n nine years at Roland Garros. His shots lacked their usual depth and sting, and there was speculation his troublesome knees wer

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Golden State Warriors needed less than nine minutes to open a 24-point lead over the short-handed Utah Jazz on Thursday night. Josh McCown Jersey .Stephen Curry scored 26 points and the Warriors controlled the Jazz from start to finish in a 106-99 victory.Curry had 14 points during a 29-1 run that made it 29-5. The Jazzs only lead of the game was 4-2.Loss of focus, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said about the second half. Our first quarter was great, we pushed the ball and our defensive intensity was fantastic. I think we let down. We started turning it over some careless, purposeless plays.We didnt really have an idea of what we were trying to accomplish. Some defensive mistakes not getting out on shooters and they took advantage.Kevin Durant added 21 points and 11 rebounds for Golden State.Jazz center Rudy Gobert had 20 points and 17 rebounds, Joe Ingles scored a career-high 21 points, and Shelvin Mack added a season-high 19.The Jazz have four starters sidelined by injuries, including their top three scorers.I didnt do a good job of attacking throughout the game and I thought that was a good opportunity for me to attack, Durant said about the fourth quarter.Golden State led 65-46 at halftime as the second unit allowed the Jazz to hang around and, technically, remain within striking distance. The urgency from the first quarter disappeared in the second half and the Jazz crept within five in the fourth quarter thanks to buckets from Mack and Ingles, but Durant closed the game with 11 in the final period.What weve discussed is just roles, Jazz coach Quin Snyder said about surviving the injuries. They can morph. They widen, they can narrow, they can do anything. Hopefully, on a team, guys are willing to evolve and adjust to what the team needs. Thats really all we emphasized.TIP-INSWarriors: Rookie Patrick McCaw scored a career-high 10 points, all in the first half. ... Shaun Livingston took the night off to rest. ... Draymond Green was two assists shy of his 15th career triple-double. ... Green tweaked his ankle, but he and Kerr didnt seem overly concerned.Jazz: Utah started the combination of Joe Johnson, Mack, Dante Exum, Gobert and Boris Diaw for the first time this season. ... Ingles hit a career-high five 3-pointers.INJURED JAZZThe Jazz were without four starters -- Gordon Hayward (finger), Rodney Hood (hamstring), George Hill (toe) and Derrick Favors (knee). Utah has been dealing with injuries all season, but Thursday was their most depleted lineup to date.Its easy to be frustrated, Snyder said. Thats something you have to just fight against and make a decision to do the best with where we are.Its a credit to our guys really. Weve got a group that has character. Over a longer period of time it becomes more challenging. ... Hopefully, theres a silver lining. Weve got some guys that are getting minutes that may not be getting otherwise.QUOTABLEThis team, my first year was kind of a surprise and everybody seemed to love us. Now maybe its changed a little bit. It honestly makes no difference to us. -- Kerr.ROLESSnyder said roles morph, but Joe Johnson added that shouldnt be a difficult thing night-to-night.This is our profession, man, Johnson said. This is what we signed up for. This is what we do. When youre numbers called, youve got to be ready regardless of the circumstances.UP NEXTWarriors: Golden State travels to face the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday in the third game of a five-game trip.Jazz: Utah hosts a Sacramento Kings team on Saturday that has lost eight of 12 on the road. Gary Fencik Jersey . Louis. To which I would say two things: 1. Where there is smoke, there is or perhaps has been a little fire. Or, in other words, the two teams would appear to have at least spoken. And spoken is defined as one calling the other to inquire, no more, no less. Cordarrelle Patterson Jersey . -- Ohio States Urban Meyer has never had any issue acclimating to the biggest stages in college football. http://www.custombearsjersey.com/custom-...arge-3106t.html . "Thank you for the warm welcome," Beckham said on an 80-degree February morning. In this case, it was soccer weather. The sport moved a step closer to returning to South Florida on Wednesday, when Beckham confirmed he has exercised his option to purchase a Major League Soccer expansion franchise in Miami. PARIS -- Rafael Nadal groused last week that he was playing so badly he might soon be home fishing in Mallorca. Then came a transformation. Nadal stood at the net following his latest French Open win wearing that familiar crooked grin, clay caked on his arm, his leg and even the back of his shirt, landlocked and loving it. The fish were spared, and Nadal has lately enjoyed smooth sailing at Roland Garros heading into his semifinal showdown Friday against top-ranked Novak Djokovic. After falling behind in each of his first three matches, Nadal has won 12 consecutive sets. Hes 57-1 at Roland Garros and on the verge of becoming the first man to win eight titles at the same Grand Slam event. "I really am playing better here," he said. "I said I needed to make a change. I was confident that I can do it, and I did." And so hes ready to renew his rivalry with Djokovic. The winner will play for the title Sunday against No. 4-seeded David Ferrer or No. 6 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who meet in the other semifinal. Tsongas trying to become the first Frenchman since Yannick Noah in 1983 to win Roland Garros, and partisan Parisians might consider his match the main event Friday. But Nadal vs. Djokovic has the feel of a final, and its a match much anticipated since the draw was announced two weeks ago. Because Nadals ranking slipped during a recent injury layoff, he and Djokovic wound up in the same half of that draw. As a result, theyll meet before the final at a major event for the first time in five years. While tennis players are known to complain, neither Nadal nor Djokovic seems to mind meeting in the semifinals. "I dont want to talk about what if," Djokovic said. "Its going to be a good match." Nadals 19-15 against Djokovic, including 12-3 on clay, 6-3 in Grand Slam events and 4-0 at the French Open. Nadal won when they met in the final at Roland Garros a year ago. But he bristled at the suggestion hes the favourite this time. "I dont care at all," he said through a translator. "Frankly, what words could I find to tell you? I mean, what else can I say? I try and play my best tennis, and the least of my concerns is to know if Im favoured or not. These are words that will be carried away by the wind." He knows too well that Djokovics dangerous even on Nadals best surface. The Serb won their most recent meeting six weeks ago in the Monte Carlo final on clay, although that was best-of-three sets, rather than the more grueling Grand Slam format that plays to Nadals strength. "Its tough to compare," Djokovic said. &"Its best-of-five here, Grand Slam, different conditions. Devante Bond Jersey. But still, there is some kind of mental edge maybe if you win against or lose against somebody in the previous encounters. ... I have a good game for him because my style is to be aggressive, but I can also defend well and have that transition game. Im going to be confident and step into the court with self-belief that I can win." Djokovic has cause for confidence. The six-time Grand Slam champion has reached the semifinals at 12 consecutive major tournaments, and hes 33-4 this year. "Im glad that I have been playing very consistent and always playing my best tennis in the Grand Slams," he said. "Thats what I want." Roland Garros is the only major title he has yet to win, but with two more victories this week, he would become the eighth man to complete a career Grand Slam. And he has beaten Nadal more than any other player. "I know what it takes to win against him," Djokovic said. Hes one of only two players to defeat Nadal this year. Since returning in February from his seven-month layoff because of a left knee injury, Nadal is 41-2 with six titles. But he looked vulnerable when the French Open began, dropping the opening set in each of his first two matches -- remarkable considering he has lost only 16 sets in nine years at Roland Garros. His shots lacked their usual depth and sting, and there was speculation his troublesome knees were hindering his movement and leaving him on the defensive. Then the heat rose in Paris, and Nadal warmed to his task. "It has always been the case: The deeper I go, the better I play usually," Nadal said. "Its the same this year. Its the same old story." In recent matches the left-hander has looked much more comfortable striking the ball, his vicious saw-blade topspin reducing each opponents one-handed backhand to shreds. Djokovic has a two-handed backhand. He also has the superior serve, the larger repertoire of shots and plenty of motivation. He has listed the French Open as his most important tournament this year. And when his childhood coach died last week in Belgrade, he said he wanted to win the title for her. But the match also means plenty to Nadal, his clay-court reign at stake each time he takes the court. "Im going to be nervous," he said. "If not, go home and do another thing. Because if you are not nervous to play the semifinals against the best player of the world, its because you are not enjoying or you dont feel passion for this game." Fishing can wait. ' ' '