the period to pull to 66-64 entering the

[lw789]

NEW YORK -- Jason Collins has been warmly received in his historic return to the NBA. Now its time for his own fans to welcome him back. More than a week after becoming the leagues first openly gay player, Collins will finally get to play a home game Monday night when the Brooklyn Nets host the Chicago Bulls. "It will be a lot of fun," Collins said. "I have some family and friends coming to the game. Im looking forward to seeing them and obviously the first home game." He has played hundreds in a Nets uniform, though it was a white, red and blue one, and the home games were in New Jersey. Plenty of fans and employees of the organization remain from when Collins played there from 2001-08, so he will likely be greeted by a loud ovation if he gets into the game. "Ive always said Im not worried about the reaction," said Nets coach Jason Kidd, who played with Collins when the franchise reached consecutive NBA Finals in 2003-03. "I think they will always support a Net. Hes been a Net before. I think theyll be excited to have him, but the big thing is him being able to help us defensively." Collins and the Nets have kept the focus as much on basketball as possible. They all view him as a big man who will willingly defend and foul -- he has racked up 10 of them already in four games -- who can help pass along 12 years of NBA experience to younger teammates such as Mason Plumlee and Andray Blatche. The fact that hes gay makes him much more than that outside the Nets locker room, but he thinks that story line will die down soon enough. "Theres only so many ways you can write the story, or tell the story, and then it will just be about basketball," he said during the middle of last week. Collins thought it had already reached that point, mistakenly believing that Saturdays victory in Milwaukee would be the first time reporters didnt want to talk to him after the game. Not quite yet. Collins may just be a 14th man on the roster to the Nets, but hes still far more than that to the fans he inspired from the moment he decided to come out in a Sports Illustrated article last April. "I think it is a big deal. Hes showing a lot of courage. Youre talking to a guy who was around when Jackie Robinson came in. Whats the difference? Its just as groundbreaking. I just hope hes judged as a basketball player," said Butch Pye, 69, of Castle Rock, Colo., who attended the Nets victory in Denver on Thursday. Collins debut is currently his only guaranteed home game. Hes nearing the end of the 10-day contract he signed on Feb. 23 before facing the Los Angeles Lakers. NBA rules allow teams to sign players to two 10-day deals, then have to sign them for the rest of the year if they want to keep them. There are plenty of reasons to retain Collins. He has brought plenty of positive attention and is making an impact in the gay and lesbian community, with the NBA pledging to donate at least $100,000 from sales of his No. 98 jersey to the Matthew Shepard Foundation and the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network. But those having nothing to do with basketball, and the Nets stressed in the press release announcing Collins signing that the move was a basketball decision. He can still do enough to make it a wise one, even with just one basket so far. With Brook Lopez lost for the season and Kevin Garnetts minutes being monitored, Kidd needs a big man he trusts to fill in for a few minutes. And a guy like Collins can help even when hes not in the game. He has defended Shaquille ONeal and Tim Duncan in the NBA Finals, so knows what it takes to guard even the biggest stars, even if hes rarely the one doing it. "When I was a younger guy, I learned from Dikembe Mutombo and Alonzo Mourning. Its a cycle," Collins said. "Now that Im that old man at the end of the bench, that veteran, even though I may not be playing minutes, there definitely are ways I can help the team win." Douglas Costa Jersey . Hes had three top-10 results this season and feels ready to put it all together and finally hoist a trophy at the top level. Tom Starke Jersey . -- Michigan coach John Beilein is willing to give Nik Stauskas a little leeway when it comes to shot selection. http://www.bayernmunichfcstore.com/auth ... ch-jersey/. - Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II says the NFL has told the team it will not be docked a pick in this years draft for coach Mike Tomlins foray onto the field against Baltimore last November. Manuel Neuer Jersey .Just like old times.Only this time, just one got to enjoy a victory.James return to Miami as an opponent was a success — for the Heat, that is. Wade scored 24 of his 31 points in the first half, Luol Deng had 25 points and dogged James defensively all night, and the Heat beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 101-91 in a hyped Christmas matchup Thursday. Renato Sanches Jersey . - Connor Brown and Dane Fox both scored in regulation and in the shootout, as the Erie Otters extended their win streak to 10 games by defeating the London Knights 4-3 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action.MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Memphis Grizzlies signed veteran Mike Miller during the off-season for his 3-point shooting. It paid off big time Tuesday night. Miller scored a season-high 19 points, and made a wide-open 3-pointer with 45.9 seconds remaining to help carry the Grizzlies to a 98-93 victory over the New York Knicks. "Thats what we got him for," said Memphis guard Mike Conley, who led the Grizzlies with 22 points. "Hes going to win us four or five, six games throughout the year himself, just from making big plays down the stretch. Tonight was one of those games." Miller shot 7 for 11 from the field, including 5 of 7 on 3-pointers, to help Memphis win its third straight. Millers last-minute 3 gave the Grizzlies the lead for good as they scored the games final seven points. "Ive been in a lot of these situations, and I was able to make some shots when we needed them," Miller said. For the Knicks, Millers late 3-pointer was frustrating not only from the sense that it caused New York to squander a comeback from 18 points down in the first half, but also cost them a key game as the Knicks fight for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. New Yorks Carmelo Anthony, who finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds, couldnt believe his team failed to close the game, particularly when seeing Miller uncontested for the 3-pointer that put Memphis ahead. "All I saw was Mike Miller wide open and the ball was going," Anthony said before adding: "Once the ball was up, my thing was to just hope that he didnt keep his follow through up or something and the ball was going to miss. But he was wide open." Zach Randolph scored 13 points for Memphis, Nick Calathes had 11 and Tayshaun Prince added 10. Conley, who had missed the seven games before the All-Star break with a sprained right ankle, couldnt find a rhythm after the layoff and struggled in the first half before scoring 16 in the second half, including getting to the free throw line 10 times after intermission. "I was real upset and frustrated at times," Conley said of the first half. &quoot;I was missing shots I normally make.dddddddddddd. I missed a couple of free throws, but I was happy with the way my body held up. "I started getting a little bit of a rhythm (in the second half). I was able to get to the free throw line and able to get to my floater. I got in a comfort zone." Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 23 points to lead the Knicks, including 14 during the Knicks fourth-quarter push. Amare Stoudemire added 12 points. "We played great in the second half," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. "We fought back. We were 18 down and kept chipping away." Memphis saw its 50-37 halftime lead evaporate in the third quarter when New York outscored the Grizzlies 27-16. Much of that came as New York turned up the defensive pressure, allowing Memphis to hit only three of its first 11 shots in the third. Meanwhile, the Knicks made six of their first eight shots in the quarter. The Knicks werent able to maintain that pace, finishing 10 for 21 in the period to pull to 66-64 entering the fourth. When Stoudemire scored the opening basket of the fourth, the teams were tied at 66. The Knicks eventually held a seven-point advantage in the fourth. However, the Grizzlies had the final run. Hardaways 3-pointer with 1:04 left gave New York a 93-91 lead. Miller answered with the open 3-pointer to take the lead back for Memphis, then Conley and Courtney Lee each hit two free throws in the final 21.4 seconds for the final margin. "Its very disappointing," Anthony said. "To fight our way back and be up 5, 6 with a couple of minutes on the clock, and give it away is very disappointing. But we have to put this one behind us." NOTES: The Grizzlies were 4-3 while Conley sat out with a sprained ankle. ... The Knicks J.R. Smith was still in the plastic mask from his fractured cheekbone. He has been uncomfortable in the mask since he was injured Feb. 9 at Oklahoma City. ... Millers previous season high was 16 against Golden State on Dec. 7. .The game marked only the fourth time this season New York has lost while holding the opponent under 100 points. Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys 2018 Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale ' ' '