ing is a breach of all possible rights of clean athletes.The Par

NEW ORLEANS -- Their shared numbers are ugly and humbling.At 4-18, the Philadelphia 76ers have the worst record in the NBA and have nine healthy players.Losers of three straight games despite the presence of a league superstar, the 7-15 Pelicans own the sixth-worst record in the NBA and have the flesh wounds to prove it.So when the Pelicans host the 76ers in a match of NBA bottom-feeders Thursday night at the Smoothie King Center, its natural to assume the worst -- of both.Its very frustrating, to be honest with you, said New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry, whose team dropped a 110-108 double-overtime decision at home to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night despite Anthony Davis 28 points and 17 rebounds in 48 1/2 minutes. I just had higher expectations and thought that we would have fewer injuries, to be honest with you.The Pelicans played without point guard Jrue Holiday in the Monday loss Memphis, and his absence was deeply felt. Holiday missed the first six weeks of the season while caring for his wife Lauren, who gave birth to their first child and then underwent successful surgery to remove a benign brain tumor.When Holiday returned to the lineup, the Pelicans won a season-best five consecutive games at home, but Holiday sustained a turf toe injury during a Sunday night loss at OKC. The pain was so debilitating that Holiday could not push off on his left foot.Holidays status for the 76ers game is uncertain.I didnt know how excruciating it could be, Holiday said on Wednesday. People dont understand that when you hurt your toe, you cant do anything. If I could walk on my hands I would or if I could just cut it off it would be great.Amputation might be considered going a little bit beyond the NBAs standard players contract.While Gentry is trying to plug leaks in his lineup -- guard ETwaun Moore missed the Memphis game with a toe injury and forward Dante Cunningham has a broken bone in his leg -- he is hoping his players can soldier through.Little irritants have blossomed into bigger problems. The Pelicans held solid leads against Memphis at the end of regulation and at the close of the first overtime period but allowed the Grizzlies to make big shots to extend the game.Gentry took the blame for one late-game snafu -- he drew up an inbounds play that had the ball being thrown in from the opposite side of the court.One of them we drew up on the right side of the floor and the ball was on the left side, Gentry said. I take full responsibility for that. Im not going to dodge anything.Davis leads the NBA in scoring (31.6) and blocks (2.81) and is sixth in rebounding (11.4), but his heavy lifting is beginning to wear him down. He also leads the NBA in minutes played (38.0).Its just unfortunate for him because to me, hes having an unbelievable, MVP season, Gentry said. When I think about what hes done and the defenses hes faced and still the numbers hes put up -- not just offensive numbers but being able to lead the league in blocked shots and being really solid defensively -- its unfortunate.The Sixers had just nine players available in a 96-91 loss at Memphis on Tuesday night, and Jerryd Bayless (left wrist), Robert Covington (left knee sprain) and Jahlil Okafor (gastroenteritis) are not expected to join the team in New Orleans.This (was) our fourth game in five nights, said coach Brett Brown. We came down with nine guys, and youre playing against a veteran, tough, playoff-hard Memphis team. I was proud of their effort.Nike Tanjun Ireland Online . White came in fourth place in the event. He was the two-time defending gold medallist. The gold medal went to Swiss snowboarder Iouri Podladtchikov. Wholesale Nike Tanjun Ireland . Uniteds eighth defeat of a wretched campaign means Liverpool, which currently occupies the fourth and final Champions League place, could go nine points clear of its fierce rival by beating West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. Charlie Adam scored both of Stokes goals at Britannia Stadium either side of Robin van Persies equalizer, with a miserable day for seventh-place United capped by first-half injuries to centre halves Jonny Evans and Phil Jones that forced them off. http://www.clearanceniketanjunireland.com/ . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period. Clearance Nike Tanjun Ireland Shop . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. Cheap Nike Shoes Ireland . -- Running backs Darren McFadden and Rashad Jennings were back at practice for the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday despite being hampered by hamstring injuries.RIO DE JANEIRO -- After escaping a blanket ban from the Olympics, Russia was kicked out of the upcoming Paralympics on Sunday as the ultimate punishment for the state running a doping operation that polluted sports by prioritizing medals over morals.Paralympic leaders expelled one of its most significant members as the IOC announced that 278 Russians have been given clearance to compete at the Olympics after their eligibility in Rio de Janeiro was left to individual sports.Russias years of doping deception, including tampering with samples at the 2014 Olympics and Paralympics in Sochi, were outlined last month by World Anti-Doping Agency investigator Richard McLaren.The facts really do hurt, IPC President Philip Craven said. They are an unprecedented attack on every clean athlete who competes in sport. The anti-doping system in Russia is broken, corrupted and entirely compromised.In contrast to IOC President Thomas Bach, who opposed the nuclear option of banning Russia ahead of Fridays Olympic opening ceremony, Craven directly condemned the Russian states involvement in doping but stopped short of blaming Russian President Vladimir Putin.Tragically, this situation is not about athletes cheating a system, but about a state-run system that is cheating the athletes, Craven said. The doping culture that is polluting Russian sport stems from the Russian government and has now been uncovered in not one, but two independent reports commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.While expressing sympathy for the clean athletes who will suffer by missing out on the chance to compete, Craven denounced Russia for still not complying with anti-doping rules.I believe the Russian government has catastrophically failed its Para athletes, Craven said. Their medals over morals mentality disgusts me.Russia finished second in the medal standings at the 20112 London Paralympics and had 267 athlete slots for Rio in 18 sports, which will only now be filled in September if an appeal is successful.ddddddddddddRussian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said banning Russia from the Paralympics means a large number of athletes will suffer -- disabled people.We will fight for our Paralympians, Mutko, who the IOC banned from attending the Olympics, told the Tass news agency.Mikhail Terentyev, head of Russian Paralympic Committee, said the IPC decision was a huge injustice.The Paralympic Games without Russians are games in a cut-down form, Terentyev told Tass. Our team is one of the best in the world and its results are proof. We were first at the games in 2014 and second at the games in London. What the IPC is doing is a breach of all possible rights of clean athletes.The Paralympic movement is anticipating further evidence of positive tests being covered up that McLaren did not uncover in his initial 76-day investigation. The IPC said it has evidence of manipulated doping tests relating to 44 athletes, including 27 from samples from competitors in eight sports that are part of the Paralympic program.It shows a blatant disregard for the health and well-being of athletes and, quite simply, has no place in Paralympic sport, Craven said. Their thirst for glory at all costs has severely damaged the integrity and image of all sport.Unlike the IOC, which doesnt run any sports federations, the IPC does govern some disciplines.There are clearly very, very different circumstances from them to us, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said.---AP Sports Writer James Ellingworth contributed to this report.---Rob Harris can be followed at www.twitter.com/RobHarris and www.facebook.com/RobHarrisReports ' ' '