g as an associate professor of neurology at the University of Michigan,

The San Antonio Spurs return home for Wednesdays Game 5 of their Western Conference quarterfinals series with the Dallas Mavericks tied 2-2. San Antonio knotted the series with its Texas rival on Monday night with a 93-89 road victory at American Airlines Center. The two squads head back to AT&T Center Wednesday night, a place the Mavericks won Game 2 handily and shouldve won Game 1. "In the playoffs, I dont think teams are ever too satisfied with wins, or ever too depressed with losses," said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. "You just dont have time for it and doesnt do you any good." In Game 3, Dallas Vince Carter hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to win the contest. On Monday, the Spurs put the clamps on the Mavericks late in the game. With the game tied at 87-apiece late in the fourth quarter, Boris Diaw nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 32.9 seconds left to give the Spurs the lead. Monta Ellis missed a trey for the tie at the other end, but Dirk Nowitzki corralled the offensive rebound and put it back in, cutting the deficit to one. Manu Ginobili then split a pair of free throws with 10.4 seconds left to make it a two-point game. Coming out of a timeout, Ellis drove the lane and tried banking in the layup to tie, but his attempt clanked off the rim and Tim Duncan grabbed the rebound with 1.9 seconds left. Ginobili hit a pair of free throws to seal it and send the series back to San Antonio all knotted up. "Boris hit a shot and we couldnt come back at the other end and hit a shot like we should," said Ellis. "I had a good look at the end but it didnt go down." Ginobili paced the Spurs with 23 points off the bench, while Diaw netted 17 points in a reserve role. Patty Mills chipped in 10 as those three accounted for 50 second-unit points. "The bench did a fine job in what weve been used to for the season," said Popovich. "It was a big help for us tonight. Holding them to 89 is a lot better than 109 and thats what has to happen." Duncan tallied 14 points with 10 rebounds and Tiago Splitter notched 10 points with 12 boards in the win. Tony Parker finished with 10, but suffered an ankle injury. "He has a Grade 1 sprain and hell be day-to-day," Popovich said of Parker. Ellis led the Mavs with 20 points despite shooting 6-of-20 from the floor. Nowitzki, who made 7-of-19 attempts from the field, finished with 19 points and Samuel Dalembert pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds in the setback. One player who Dallas coach Rick Carlisle wont have available for Wednesday night is DeJuan Blair. The big man was suspended for Game 5 by the NBA after an incident in Game 4 when he kicked Splitter in the head while the two were tangled on the floor. Game 6 will be Friday night in Dallas. St. Louis Cardinals Pro Shop . The question all fans want to know heading into this light heavyweight affair is will Rua display his true potential. Working with UFC welterweight fighter Demian Maias team in Sao Paulo Brazil and having training partners such as fellow UFC stand outs Fabio Maldonado and Daniel Sarafian, the 32-year old feels very well prepared for Friday nights encounter. Mike Matheny Cardinals Jersey . However, it wasnt a problem on Monday night. Evgeni Nabokov made 23 saves for his 56th career shutout in the New York Islanders 3-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night. https://www.cheapcardinalsonline.com/ .500 were once common achievements for the Dallas Mavericks. Now, both are season highs as Dallas slowly works its way back into playoff contention in the Western Conference. Cardinals Jerseys 2019 . Lupul injured the hand in a fall at practice on Thursday. He will wear a cast for a minimum of 10 days before he can put a glove back on it and get some mobility back, said Carlyle, who added the winger wont go on the teams upcoming road trip. Miles Mikolas Cardinals Jersey . The 55th-ranked Istomin saved 11 of 14 break points to win in just over two hours, setting up a second round meeting with Australian Marinko Matosevic. It was the Uzbeks third win in three matches against fifth-seeded Kohlschreiber, the 2007 and 2012 tournament winner.In another sign of the growing concern about head trauma in sports, the NHL and the U.S. ski team will each have at least one concussion expert at the Sochi Olympics. Dr. Jeff Kutcher, a Michigan-based neurologist, will be in one of two hockey arenas and the on-hill physician for three events on the slopes in Russia. U.S. ski team medical director Kyle Wilkens said Kutcher will be the associations first specialist evaluating and treating concussions during the Winter Olympics. "Its such a hot topic," Wilkens said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "Were trying to do the right thing with concussion, and thats why hes on board." Kutcher will also evaluate the neurological health of about 150 NHL players from all 12 countries in the Olympics. Dr. Ruben Echemendia, a neuropsychologist and chair of the NHLs concussion program, will also be at the Olympics -- a first for the league, according to deputy commissioner Bill Daly. The NHL isnt fond of freezing its league for two-plus weeks and putting their stars at risk for injuries at the Olympics, but the league and the NHL Players Association both have a degree of comfort knowing that Kutcher will be there. "Dr. Kutcher is well regarded in his field and has significant experience working with NHL players, so we are pleased he will be in Sochi and is willing to assist with our players while at the games," NHLPA executive director Don Fehr said. Kutcher said he is prepared to tell an athlete he or she cant go for a medal if they have a concussion at the Olympics. "At the end of the day the decisions that we make, we make irrespective of the situation -- we have to," Kutcher said in an interview with the AP. "The alternative is if I let somebody go down another run or participate in a hockey game while theyre injured and that injury leads to a more significant injury, it could be life-changing in the negative. Thats what I have to worry about." International Olympic Committee medical director Dr. Richaard Budgett is glad Kutcher will be there, too.dddddddddddd "I havent heard of any other country sending a specialist such as a neurologist," Budgett told the AP in a telephone interview. "But its good that theyve got a specialist coming out because theres a lot of interest in monitoring concussions. The Olympics are like a fish bowl -- with everybody watching -- so its great that he will be able to raise awareness and show that were taking the health of our athletes seriously." Kutcher appears to be highly qualified for his pressure-packed role this month. The NBA named him director of its concussion program more than two years ago. Kutcher said he evaluates players from the NBA, NHL and NFL "all the time." The NCAA has used his expertise to help shape its concussion policies. Kutchers day job is working as an associate professor of neurology at the University of Michigan, where he is a physician for the schools athletic teams and director of its NeuroSport Program. Wilkens said Kutcher, who has helped the U.S. ski team with its concussion policy, will be the on-hill physician for skicross along with snowboardings parallel giant slalom and parallel slalom. Kutcher will also care for other U.S. athletes as needed, according to Wilkens. "His primary responsibility is with us, but if a slider gets a concussion, for example, Jeff will be there to help," Wilkens said. "For the two weeks, were all a part of Team USA." Kutcher has diagnosed numerous athletes with concussions over the years, telling them they cant compete until he clears them. Kutcher, though, hasnt had to dash anyones dreams of winning Olympic gold. "I do feel a little bit of pressure," he said. "I understand the gravity of the situation and needing to first and foremost do my job as a neurologist regardless of setting or scenario. It doesnt matter if its a training run or a gold-medal run or any scenario at all. It is the health of the athletes that Im there for." ' ' '