neys shot required a finger-tip save from Hennessey to keep the ball out the net.And if United was fortunate to benefit from refereeing decisions in the first half, the fortunes were now reverse

Happy Canada Day! Lets take a quick look at a few NBA Topics. 1. Andrea Bargnani: If the proposed trade with the New York Knicks goes through this will be a good landing spot for him. He wont have the pressure on him to be ‘The Guy with Carmelo Anthony around and his ability to space the floor with his distance shooting (erratic at times) will be a help to their team. The Knicks are obviously banking on the fact that hes got potential that has yet to be realized and a change of scenery could do it for him. Only time will tell if this is the right risk for them but I expect a new environment will do wonders for him, at least temporarily. The key is his willingness to truly commit to the game and lay it all on the line which hes been reluctant to do. Dont discount the fact that the Brooklyn Nets swung a big trade with the Celtics for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. This is a reaction to that as well as a team seeing a guy that can help them in an area of need. Former Raptors assistant coach and current Knicks assistant Jim Todd coached Andrea and Im sure hes spoken extensively with GM Glen Grunwald & Mike Woodson about him. 2. Steve Novak: Part of the proposed Bargnani trade has this veteran sharpshooter coming to Toronto. I like him. The Raptors were an inconsistent three-point shooting team the past few years and hell provide a solid veteran presence off the bench and hes a good locker room guy. Lifetime 43per cent shooter from behind the arc and will be a guy that can open things up for teammates with his consistency. Overall, Bargnani trade is addition by subtraction with the picks and cap savings being the primary help. Novak wont hurt them if this trade gets done. 3. Kevin Martin: Hes a free agent. I know the Thunder are in a luxury tax bind, but if he walks what do you truly think of the James Harden trade? Might as well have let him stay for this season and then moved him and given yourself a legitimate opportunity to win a title. Martin will have plenty of suitors on the market as long as he is reasonable in his contract demands. Hes been a consistent three-point shooter throughout his career and his scoring knack is valuable. 4. Monta Ellis: He has decided to opt out of the final year of his deal in Milwaukee. The man can score points (19.4 ppg in his career) yet hes a volume scorer who has failed to shoot above 43 per cent the past two seasons. My belief is that hed be an ideal guy for a team as a sixth man because we all know hes coming into the game to light it up. You live with that a bit more because you need the boost as opposed to a starting player who youre looking to for reliable or predictable play. Hes got his boosters and just as many detractors. That being said, as a sixth man in the right up-tempo system hed be a blast to watch. 5. O.J. Mayo: I thought he settled down this past season and played a decent brand of ball for coach Rick Carlisle. He shot it well from three-point range (41 per cent), the best in his career and at 15.3 points per game hes a guy that can give you the pretty steady output that is so valued from a back court player. He was up and down in his time in Memphis but in a contract year he performed pretty well. Is that a result of a guy being in a contract year or has he truly matured? Thats the question scouts have about him that I think to this point is still inconclusive. I see teams trying to offer him a shorter term deal if they can get away with it. Hell get paid though… he scores. Always need that.Custom Houston Rockets Jerseys . PAUL, Minn. Chris Paul Rockets Jersey . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. http://www.therocketsofficial.com/Authentic-PJ-Tucker-Rockets-Jersey/ . In what the team had called a retirement, Ryan said Thursday that he is resigning as chief executive of the Rangers in a move effective at the end of this month. James Harden Jersey .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. Steve Francis Jersey . The native of Mont-Tremblant, Que., captured a World Cup downhill event Saturday, his second this year and fifth career victory on the circuit.LONDON -- Prolonging his career in one of the toughest leagues, Zlatan Ibrahimovics predatory instincts endure.Manchester United was facing a fourth draw in five Premier League games on Wednesday until Ibrahimovic pounced in the 88th minute at Crystal Palace to seal a 2-1 victory.Four months into his United career, Ibrahimovic already has 13 goals -- and he even set up Paul Pogba for the first-half opener.After leaving Paris Saint-Germain, the 35-year-old striker could have taken the easy route and drifted toward retirement in one of the worlds well-paid but less demanding leagues.Instead, the Swede took on the challenge of filling the number nine jersey at one of the worlds biggest clubs. And Jose Mourinhos decision to add one of soccers notoriously biggest egos to the squad is paying dividends after 23 games.I told him England is not the best place to be on holidays for a rich guy, Mourinho said. When a rich guy with a great career wants holidays he doesnt come to England. You come to England if you want to be in the most difficult league in the world, if you want to prove yourself, if you want to show what you can do.So his decision to come here was based on that. So I am really happy because its not just about goals -- his goals, his leadership, his motivation, I am really happy with the big guy.That was clear at the final whistle when Mourinho embraced the man who restored Uniteds lead after James McAthurs equalizer.Thanks to Ibrahimovic, Mourinho has consecutive wins in the league for the first time since August and United remains three points behind fifth-place Tottenham.Palace is only three points above the relegation zone after one win in 10 matches, perilous form for manager Alan Pardew who has spoken of his job insecurity in recent weeks.Palace was gifting United space and possession for much of the first half, rarely breaking out of its own half.What United lacked as Wayne Rooney made his first league start in a month was a significant threat up front but the captain was coming cclosest.dddddddddddd A header from Rooney was off target and the strikers shot on the turn was repelled by goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.United was fortunate to remain with 11 men after Marcos Rojos two-footed challenge on former Old Trafford winger Wilfried Zaha. The defender escaped with a yellow card.Hes an aggressive, clean player, Mourinho said, probably playing the best football of his career.Its not the best from Palace this season.In stoppage time at the end of the first half, Palace was punished by its inability to defend a set-piece but the hosts had legitimate grievances on two counts.Ibrahimovic initially appeared to chest down Juan Matas free kick into the path of Pogba. Replays, though, indicated that Ibrahimovics hand helped the ball along and Pogba was in an offside position when he turned the ball past Hennessey.The home fans were furious, jeering referee Craig Pawson at the interval. The players drew on the anger.Only United goalkeeper David de Gea at full stretch kept out McAthurs shot but he was beaten in the 66th minute.The leveler was stylish. Damien Delaney received the ball from Joel Ward, and a back-heeled flick-on enabled McArthur to slot past De Gea.United had a quick chance to regain the lead when Rooneys shot required a finger-tip save from Hennessey to keep the ball out the net.And if United was fortunate to benefit from refereeing decisions in the first half, the fortunes were now reversed.From the corner after Hennesseys save, Ledley raised an arm to block the ball. Pawson was surrounded by United players but no penalty was awarded.Mata did soon have the ball in the net but he was harshly adjudged to be offside when he met a downward header from Rojo.But there was no second reprieve for Palace when Pogba slickly threaded the ball through for Ibrahimovics late intervention, ensuring United left south London relieved rather than furious. ' ' '