebounds for Golden State, which rebounded from a loss a night earlier in Oklahoma City and snapped a two-game skid. Paul Hornung Packers Jersey . There are surprises among the Vezina candidates, but most of the others are standard top-tier performers, even if the two Hart Trophy runners-ups have never been quite as good as they have been through the first half of the season. BOSTON -- There is something wrong with Steven Wright.Wright will miss at least one start, the Boston Red Sox announced Wednesday, after an MRI exam revealed inflammation in his right shoulder. Wright was injured Sunday night in Los Angeles when he pinch-ran for David Ortiz and jammed his shoulder while diving back to second base on a fake pickoff attempt.Its one of those things that, at first, I was thinking the worst, Wright said. Im thinking [torn] labrum because of the way that I fell. But Im just glad that its not.Wright was supposed to start Thursday night against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park, but he cut short his between-starts bullpen session Tuesday because it hurt every time I tried to throw, he said. Wright went for an MRI, which didnt reveal structural damage to the labrum or the rotator cuff.Red Sox manager John Farrell said Wright is not yet a candidate to be placed on the 15-day disabled list. The teams medical staff believes the inflammation will subside without him having to miss significant time, although Wright said he will know more in the next couple days, once he sees how his shoulder responds to treatment.In Wrights place, left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez will move up one day to face the Yankees, and ace lefty David Price will start Friday night in the opener of a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Right-hander Clay Buchholz will be inserted into the rotation to start Saturday night.Farrell, whose every move has been second-guessed throughout the season, figures to receive criticism for using Wright in a pinch-running role.The Red Sox didnt want Ortiz to run the bases after leaving Saturdays game with soreness in his balky feet and heels. When Ortiz drew a pinch-hit walk in the sixth inning, Farrell had only backup catcher Sandy Leon and first baseman Hanley Ramirez available off the bench after burning?Bryce Brentz in the same inning, and he wanted to save Ramirez for a pinch-hitting opportunity late in thhe game.dddddddddddd Rick Porcello, the starting pitcher most likely to be used to run, had flown home from Los Angeles ahead of the team.Wright guessed that he hadnt been used as a pinch runner in a game since 2003 or 2004 in college, but he said that Farrell alerted all the pitchers about the possibility that they would be needed to run or hit in an interleague game in a National League ballpark. Asked if he felt uneasy about calling upon Wright to pinch run, Farrell said, I think you always are.The fact that were in a National League game, youre looking to do whats right by the game situation, Farrell said. Honestly, the way [Wright] swung the bat the night before was more of an indication to me of, heres a guy thats a baseball player.Farrell noted that Wright had kind of a lengthy lead. Wright said he was realistic enough to know he probably wouldnt score from second base on a single but wanted to be sure he would make it home safely on a double. If anything, Wright was surprised that Dodgers reliever Joe Blanton thought to fake a pickoff throw.My initial reaction was, Dont get picked off. Thats the last thing I want to do, Wright said. I was just thinking if I could just fall down and touch the bag I would do it, and thats kind of what I did. I just turned and fell. I just panicked and jumped back to the bag and just happened to land on my arm the wrong way.Wright has been among the Red Soxs most consistent starters, posting a 13-5 record and 3.01 ERA. He also is coming off his best start of the season, a three-hit shutout of the Dodgers on Friday night.Hopefully its only one start, and I can make my next start, Wright said. Hopefully its just a little hiccup, and we can just move along. They said I just jammed it really bad. Its a freak accident. Its one of those things that you never think about. Its a freak thing. ' ' '