Funkerstation » snt talked to reporters in

PHILADELPHIA -- After helping the Philadelphia 76ers build an eight-point lead down the stretch, Jahlil Okafor could only watch from the bench as the lead dwindled.Okafor scored 19 points on 8-for-11 shooting before fouling out with 2:56 left and Richaun Holmes made a key 3-pointer with just over a minute remaining to help the 76ers beat the injury-plagued Washington Wizards 109-102 Wednesday night.Okafor went to the bench with the Sixers holding a 101-93 lead. Washington then made a run, pulling to 103-100 with 1:29 to play.However, after a timeout, Holmes made a 3-pointer from just in front of the Wizards bench to extend the lead to six points with 1:10 remaining.That was big, Okafor said. I was excited. I know how hard he works every day, so for it to go in for him and for the team, it was a big win for us.Holmes added: I tried to get out there as fast as I could and get ready to shoot the ball. Weve talked about picking my spots and that was pretty good spot to pick.Ersan Ilyasova had 16 points, Nik Stauskas scored 15 points, and Gerald Henderson 14 to help the 76ers win for just the second time in 11 games this season. Dario Saric added 13 points and 12 rebounds.The 76ers were without leading-scorer Joel Embiid, the third pick overall in the 2014 NBA draft, who has been brought along slowly after missing two seasons because of two foot surgeries.Were scratching and clawing for wins, 76ers coach Brett Brown said. I think theres something to be said for being able to get a win without Joel, and (Okafor) was a major contributor.The Wizards, who were held to just one basket in their final three possessions, fell to 2-8.John Wall scored 23 of his 27 points in the second half and Markieff Morris had 19 points for the Wizards, who were without second-leading scorer Bradley Beal.Otto Porter Jr. had 15 points and 13 rebounds, Marcin Gortat added 10 points and 14 boards, and Marcus Thornton also scored 10.Were too good to be losing, Morris said. No disrespect to the Sixers or any other team we lost to. The coach should never have to coach effort, especially when youre 2-7.Morris was referring to coach Scott Brooks, who said his team came out too slow against the team with the NBAs worst record.The Sixers opened the game with an 11-4 run, thanks in part to Ilyasovas eight points in the opening quarter. The Wizards responded by scoring the next six points, but the Sixers went on an 11-2 run to end the first quarter with a 29-15 lead.Wall, meanwhile, saw just 7:28 in the first half and managed just four points on 1-for-4 shooting.I was frustrated, basically the whole first half, only playing 7 minutes, said Wall, who is also on minutes restriction after having surgery on both knees in the offseason. The game starts getting closer and its frustrating not being out there to help my guys win the game.TIP-INSWizards: Beal sat out his third straight game with a right thigh injury and is questionable for Thursday nights game against the Knicks. Every day he is feeling a little better, Wizards coach Scott Brooks said. We just want to be cautious about it. Sheldon McClellan started his second game in a row in place of Beal, while Marcus Thornton came off the bench.76ers: With the Sixers visiting Minnesota on Thursday night, Embiid, who is leading the team with 18.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks, sat out his fourth game of the season. Embiid, who last played on Monday against Houston, is expected to be limited to 24 minutes through Christmas. I follow the instruction (of our medical staff), Sixers coach Brett Brown said. Its really that simple. Its completely designed to what is best for Joel Embiid.BACK-TO-BACKSOkafor played in his ninth game and has been cleared to play in Thursdays game against the Timbervolves, although he is likely to haveminutes restrictions.WAITING ON MAHINMIIan Mahinmi, sidelined since undergoing left knee surgery on Oct. 15, could be back on the practice court for the Wizards next week, according to Brooks. He was expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks but appears to be ahead of schedule.UP NEXTWizards: Host New York on Thursday night.76ers: At Minnesota on Thursday night as they try to end a 20-game road losing streak.Joe Allen Wales Jersey . 8 Iowa State on Saturday, sending the Cyclones to their third consecutive loss. The Longhorns (14-4, 3-2) got their biggest win of the season with their third in the row in the Big 12. Gareth Bale Jersey .C. -- Manny Malhotra had two goals and an assist, leading the Carolina Hurricanes to a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. http://www.soccerwalesstore.com/ . Ivanovic was leading 7-5, 1-0 when Hantuchova withdrew after falling 0-40 behind in the second game. The match started slowly for Ivanovic, who surrendered her first two serves as Hantuchova took a 5-3 lead. Ashley Williams Jersey .C. United of Major League Soccer. United chose the defender in the second round of the 2013 MLS re-entry draft. Gareth Bale Wales Jersey . Howard Ganz, an MLB lawyer, said in a letter to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos that Rodriguezs claims do not come "remotely close" to what is needed to overturn an arbitration decision in federal court.Outspoken New York Jets star Brandon Marshall, commenting for the first time on the Colin Kaepernick controversy, defended the quarterbacks right to sit in protest during the national anthem.This guy, hes one of the biggest patriots out there, Marshall said Tuesday in an interview on WFAN radio in New York. Because hes standing up for human rights.Marshall was a guest on the Boomer and Carton show. The Pro Bowl wide receiver sharply disagreed with co-host Boomer Esiason, who last week was critical of Kaepernick.Youre 100 percent wrong, Marshall told Esiason, his fellow analyst on Showtimes Inside the NFL.Never shy about tackling polarizing issues, Marshall said he will be standing for the anthem on Sunday at MetLife Stadium, where the Jets will commemorate the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks with a pregame ceremony.Marshall said Kaepernicks action, aimed to protest police brutality against minorities, is a hot topic of conversation in locker rooms across the NFL, including the Jets.Several Jets players were reluctant to comment last week when approached by reporters.I think President Obama said it best: Thats his constitutional right, Marshall said of the San Francisco 49ers quarterback. But I do think this is very thought-provoking for all.I think that the message was a little dilutted because of how much respect a lot of us have for those that served.dddddddddddd? [They] gave us our freedoms, fought for our freedoms. But the message was clear.Marshall, who missed the last two games of the preseason with a minor hip injury, hasnt talked to reporters in nearly two weeks.The only thing that I would love for everyone to really think about is: What does the American flag mean to them? Marshall asked.When I look at the American flag, I see a bunch of fights. You know how much we have overcome. When you look at it, the American flag is bigger than just one thing. And you have the civil rights movement, you have sex trafficking, you have immigration law. Theres so many different fights there. And we have to be aware that its bigger than one person and one thing.But then there are times when that one thing trumps all. When it comes to human rights, we really have to be careful. If you believe in one thing, if you believe in mental health, that means you believe in cancer research. If you believe in cancer research, you believe in raising awareness for HIV. If you believe in standing up for gay rights, then you believe in standing up for the minorities. ' ' '