LAS VEGAS -- Indiana Pacers All-Star Paul George suffered a gruesome right leg injury late in the U.
Paul Kariya
Jersey .S. national teams intrasquad scrimmage Friday night. George leaped
to contest a fast-break layup by James Harden with 9:33 left in the fourth
quarter and his leg smashed against the bottom of the backboard stanchion and
crumpled. Trainers immediately ran onto the floor and after roughly 10 minutes
of stoppage, George was taken out of the arena on a stretcher. With players
looking visibly upset, coach Mike Krzyzewski then announced to the crowd that
the scrimmage would not be finished out of respect to George and his family.
"This is a first for us in USA Basketball, to have something like this take
place," USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said. "Its a tough situation for
our entire organization, the coaches, the players. Very, very emotional. Theres
no way the game could have gone on under the circumstances." The White team led
Georges Blue team 81-71. "We got all the players together, Jerry addressed them
and then I did. Very emotional setting," Krzyzewski said. "Theres a brotherhood
in the NBA and to me at moments like this family or brotherhood shows its heart,
it shows its depth, and thats what I thought our players showed during that
time." George was considered a lock to make the final 12-man roster for the
World Cup of Basketball that starts later this month in Spain. "Thanks everybody
for the love and support," he wrote on Twitter. "Ill be ok and be back better
than ever!!! Love yall!!" The Americans planned to reduce the 20-play pool to 14
or 15 players Saturday, but put off those plans after Georges injury.
"Everythings on hold right and it should be," Krzyzewski said. "It would be so
inappropriate for us to talk about anything else when theres a serious injury
like this." The defending champion U.S. team had already been weakened by player
losses. Forwards Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge and NBA Finals MVP
Kawhi Leonard had all pulled out in recent weeks. Krzyzewski and Colangelo
refused to discuss the roster after the game, saying they didnt even know when
they would make roster reductions. "As an organization, were just going to let a
little bit of time go by here before we address anything like rosters, all that
stuff," Colangelo said. "It seems so unimportant in the big scheme of things
when you have something like this take place. It puts things in perspective."
George would have been a candidate to start for the Americans alongside
Kevin Durant. The two, along with Harden, spent the week playing in 1-on-1
competitions after practice, pushing one another while building chemistry
leading up to Friday nights game. "Its been fun, just getting to know Paul,"
Durant said after practice on Thursday. "Of course I know James, but its
competing against them." Only Colangelo and Krzyzewski spoke after the
exhibition. George led the Pacers to the best record in the Eastern Conference
before they were eliminated by Miami in the Eastern Conference finals. "We are
aware of the injury sustained by Paul George in Friday nights Team USA game in
Las Vegas and we are obviously greatly concerned," Pacers President Larry Bird
said in a statement. "At this time our thoughts and prayers are with Paul. We
are still gathering details and will have an updated statement Saturday." The
Americans have to be down to 12 players before they open the tournament on Aug.
30. They are scheduled to take the next week off before reconvening in Chicago
for their next practice on Aug. 14. Players throughout the NBA posted their
concerns and wishes on Twitter, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued a
statement that read: "It was difficult to watch the injury that Paul George
sustained tonight while representing his country. The thoughts and prayers of
all of us at the NBA are with Paul and his family." Some NBA executives have
long been concerned about injuries to players during summer competitions.
Pau Gasol, then playing for the Memphis Grizzlies, broke his foot while leading
Spain to the 2006 world title, and Manu Ginobili injured his ankle while playing
for Argentina in the 2008 Olympics. He is sitting out the World Cup while
recovering from a stress fracture in his right leg. "Anything can happen
anywhere, a lot of things happen," said Krzyzewski, who was coaching Duke
against Louisville when the Cardinals Kevin Ware broke his leg during the 2013
NCAA tournament. "Tonight it happened during a basketball game. We need to take
care of that. It doesnt mean itll happen again and again and again; it means
that it happened right now. And we need to take care of right now appropriately
and then move on."
Ryan Garbutt
Jersey . -- Phil Hughes ended a personal losing streak that dated to last
July, pitching into the seventh inning Sunday and helping the Twins top the
Kansas City Royals 8-3 to avoid a three-game sweep.
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Ducks Jersey . Never caused problems. Never raised a ruckus. Never got
sick or hurt while frolicking in the fields of Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky.
http://www.officialduckshockey.com/Ryan-Kesler-Jersey/ . Bilbaos first victory in four rounds lifted it four points clear of Real
Sociedad and kept it in command of Spains last Champions League berth for next
season. In contrast, Betis was left 11 points from safety after a dismal
performance that at times bordered on self-destruction amid some questionable
refereeing decisions.JENNINGS, Mo. - The St. Louis Rams players who did the
Hands Up, Dont Shoot gesture treated residents of nearby Ferguson to some
holiday cheer on Friday.Tight end Jared Cook and wide receivers Tavon Austin,
Kenny Britt, Stedman Bailey and Chris Givens donated $10,000 and participated in
the inaugural holiday event co-sponsored by the St. Louis Urban League.The
players scoured racks of coats for kids, searching for the right sizes, and
posed for photos and signed hundreds of autographs.We just want to give back to
the community, Britt said. Hopefully, this is not just a one-year deal.
Hopefully, we keep it going.Players helped purchase toys, coats, gloves, hats,
non-perishable food and necessities such as shampoo and detergent. The kids and
adults filed through the Urban League office in Jennings, Missouri, which is
adjacent to Ferguson.Its what its all about, Bailey said. A happy holiday
season.Cook was reluctant to accept any credit.The things you do for people dont
need to be noticed all the time, Cook said. This is from the heart.The players
couldnt recall ever getting this chance as kids when their parents were
struggling to make ends meet. They knew what it would have meant.It would have
definitely lit up my eyes and changed my day, changed my Christmas, Britt said.
My father is a big football fan and thats all hes watching when he comes home
from work, and to meet a football player, it would have been so amazing.Givens
remembered when he was a boy in Mississippi, he met Mark McGwire. The slugger
told his mothher to never let me stop playing baseball.
Paul Kariya Ducks
Jersey. Seeing the smiles on their faces, it takes you back, Givens said.
Its humbling.With a half-hour remaining in the 1 1-2-hour event, about a hundred
residents were still lined up outside in temperatures in the high 30s.Its a
long, long line, Cook said. Too long.Carey Phillips of Jennings wore a pink
Hands Up shirt while keeping track of her five children.Its very tough, very
hard, Phillips said. Its great that the Rams are doing this so I can pay my
bills and get some fun stuff, too.The area has been hit hard by protests,
looting and unrest in the months since the fatal shooting of unarmed teenager
Michael Brown, who is black, by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, who is
white.I got to take a picture with Tavon Austin, said Markisa Dixon of nearby
Dellwood. I dont have a favourite player, but I love the way he runs. This is a
true blessing.The Rams wrap up their home schedule Sunday against the New York
Giants. On Saturday, Cook will be an honorary chair for a holiday party at the
Edward Jones Dome for more than 3,000 children.Running back Benny Cunningham,
quarterback Austin Davis, safety T.J. McDonald and team mascot Rampage will make
an appearance at the Motion for Kids event, a partnership with the Bar
Association of Metropolitan St. Louis.The event began in 1992 to benefit area
children with a parent in the state legal system, and the Rams have been
involved since 2001.___Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and
www.twitter.com/AP_NFL
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