Offtopic/fun » game. ... New York F Nikolay Kulemin missed the game

NEW ORLEANS -- Their shared numbers are ugly and humbling.At 4-18, the Philadelphia 76ers have the worst record in the NBA and have nine healthy players.Losers of three straight games despite the presence of a league superstar, the 7-15 Pelicans own the sixth-worst record in the NBA and have the flesh wounds to prove it.So when the Pelicans host the 76ers in a match of NBA bottom-feeders Thursday night at the Smoothie King Center, its natural to assume the worst -- of both.Its very frustrating, to be honest with you, said New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry, whose team dropped a 110-108 double-overtime decision at home to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night despite Anthony Davis 28 points and 17 rebounds in 48 1/2 minutes. I just had higher expectations and thought that we would have fewer injuries, to be honest with you.The Pelicans played without point guard Jrue Holiday in the Monday loss Memphis, and his absence was deeply felt. Holiday missed the first six weeks of the season while caring for his wife Lauren, who gave birth to their first child and then underwent successful surgery to remove a benign brain tumor.When Holiday returned to the lineup, the Pelicans won a season-best five consecutive games at home, but Holiday sustained a turf toe injury during a Sunday night loss at OKC. The pain was so debilitating that Holiday could not push off on his left foot.Holidays status for the 76ers game is uncertain.I didnt know how excruciating it could be, Holiday said on Wednesday. People dont understand that when you hurt your toe, you cant do anything. If I could walk on my hands I would or if I could just cut it off it would be great.Amputation might be considered going a little bit beyond the NBAs standard players contract.While Gentry is trying to plug leaks in his lineup -- guard ETwaun Moore missed the Memphis game with a toe injury and forward Dante Cunningham has a broken bone in his leg -- he is hoping his players can soldier through.Little irritants have blossomed into bigger problems. The Pelicans held solid leads against Memphis at the end of regulation and at the close of the first overtime period but allowed the Grizzlies to make big shots to extend the game.Gentry took the blame for one late-game snafu -- he drew up an inbounds play that had the ball being thrown in from the opposite side of the court.One of them we drew up on the right side of the floor and the ball was on the left side, Gentry said. I take full responsibility for that. Im not going to dodge anything.Davis leads the NBA in scoring (31.6) and blocks (2.81) and is sixth in rebounding (11.4), but his heavy lifting is beginning to wear him down. He also leads the NBA in minutes played (38.0).Its just unfortunate for him because to me, hes having an unbelievable, MVP season, Gentry said. When I think about what hes done and the defenses hes faced and still the numbers hes put up -- not just offensive numbers but being able to lead the league in blocked shots and being really solid defensively -- its unfortunate.The Sixers had just nine players available in a 96-91 loss at Memphis on Tuesday night, and Jerryd Bayless (left wrist), Robert Covington (left knee sprain) and Jahlil Okafor (gastroenteritis) are not expected to join the team in New Orleans.This (was) our fourth game in five nights, said coach Brett Brown. We came down with nine guys, and youre playing against a veteran, tough, playoff-hard Memphis team. I was proud of their effort. Jason Spriggs Super Bowl Jersey . 24 Baylor in a Big 12 clash between teams trending in opposite directions. Andrew Wiggins made 10-of-12 from the foul line and scored 17 for Kansas (14-4, 5-0 Big 12), which capped a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents unscathed. Ray Nitschke Super Bowl Jersey . It was Kerbers third final of the year after losing to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia in Monterrey in April and to Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic in Tokyo two weeks ago. The 10th-ranked German improved her record in finals to 3-5. http://www.officialgreenbaypackerspro.com/Geronimo-allison-packers-jersey/ . PAUL, Minn. Dean Lowry Super Bowl Jersey . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. Elgton Jenkins Super Bowl Jersey . Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said. NEW YORK -- Shea Weber came through with a late goal to get the NHL-leading Montreal Canadiens another big win.Webers power-play goal with 2:57 remaining lifted the Canadiens to their fifth straight victory, 3-2 over the New York Islanders on Wednesday night. Paul Byron and Phillip Danault also scored to help Montreal improve to 6-0-1 and remain the only team in the NHL without a regulation loss.Its still early but weve done some good things so far, Weber said after getting his third goal and ninth point since being acquired in a big offseason trade with Nashville. Got to keep winning games. It doesnt mean anything if we lose two, three in a row. We got to keep getting better every night.Al Montoya, who played for the Islanders from 2010-12, stopped 26 shots in his first start since Oct. 18 as the Canadiens beat New York for the seventh straight time.We had a slow start. Montoya played well for us, great in the first, Weber said. We came on maybe in the last five, six minutes of the first, played better after that. He made some big saves at the end of the third before we were able to score on the power play.John Tavares and Dennis Seidenberg scored for New York and Thomas Greiss had 26 saves in his second straight start and third of the season. The Islanders lost for the second time on a five-game homestand.With the Islanders Nick Leddy off for slashing, Weber took a pass from defenseman Jeff Petry and fired a shot from the point for the tiebreaking goal. It was just the second power-play goal in 23 opportunities given up by New Yorks league-leading penalty-killing unit.I knew (Petry) was going to pass it over, Weber said. It was kind of rolling, so I just wanted to make sure I got good wood on it. I think (Islanders defenseman Travis) Hamonic went down in front of the goal and it just found a way through.Danault gave the Canadiens a 2-1 lead with 8:39 remaining. He deflected the rebound of a shot by Torrey Mitchell past Greiss for his second of the season and sixth of his career.Seidenberg tied it with 5:44 to go with a one-timer from above the right faceoff circle.Andrew Shaw had breakaway for Montreal less than a minute later but fired his shot wide of the net.Alex Galchenyuk nearly gave the Canadiens the lead about 6 minutes into the third, but his shot hit the crossbar.Montreal came out more aggressive in the second period and outshot New Yorrk 12-5.dddddddddddd The Canadiens took a 1-0 lead early in the middle period as Brendan Gallaghers wrister from the right side was stopped by Greiss, but the rebound went past New York defenseman Travis Hamonic in front and Byron fired it in at 3:10.Montreal had another great chance more than a minute later but Greiss made a sprawling save on Artturi Lehkonen.Second period (was) probably our worst period of the season, Tavares said. We responded in the third and gave ourselves a chance and we just didnt get it done.Tavares tied it for the Islanders with 4:47 left in the second on a power play with Lehkonen off for high-sticking. Nick Leddy fired a point shot from inside the blue line through traffic that bounced off a screened Montoya. Andrew Ladd knocked Alexei Emelins stick off the puck and Tavares came in and fired it past the Montoya from the right side for his fourth of the season.New Yorks Anthony Beauvillier blocked a slap shot from Greg Pateryn on his right leg with about 1:48 left in the middle period and was down for several minutes before being helped off the ice to the dressing room. He returned for the start of the third.The Islanders controlled the play for most of the scoreless opening period, outshooting the Canadiens 8-6.Game notes Montreals Tomas Plekenec played in his 850th game, two behind Mario Tremblay for 17th place on the franchise list. ... Montreal scratched D Mikhail Sergachev, the No. 9 pick in the June draft, for the third straight game. ... New York F Nikolay Kulemin missed the game due to an upper body injury. He was replaced in the lineup by Mathew Barzal, one of the Islanders two 19-year-old rookies who played for the second time. ... New York went 3-1-0 on its five-game homestand. After a trip to Pittsburgh to complete a back-to-back, the Islanders will open another stretch of five straight at home on Sunday against Toronto. ... Tavares goal on the Islanders lone power play made them 5 for 26 with the man advantage this season.UP NEXTCanadiens: Host Tampa Bay on Thursday to complete their first of 15 back-to-backs this season.Islanders: At defending champion Pittsburgh in their first road game since the opening weekend of the season.---Follow Vin Cherwoo at www.twitter.com/VinCherwooAP ' ' '