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NEW ORLEANS - Injuries and illness across New Orleans roster provided Daruis Miller a chance to play extended minutes with his old Kentucky teammate, Anthony Davis. They did a lot of winning together in college, and Wednesday nights game against an NBA playoff contender was no different. Davis had 16 points, 13 rebounds and six blocks while Miller capped a 16-point outing with a pair of clutch jumpers, and the under-manned Pelicans won their fourth straight, 98-96 over the Los Angeles Clippers. "I just knew I had an opportunity. I wanted to come out and play aggressively," said Miller, whose nearly 29 minutes of action were more than double his season average of 11.8. "I just so happened to have a good game. I think everybody did, though. Everybody stepped up and thats the reason why we won." Millers 3 made it 95-90, and his 16-foot jumper coming off a screen to the left of the foul line gave the Pelicans a 97-92 lead with 47 seconds left. Anthony Morrow, also playing extended minutes, scored 27 points, while reserve centre Alexis Ajinca added 14 points and 11 rebounds. "We beat a team thats got a chance to win a title," Pelicans coach Monty Williams said. "I cant say enough about our group. It felt like a playoff game in there tonight." Jamal Crawford scored 31 for the Clippers, but narrowly missed a couple late 3-point attempts, including one as time expired that could have won it. "We didnt execute the play," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said of the final seconds. "But the game didnt come down to the final play. I really thought (New Orleans) deserved to win. "If we had won, I would have taken it, but sometimes the basketball gods punish you for messing around and I though thats what we did." Former New Orleans star Chris Paul had 12 assists, but set a Clippers record for shooting futility by missing all 12 of his attempts from the field. His only points came on two foul shots. "If I go 0 for 15 or 0 for 20 and we win, I could care less," said Paul, whose team had won nine of its previous 10 games to get within striking distance of the second playoff seed in the Western Conference. "Its more than this game. Its about playing the right way going into the playoffs." Blake Griffin had 21 points, including a late off-balance floater as he was fouled with 10.5 seconds left. But he missed the following free throw that could have tied it. Davis rebounded the miss, but clanked a free throw on the other end, giving Los Angeles one more chance to tie or win. Davis scored 10 of his points in the second half, including a two-handed dunk in which he sprung toward the hoop from right side of the lane too quickly for DeAndre Jordan to respond. Davis also took on Griffin with confidence, rising over him to score on one end and alter his shots on the other. "AD wanted to prove that he and Blake are on the same level," Williams said. Jordan had 11 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks, but lamented, "We didnt play defence in the first half. We gave them a lot of confidence and when that happens its hard to turn guys off." Pelicans guard Eric Gordon missed his third straight game with left knee tendinitis, while point guards Brian Roberts (bruised left knee) and Austin Rivers (upper respiratory infection) were also out. That forced Williams to start shooting guard Tyreke Evans at point guard, with Miller, normally a small forward, also playing some minutes at guard. Evans finished with 10 points and nine assists. "Its like MASH unit," Williams said. "Were sitting there looking at the guys go through warm-ups this morning and it didnt look good. So we brought the guys together and just talked to them about, Just compete at a high level." New Orleans managed to keep pace with Los Angeles in part because Paul kept missing and didnt score until hitting two free throws with 2:52 left in the third quarter. "Chris started pressing a little bit," Rivers said. "He was trying to get going, which you want him to do. Just keep doing it in the realm of the offence." Notes: The Clippers went 13 of 30 from 3-point range. They won the previous 33 games in which theyd made at least nine 3s. ... The Pelicans victory was their first over the Clippers in four games this season. They wont meet again. ... New Orleans reached 10 blocks in a game for the 10th time this season, most in the NBA. Custom Arizona Diamondbacks Jerseys . While plenty of statistics illustrate Torontos turnaround in the second year of manager Ryan Nelsens tenure, stopping goals is not one of them. Zack Greinke Jersey . Mired in an offensive slump, Lowry - the NBAs leader in taking charges this season - did what he has learned to do best, standing his ground and drawing a crucial offensive foul on the Cavaliers all-star point guard. Fast forward 30 seconds to the Cavs next possession, with the home team still trailing by three, Spencer Hawes - one of the leagues best passing big men - threw an interception, intended for Tyler Zeller and picked off by DeMar DeRozan. http://www.diamondbackssale.com/diamondb...onzalez-jersey/. The Laval Rouge et Or defensive back/kick-returner gained the invitation following his showing Sunday at an NFL regional combine in Baltimore. Curt Schilling Jersey . -- Two out of three aint bad. Arizona Diamondbacks Jerseys . It has been eleven years, eight months, and 261 days since I played my last CFL game.BEREA, Ohio - Unlike most Clevelanders, Brian Hoyer didnt jump up and down or cheer when he heard the Browns drafted Johnny Manziel. Hoyer shrugged and got ready to fight for his job. "It was almost a sense of relief when he was drafted," he said, "because I knew exactly right then and there what it was going to be." Its going to be a quarterback battle unlike anything Cleveland has seen before. Hoyer, the hometown kid and incumbent starter, and Manziel — the college football superstar with the larger-than-life persona, catchy nickname and Heisman Trophy — were on the field together Wednesday, the second day of organized team activities. With roughly 60 media members lining the fields and focused on the two QBs every move, Hoyer and Manziel went through passing drills and took turns behind centre in a competition expected to last several months. Afterward, Hoyer said he and Manziel are developing a "working relationship" and joked the pair are getting along splendidly. "I was thinking about sending him a birthday card," Hoyer quipped. Hoyer, though, understands what under first-year coach Mike Pettine meant about the quarterback competition being somewhat heated. "I totally get it," he said. "I dont think were in there not being friendly. But when youre gunning for the same job, there is a little bit of an edge to it." The Browns are expecting Manziel to challenge Hoyer, who is coming off right knee surgery. The team has made it clear that Hoyer is the starter and will remain so unless Manziel can beat him out. This is nothing new to Hoyer, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament last season. Hoyer has been battling for a job since he joined the NFL, only this time hes the one that others are gunning for. "It does feel different because as of right now Im the top guy, and before Ive always been coming from behind," Hoyer said. "My mentality has never really changed." Manziel did not speak to reporters after practice, but several Browns players were asked about their famous new teammate, the scrambling magician known as Johnny Football. The former Texas A&M star fell in the first round before Cleveland traded up to take him with the No. 22 overall pick. So far, Manziel has kept his head buried in his playbook. "Johnny has done a good job of being a rookie, keeping his mouth shut,&quuot; Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas said.dddddddddddd "Rookies are supposed to be seen and not heard, which is what hes done." Hoyer waited four seasons for his chance to start. After spending three years in New England as Tom Bradys backup, he made one start in Arizona before he bounced around and signed as a free agent with Cleveland last May. Hoyer was prepared for the Browns to draft a quarterback. He never expected to be handed anything, and not once did he consider asking for a trade. "No, never," he said. "I knew, even going back to last summer, that this was the place that I wanted to be, and it ended up working out and I got back here, and then I got a chance to play. This is my hometown. This is where my familys from. This is where I want to make a difference. Ill never shy away from competition, and its something I had prepared myself for." Hoyer and Manziel each had good moments during the nearly two-hour workout, which Pettine kept open to the media after limiting access for last weeks rookie minicamp. Hoyer, wearing a knee brace but moving without any problems, made the days best pass, completing a long touchdown to wide receiver Conner Vernon. Manziels final pass got batted down, but he showed some of the moves that made him a household name. Still, hes got work to do. "Its just like any other rookie, that hes just inconsistent," Pettine said. "A lot of its the mental part of it. Hes more worrying about getting the formation right, making sure the motions correct and hes got the cadence. Then hes got to worry about where guys are. Once all that stuff becomes second nature a little bit, hell be a lot more comfortable. "He flashed some things that made him kind of who he is, the ability to make plays on his feet." NOTES: Pro Bowl WR Josh Gordon practiced as he awaits a possible league suspension. Gordon declined comment. ... WR Miles Austin said he called former Browns QB Bernie Kosar to ask for permission to wear No. 19. "I never wanted to step on anyones toes," Austin said. "I thought it was the right thing to do." ... Pettine would not discuss injuries to several players, including starting DT Ahtyba Rubin, who was not on the field. ... OG Garrett Gilkey exchanged a few punches with rookie DT Calvin Barnett, whose helmet was ripped off during the fracas. ' ' '