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NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Pelicans swept the regular-season series against the Los Angeles Lakers last year for the first time in franchise history.New Orleans will find the going much tougher this time around, however.The 5-4 Lakers will continue their three-game road trip with a matchup against the 1-8 Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center Saturday. The Lakers are showing growing maturity, especially in downing Sacramento 101-91 on Thursday night. The Lakers had lost all four games to the Kings last season and had dropped seven in a row dating back to the 2014-15 season.But the Lakers erased a first-half deficit by outscoring the Kings 56-36 in the second half. Point guard DAngelo Russell scored 17 points, but he is trying to be more careful with the ball. He is averaging 3.2 turnovers a game.He has the ball handling and passing vision not to turn the ball over, said Lakers coach Luke Walton. Weve seen it. Hes still young, and there are good defenders. ... Hes got to take care of the ball better.The Pelicans, meanwhile, picked up a pair of important victories within 12 hours on Friday.After defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 112-106 on the road Thursday night for their first win of the season after eight consecutive losses, the Pelicans found out Friday they soon will be reunited with their second-best player, point guard Jrue Holiday.Although Holiday will not be in the lineup Saturday when the Pelicans host the Lakers, he appears ready to return next week from his leave of absence, which was necessitated by his wife Lauras surgery to remove a benign brain tumor.The Vertical broke the story Friday, citing an NBA source who said Holiday plans to return next week. He may be back for the Pelicans road game in Orlando next Wednesday, but it was more likely that he would return when New Orleans hosts Portland next Friday.Holidays wife gave birth to the couples first child in September and then underwent the successful surgery.What hes got going on with his family is important, said Pelicans forward Anthony Davis, who scored 32 points and grabbed eight rebounds in New Orleans victory over Milwaukee. He knows when hes ready to come back in, when everythings situated over there. You got to give him his space and just respect that. We try to keep in contact with him as much as possible. He knows when he feels like hes ready to be back.He means a lot on both ends. Hes talented offensively and defensively. He brings a lot to our team. Hes our point guard, and its going to be good to have him back.The Pelicans were breathing a sigh of relief after getting their first win of the season, especially since their margin of defeat in seven of their eight losses was 6.0 points.Its a load off our shoulders to finally get a win, to pull one out, said point guard Tim Frazier, who will be headed for a backup role when Holiday returns. The whole team was saying we cant lose this one. We bit down and grinded it out.Cheap MLB Jerseys Authentic . The Lightning are 2-0 so far on a four-game road trip, giving the club five straight wins as the guest and improving Tampas away record this season to 11-8-2. Wholesale Baseball Jerseys . Jay Feely kicked a 41-yard field goal in overtime, and the Cardinals edged the Tennessee Titans 37-34 in overtime after blowing a 17-point lead late in the fourth quarter. https://www.mlbjerseyschina.us/ . PETERSBURG, Fla. Clearance MLB Jerseys . He just needed to be his best twisting, turning acrobatic self. "I didnt need to be anybody else, I just needed to be myself and be aggressive," said Burks, who scored a career-high 34 points to spark the Utah Jazz to a 118-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. Cheap MLB Jerseys From China . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011.ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers could use a Ryan Dull-like impact from newly acquired Lucas Harrell Tuesday when the Rangers face Oakland.Dull is the Oakland right-hander who has come out of nowhere to become one of the best relievers in the American League this year.Harrell isnt in the bullpen, but Texas needs Harrell (1-0) to pitch like the guy who came out of nowhere after playing in Korea last year to become a commodity Atlanta was able to deal to Texas last month.So far, the results havent been good as Harrell has a 5.74 ERA in his three starts with Texas and is coming off a start in which he allowed six runs in six innings of work. Harrell has pitched just 15 2/3 innings in his three starts and knows hes got to get things going Tuesday against Oakland.Texas has two starters on the mend in Colby Lewis and Derek Holland so its imperative the turnaround for Harrell starts soon.Theres no pressure on me, Harrell said. When youve got a team this good, you just go out there and keep the game close. Ive never really felt like Ive put pressure on myself or anything. I know what I can do and if I go out there and execute everything will take care of itself.Harrell spent part of his time in his Sunday bullpen session working on his mechanics with pitching coach Doug Brocail. The focus was staying back with his hips through his delivery. Harrell said when he doesnt do that, the ball comes out of his hand flat. That couldd one of the reasons hes allowed 18 hits in his time with Texas.ddddddddddddDull hasnt had any issues with his mechanics or anything else this season with the Athletics. After posting a 4.24 ERA in his 17 innings of work last year with Oakland, hes exceeded all expectations in his rookie year.In 54 appearances, Dull has a 2.15 ERA in 58 2/3 innings of work and 58 strikeouts. Hes been even better as the season has gone on, as hes allowed just five earned runs in his last 35 1/3 innings of work and opponents are hitting just .138 against in his last 35 games.Dull may be a victim of his own success though. He pitched just 78 innings last year, which was a career high. As he gets close to that number this year, the As may opt to dial his innings back to keep the 26-year-old healthy.With the As 1 1/2 games behind the Rangers after Mondays 5-2 loss, thats certainly a consideration.Its tough not to use him in certain situations, but Im probably going to stay away from him, not to tip my hand here, but games that were behind in, manager Bob Melvin said. Hes gotten a little bit of a break here recently with a couple of days off, but I know at one point I think he was second in the league in appearances, but maybe down to fifth or sixth right now (sixth). I think there has been a significant workload. ' ' '