marov now has four assists in five games. The 27-year-old had only nine points in 42 games as a rookie in 2013. 3. Top Line Cohesion Related to that and a likely contributor in the early season struggles of the Leafs top line was the limited amount of time they spent on the ice together at training ca

DALLAS -- Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban called Donald Sterlings purported comments about minorities "abhorrent" while saying he didnt think the NBA could force him out as owner of the Los Angeles Clippers. Speaking in Dallas locker room before Game 4 of a first-round series against San Antonio on Monday night, Cuban said he trusted Commissioner Adam Silver to "operate under the best interest of the NBA." The outspoken billionaire said it was a "slippery slope" to suggest that Sterling should be forced out as owner over comments made in the privacy of his home. "What Donald said was wrong. It was abhorrent," Cuban said. "Theres no place for racism in the NBA, any business Im associated with. But at the same time, thats a decision I make. I think youve got to be very, very careful when you start making blanket statements about what people say and think, as opposed to what they do. Its a very, very slippery slope." Two days earlier, Cuban declined to give his opinion over the brewing saga of the racist comments that Sterling is alleged to have made in a taped conversation. While he was more forceful in his rebuke of Sterling in front of about two dozen reporters Monday, Cuban questioned how the league would legislate other forms of discrimination. "How many people are bigoted in one way or the other in this league?" Cuban asked. "I dont know. But you find one, all of a sudden you say well, you cant play favourites being racist against African-Americans. Where do you draw the line?" Asked if the league would be better off without Sterling as an owner, Cuban said, "At this point, yes." "But that has nothing to do with the rules that we have to live by," Cuban said. "Theres a lot of things I dont agree with that by letter and rule of law has to happen anyway. When you live in a country of laws, you want to support there are laws." Cuban noted that he recently fought the Securities and Exchange Commission over claims that he broke laws on insider trading. And he has remained outspoken against the SEC since he won the civil lawsuit the agency filed against him over the sale of his shares in an Internet company. "Yet I still support the rule of law," Cuban said. "Theres a reason why we have a (league) constitution. Its worked for 50, however many years. It will continue to work." Jesse Barfield Jersey . The third-ranked Buckeyes were down eight points to Notre Dame with less than 2 minutes to play and their offence was nowhere to be found. Roy Halladay Jersey . -- Conor Casey scored two goals, his first of the season, as the Philadelphia Union beat Chivas USA 3-0 on Saturday night. http://www.bluejaysonline.com/blue-jays-dave-winfield-jersey/ .J. -- John Elway says Peyton Manning cannot stamp himself as the greatest quarterback in NFL history even if he wins the Super Bowl on Sunday. Roberto Alomar Jersey .Tzavelas opened the scoring in the 11th and Pereyra added another in the 51st. Emmanuel Kone pulled one back in the 80th and Levadiakos missed several chances to level in the last 10 minutes. Joe Carter Jersey .FIFA says it is relaxing the rule which forced match officials to leave its international list at the end of the year they turned 45.TORONTO – Henrik Zetterberg was everywhere on Friday night. Detroits captain was the driving force in erasing the Maple Leafs mini two-game win streak, piling together four assists in an overwhelming performance at the ACC. That performance was another indictment on Torontos lacklustre defensive efforts. Three days after holding Colorado to just 24 shots did the Leafs revert back to the troubling defensive ways of their all too recent past. There were the concerning missed assignments, a parade of turnovers in the neutral zone, inconsistent pressure up the ice and a series of battles lost as the fast and efficient Red Wings controlled possession almost with ease – 66-48 overall. It seemed like they had more players on the ice than we did, Jake Gardiner said after the 4-1 loss, which opens a back-to-back set with Detroit. Deeply frustrated with the assortment of failures afterward, head coach Randy Carlyle pointed to the 11 turnovers and four offside calls he flagged specifically in the first period alone, errors he said were just unacceptable. We find ways to make life more difficult for ourselves and thats the most frustrating part, Carlyle said, singling out an unimpressionable fore-check and easy neutral zone as key fails against the Wings. Taking full advantage, Zetterberg made his first imprint on the evening midway through the opening frame. Picking the pocket of Roman Polak behind the net, he veered along the end-boards before finding Johan Franzen to the right of James Reimer for a tap-in marker. That was goal one. Continuing on early in the second period, Zetterberg edged around an awkward Gardiner in the Toronto zone, waited out Reimer, waited some more and then dropped it back to Franzen again for goal two. He made one more dazzling dish later in that same frame, twisting around Polak again before handing off to Gustav Nyquist for the Wings third marker. Zetterberg would add his fourth assist on Justin Abdelkaders second of the season. You look at their goals, Dion Phaneuf said afterward, they all came from the key area of the ice. We seemed to be a little bit too loose in that area. When theres tap-in goals and cross-ice passes that are right to guys that are in the slot and key area, thats something that we have to be better at. You just cant give chances like that in this league, teams make you pay. Stuck in the Western Conference for the near-entirety of his quietly storied career, Zetterberg has played in just 10 games against Toronto, totaling six goals and 14 points. Hes just three points back of Ted Lindsay for eighth all-time in Red Wings scoring history. Hes really smart, I know that, Gardiner observed of the 34-year-old. You just see the little plays he makes with his stick. He sees the ice so well. Hes a great player. The Leafs have given up four goals or more in each of their three losses, yielding a troubling average of 34 shots against overall. Five Points 1. Effective Hockey Player A brief tour in the press box ended Friday for Jake Gardiner, who returned to the Toronto lineup against Detroit. Gardiner replaced the struggling Stephane Robidas alongside Morgan Rielly, leading the Leafs with more than 22 minutes. I expect him to play to a higher level, Carlyle said of the 24-year-old before the game, move the puck more effectively, [be] stronger defensively [and] take the body when it presents itself. Theres always so much made about what has to be done, he just has to be a hockey player and an effective hockey player. Thats all I ask of any of the players. I thought I played okay, Gardiner said afterward of his performance. I can still improve on some things. Hopefully Im in the lineup [Saturday], well see. Robidas, meanwhile, isnt likely to play again until next week. Carlyle believes his early struggles – coming off a broken right leg – align with his absence from training camp. The 37-year-old didnt join on-ice workouts with the team until the two-week exercise was 10 days old. He suited up for only one preseason game – the exhibition finale versus the Red Wings. It really lays the foundation for the player as far as a building block, Carlyle said of training camp. They dont like the practices, they dont like playing the games, the back-to-backs, the skates tthat place in it, but in the long haul it seems that players that dont have the opportunity to participate in training camp have lulls through the course of the season.dddddddddddd 2. Second NHL Tour Ask Leo Komarov and hell tell you hes much more comfortable in his second tour of NHL duty. Hes familiar with the league, with the routines, with his teammates and coaches, he says. Where he might have been shy or unwilling to speak up in his first season with the Leafs, he now assumes a different confidence. Carlyle echoed those thoughts recently. I think hes much more confident, said Carlyle, just before the weekend set with Detroit. I think there was no surprise for him coming back to the NHL. Hes calmed down with the puck. The year or just the experience of being here before and playing at this level and playing in the playoffs has given him more confidence. Its for those reasons that Komarov believes hell be better prepared to contribute offensively this season. Setting up Mike Santorelli for the Leafs first and only goal on Friday, Komarov now has four assists in five games. The 27-year-old had only nine points in 42 games as a rookie in 2013. 3. Top Line Cohesion Related to that and a likely contributor in the early season struggles of the Leafs top line was the limited amount of time they spent on the ice together at training camp. Tyler Bozak and Phil Kessel were both bothered by injuries during the preseason and as a result, the trio – also including James van Riemsdyk – played in only one preseason game as a unit, also apart for many of the on-ice sessions. van Riemsdyk conceded it as a factor. You have to think at least to a degree, he said. But theres no reason to make excuses. Obviously theres always different things going on in training camp, but you just have to be ready to go. We didnt, all three of us just for whatever reason, spend that much time together in training camp. Take that for what its worth I guess. 4. Kozun Injured It was a thunderous collision late in the middle period and one that Brandon Kozun had trouble getting up from. The feisty Kozun, who earned an unlikely job in training camp, collided violently with Kyle Quincey in the corner behind Detroits goal. He struggled to get to his feet during the television timeout and was eventually helped off the ice by Santorelli and a team trainer – putting no weight on his left leg. The Leafs believed Kozun suffered a high ankle sprain on the play. Hell go for an MRI on Saturday. One of Matt Frattin or Carter Ashton figures to slot into the lineup in his place. 5. Playing the Off-Side Dion Phaneuf continues what looks to be an uncomfortable transition to the left side, an adjustment, according to Carlyle, that shouldnt be all that challenging. I dont think its really that difficult, personally, the former Norris Trophy winner said recently, later conceding that Phaneuf was still adjusting from his usual spot on right defence. Back in the lineup Friday, Gardiner was asked to make a similar shift early last season. He played 13 games on the right – from his usual left – and never took to it. Gardiner felt his vision, especially looking up ice in the neutral zone, was compromised playing on the right. The angles in his defensive routes were different too – footwork and positioning just awkward and unnatural. And that would appear the early issue for the Toronto captain, who doesnt appear comfortable just yet. The offensive zone was one benefit Gardiner could see from the experiment to his off-side, able then to walk the line from right to left and look for shooting lanes and opportunities. Stats-Pack 4 – Assists for Henrik Zetterberg Friday against Toronto. 22:12 – Ice-time for Jake Gardiner in his return to the lineup. 4 – Points through five games for Leo Komarov. 66-48 – Possession battle, favouring the Red Wings. 34 – Shots against per game the Leafs have allowed this season. Special Teams Capsule PP: 0-2 Season: 26.3 per cent PK: 5-5 Season: 82.4 per cent Quote of the Night It seemed like they had more players on the ice than we did. -Jake Gardiner following the 4-1 loss to Detroit. Up Next The Leafs finish a home-and-home set with the Red Wings in Detroit on Saturday. 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