The LA Lakers missed the chance to take a further step towards the Pacific Division title with a 109-92 loss at the Atlanta Hawks. The Lakers needed a victory coupled with defeat for the Phoenix Suns to claim the title, but Kobe Bryant's 28 points could not propel them to victory. Joe Johnson poured in 25 points for the Hawks who boosted their own chances of making the playoffs. The Suns extended their winning streak to nine with a 116-105 victory over the New Jersey Nets. Steve Nash poured in 24 points while Jason Richardson was just behind him with 23 as the Suns kept up the pressure on the Utah Jazz for third in the Western Conference. nike air jordan 8 The Jazz remain a half-game ahead following their 128-104 triumph over the Golden State Warriors. Utah are the same distance behind the Dallas Mavericks who needed overtime to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 106-102. Jason Terry top-scored with 29 points for the Mavericks while OJ Mayo led Memphis but will have been disappointed to miss a potential tying three-pointer in the final seconds of overtime. The Grizzlies are now seven games behind San Antonio for the final playoff spot in the West after the Spurs beat the Houston Rockets 119-102 with George Hill grabbing a career-high 30 points. The Boston Celtics' playoff hopes suffered a setback as they slipped to a narrow 109-104 defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder, with Jeff Green hitting two three-pointers in the final two minutes. Kevin Durant scored 37 points for the Thunder who are sixth in the Western Conference, half a game ahead of Portland who cruised to a 118-90 triumph over New York. Boston dropped to fourth in the East but remain six above the Milwaukee Bucks following their narrow 101-98 defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Miami Heat are only a half game further back after they surged to their sixth straight victory, beating the Detroit Pistons 98-81. They retained their one-and-a-half game lead over Charlotte after the Bobcats moved a step closer to a first playoff place with a 103-84 triumph over the Philadelphia 76ers. nike air jordan 9 The Toronto Raptors are still hot on their heels after they easily disposed of the Los Angeles Clippers 114-92. Elsewhere, the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Sacramento Kings 108-99 while the Washington Wizards snapped a 16-game losing streak, edging out the New Orleans Hornets 96-91.

             Kobe Bryant celebrated a new three-year contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers with 25 points to help his team beat the Utah Jazz 106-92. Lamar Odom top-scored with 26 as the Lakers avoided a third straight defeat, while Carlos Boozer had 20 points for the Jazz. The Phoenix Suns remain narrowly behind as they triumphed 109-94 over Detroit for their 10th successive victory and the Pistons' 10th successive loss. The Memphis Grizzlies kept alive their very faint play-off hopes with a 107-96 win over the New Orleans Hornets. nike air max 180 O.J. Mayo scored 27 points and Rudy Gay added 20 as the Grizzlies remain eight victories behind the San Antonio Spurs with just eight games left to play. The Spurs beat the Orlando Magic 112-100 with Manu Ginobili once again leading the way. He scored 43 points for his fourth 30-plus game since replacing Tony Parker in the starting line-up last month. LeBron James scored 27 points to help the Cleveland Cavaliers clinch the Eastern Conference crown as they edged the Atalanta Hawks 93-88. The Cavaliers also became only the ninth team to claim back-to-back 60-win seasons Nike Air Max Elsewhere, Golden State Warriors coach Don Nelson moved within one win of equalling Lenny Wilkens' record for the most victories by an NBA coach as he clinched his 1,331st triumph with a 128-117 defeat of the New York Knicks. The Milwaukee Bucks' play-off hopes were dented as they slipped to an 87-86 defeat at rivals the Charlotte Bobcats. Nike Air Max The Miami Heat's game also went into overtime but they had no such problems as they triumphed 105-96 over the Indiana Pacers to boost their chances. The Chicago Bulls are just outside the play-off places after beating the Washington Wizards 95-87, while the Houston Rockets posted a 119-114 overtime victory against the Boston Celtics

               Chris Bosh and the Toronto Raptors suffered a painful night as the Cleveland Cavaliers recorded their 11th successive home win. Toronto's All-Star forward Bosh was flattened by an elbow from Cleveland's Antawn Johnson and was sent to the hospital for tests early in a 113-101 defeat which dents his team's play-off hopes. Danilo Gallinari was the New York Knicks hero in his team's 104-101 defeat of the Boston Celtics, pouring in an impressive 31 points. Kevin Martin's 29 points for the Houston Rockets helped them to a 113-103 victory over Memphis, whose 25-14 last quarter success was not enough to get the Grizzlies anything out of the game. Gerald Wallace scored 28 points and Boris Diaw weighed in with 17 as the Charlotte Bobcats beat the Atlanta Hawks 109-100 to improve their hopes of a first play-off berth. nike air max 2009 John Salmons' 26-point haul enabled the Milwaukee Bucks to recover from a 27-14 first quarter deficit and defeat the Chicago Bulls 79-74. Charlie Villanueva scored 25 points, one more than team-mate Rodney Stuckey, as the Detroit Pistons snapped an 11-game losing streak with a 124-103 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. The Washington Wizards never looked back after establishing an early 15-2 lead against the Golden State Warriors, holding on for a 112-94 success which means Lenny Wilkens must wait to create a record of 1,333 NBA coaching victories. Kevin Durant's 45 points were in vain for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who lost a high-scoring match to the Utah Jazz 140-139. Deron Williams led the way for the Jazz with 42 of his own. nike air max 360 I Six San Antonio players broke double figures as the Spurs scored a 95-86 win over the Sacramento Kings. Tyreke Evans top-scored with 22 for the Kings in a game which was deadlocked 47-47 at the midway mark.

                 Melbourne Rebels have signed Adam Freier on a two-year deal after the veteran ignored overseas offers to re-sign with the ARU. Freier, a veteran of 87 Super caps and 25 Test appearances, agreed terms with the fledgling franchise on Tuesday. Currently sidelined with a back injury suffered during the off-season, the 30-year-old says the opportunity to help build a new club from scratch alongside former Wallabies coach Rod Macqueen was too good to pass up. "It was no accident that Rod formed a great culture at the Brumbies," Freier said. "I was one of the young players that benefited from that culture. To now have the opportunity to help build one, with Rod - well that's something any player would love to be a part of." The veteran hooker concedes his desire to return to Robbie Deans' Test line-up was also a major factor in his decision to remain on home soil. nike air max 360 II "I still have a burning aspiration to play in the green and gold," he said. "If I didn't I would probably have gone to Europe. "Over the last two years, when forced to sit on the sidelines, my passion for the game has increased, not waned. "My ambition to play for the Wallabies again cannot be measured. "Everything you do as a professional player should be geared towards playing at the highest level for Australia, whether you're an academy player or an established international. "It is how I feel and I have the belief that I'm good enough to get back there. This will also be my last chance to get to a World Cup, so if the opportunity is there for me to play again for the Wallabies, I'll be ready when the call comes." Freier joins former Wallabies team-mates Stirling Mortlock and Sam Cordingley, England international Danny Cipriani, Welsh forward Gareth Delve and a host of promising youngsters who have already committed to the fledgling club. "It's important to get it right off the field before you can advance on it," he said. "I am genuinely excited by the roster the Rebels are putting together and I look forward to exciting times in 2011. nike air max 87 "The Rebels have demonstrated great faith in my ability, on and off the field, and that was a massive factor in my decision. "I will be repaying that faith by regaining my Wallaby jumper in their colours, something I have a burning passion for. "I will continue to give my all to the Waratahs who have supported me well over the last nine years, especially the last 12 months." Macqueen said of Freier's decision to commit to the Rebels: "Adam is one of the most respected players in Australian rugby. He is very highly regarded by his peers. During our discussions with him, we were particularly impressed by his commitment to ensuring the Melbourne Rebels are successful."

                Manu Ginobili poured in 32 points as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Los Angeles Lakers 100-81 to clinch a play-off spot. Tim Duncan added 24 points to see the Spurs move a half-game ahead of idle Portland for seventh spot in the Western Conference and one game behind the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Lakers failed to clinch the Western Conference crown and were jeered from the court by their fans as even a season-high 32 points from Pau Gasol could not help them avoid their third loss in four games. The Oklahoma Thunder remain on course for seventh spot following a 116-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. nike air jordan 6 Kevin Durant scored 40 points to set a new franchise record for scoring in a season, beating Dale Ellis' 31-year record. Oklahoma are also only one-and-a-half games behind Dallas, Denver, Utah and Phoenix. The Boston Celtics held off a late rally from the Cleveland Cavaliers to edge the Eastern Conference winners 117-113. Ray Allen scored a season-high 33 points as Boston ended a three-game losing streak to move within a game of the inactive Atlanta Falcons for third spot. The Orlando Magic have all but clinched the Southeast Division title and second spot in the East, after they triumphed 107-92 over the Memphis Grizzlies to move four-and-a-half games clear of Atlanta with six games remaining. The tie was marred by an on-court scuffle as a clash between Matt Barnes and Hasheem Thabeet escalated into a near 10-player shoving match. The Toronto Raptors saw their play-off hopes dealt a blow as they slipped to their first defeat in four games, losing 113-112 against the Golden State Warriors. nike air jordan 7 The victory saw Don Nelson equal Lenny Wilkens' record for the most wins by an NBA coach. Elsewhere, the Indiana Pacers crushed the Houston Rockets 133-102, while the Washington Wizards triumphed over the New Jersey Nets 109-99 and the New York Knicks edged the Los Angeles Clippers 113-107.

             David Haye dismantled John Ruiz to make a successful first defence of his WBA world heavyweight title. Haye outclassed the limited but courageous Ruiz who refused to take a backwards step until he was rescued by his corner towards the end of the ninth. The right hand was Haye's most productive shot, which he used to repeatedly stagger former two-time world champion Ruiz, who was overwhelmed from start to finish before a 20,000 sell out crowd. It was the dramatic performance the 29-year-old Londoner promised would ignite the ailing heavyweight division and a far cry from the lifeless majority points decision he secured against Nikolai Valuev last November to win the WBA belt. supra skytop high In the build-up Haye refused to taunt an opponent who fought 36 rounds against Evander Holyfield a decade ago, realising the futility of attempting to provoke such a grizzled veteran. As expected Haye was too fast and too powerful to be troubled by Ruiz, though future opponents will have noticed his obvious defensive frailties tonight. Haye spent the early afternoon at Old Trafford watching Chelsea beat Manchester United and paraded his belt on the pitch before kick-off. He obviously wasted little energy at the match, however, as he made a sensational start that saw him knock Ruiz over with a straight right just moments into the opening round. The American took a fearful battering as Haye attempted to finish the fight early, launching big bombs that hurt his opponent. In his eagerness Haye had a point deducted for hitting on the back of the head and Ruiz survived the round, even landing a right of his own on the final bell. By the end of third Ruiz's nose was bleeding heavily after taking several lightening-fast jabs, though Haye was also taking punishment. Haye, who weighed in at a career heaviest 15st 12lbs, landed with two giant shots in the fifth that staggered Ruiz but the challenger refused to cave in. One more ferocious right hit its mark but Ruiz was only dropped when Haye cuffed him around the back of the head, though a count still ensued. The brave Ruiz was showing remarkable tenacity as he continued to take heavy punishment, while occasionally exposing Haye's vulnerability. Ruiz was saved by the bell in the sixth, his resistance fading amid a barrage of heavy blows. Both jabs found their mark in a finely-balanced seventh but it was Ruiz who was on the front foot as he hunted down his opponent. Haye produced a strong eighth round, staggering the indomitable Ruiz with his favoured right hand. supra skytop low Ruiz, refusing to take a backward step, was enduring sickening punishment as Haye's speed and accuracy continued to bloody his face. Having seen enough, Ruiz's corner threw in the towel towards the end of the ninth and the gutsy American was spared any further punishment. Having disposed of Ruiz, negotiations over a lucrative showdown with either Vitali or Wladimir Klitschko will now intensify. A rematch clause against Valuev, agreed when he signed to face to the Russian, must first be circumvented to avoid restaging a fight no-one wants except the hulking former champion. With Valuev out of the way, Haye will hope to meet either of the Klitschkos later this year with the Gulf being mooted as a possible host region. The Ukrainian brothers - who hold the WBC, IBF and WBO belts between them - have declared they will flip a coin to determine who faces Haye. Haye's ambition is to unify all four titles by prevailing in the only two meaningful fights for him in the division, before retiring at 31 with that birthday arriving in October next year.

             David Haye is expecting fireworks when he defends his WBA world heavyweight title against John Ruiz in Manchester on Saturday night. Haye appreciates Ruiz's durability throughout a 54-fight career that has seen the American spoiler stopped out just once, by David Tua 14 years ago. But while Ruiz may be in fantastic shape, Haye is convinced that he will fall inside the distance in what he promises will be a thrilling showdown. "There doesn't seem to be an ounce of fear in Ruiz," said the 29-year-old Londoner. "Sometimes you can see in their eyes that they're nervous - they might pump their chest out and you can see their heart beating - but he's looked cool, calm and collected. "I wouldn't go as far as to say I admire him but I respect him and what's he done. "I respect that he's been around for so long, always giving a great account of himself. supra skytop medium "He's always been the underdog but has usually found a way to win. "He's not the most exciting of fighters, but this time round he's in great shape so I'm expecting fireworks. "It will be something different to what people are used to seeing. Ruiz will be tough but the plan is still to render him unconscious. "I want to make a big statement in this fight by showing how a heavyweight champion deals with John Ruiz. "I'll throw everything but the kitchen sink at him. It will be all guns blazing and I'm expecting to sizzle." If Haye makes Ruiz his 24th victim, he will target a lucrative showdown against either Vitali or Wladimir Klitschko. "After this the plan is the Klitschko brothers. But nothing matters if this doesn't go the way we want it to," said Haye. supra society "I've got to beat Ruiz first. If I do then there are some superfights out there for me. "I believe I'm a born winner and all I do is aspire to win. That's all I think about in anything I do in life."

            The Chicago Blackhawks celebrated their first division title in 17 years with a 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. The Blackhawks knew before the start of their game they had clinched the Central Division crown following the Detroit Red Wings' defeat in Philadelphia. Patrick Kane, Tomas Kopecky, Troy Brouwer and Dustin Byfuglien scored for Chicago, while Antti Niemi made 25 saves as the Blackhawks recorded their 49th win of the season to equal a record set in 1971 and matched 20 years later. It was a dent to the Flames' play-off hopes, as they dropped two points behind the Colorado Avalanche in the race for eighth place in the Western Conference with three games remaining. The Red Wings saw their run of eight consecutive division crowns ended as they fell to a 4-3 loss at Philadelphia. supra strapped ns Despite falling to their first regulation defeat in 13 games, the Red Wings nevertheless clinched a play-off spot for the 19th successive season. The Flyers boosted their own chances of sneaking into the play-offs as they moved into eighth spot, level with seventh-placed Boston Bruins and two points above the New York Rangers, having played a game more than both. The Avalanche are in eighth spot in the West following their 5-4 overtime victory over the San Jose Sharks. John-Michael Lile scored to not only hand Colorado victory but also see the inactive Washington Capitals win the the Presidents' Trophy for the best regular-season record. Elsewhere, the Vancouver Canucks triumphed 4-3 in overtime against the Minnesota Wild. Sami Salo scored on a power play to see the Canucks recover from having let slip a two-goal lead in the final minute of regulation.

               The San Jose Sharks crashed to a surprise 5-1 defeat at the Dallas Stars, bringing to an end a four-game winning streak. Steve Ott nabbed his first career hat-trick while Loui Eriksson and Brian Sutherby also weighed in for the hosts. Logan Couture scored for the Sharks who saw their lead at the top of the Western Conference cut to three points following the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0 victory over the Minnesota Wild. A brace from Tomas Kopecky and goals from Ben Eager and Jonathan Toews snapped a three-game losing streak for the Blackhawks. supra cruizer The Sharks maintained their lead over Phoenix at the top of the Pacific Division after the Coyotes lost 2-1 at the Calgary Flames. Rene Bourque and Ales Kotalik put the Flames in control before Lee Stempniak gave the visitors hope with 6:52 left. Back-to-back wins have lifted Calgary to within two points of the Colorado Avalanche in the race for the eight and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Avalanche slipped to a 5-2 defeat against the Anaheim Ducks to give added excitement to Friday's clash with the Flames. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres crept closer to clinching their first Northeast Division title in three years with a comfortable 6-2 victory over the Florida Panthers to move to seven points clear of the Ottawa Senators. supra indy ns Elsewhere, the Pittsburgh Penguins missed the chance to open up a three-point lead over New Jersey in the Atlantic Division as they fell to a 2-0 defeat against the Tampa Bay Lightning, while the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Montreal Canadiens 2-1.

           The Washington Capitals snapped a three-game losing streak to down the Atlanta Thrashers 2-1 and put a dent in their hosts' play-off hopes. Nicklas Backstrom gave the Eastern Conference winners the lead and Tim Stapleton levelled before Matt Bradley won the game for the Capitals with his first goal in two and a half months. It was the Capitals' 50th victory of the season, equalling a club record. The Thrashers remain two points behind the Philadelphia Flyers, the Montreal Canadiens and the Boston Bruins in the race for the final three play-off spots. nike air jordan 24 The Flyers lost ground when they slipped to a 6-4 defeat against the New York Islanders. The Islanders took a three-goal lead in the first period, with two from Blake Comeau, and never looked like losing as they brought an end to their 15-game losing streak in style. The Bruins also lost, Keith Ballard scoring the only goal of the game for the Florida Panthers. The Ottawa Senators clinched a play-off spot in dramatic fashion as they beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3, with Alex Kovalev scoring the winner in the shootout. Erik Karlsson's second of the game ensured the scores were tied at 3-3 at the end of regulation, earning the Senators the point that would assure them of the fifth play-off spot. There was a rare glimmer of joy in the Toronto Maple Leafs' disappointing season as the Eastern Conference's bottom club triumphed 4-2 over the Buffalo Sabres, who missed out on the chance of clinching the Northeast Division title. Elsewhere, the Detroit Red Wings won their seventh game in a row, beating the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 to maintain their march to one of the Western Conference's remaining four play-off spots. nike air jordan 3 The Nashville Predators are a point above the Red Wings - having played two games more - after they defeated the St Louis Blues by the same score. The Los Angeles Kings are a point behind Detroit following their 8-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, with Dustin Brown grabbing his first NHL hat-trick in one of Olympic gold medallist Roberto Luongo's worst outings in goal.