ERST LESEN! » nals will have right-hander Scherzer on

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Forget about ball movement and back-door cuts. Stop waiting for beautiful basketball. If the USA mens team is going to win these Olympics, it will happen with defense, pure talent, and good old American superstars.Thats how the United States smacked Argentina 105-78 in the quarterfinals, breaking a three-game malaise that had felt like a car wreck about to happen. But the team got back on course behind 27 points from Kevin Durant and intense D from Paul George, advancing to play Spain in the semifinals Friday. Two more games for the gold.We got our swagger back, said George, who had three steals, 17 points and eight rebounds against Argentina.Just focus, man. Got our focus level up high, said Carmelo Anthony, who was cold from the three-point line early and finished with seven points in 13 minutes. The focus was always there, but you gotta turn it up another level. This is one and done for real. We gotta take this serious, not saying that we havent been taking it serious, but its time to lock in.For years, basketball purists have bemoaned the Americans flaws in international competition, from the isolation offense addiction to the rotating cast of Olympians. Watching the four win-or-go-home games Wednesday was a picture of this culture clash. Australia had 30 assists as it thumped Lithuania by 26. Serbia used a flurry of back-door buckets against Croatia to open up a lead and win by three. And then there was Spain, which dominated France 92-67.The epitome of Spains fluid passing game came when Pau Gasol caught an entry pass near the elbow, spotted a back-door cutter with his peripheral vision, and threw a back-to-the-basket pass for a layup. Gasol, the best player in Spains history, took seven shots and scored five points, ceding the spotlight to Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic, who dropped 23.We arent like the Lakers, Kobe Bryant, said Spanish coach Sergio Scariolo when asked about Gasols unselfish play, perhaps forgetting where Gasol won his two NBA championships. We can do it with our team.The U.S. struggled against France on Sunday, holding on to win by a nerve-wracking three points. Asked about the main difference between Spain and the U.S, French coach Vincent Collet cited their defensive systems, then added, Im not sure [USA] has the same chemistry with their team. I think thats why its interesting to see how both teams will do Friday.The only chemistry needed when Durant gets hot is a fire extinguisher. He scored 18 in the first half and sank 7 of 9 3-pointers for the game. There were more highlight plays in the U.S. game than the other three combined -- a Durant double crossover into a sidestepping fadeaway; a Kyrie Irving crossover-behind-the-back-crossover-floater, a DeMar DeRozan 360-degree breakaway slam.The U.S. players have been making these plays their whole lives. Scoring on your man is the culture of American basketball. Gasol and much of his team, meanwhile, have been playing together in the Spanish system since they were teens, creating easy baskets for one another.Team USA beat Spain in the last two Olympics by 11 and seven points. Anthony declined to comment on those games. This is a new year, a new day for us, he said. Were a different team than we was in 08 and 12.But still a squad of superstars, playing the same style. Cheap Nike Shoes Ireland . -- Jakob Silfverberg is making himself right at home with the Anaheim Ducks, scoring four goals in his first four games. Cheap Air Max 90 Ireland . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt. Winchester, who was not penalized for the hit, appeared to make contact with Kellys head early in the first period of Thursdays game in Boston. http://www.airmax90outletireland.com/ . The home side created most of the chances but struggled to break down Braunschweigs resilient defence, resulting in the Bundesligas 1,000th scoreless draw. Discount Air Max 90 Ireland .J. -- Seven games into a disappointing season, New York Giants defensive catalyst Jason Pierre-Paul is getting the feeling hes back. Clearance Air Max 90 Ireland Store .5 seconds to play in the game, Kevin Love never stopped believing that they would come out of there with a win. WASHINGTON -- The surprises keep coming from first-year Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.First, it was a National League Division Series that included three catchers. Now comes news that rookie Andrew Toles will start in left field in the opening game of the series Friday against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park.Is he starting? Clayton Kershaw asked at his regular pre-start news conference Thursday. Thats awesome.The conversation was brief between Toles and Roberts.Youre in left field tomorrow, like he normally says, Toles said of the interaction when Roberts told him the news.Starts against right-handed pitchers have become commonplace for Toles over the past six weeks, so with Max Scherzer on the mound for the Nationals on Friday, Toles was somewhat expecting the assignment.It felt pretty good [to hear it], Toles said. I just want to stay focused and go out there and do my best really.He was out of baseball last year, when he was released by the Tampa Bay Rays organization, but Toles story has been one of resilience. He was signed by the Dodgers in 2015 after the minor league season had ended and was not invited to big league camp this spring. He started the season at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and was in Los Angeles by the start of July. He played 22 games at Rancho Cucamonga, 43 at Double-A Tulsa and 17 at Triple-A Oklahoma City before the Dodgers called him up to the major leagues.Never fazed by the situation, or so it seemed, Toles gave the Dodgers steady production. He supplied a rare dose of speed on the bases and added a plus-throwing arm into the proceedings. If a deficiency showed, it was with defense, other than throwing the ball.Toles had a pair of three-hit games this season, the first in his 10th career game. He was batting .397 in his first 58 at-bats through the end of Augustt and then cooled a bit in September.dddddddddddd He ended August with a pinch-hit grand slam that gave the Dodgers a victory in the second game of a doubleheader at Colorado when it seemed as if the team would be swept in the twinbill.I mean, to be honest, I didnt even know we had a guy named Andrew Toles in the minor leagues, Kershaw said. To meet him and understand where hes been and come from, and the type of guy he is, the type of player he is, its pretty special to see for sure.Toles batted .213 in 47 at-bats in September and dealt with a sore wrist as the regular season came to a close. He had just eight at-bats on the final road trip, after the team had clinched the division.Roberts did not specify any other part of the Game 1 lineup, only saying, Its going to look a lot like weve done it.Considering that the Nationals will have right-hander Scherzer on the mound, the lineup sounds like this:?Yasmani Grandal at catcher, and an infield of Adrian Gonzalez at first base, Chase Utley at second, Corey Seager at shortstop and Justin Turner at third. In addition to Toles in the outfield, Joc Pederson is expected to play center field, with Josh Reddick likely in right field. Kershaw will pitch.Seager and Toles are two of seven rookies on the Dodgers NLDS roster; a number of injuries forced the club to give others a chance this season. Many of those young players made the best of their opportunities, and Toles was one of them.We all feel like were a part of the team, Toles said. We said it in the meeting the other day. Its going to take all 25 of us to win a world championship. I feel personally, me and all the other rookies, we dont feel like rookies. Were just a part of the team. ' ' '