preseason. It was a bargain the B.C. native felt he had no choic

DALLAS -- Dirk Nowitzki looked like a 35-year-old veteran playing his fourth game in five nights in the first half against New Orleans -- and so did everyone else. The Dallas star played like an MVP in his prime after halftime, when the game improved substantially for both teams. Nowitzki scored a season-high 40 points, and the Dallas Mavericks recovered from a brutal first quarter and held to beat New Orleans 110-107 on Saturday night for their second win in as many days against the Pelicans. The teams combined for more points in the third quarter than the entire first half. Nowitzki was the perfect illustration of the difference, getting 20 points in the third and hitting seven straight shots after starting just 2 of 9 from the field. "It was an ugly game in the first half," Nowitzki said. "Then all of a sudden the basket started opening up and everybodys confidence went up." Monta Ellis broke a 99-all tie with two free throws, and Nowitzki hit three more after getting fouled on a 3-pointer by Jason Smith. Nowitzki was 15 of 16 from the line and Ellis, who scored 26 points, made 12 of 15. Dallas was 39 of 45 as a team. Anthony Davis had 28 points and 14 rebounds for the Pelicans, who lost their fifth straight and dropped six games below .500, both season highs. The Mavericks, who won three of four games in a five-night stretch, almost blew a seven-point lead in the last 2 minutes after shooting 27 per cent in the first half, when Dallas led 42-37 before outscoring New Orleans 42-40 in the third. Davis made five of six free throws to get New Orleans within two at 106-104 with 18 seconds left. Dallas had to call timeout after having trouble inbounding the ball, and Nowitzki hit two foul shots for a four-point lead and his first 40-point game since April 16, 2012, at Utah. He also had 40 in that one. "Oh man, unbelievable," Ellis said of Nowitzki. "Ive seen that a lot throughout my career. For him to come out and give us that lift tonight really opened up a lot for us as a team." Darius Miller hit his fourth 3-pointer of the second half to get New Orleans within a point, and Jose Calderon hit two free throws for Dallas for the last of his 17 points with 9 seconds left. Austin Rivers tried to get off a 3-pointer at the buzzer but was tied up by Ellis. Rivers pleaded for a foul call as the referees were leaving the court, and coach Monty Williams said video showed Ellis had his arm across both of Rivers arms. "Thats embarrassing," said Williams, whose team also was playing for the fourth time in five nights. "Thats not right. A no-call in a game like that when Dirk gets the same call in the first half and they shot 45 free throws? Certainly, were not going to blame the game on the referees." Eric Gordon had 20 points for New Orleans before fouling out on a driving layup by Ellis that put Dallas up 106-99. Al-Farouq Aminu had 15 points and 11 rebounds. The Pelicans were playing their second straight game without leading scorer Ryan Anderson and assist leader Jrue Holiday. Anderson missed his fifth game with a herniated disc and is out indefinitely. Holiday has a stress fracture in his right shin. The Mavericks were without starter Shawn Marion for the fourth straight game with shoulder and rib injuries. Miller hit back-to-back 3-pointers and Davis had an alley-oop dunk and a jumper during a 10-2 run that put New Orleans up 95-92. In the first half, both teams appeared to be feeling the effects of their previous game a night earlier and 500 miles away in New Orleans -- a 107-90 Dallas win. The Mavericks were 2 of 19 from the field early in the second quarter when Nowitzki got fouled while making a 3-pointer and converted the four-point play. While that sparked a run to Dallas first lead, it didnt improve the shooting much. Dallas finished the first half 9 of 33 on field goals, and New Orleans was just 12 for 37 from the field in the first half. The ugly start also included multiple air balls and an air-mailed pass by Gordon -- about 10 feet over everybodys head into the third row behind the Dallas bench. It was one of six turnovers in the first half and eight overall for Gordon. NOTES: Mavericks rookie PG Shane Larkin sprained his right ankle in the third quarter and didnt return. ... The Mavericks didnt get their first field goal until Calderon hit a 3-pointer with 6:55 left in the first quarter. ... Nowitzki had the fourth 20-point quarter of his career. His highest was franchise-record 29 against Utah in the fourth quarter on Nov. 3, 2009. Yeezy 700 Utility Black . The teams all-time leading scorer, DeRo has won everything there is to win in MLS. Ultra Boost Canada . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. http://www.yeezyshoescanada.com/ .Y. - The New York Rangers have reached a one-year contract extension with goalie Cam Talbot, keeping Henrik Lundqvists backup away from unrestricted free agency. Ultra Boost Parley Canada . According to bodog.ca, Cleveland moved up to grab the best odds to win the Larry OBrian trophy at 4-1 on Friday. By comparison, the Miami Heats odds plummeted from 3-1 favourites before LeBron left, to 50-1. Yeezy Boost For Sale Canada .com) - Graeme McDowell opened up with a first- round, 5-under 67 on Thursday and he holds a 2-shot lead at the WGC - HSBC Champions.TORONTO – For the third time in three years the Maple Leafs and Cody Franson went down to the wire and begrudgingly agreed to a one-year deal. Due for player-elected salary arbitration in Toronto on Monday, Franson came to a last-minute agreement with the Leafs, inked for one more season at $3.3 million, a raise from the $2 million he garnered a year ago. Acquired in a trade from Nashville in the summer of 2011, the 26-year-old has butted heads with the organization in each and every contract negotiation, settling for a series of one-year deals which have highlighted the divide in presumed value between the two sides. Fransons camp believes his value is evident in production that ranks favourably at the defensive position – his 62 points over the past two seasons ranks 20th amongst NHL defenders – and a growing physical game – he led all blueliners in hits a year ago. He also showed comparatively strong possession numbers on a weak possession team and helped anchor a strong Toronto power-play unit. The Leafs were frustrated, however, with his defensive limitations and proved to be disappointed in his overall performance as a top-four defender last season. Hence, the ongoing divide. In the winter of 2013, the contract showdown lasted right up until the end of the lockout, an agreement for $1.2 million reached while Fransoon played overseas in Sweden.ddddddddddddLast fall, coming off a breakout 48-game campaign, he and the Leafs remained, nonetheless, far apart in negotiations, finally landing (with some frustration) on another one-year deal worth $2 million with only two games to go in the preseason. It was a bargain the B.C. native felt he had no choice but to take. A restricted free agent one last time this summer, but with more leverage in the form of salary arbitration, Franson squeezed out a raise of $1.3 million. Yet to be embraced by the organization and set for unrestricted free agency next summer, he remains a candidate to be moved. Toronto has already restructured much of its previously mishmashed defence, bringing in a pair of Western Conference mainstays, Stephane Robidas and Roman Polak, aboard earlier in the summer. They also boast internal candidates – Petter Granberg, Stuart Percy, Korbinian Holzer and Andrew MacWilliam – who may be ready to step into the NHL next season, thus filling Fransons void if he were to be moved. The Leafs, who project to have plenty of cap space remaining, continue to work on new contracts for Jake Gardiner and James Reimer. Reimer, who is likely returning to the club next season despite a desire to start fresh elsewhere, is scheduled for salary arbitration on July 28th. ' ' '