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LOS ANGELES -- When Kenyon Martin hit a jumper with 4:30 to play, the Knicks were still in it. New York then missed its next six shots and scored only two points the rest of the night. The Los Angeles Clippers defence and the Knicks general ineptitude both played a role in the unsurprising finish to a meeting of two teams headed in opposite directions. Blake Griffin had 15 points and 13 rebounds, and Chris Paul had 15 points and seven assists before leaving with a strained right hamstring in the Clippers 93-80 victory over the plummeting Knicks on Wednesday night. J.J. Redick also scored 15 points as the Clippers comfortably finished their eighth win in 10 games despite losing their superstar point guard late in the third quarter when Paul hobbled to the locker room favouring his right leg. Paul said he could have returned, but was grateful to watch his teammates strong defensive finish. "Its definitely a sign that things are going in the right direction," said Paul, who seems certain hell play Friday in Sacramento. "Were solid. Were starting to know where each other are going to be on both ends of the court. We have to do it consistently, especially on the defensive end, but were getting there." While Paul rode a stationary bike in the dressing room, Darren Collison and Jamal Crawford capably handled playmaking duties while the Clippers finished off their third straight win. The offence-challenged Knicks couldnt score for a 3:40 stretch late, losing handily despite holding the Clippers to three points in the final 4:49. "Were not going to win too many games on the offensive end, even as well as were playing," said Collison, who had nine points. "Defence is where its at, and we did a good job tonight." Carmelo Anthony scored 27 points and Andrea Bargnani had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who have lost seven straight to drop to 3-11. New York kept its locker room closed long after the final buzzer for an informal team meeting. "We are in a dark place, and weve got to get out of it," Anthony said. "We have to pinpoint what the problems are and go from there. ... Weve got to play four quarters together, and weve got to do it for one another. Right now the game is not fun for nobody. Were just not making it happen. But were going to keep trying." New York hung with the powerful Clippers for most of the night, but its shortcomings were exposed late. The Knicks missed 17 of their 20 3-point shots, and the Clippers shot 31 free throws to their 15. Raymond Felton had 12 points and seven assists in his return to the Knicks starting lineup after a four-game absence with an injured lower back and left hip, but New York still hasnt won since Nov. 13 in Atlanta. "I wasnt 100 per cent, (but) theres no excuses. No need to talk about that," Felton said. "We got down double digits, and its hard to bounce back against a team like that, especially in the fourth. Everything was disappointing, man. We played better basketball, but it still wasnt enough. Weve got to figure this thing out." Crawford scored eight of his 13 points in the fourth quarter for the Clippers, who keep stacking up victories while integrating their new additions -- including Redick, who hit three 3-pointers. Los Angeles improved to 8-1 at Staples Center. The Clippers made an early 30-10 run largely sparked by their reserves, who had 20 points in the first half. The Knicks scored 13 straight points late in the half, but Los Angeles led 49-45 at halftime with scoring from 10 players. Anthony, the NBAs second-leading scorer, and Bargnani kept the Knicks in it, scoring 35 of their 45 points. The much-criticized Bargnani had 16 points and seven rebounds. J.R. Smiths basket trimmed the Clippers lead to 74-70 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, but the Clippers scored the next nine points. "I dont think we ever established the pace the way we wanted to," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "Those nights when you cant score the way youre used to scoring, and win games when you can lean on your defence ... thats just terrific." NOTES: The Knicks will attempt to avoid their first eight-game skid since February 2010 when they wrap up their four-game road trip at Denver on Friday night. ... Metta World Peace got an indifferent reaction in his first appearance at Staples Center since the Lakers released him under the NBAs amnesty provision last summer. World Peace, who won a title with the Lakers in 2010, went scoreless on 0-for-6 shooting, including four missed 3-point attempts. ... World Peace and Clippers F Antawn Jamison guarded each other at times in the second half. They were teammates last season with the Lakers. Jamison had six points in his second straight appearance for the Clippers after sitting out their first 14 games. Bubba Starling Jersey . In an interview with La Presse this week, the five-time Stanley Cup champion and three-time NHL scoring leader specifically took aim at wingers Thomas Vanek and Max Pacioretty, saying they cant show up in a 7-4 win over the New York Rangers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final and come up empty in Game 6. Bud Black Jersey . Both of Padakins goals came in the second period while Zane Jones added a single in the first period for Calgary (13-6-4). Hitmen goaltender Chris Driedger finished with 30 saves for the shutout. https://www.cheaproyals.com/907a-whit-me...sey-royals.html. As if the individual strands of grey hair or the increasing amount of joint pain werent reminders enough, the impending end of Jeters career is a slap-in-the-face indicator of a generations fleeting youth. Jakob Junis Jersey .com) - Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau has been selected as the NHLs Rookie of the Month for December, the league announced Friday. Nicky Lopez Jersey . Altidore strained his left hamstring in the Americans opener against Ghana on June 16 and didnt play in their next two games. "We dont know how much because we need to see how hes going, but hes available," U.ARLINGTON, Texas - Jason Witten and the Dallas Cowboys can tell better than just about anyone the difference between the New Orleans Saints with and without coach Sean Payton. The Saints hung on for a 34-31 overtime win in Texas two years ago on the same day they were eliminated from playoff contention in a lost season without their suspended coach. Last year they became the first team in NFL history to get 40 first downs in a 49-17 blowout that was easily the worst for the Cowboys since coach Jason Garrett took over midway through the 2010 season. I think anytime youre humbled like that, theres a respect factor you have, Witten said of a game that propelled the Saints back to the post-season with Payton in charge while Dallas missed for the fourth straight year. It was good for our team to watch that tape and to see it, see what they did to us. Im sure they watched that tape as well. Payton will be on the sideline at the $1.2 billion home of the Cowboys on Sunday night after watching from his Dallas-area home in 2012 because of his season-long ban over the bounty scandal. He was on Bill Parcells staff in Dallas when he got the chance to coach the Saints. Watch the game on TSN1, 3, 4, 5 and TSN GO at 7pm et/4pm pt. Ive got a lot of close friends back there with that organization, Payton said. Theres a uniqueness about that program. Its special. Just having those opportunities, and ... when the schedule comes out and you see that its a Sunday night game, thats exciting. Drew Brees can share in the excitement because hes thrown for 838 yards with seven touchdowns and no interceptions in his past two games against the Cowboys. The former Texas high school star has won three straight against Dallas since the Cowboys beat the Saints in New Orleans when they were 13-0 and went on to win the Super Bowl in 2009. That win was the only one for Dallas in the past nine games against New Orleans. Theres a lot of new faces, Payton said of the Cowboys. The key, I think, and the message really was getting familiar with this team, the team were playing this weekend. These two tteams really havent played each other yet when you look at the roster makeup.dddddddddddd Things to watch in the fifth meeting in the past six seasons between the Saints and Cowboys, who lead the series 15-11 after winning 11 of the first 12 from 1967-84. MOMENTUM FACTOR: The Cowboys have won two in a row for their fourth straight 2-1 record in four full seasons under Garrett. But theyve never made it to 3-1 and havent won three straight in almost two years. The Saints (1-2) are trying to continue their recovery from an uncharacteristic 0-2 start under Payton. They took the first step with last weeks 20-9 victory over Minnesota. ROMOS ROUTINE: Tony Romo skipped practice on Wednesday last week and played his best game since returning from back surgery in December in last weeks 34-31 win at St. Louis. He showed some mobility, found Dez Bryant wide open on a 68-yard touchdown pass and directed a rally from a 21-0 deficit. So when he sat out Wednesday again this week, naturally the question of superstition came up. No, its probably a little deeper than that, but you can write that if it helps, Romo said with a smile. WITTEN AND GRAHAM: Witten needs 106 yards to become the third tight end in league history with 10,000 yards receiving. And hes squaring off against a standout in Jimmy Graham whos likely to join that list someday if he stays healthy. He already has 4,117 yards early in his fifth season. Witten is in his 12th year. ROB RYANS RETURN: Saints defensive co-ordinator Rob Ryan returns to his old home field after the Cowboys fired him following the 2012 season. He orchestrated the biggest defensive turnaround since the 1970 merger last year, and that included holding the Cowboys to their lowest yardage total (193) in five years. SUNDAY NIGHT MAGIC: The Saints are 8-1 on Sunday night under the Payton era, easily explainable by outside linebacker Junior Galette. Sunday night football, your mamas watching, your aunt, Galette said. You know, everybody is going to be watching that game a€” your sixth-grade girlfriend. So youre going to bring your A-game. ' ' '