behind Rex Grossman.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. Gus Williams Jersey . - After going nearly a month without a victory, the Detroit Pistons now proudly own a two-game winning streak.Greg Monroe scored 24 points, Josh Smith had 21 points, 13 rebounds and five blocked shots, and the Pistons beat the Sacramento Kings 95-90 on Saturday night.The Pistons used a 24-14 advantage in the third quarter and never relinquished the lead in registering back-to-back wins for only the second time all season.Detroit, 5-19 this season, had lost 13 straight and was one loss shy of tying the franchise record before beating Phoenix on Friday.When youre 3-19 there is no pressure to win with that kind of record. You can play carefree, and just try to play your game, said Smith, who shot 6 of 9 from the field.Smiths game, which included seven turnovers, was far from perfect, and his teammates werent, either. Detroit missed 14 of 20 3-pointers, was outrebounded 55-43 and its 15 turnovers resulted in 20 points.But it helped that the Kings were again without leading scorer and rebounder DeMarcus Cousins, who missed his ninth straight game with viral meningitis. The Kings have gone 2-7 without Cousins, who has no timetable for a return.Rudy Gay made four 3-pointers and scored 20, and also added eight rebounds and eight assists for the Kings, who shot 35 per cent. But Gay also struggled overall, hitting just 6-of-22 attempts. Usually productive point guard Darren Collison missed nine of 10 shots and had three points.Definitely holding them to 35-per cent shooting was good, Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy said. We made it tough on Rudy Gay — a great player — and Collison. We did what we wanted to do defensively.Carl Landry had 15 points and Ben McLemore 14 for Sacramento, which has dropped three straight and eight of 10.Andre Drummond had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Kyle Singler added 11 points for Detroit, which had a season-high nine blocks.With the Pistons clinging to a four-point lead, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hit a 3-pointer and DJ Augustin made two free throws to make it 88-79 with 34 seconds remaining. Consecutive 3-pointers by McLemore cut the lead to three points, but Monroe had a breakaway dunk to help seal the victory.The Pistons spread the ball around offensively in the second half and played effectively on defence against the cold-shooting Kings, who opened the season with a 9-5 record but have struggled since losing Cousins.I dont think we are waiting for DeMarcus to come back. We just are not playing the right basketball right now, Collison said.Regardless when he comes back or not, we are not playing the right basketball. DeMarcus does a lot of things that are good for us and he also builds us up because he is so talented. But you never want to rely on just one guy to build you up.Detroit trailed by three points before scoring 11 unanswered to start the third quarter. The Kings missed their first nine shots and went scoreless for more than 4 1/2 minutes. Despite a 13-0 run later in the period, Detroit only led 67-60 entering the fourth.I thought we missed a lot of great looks. That third quarter really hurt us, Kings coach Michael Malone said. We shot 18 per cent in that quarter. So that makes it hard to build a lead and win games when you struggle to make shots.___TIP-INSPistons: Point guard Brandon Jennings had another rough evening offensively, finishing with three points. He is averaging 5.3 points in the past seven games.Kings: Sacramento entered the game averaging less than five 3s a game. The Kings made 7 of 14 in the opening half and finished with a season-high 11. ... Reserve forward Omri Casspi missed his second straight game with a left knee bone contusion.FATHER VS. SONBrendan Malone, the father of Kings coach, is an assistant coach with the Pistons. The two spoke for about 10 minutes outside the Kings locker room after the game, with father providing some consoling words. My son is a very good coach, hes done a nice job with this team, Brendan said. But I understand what hes up against right now, hes doesnt have his best player. Thats difficult.UP NEXTPistons: Visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.Kings: Host Oklahoma City on Tuesday. Oklahoma City Thunder Store . Adding playoff teams. Monitoring instant replay from league headquarters. Possibly creating a set of guidelines to prevent locker-room bullying. Gary Payton Jersey . An offseason trade acquisition from Kansas City, Greinkes National League debut was delayed by a non-baseball injury in the spring, and he was 0-1 after dropping an 8-0 decision at Atlanta in his initial appearance with the Brewers on May 4. MARANA, Ariz. -- Its rare to hear Ernie Els describe his week at the Match Play Championship as "wonderful." Hes usually not around long enough to say anything at all. This time, the wacky world of match play is working in his favour. Even though Els has made more bogeys than birdies, even though he didnt break par at Dove Mountain until his quarterfinal match Saturday, the 44-year-old South African is two matches away from claiming another World Golf Championship. Els made birdie from the desert on the par-5 eighth hole to take the lead for good against 20-year-old Jordan Spieth, and then pulled away for a 4-and-2 victory to reach the semifinals for the first time in 13 years. "At times I havent played my best, as you guys have well-documented and know," Els said with a laugh. "But its match play. Ive just done enough to get through." Graeme McDowell was the only other player who felt lucky to still be around, only for his luck to run out against Victor Dubuisson of France. McDowell had reached the quarterfinals even though he never led a single hole while any of his previous three matches were in progress. He finally took a lead -- 60 holes into this tournament -- and wound up losing. Typical of his week, it went down to the wire. Dubuisson hit a beautiful chip from the rough in front of a corporate suite behind the 16th green to save par, while McDowell missed a 6-foot putt to lose the hole. Dubuisson saved par with another superb chip behind the 17th green, and had one more in his bag from below the 18th green to save yet another par. McDowell narrowly missed a 25-foot birdie putt that would have extended the match. "Lucky, lucky to even be here today," McDowell said. "But actually played quite nicely most of the day. It all boiled down to my putter actually let me down. I had a chance on 14 for the hole, chance on 15 for the hole, missed a short one on 16. My luck is going to run out sooner than later." Els plays Dubuisson, a rising star in the European ranks who won the Turkish Open, where Tiger Woods finished five shots behind. In other quarterfinal matches: -- Jason Day reached the semifinals for the second straight year with a 2-and-1 win over Louis Oosthuizen, who played with a nagging back injury. -- Rickie Fowler lost a 3-up lead to Arizona grad Jim Furyk, only to win the last two holes for a 1-up victory for a shot at Day. Furyk was in the same spot as Dubuisson on the 18th hole, but his first chip rolled back down the hill toward his feet. Fowwler is the No. John Johnson Jersey . 53 seed, the highest to reach the semifinals since Zach Johnson was No. 59 in 2006 when it was held at La Costa. Els long held a reputation as a wizard in match play, having captured the World Match Play Championship seven times when it was at Wentworth and featured smaller fields and 36-hole matches. This version hasnt been kind to him. He reached the semifinals in 2001 at Metropolitan Golf Club in Melbourne, only to lose to Pierre Fulke. Els didnt imagine it would take this long to get back, though he understands that anything can happen -- and usually does -- over 18 holes of match play. "I really had a love-hate relationship with this event, as you guys well know," he said. "I was lucky enough to get in the field a couple of years ago and beat Luke Donald in the first round. But most of the time, I lost in the first round here either on the 18th or 19th hole. Its been a frustrating time in this event." The semifinals will be Sunday morning, following by the championship match. "Im just very glad to be here on Sunday," Els said. "Hopefully, it goes good tomorrow. I still feel Ive got a really good one in me." Fowler never looked like he would need to go 18th holes the way his match against Furyk started. And then he was happy to get there. Furyk was 3 down with only six holes remaining when he made three straight birdies and won a fourth straight hole at No. 16 with a par when Fowler flubbed a chip. Furyk missed the fairway on the 17th, however, allowing Fowler to square the match. On the 18th, Furyk came up just a fraction short of perfect and saw the ball roll back down the false front of the green. His chip was heavy, and that one rolled back toward his feet and led to bogey. Fowler navigated a quick birdie putt down the slope to a concession range and escaped. "Disappointed," said Furyk, in the quarterfinals for the first time in 14 appearances in this World Golf Championship. "I fought all way back from 3 down. I had all the momentum and I didnt put the ball on the fairway on 17 and didnt put the ball in the fairway on 18. I dont feel I handed the match away, but I definitely made it too easy on him the last two holes." It was the third straight round in which Fowler was trailing with three holes to play, and he pulled out wins against Jimmy Walker, Sergio Garcia and Furyk. The only easy time Fowler had was against Ian Poulter. "Its nice to get a win no matter how it happens," Fowler said. ' ' '

Each week, TSN. Custom Memphis Grizzlies Jerseys .ca takes a look at the top available players in fantasy football ahead of the weekly waiver deadline. Quarterbacks Jake Locker, Tennesee Titans (vs. Dallas) Last Week: 22-33, 266 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs Depending on your league, Locker may already be on another teams bench, but he – and the rest of the Titans – looked good in beating what should be a strong Kansas City team and finishing in the Top 5 at his position. Ive always been a fan of Lockers game, save for his inability to stay healthy, but while hes on the field he may be a good option for a team looking for a QB. More good news: he plays Dallas brutal defence at home in Week 2. EJ Manuel, Buffalo Bills (vs. Miami) Last Week: 16-22, 173 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 19 rushing yards, 1 TD This is a more desperate move than Locker, but Manuel did finish just outside the Top 10 at his position in Week 1. His value appears tied to his rushing ability. If Manuel can manage some yards on the ground and, better yet, a rushing TD like last week, hell be valuable. But you certainly cant count on that every week and Manuels weekly rank should drop off moving forward. Running Backs Darren Sproles, Philadelphia Eagles (at Indianapolis) Last Week: 11 carries, 71 yards, 1 TD; 4 receptions, 14 yards Sproles could easily be taken in your league, but he came into the year ranked in the 40s at running back, so theres at least a chance hes still available. Sproles is a backup running back that racks up fantasy points, its that simple. He proved right away being behind LeSean McCoy wont hinder him as much as some feared. Justin Forsett, Baltimore Ravens (vs. Pittsburgh) Last Week: 11 carries, 70 yards, 1 TD; 5 receptions, 14 yards The Ravens were quick to replace Bernard Pierce with Forsett as lead back in the (now permanent) absence of Ray Rice. I dont believe the journeyman Forsett will hold that role all season but while he has it, hes a decent RB2 option for a needy-team. Terrence West, Cleveland Browns (vs. New Orleans) Last Week: 16 carries, 100 yards With Ben Tate injured, it appears West will get first crack at replacing him. West impressed in Week 1 after a weak pre-season and should be owned. The Browns could have a very good run game this year with all three backs to receive significant carries averaging more than six yards per carry against the Steelers. If you dont want to get in the West bidding wars, Isaiah Crowell, who looked good in scoring two touchdowns in Week 1, is worth a look as well. Wide Receivers Kelvin Benjamin, Carolina Panthers (vs. Detroit) Last Week: 6 receptions, 92 yards, 1 TD I was high on Benjamin in the preseason and he showed in Week 1 he very much could become this years Keenan Allen. Working with backup QB Derek Anderson, Benjamin put up a borderline WR1 performance. That isnt likely to change when Cam Newton returns to the helm in Carolina next week; the rookie receiver and QB developed quick chemistry this preseason. Steve Smith, Baltimore Ravens (vs. Pittsburgh) Last Week: 7 receptions, 118 yards, 1 TD Smith is a gamer. He was a gamer in Carolina and it appears hes still a gamer now that hes in Baltimore. Most of the veterans points that pushed him to a WR1 performance in Week 1 were off an 80-yard reception, but he led the league in targets the first week of the season. While he may not have the big plays every week, it appears hell get more than enough work to put up solid performances moving forward. Allen Hurns, Jacksonville Jaguars (at Washington) Last Week: 4 receptions, 110 yards, 2 TDs I dont know who he is either, but he had a massive Week 1 for the Jaguars and the roughly 1% of fantasy teams that owned him. That number is sure to go up next week, but there are a couple reasons to be weary: hes still a Jaguar, and they arent likely to be scoring much points this year, and he only caught four of his nine targets, which could lead QB Chad Henne to look elsewhere in the future. Greg Jennings, Minnesota Vikings (vs. New England) Last Week: 6 receptions, 58 yards, 1 TD Jennings was owned a lot more at this time last year than he is now, but after a disappointing first year in Minnesota, fantasy players werent so quick to bite. While Cordarrelle Patterson had more points in Week 1, many were gained through rushing yards and Jennings finished with more targets against the Rams. Plus the Vikings passing attack could be potent enough to warrant both receivers being owned. Tight Ends Dwayne Allen, Indianapolis Colts (vs. Philadelphia) Last Week: 4 receptions, 64 yards, 1 TD Allen was a bit of a forgotten man after losing a lot of time to injury last year. But the former first round pick, now healthy, put up a strong game against the Broncos in Week 1. The only thing preventing Allen from becoming a bona fide TE1 is teammate Coby Fleener, who actually got more targets than Allen in Week 1. Fleener is not a good tight end however, and once the Colts finally recognize that Allens targets and numbers should improve. Earl Watson Jersey . The 27-year-old hit .209 in 86 at-bats last year after missing the 2010 season following surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Bruno Caboclo Jersey . Kyle Shanahan was hired as offensive co-ordinator Monday after spending the previous four years in the same role with the Washington Redskins. ARLINGTON, Va. -- As if he knew the question was coming, Alex Ovechkin smiled when asked what his new coach wants him to work on. "On back-check?" Ovechkin said. Another season, another chance to find out whether one of the leagues most talented goal-scorers can seriously help out some more on defence. The Washington Capitals opened training camp Friday with new coach Barry Trotz, who says hell work -- as other coaches have before him -- to make the three-time league MVP into a more complete player. If Day 1 is any indication, Ovechkin sounds ready to be a co-operative student. "If you want to be good," he said, "you have to work on everything." Step No. 1, as Trotz had indicated previously, is moving Ovechkin back to left wing, reversing a seismic shift under previous coach Adam Oates. Ovechkin led the NHL with 51 goals last season playing mostly on the right, but his plus-minus was minus-35, and the Capitals missed the playoffs for the first time since 2007. "Hes better on the right side a little bit defensively, but his talent is on the left side," Trotz said. "And so if Im going to maximize his talent, I need to get him on the left side. Now if he doesnt want to adjust defensively playing the left side, then well talk about maybe moving him back to the right. "The stuff that he does on the left side, theres no coach on the planet who can teach (it). If hes willing to learn, I can teach him the other stuff." Trotz has more cachet than his predecessors for making such a move. He is Washingtons fifth coach since Ovechkin entered the league in 2005, but hes the first to have head coaching experience in the NHL. Those 15 seasons with the Nashville Predators give him that extra bit of authority. "Its pretty evident he has a lot of experience," goalltender Braden Holtby said. Jae Crowder Jersey . "You can just tell the communication is very clear with what they expect out of us." Trotz made a statement right away, putting the players through a demanding series of conditioning drills that had everyone gassed. "That was one of the harder, if not the hardest, Day 1 Ive had," said 12-year veteran defenceman Brooks Orpik. Trotz said the line pairings for the first three preseason games might appear somewhat random because he wants to establish a "Capitals culture" that has everyone on the same page. Hes also created a leadership group of a half-dozen or so players to keep a close pulse on the locker room. He has said he felt, watching from afar with the Nashville Predators, that Washington was a place where "the inmates were running the asylum," and hes seeking to change that. Forward Troy Brouwer said he understands what Trotz meant. "We have to do what were told to do," Brouwer said. "And whether thats changing a role on the ice, whether thats changing a role off the ice, thats part of what we do. And maybe there hasnt been as much accountability as far as players to go to try and change." Added goaltender Braden Holtby: "Most successful teams follow their coach. Thats why a head coaching job is such a tough job because you need to get everyone to follow you. ... Our team needs to buy in. I think last year was a big eye-opener that we need to get closer as a group, and I think its already started." Last seasons disappointment cost Oates and general manager George McPhee their jobs. Ovechkin realizes that the onus is now on the players. "Its good we didnt get traded," he said with a chuckle. "Right now were on (a) target, and everybody understands that." ' ' '

ACAPULCO, Mexico -- Montreals Eugenie Bouchard was eliminated from the quarter-finals of the Mexican Open on Thursday after a 6-3, 4-6, 1-6 loss to Frances Caroline Garcia. Al Wood Jersey . Garcia is currently ranked 89th on the WTAs singles standings, while Bouchard is No. 19. The Canadian only saved three of her 10 break points compared to Garcias 7-of-12 conversion rate. Bouchard had two aces compared to Garcias three. Also in the womens tournament, top-seeded Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia, defeated New Zealands Marina Erakovic to move into the semifinals. Chinas Shuai Zhang beat Croatias Ajla Tomljanovic 6-1, 5-7, 6-2, while American Christina McHale topped Estonias Kaia Kanepi 6-1, 2-6, 6-4. On the mens side, top-seeded David Ferrer withdrew from his quarter-final against South Africas Kevin Anderson in the second set with a left leg strain. Third-ranked Ferrer was leading 6-4, 2-2 when he suffered an inner thigh strain in his left leg. After seeking treatment in the locker room, the Spaniard returned to the court but lost the next two points before retiring. Ferrer said he will have an MRI on Friday and then assess his recovery. "Im very sad because I was playing great", Ferrer said. "I still do not know the extent of the injury. "Ill have to wait and see before taking a determination. The day was going so well for me and then this happened". Anderson will next play Ukraines Alexandr Dolgopolov, who defeated Ivo Karlovic of Croatia, 6-4, 7-6 (4). Anderson, who last week lost the Delray Beach final, will be playing in his first semifinals of an Open 500. "Its unfortunate to win a match like this, but hopefully he gets better", Anderson said after the match. "I talked to him and he said that it happened when he was trying to go for a ball and felt his leg tweak a little bit". Slick Watts Jersey . "There are a lot of things that are going very well in this organization. Im not coming in here to rip things apart," Nicholson told reporters Friday. "I know what Hockey Canada was when I started, and I know where this (Oilers) organization is today. Bob Rule Jersey . Omar Rahou made the discriminatory gesture several times while celebrating scoring a goal against Romania at Antwerp in January, UEFA said. The sanction was double the five-match ban Nicolas Anelka received from an English Football Association independent tribunal last week for the same act.HARRISON, N.J. -- Fabian Johnson scored his first international goal and Clint Dempsey doubled the lead after a defensive lapse as the United States beat Turkey 2-1 Sunday in the second of three World Cup warm-up matches for the Americans before they head to Brazil. Tim Howard played the first half in his 99th international appearance, and with his 54th win surpassed Kasey Keller to set the AAmerican record for wins by a goalkeeper. Cheap Supersonics Jerseys . The U.S. went ahead when Johnson made a run and laid the ball off to Bradley. As Johnson continued his run, Bradley chipped the ball over the defence to Johnson, who slotted in with a left-footed volley from 6 yards in the 26th minute. Johnson, playing at right back, had not scored in 20 previous international appearances. ' ' '