what impact the positive test will have on Smiths draft stock Tuesday night. from miao1234's blog
CHARLOTTE, N. Lamar Miller Orange Jersey .C. -- Blake Griffin cant remember ever receiving an ovation from an opposing crowd after leaving a game. But he got one Saturday night after an impressive performance that included several highlight-reel dunks in the Los Angeles Clippers 111-86 rout of the Charlotte Bobcats. Griffin finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds before leaving the game with a little more than six minutes remaining. "That might be a first," Griffin said of the ovation. "That was pretty cool." It was such a blowout that by the end of the third quarter the Clippers had built a 32-point lead as Griffin, Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan had already recorded double-doubles. Paul toyed with the Bobcats, finishing with 18 points and 14 assists in only 28 minutes. Jordan had 11 points with 12 rebounds and Caron Butler added 16 points as the Clippers made sure there wouldnt be another letdown on this road trip like they had at Cleveland. Even Paul said hes amazed watching Griffin play. "Hes a freak of nature," Paul said. Kemba Walker had 19 points for the Bobcats, whove lost a franchise-record 14 straight and are on pace to match a dubious NBA record. At 3-24, the Bobcats winning percentage (.125) equals that of the NBAs all-time worst -- the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers, who finished 9-72. The Bobcats are on pace to finish this years lockout-shortened 66-game schedule with eight wins. The Bobcats, whove lost their last six by an average of 24.8 points, simply had no answers for Paul and Griffin, who put on a basketball clinic in Charlotte. Paul created easy passing lanes with his dribble and Griffin raised the volume at Time Warner Cable Arena with a handful of high-flying -- and often uncontested -- dunks. They fed off each well, using pick-and-rolls to free each other up for easy shots. One of the many highlight-reel plays came with 4:44 left in the third quarter when Paul threw a no-look, behind-the-back bounce pass from the wing to a cutting Griffin, who came charging down the lane at full speed, caught the ball and threw down a powerful one-handed jam all in one motion, bringing the crowd to its feet. Paul said hes pleased with the chemistry he and Griffin have developed in such a short amount of time. But he thinks they still have a long way to go. "Were still working on it, but its a lot of fun," Paul said. "With his basketball IQ, you can learn on the fly like that. This team was thrown together within a month, so as much as looks like weve figured each other out and know everything about each other, we dont." Griffin said he doesnt have any set alley-oop plays with Paul, even though it looks like theyve rehearsed them for years. "When were out there its just eye contact or whatever," Griffin said. "Thats how it works. I think thats the way we like to play, just freely and everybody moving through the screens and all that. Thats what worked for us tonight." Griffins circus dunk gave the Clippers a 27-point edge. Near the end of the third quarter the crowd had had enough of the home team and began booing the Bobcats after allowing Jordan to drive uncontested for a layup for a 36-point Clippers lead. Coach Paul Silas immediately called a timeout. The Bobcats did go on a 14-2 run to cut the lead to 22, and Paul and Griffin returned briefly to ensure the Bobcats didnt get any closer. The crowd didnt seem to mind at all as Griffin entertained them with the type of athleticism they havent seen all year, including a few more ferocious dunks, two of them coming on breakaways. "I wanted to bench guys to get more minutes but when theyre going to make a run like that Im just going to control the game a little bit and get us back on our feet a little bit," said Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro. "Youre going to put your top players in there. I had to do that for a few minutes and then put the guys back in to finish it off." Silas said playing without D.J. Augustin and Gerald Henderson is really taking a toll on his team. This was also only the second game back for Corey Maggette after missing 19 with a strained hamstring. "You know, and I never make excuses but the fact is that 30 of our points are sitting on the bench," Silas said. "We dont have 30 points and if you take 30 points off anybodys roster, its going to be tough... Its a real problem." Maggette said the Bobcats recent struggle has been tough for all involved, but the players havent lost faith in Silas. "Were just not playing hard as a group," Maggette said. "Were just not doing the right things right. Ultimately we need to make shots. Were shooting like 32 per cent as a group and thats not going to cut it, especially against a good team." NOTES: It was throwback night, and the Bobcats were honoured as the Carolina Cougars of the ABA. The Clippers wore jerseys from the old Los Angeles Stars. ... Maggette was back in the starting lineup for the Bobcats, replacing Tyrus Thomas. Maggette saw limited action in Friday nights loss to Chicago. ... Del Negro said Chauncey Billups will undergo surgery on his torn Achilles on Wednesday in Colorado. Lamar Miller Elite Jersey . No way, absolutely no way. If you do, where do you go from there? If you want to progress as a team and as a club you have no chance if you sell players like that. Mike Wallace Camo Jersey . PAUL, Minn.Concordia defensive lineman Quinn Smith, a top prospect for next weeks CFL draft, admitted Thursday he tested positive for a banned substance. Smith, who raised eyebrows at the CFL combine in March with his ability on both sides of the ball, confirmed in a statement he tested positive for the anabolic steroid Stanozolol prior to auditioning for league officials. Its the same substance Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson tested positive for at the 88 Seoul Summer Games, which resulted in him being stripped of the 100-metre gold medal and suspended. "I accept full responsibility for the result of Stanozolol metabolite in my test," Smith said in the release. "I can assure you it was not my intention to use a banned substance or to try to beat the system. "I did not properly research the contents of supplements I obtained online and I will accept the consequences of my actions." Smith added he has asked that his B sample be tested and is awaiting those results. Prior to releasing his statement, Smith sent emails to all nine CFL teams informing them of the positive test and formally apologizing. "I have the deepest respect for the CFL, the CIS and Concordia University and am thankful for the opportunities they offer young people like myself," Smith said. "I have brought undue negative attention to these organizations and for this I am truly sorry. "I will have no further comments to offer publicly." The six-foot-two, 305-pound Smith, a Toronto native, was ranked fourth among the CFL scouting bureaus final top-15 prospects for Tuesday nights draft, heady stuff considering Smith wasnt rated on either the fall or winter lists. A big reason for Smiths meteoric rise was his performance at the combine, where he impressed as both an offensive and defensive lineman. That versatility had Smith being mentioned as a bona fide first-round prospect -- and possibly going first overall to the expansion Ottawa Redblacks -- in the 14 draft. On the first day of testing, Smith benched 225 pounds 28 times, had a 27.5-inch vertical jump and eight feet three inches in the broad jump. The next day, prior to the one-on-one drills, Smith posted a 40-yard dash time of 4.808 seconds, 7.56 seconds in the three-cone drill and 4.62 seconds in the shutttle. Dan Marino Authentic Jersey. If Smiths B sample also tests positive, his college football career would be over. Smith still has two years of CIS eligibility remaining but as a first-time drug offender hed receive a two-year ban. But the positive test wont hamper his ability to play in the CFL as a rookie. Under the leagues drug policy, Smith will be deemed a first-time offender. He will automatically be subjected to mandatory testing and an assessment, followed by counselling. A second offence will trigger a three-game suspension. The agreement also calls for a one-year ban for a third offence and a lifetime suspension for a fourth positive test. "Its very disappointing that this player tested positive for a banned substance," Michael Copeland, the CFLs president and chief operating officer, said in a statement. "If he is drafted and signed by one of our teams, and the positive test is confirmed, he will immediately be subject to mandatory testing as governed by our drug policy. "While we never want to see a player test positive for a banned substance, it does demonstrate the benefit and effectiveness of testing prospects as they prepare for the CFL combine and draft." The CFLs drug policy is part of the leagues collective bargaining agreement with the CFL Players Association. The two sides are currently negotiating a new deal with the current one scheduled to expire May 31. The question remains, however, what impact the positive test will have on Smiths draft stock Tuesday night. Toronto Argonauts GM Jim Barker said for some teams, the news will impact their overall assessment of the former Concordia star. But Barker wouldnt say whether his opinions of Smith have changed as a result of his miscue. "It really depends on the team," said Barker, who has the sixth overall selection Tuesday. "The kid had no idea what he was taking contained a banned substance, all he thought he was doing was taking a supplement to try and make himself better. "Teams will take things different ways. To say whether its going to hurt his draft stock is speculation. It goes into the pool of knowledge that we have on every player. Its going to be viewed both ways by people. It adds intrigue to the draft, good, bad or indifferent." Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '
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