DENVER - Ty Lawson scored 25 points, rookie Jusuf Nurkic provided a lift inside by blocking a career-best five shots, and the Denver Nuggets snapped a three-game losing streak with a 114-85 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night. LeBron James Jersey .Arron Afflalo added 23 points and Kenneth Faried had 13 points and 13 rebounds as the Nuggets kept up their mastery of Memphis at home, improving to 32-5 all-time. Lawson also had 11 assists.Marc Gasol scored 18 points for the travel-weary Grizzlies, who were running on fumes on the second night of a back-to-back. They held off the Lakers 109-106 in Los Angeles on Friday.Memphis lost its cool in the third quarter, with coach Dave Joerger drawing two technical fouls, leading to his ejection, and Gasol receiving another.Denver outscored Memphis 34-22 in the third to turn the game into a rout. Afflalo led the way with 14 points in the quarter.Trying to spark his team in the third, Joerger argued a foul on Tony Allen, only to be sent to the locker room. Later, Gasol drew another technical and appeared frustrated with the aggressive play of Nurkic, who was throwing around his 280 pounds all evening. The 20-year-old from Bosnia Herzegovina finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds.Nurkic and Gasol jawed at each other at the end of the third quarter after Gasols shot was blocked.The Grizzlies, who were missing Zach Randolph (sore right knee), had won three in a row. The team is 1-1 in 2015 after going a league-best 60-23 in the 2014 calendar year.Before the contest, Joerger gave his colleague, Brian Shaw, a vote of confidence for his work this season with a banged-up roster. Shaw is missing forward Danilo Gallinari (right knee) and centre JaVale McGee (strained lower left leg).If you took the highest two paid players off of our roster right now, Marc and Zach, wed look a lot different, Joerger said. I text Brian all the time. I think Brians doing a good job.The injuries continue to mount for the Nuggets, with backup guard Nate Robinson spraining his right wrist when he fell to the floor after a hard foul by Vince Carter midway through the second quarter.Robinson made the layup and then took his foul shot — along with another for a flagrant-1 call on Carter — by shooting left handed. He missed both and didnt play the rest of the game.TIP-INSGrizzlies: Assistant Jeff Bzdelik coached the Nuggets from 2002-05. Hes a high-character guy, a really, really good coach, Joerger said. ... Asked how close Randolph was to a return, Joerger simply responded, hard to tell. ... Memphis was 2 of 14 from 3-point range.Nuggets: After consulting with a sleep study group, Shaw is having his team practice during the afternoon before games rather than in the morning. Our attention span isnt always the greatest, Shaw said. So when we do stuff in the morning, sometimes its in one ear and out by the time we get back that night.UP NEXTGrizzlies: Host New York on Monday.Nuggets: Visit Minnesota on Monday. Aaron Rodgers Jersey . Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Buddy Robinson scored 43 seconds apart in the second period to lead the Binghamton Senators to a 4-1 victory over the Bulldogs in American Hockey League action Friday night at the Bell Centre. Russell Westbrook Jersey . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Tonight, Michigans Nik Stauskas of Mississauga, Ontario.Mitchell Johnson is excited for the IPL, talks Twitter battles, and his respect for Virat Kohli in his latest column for Fox Sports... Being a cricketer in India is unlike any other job in the world.The sheer number of fans here and the passion they have for the game makes the time I spend off the field in India almost as intense as the time I spend on it. Dont get me wrong - the supporters here are amazing, its just that on occasions, things have threatened to get a little out of hand.There was a time last year when I felt a bit concerned about my safety. It wasnt that we were in serious danger - although it felt close - but the sheer number of people involved made the whole experience pretty intimidating.After having a quiet meal with a couple of my Kings XI Punjab teammates in a Dharamsala restaurant, people began to notice us, and seemingly within seconds there were people hanging off doors just to get a look at us.Things soon escalated and before I knew it I had people grabbing onto me, just trying to touch me. I had to whack their arms off me just to get into the car. Then they started shaking the car.It was a whole new experience and pretty crazy. However, I want to make it clear the people that day had no intention of hurting me - theyre just so fanatical and so excited to see cricketers and this is the way they express that fanaticism. Indias fans are some of the most passionate in the world according to Johnson At times like that youve just got to accept this is what life is like as a cricketer in India. There are times when it can all feel like its a bit much, but you need to understand where the locals are coming from. They hardly ever get to see their heroes up close in the flesh so its understandable how passionate they are when they see us.It certainly doesnt detract from the awesome experience that is playing in the IPL, and if anything some of the players - particularly the younger ones who are in awe of the big-name guys - actually enjoy the extra attention.MY TWITTER BATTLESOne man who definitely thrives on extra scrutiny and pressure is Virat Kohli.The man is a superstar and he showed why during the World Twenty20, when he almost single-handedly dragged India into the final.You might have seen that I had a little dig at Virat on Twitter before Indias match against Australia. That was just an attempt by me to throw him off his game but given he scored 82 off 51 balls, I dont think it was such a smart move! Indias Virat Kohli celebrates after victory in the World T20 clash with Australia Maybe I shouldnt have said anything but thats the beauty of Twitter - anyones opinion can be broadcast to the world. I didnt expect my comment to get the level of response that it did, and I probably didnt need to reply to the angry responses from Indian fans. Nolan Ryan Jersey. But to be honest that stuff doesnt bother me at all. In the past it would have affected me, but now that Ive got a bit more freedom to express my opinion, I can just laugh it off.I dont mind stirring the pot - I guess I just need to be careful about who Im having a go at!VIRAT AND MEYou didnt need to see my tweet to know Virat and I have a bit of a rivalry. Johnson celebrates the wicket of Kohli during 2015 World Cup semi-final Weve had our differences and most of it stems from the 2014 Adelaide Test, when a ball I threw hit Virat on the body. I was legitimately trying to run him out but he didnt like what I did. When he made some comment in the media that night about having no respect for me as a player, thats when I got really annoyed.Having said that, Virat is the kind of player youd want in your team. Hes a real fighter and to be honest hes a bit like most of us were in the Australian team. We go pretty hard on the field, and hes got that about him as well.The fact he plays the game like us is probably why weve rubbed each other the wrong way. If I sit back and digest it properly, were actually quite similar in the way we approach the game. Johnson is excited to face Kohli (left) and his RCM teammates like Chris Gayle (right) I cant wait to come up against him again and his Royal Challengers Bangalore team-mates in the IPL.RETURNING TO CRICKETSince my final Test match in November last year I havent played any competitive cricket, save for one grade match in Perth.The good sign for me is Im incredibly excited for the IPL to get underway now. Thats certainly not how I was feeling this time last year when I was really flat and physically exhausted after a long Australian summer that included a World Cup. Johnson says he cant wait to put on his King XI uniform again Now Im genuinely pumped to get back onto the field, and even training with my teammates this week gave me a rush I havent felt in a while.A lot of people think the IPL is all about money but I can guarantee you it isnt. I would find it really hard to be motivated if I was just playing for money - you have to actually have your heart in it.I know I do, and I cant wait to pull on that Kings XI uniform again.For the full article, click here. Also See: WATCH: IPL is coming IPL TV times IPL in numbers Get Sky Sports ' ' '
