Zanda

[shushu]

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Joe Johnson hit six 3-pointers in his 27 points, Mason Plumlee added 18 points, and the Brooklyn Nets won their 11th straight at home, beating the Boston Celtics 114-98 Friday night. Former Celtic Paul Pierce had 14 points and Andray Blatche and Jorge Gutierrez added 10 apiece for the Nets, who won their third straight game and ninth in the last 10 to remain within 2 1/2 games behind the Atlantic Division-leading Toronto Raptors. Brooklyn moved within one game of the Chicago Bulls, who lost at Indiana, for the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Knotted at 45-all with 6:49 left in the second quarter, Brooklyn went on a 19-9 run to pull away from the Celtics, who lost for the sixth time in seven games. A 3-pointer by Johnson and another from Deron Williams gave the Nets a 64-54 lead going into the half. Avery Bradley led Boston with 28 points and Rajon Rondo had 12 points and 12 assists. Johnson continued his hot shooting beyond the arc by outscoring Boston 8-2 in the final minutes of the third quarter. The All-Star guard hit a pair of free throws that extended Brooklyns lead to 86-72 and with 1:20 hit a 3-pointer that made it 89-72 and after a basket by Jeff Green, he hit another 3 that extended the Nets lead to 92-74 with 45.6 left in the quarter. Brooklyn has won 18 of its last 20 games at the Barclays Center. They improved to 26-10 since Jan. 1, tops in the Eastern Conference since New Years Day. Before the game, Nets general manager Billy King announced that centre Brook Lopez had left ankle surgery on March 3. They expect him to be ready by June. NOTES: Brooklyns 11 straight home wins is the longest streak since they had 12 straight, Dec. 16, 2005, to Feb. 8, 2006. Discount Nike Lunar . - After three days of light, make that very light, workouts, Team Irvin and Team Carter are ready for tonights Pro Bowl. Nike Lunar For Sale .C. -- The Edmonton Oilers used a late-power-play goal to get a hard-fought road victory. http://www.nikelunarcheap.com/ .com) - The Calgary Flames were again involved in a game in which a team was held scoreless, only this time they came out on the winning side. Clearance Nike Lunar .A. Happ is coming off his first start of the year, a win at Philadelphia Monday. The former Phillie allowed three hits in five scoreless frames of a 3-0 triumph. Cheap Nike Lunar . For the Athletics, hes extremely important at the top of the order, especially with Coco Crisp hurting. Jaso drove in three runs Sunday night, helping Scott Kazmir and Oakland beat the Texas Rangers 9-3.CLEVELAND -- For eight innings, the Tigers couldnt connect in the clutch. They were exasperated, annoyed and seemingly on their way to a tough loss. One swing by J.D. Martinez changed their mood. Martinez hit a three-run homer off closer Cody Allen with one out in the ninth inning, rallying the Tigers to a 4-2 win over the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night. "He hit it so hard, it sounded like thunder," teammate Torii Hunter said. Martinezs shot into the shrubs beyond the centre-field wall bailed out the Tigers, who stranded 12 runners through eight. But in the ninth, Hunter drew a leadoff walk from Allen (5-4), Miguel Cabrera singled, and after Victor Martinez flied out, J.D. Martinez ripped his 19th homer, a crushing blow to the Indians. "It was one of those swings where you hit it and it just feels perfect," Martinez said, "like you couldnt do anything else or any better. When I reached home, I was like, Did I touch every bag? You get caught up in the situation. Its September, this is the month you win or go home." Phil Coke (3-2) pitched 1 1-3 innings and Joe Nathan worked the ninth for his 29th save. Detroits comeback kept the Tigers on the heels of first-place Kansas City in the AL Central. The Royals have a half-game lead in the division. The Indians wasted a strong performance by Carlos Carrasco, who side-stepped danger for 5 1-3 innings and struck out a career-high 10. Carlos Santana hit a two-run homer for Cleveland, which has dropped the first two in this critical four-game series and fell 5 1/2 games out of first. J.D. Martinez has hit two homers in three career at-bats off Allen, who was trying to protect a 2-1 lead against the middle of Detroits vaunted lineup. "I was just overthrowing it," Allen said. "I just didnt make pitches when I had to. One pitch -- J.D. Martinez got extended on a fastball and hit it very hard." Until Detroits uprising, Carrasco was in line for his fourth straight win. The right-hander managed to work out of jams in four straight innings, making big pitches and keeping the Tigers power hitters in the ballpark one night after Detroit slugged five homers and collected 20 hits. Tigers rookie starter Kyle p;Lobstein was superb in his first career road start, allowing five hits in 5 1-3 innings and striking out 10.dddddddddddd Every time the Tigers threatened, Carrasco found a way out of trouble. Clinging to a one-run lead in the fifth, he gave up a leadoff double to Cabrera, who went to third on Victor Martinezs single. Carrasco then struck out J.D. Martinez looking, fanned Nick Castellanos and locked up catcher Alex Avila with an 84 mph off-speed pitch to end the inning, celebrating his 10th whiff with a demonstrative fist pump. Even Cabrera patted Carrasco on the rear as the right-hander passed him while leaving the field. "He really dug deep," Indians manager Terry Francona said of Carrasco. "That was really something. He pitched out of so many binds and executed some unbelievable pitches." Santana got the Indians out of the gate fast, hitting his 23rd homer in the first. Michael Brantley singled with two outs before Santana connected for a shot into Detroits bullpen in right. BATTERED BACKSTOP Avila was removed in the sixth after taking a foul ball of his mask. He felt dizzy and struggled to answer the trainers questions. He was feeling better after the game, but will have further tests Wednesday. The veteran catcher missed two weeks last season with delayed concussive symptoms. HOT IN CLEVELAND Even before his homer, J.D. Martinez liked Progressive Field. Hes batting .464 (13 of 2 with five homers, 13 RBIs and six runs in seven games at the ballpark this season. TRAINERS ROOM Tigers: RHP Joakim Soria (strained left oblique) played catch from 140 feet before the game. Soria, acquired at the trade deadline from Texas to shore up Detroits shaky bullpen, has been on the disabled list since Aug. 10. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said Soria was pain-free for the first time, and will likely throw batting practice instead of pitching in the minors. UP NEXT Detroit RHP Justin Verlander (12-11) hasnt pitched like himself most of this season. Hes dealt with shoulder issues and the 2011 AL MVP hasnt been nearly as dominant as in previous years. But its September, theres important games ahead and hes still a handful for the Indians, who will counter with Danny Salazar (5-6). ' ' '