Gästeboard » becoming ever-more precious as the season

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - After another entertaining victory, the Detroit Pistons received a visit from grateful owner Tom Gores.Tom came in and talked to the team after the game, and hes very excited, coach Stan Van Gundy said. He thanked them for not giving up on the season when it was 5-23, and he talked about how much that means to him and to the whole city. He talked to the coaches as well, and there wasnt a single time where he tried to take any of the credit. Hes unselfish, but we all know that hes the catalyst for what we have started to do here.Detroit has won 12 of 15 since that 5-23 start, and the latest victory was an exciting one. Brandon Jennings had 24 points and a career-high 21 assists, and the Pistons held off the Orlando Magic 128-118 on Wednesday night.Andre Drummond added 26 points and 16 rebounds for the Pistons. Detroit nearly blew a 21-point third-quarter lead, but Jennings helped the Pistons close it out in the fourth.Finding guys, guys are getting easy shots, guys are making shots, Jennings said. It was one of those nights where youre like, Im close to 19 (assists), I better get 20.Gores took over as Detroits owner in 2011, and this is the most encouraging stretch the team has had since then. He spoke with reporters at halftime.Im just happy really, honestly, for our fans, for the city of Detroit, Gores said. For me, I feel like I was brought in as a new owner to deliver something, and I feel like Im at least delivering a part of what fans expect. Im really proud of this team, the way theyre fighting. Im proud of Stan for not giving up.Greg Monroe had 24 points and 10 rebounds for Detroit, which never trailed. The Pistons led by 11 after the first quarter and by 17 at halftime.Nikola Vucevic led Orlando with 26 points. The Magic cut the lead to two in the fourth, but the Pistons went on a 14-2 run to regain a comfortable margin.With the score 102-100, Jennings scored four straight points, and he later found Anthony Tolliver for a 3-pointer that made it 111-102.A 3-pointer by Jodie Meeks — off another assist by Jennings — put the Pistons up by 14.The Pistons jumped to a 26-12 lead and were ahead 35-24 after one. The Magic cut the lead to six before Detroit finished the half on a 13-2 run. Kyle Singlers 3-pointer at the buzzer made it 65-48.Singler finished with 14 points for Detroit.Orlandos Victor Oladipo scored 23 points, but the Magic wasted that effort with another poor defensive performance. This was the most points theyve allowed all season, surpassing Sundays 127-99 loss to Oklahoma City.Jennings was the first player with at least 20 points and 20 assists in a game since Steve Nash had 21 points and 20 assists for Phoenix against Philadelphia on Nov. 9, 2009, according to STATS.BACK IN MICHIGANOrlando rookie Devyn Marble started and played 20 minutes against the team he grew up rooting for. Marble was born in nearby Southfield, Michigan.I was happy to be back, Marble said. I wanted to come out here and try to get a W — came up short, so its on to the next one.Marbles father Roy lives in Michigan and has been battling cancer. He was at the game Wednesday.SPREADING THE WEALTHJennings has been instrumental in Detroits surge back into playoff contention, and he had 11 assists in the first half. His lob to Drummond for a one-handed dunk was a highlight of the third quarter and put the Pistons ahead 92-73. It was another alley-oop to Drummond that gave Jennings a career high with his 20th assist. That dunk made it 122-110.(Jennings) was phenomenal tonight, Van Gundy said. He was getting to the lane and making plays. He was making his shots when he got them.TIP-INSMagic: Tobias Harris missed all five of his shots in the first half, but he finished with 19 points in his return after missing five games with a sprained left ankle.Pistons: Jennings had 19 assists for Milwaukee on March 2, 2013, in an overtime win over Toronto. ... Detroits 128 points set a season high. The previous mark came in a 119-109 win over Indiana on Dec. 26 in what was the Pistons first game after waiving forward Josh Smith.UP NEXTMagic: Visit New York on Friday night.Pistons: Visit Milwaukee on Saturday night. Danny Green Jersey . -- The Toronto Maple Leafs are tightening the race for second place in the Atlantic Division. Slater Martin Lakers Jersey . - Christophe Lalancette scored a third-period goal and added the shootout winner to lead the Drummondville Voltigeurs to a 5-4 win over the Quebec Remparts in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League play on Sunday. https://www.lakersjerseycheap.com/541j-alex-caruso-jersey-lakers.html . The Raptors had an early deadline Sunday, a dreaded afternoon game, and they left the bulk of their work until the last minute, as theyve done so many times before. Steve Nash Jersey . -- D. J. Williams finally has his packing strategy down. Zelmo Beaty Jersey . He still wanted out. "It just seemed like the direction they were going didnt fit what I thought my career was going to be," Kesler said. "At the end of the day I want to win a championship and I want to win it now, and four years is a little too long for me.TORONTO - Helio Castroneves purses his lips and smiles. Will Power looks away to contemplate what it will take to win the title that has eluded both drivers their entire careers. The two IndyCar veterans are duelling for the elusive championship this year, with Castroneves ahead of his Team Penske teammate by just nine points atop the standings. Its a familiar scenario for Castroneves ahead of the Honda Indy Toronto on Saturday and Sunday. He entered the Toronto races first overall in 2013 only to eventually cede the title to Scott Dixon. But this could be Castroneves year. The 39-year-old Brazilian yearns for a championship. "More than anything, my friend," said Castroneves. "More than anything." Castroneves lost by just 27 points to Dixon last year after being undone by a disastrous doubleheader in Houston where Dixon finished first and second, respectively. He also settled for second behind Sam Hornish Jr. in 2002, his first full season in the Indy Racing League after four seasons in Champ Car. Both series merged in 2008. Power has come even closer. The 33-year-old Australian finished second overall every year between 2010 and 2012. Power could taste the title in 2012, but he crashed at Fontana. His team scrambled to get him back on track, but Ryan Hunter-Reay edged Power out in a dramatic season finale. He doesnt want another year of being IndyCars bridesmaid. "Its going to be a tight race to the end. But man, Im doing everything I can," said Power. "Im determined to win the thing. Really determined." The Penske cars, always a formidable presence in the series, have been consistently dominant this season as the team looks to end an eight-year title drought. Power began the season on a tear. He won the season opener at St. Petersburg and again at one of the Detroit races. He was on the podium five times and never finished out of the top-10 in the first eight races. But penalties have hampered Powers season. Hes been charged five times so far, some more costly than others. At the Grand Prix of Indianapolis he hit pit equipment and was dropped out of contention. Later at Pocono on July 6 he was charged with blocking Castroneves. "The only one that cost me was the one at Pocono," said Power. "Double points, man that was like actually a 40-point swing right there, which is (a) pretty bad hit." Powers last four results have also been poor — 14th and 11th at Houston, 10th at Pocono and 14th in Iowa. He nearly won the second race at Houston but had to pit with a broken suspension just two laps from the finish.ddddddddddddPower has two career wins at Toronto in 2007 and 2010. Castroneves, who took over the overall lead last Sunday at Iowa with an eighth-place finish, has just one win so far after splitting the Detroit doubleheader with Power. But Castroneves has been consistent. Hes been on pole twice, stepped onto the podium five times and has nine top-10 finishes in 12 races so far. Last year Castroneves, who has never won in Toronto, made a breakthrough with a second-place finish in the second race behind Dixon. "I feel this place owns me," said Castroneves. "We start on the pole, finish second, finish all over the place. ... This place always helps a lot in terms of strategy. Some people in the back sometimes take chances and they end up paying off, but it all depends. "We can only try to predict the unpredicted, which is hopefully start in the front, stay in the front if the race goes that way and then collect a lot of points." Points are becoming ever-more precious as the season winds down. Six races remain ahead of the Aug. 30 finale at Fontana, and at least 100 could be won by a driver who sweeps the 85-lap, 2.81-kilometre street course at Exhibition Place. Theres also plenty of time for another driver to steal the title from Castroneves and Power. Ryan Hunter-Reay, who has three wins including one at Iowa, trails Castroneves by just 32 points. Simon Pagenaud and Penskes Juan Pablo Montoya are also within 100 points of first place. Power and Castroneves both say theyre trying to balance a focus on racing with an awareness of the standings. "Youre just thinking every session," said Power. "Youre thinking about getting the car right and having good weekends. Not even that, every session youre thinking about, every lap. Doing it right, thats it." Castroneves added its hard to not get overwhelmed by the numbers. "Sounds not a lot when you say six races to go, but points involved its a lot and with that aspect, not that I dont look ahead, but youve got to push through to make sure that you finish ahead of those important (drivers). ...," said Castroneves. "Youve got to actually save for a rainy day in case that something bad happens, you have enough to cover for the last race." It might just take the last race for the championship to be decided. --- Follow @tyler_harper on Twitter ' ' '