Dein erstes Forum » out to check on Miller, who took a few warm-

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Jason Kidds shirt read "GOLF," which he said was more random wardrobe choice than upcoming itinerary. He has plenty of time for that hobby with his first season as an NBA coach over, but it wont be all fun for the Brooklyn Nets this off-season. Not with the potential for surgery for Deron Williams and decisions to make for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, who infused the Nets with a winners mentality when they came from Boston last summer. The Nets and their roster worth nearly $200 million in salaries and taxes couldnt reach their lofty expectations, falling to the Miami Heat in five games in the Eastern Conference semifinals. But they surpassed where it appeared they were headed after a 10-21 start and the season-ending loss of All-Star centre Brook Lopez. So even facing some big questions, they like where they sit. "I do think weve got Brooklyn being a place where players want to play and weve got a coach that players want to play for," general manager Billy King said. "I think we play a good style, so I dont look at it as the sky is falling as much weve got some assets and things to do and well work at it." Pierce will be a free agent and showed he can still provide a team with scoring punch at 36. Garnetts game is further gone as he prepares to turn 38 next week. He remains a strong defender and team leader, but averaged a career-low 6.5 points in 54 games, missing a large chunk of the season with back spasms and playing just 20.5 minutes per game as Kidd tried to keep him fresh for the playoffs. Garnett has a year and $12 million remaining on his contract, and the Nets want him back. King said he told Garnett to take some time when they spoke on the plane ride home from Miami, but Kidd realizes Garnett will have to consider walking away from guaranteed money, just as he did when he retired last season. "Hes done it for a long time at a very high level and the biggest thing and concerns that Ive talked to him about is you dont want to leave with someone carrying you off the court," Kidd said. "I mean, its 19 or 20 years that hell been playing and also being judged on what youve done, or some people holding you to where if you were 25, which can be unfair at times. But thats just part of the gig, so hes got to make a decision, but the big thing is we want him back because we understand the importance that he brings to this franchise." Neither Pierce nor Garnett spoke when the Nets met with reporters at their practice facility. Andrei Kirilenko, Andray Blatche and Alan Anderson all have player options on their contracts. Shaun Livingston will be a free agent, having to decide if hes found a home with the Nets, or if he can get the lucrative payday that once seemed a cinch but never came after the former No. 4 overall pick wrecked his knee in his third NBA season. Then theres Jason Collins, who became the NBAs first openly gay player when he signed with the Nets in February. He said he doesnt know what his basketball plans are, but he will have far better and more influential options than being a 35-year-old backup centre. "My goal right now is to empower others and also support those like Derrick Gordon, Michael Sam, Robbie Rogers, and over the next months, years, whoever else joins that list of out, active players," Collins said. Williams plans to have an MRI on his ankles that have slowed him the last two seasons and he may end up surgically repairing them in hopes of relocating his game and his confidence. "It just took a beating on me," the two-time Olympian said. "Just couldnt do what I wanted to, cant finish the way I want to finish. You just start thinking about things. So that was just the main thing. Confidence-wise, its hard to get back to where I was." If he gets back to form, Lopez does as well after surgeries on his broken right foot and left ankle, and Pierce and Garnett return, the Nets believe they will be fine next season. After two years of roster and coaching changes, King thinks the Nets biggest need might just be continuity. "Next season, we pick up right where we left off!" owner Mikhail Prokhorov said in a statement. Cheap Flyers Jerseys . In the opening game of his fourth-round match at the U.S. Open, the owner of 17 major titles got passed at the net twice, sailed a backhand long, then missed two forehands to get broken. Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys . 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Keenum will make his first appearance in a regular-season game against the rugged defence of the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, where the fans just set a Guinness record as the noisiest outdoor stadium in the world. DENVER -- The St. Louis Cardinals successfully pitched around Troy Tulowitzki. So there was Justin Morneau, waiting to make them regret it. Morneau hit a three-run homer and drove in six runs as the Colorado Rockies beat the Cardinals 10-5 on Tuesday night to snap a seven-game losing streak. "This was obviously a game we needed," said Morneau, who was batting cleanup. Morneau is making a compelling case to be an All-Star selection, which would be all the more special because its in Minnesota where he began his career. Morneau is hitting .304 with 13 homers and providing valuable protection for Tulowitzki. "If I dont get it done, he seems to get it done," Tulowitzki said. "Hes been a nice addition to our ball club. Without a doubt, hes All-Star worthy." Jorge De La Rosa (7-6) allowed five runs, four earned, in seven innings. He is the first Rockies starter to earn a win since June 12. Nick Greenwood (1-1) pitched 1 2-3 innings in relief of starter Shelby Miller, who left in the third with back tightness but believes he will be back in time for his next start. Greenwood surrendered Morneaus homer on a hanging slider in the fourth. Morneau had an RBI single in the first and a two-run single in the seventh that gave Colorado some breathing room. "Hes having a heck of a season," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. The Rockies finished with 17 hits one night after managing just three when they were shut out at home for the first time in nearly a year. Jhonny Peralta hit a two-run homer for St. Louis and Matt Holliday had another productive day at Coors Field against his former team, going 2 for 5. He is hitting .545 in his last five games at this park. De La Rosa finished strong, striking out Allen Craig to end the seventh with Holliday on first. St. Louis had something brewing in the eighth with the bases loaded and two outs. But Adam Ottavino struck out pinch-hitter Jon Jay. Pinch-hitter Drew Stubbs added an insurance run in the bottom half of the inning with a solo homer to left. Charlie Blackmon later added an RBI single. LaTroy Haawkins finished the ninth in a non-save situation.dddddddddddd Brandon Barnes made a diving catch deep in right to bring what was left of the crowd to its feet in appreciation. "I thought he had no shot at that ball," Weiss said. "Great play by Brandon. Hes not afraid to get dirty. Hes not afraid to leave his feet." The Cardinals scored two runs courtesy of crazy bounces. In the fourth, a hustling Peter Bourjos scored from second on Tony Cruzs high bouncer off the plate to second baseman DJ LeMahieu. An inning later, a slow roller possibly grazed Hollidays arm -- replays were inconclusive -- as he sprinted toward third, the ball taking a funny hop past Tulowitzki and rolling into left field. Holliday easily ran home as Tulowitzki protested. Weiss came out to argue the ruling, but the play wasnt reviewed and the run stood to cut Colorados lead to 6-5. The Cardinals rotation appeared to take another hit with Miller leaving the game. The right-hander arched his back in discomfort soon after delivering a pitch to De La Rosa. Manager Mike Matheny and a trainer instantly trotted out to check on Miller, who took a few warm-up tosses before being taken out for Greenwood. "I could still throw the baseball. It was just kind of a nagging little sting," explained Miller, who went 2 2-3 innings and surrendered three runs. "But nothing that we cant come back from. "At the end of the day, I didnt really execute pitches at all. So, obviously, it was disappointing and frustrating." St. Louis already is missing Michael Wacha (right shoulder stress reaction) and Jaime Garcia (left shoulder inflammation), who both went on the 15-day disabled list Sunday. NOTES: Cardinals LHP Marco Gonzales will make his major league debut Wednesday. Gonzales was a high school standout in nearby Fort Collins, and his dad, Frank Gonzales, is a pitching coach in the Rockies minor league system. ... Rockies RHP Christian Bergman has a broken left hand and will not make his start Wednesday. The Rockies are expected to bring up LHP Yohan Flande from Triple-A Colorado Springs. ' ' '