d list after one start and did not return until May 28. He never g

BOSTON -- Kris Humphries didnt play 20 minutes in a game for the whole month of November. Five times this season he never got off the bench at all. He hadnt scored in double digits in the first 20 games before contributing 18 to the Boston Celtics 106-98 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night. And one more thing: He never complained. "When were winning and stuff, I dont like to focus on me," Humphries said after the Celtics ran off the first 14 points to win their second straight game and maintain their awkward hold on the Atlantic Division lead. "Were at the top of the division. Thats all thats important." Jordan Crawford had 22 points and eight assists and Avery Bradley scored 18 for Boston, which has a 9-12 record that would rank no better than fifth in any division in the Western Conference. Humphries scored eight points in the last 4 1/2 minutes of the third quarter, when Boston turned back a Denver run that cut the deficit to three points. "Our starters played fantastic at the start of the game and got us out to a huge lead. In the second half it was our bench that got us back out to the lead," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. "Kris was a big part of that." A nine-year veteran who came to Boston in the trade that sent Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Nets, Humphries has struggled to find a role on a young, rebuilding team. He has gotten more time since an ankle injury to Kelly Olynyk has kept the first-round draft pick out since Nov. 23. "Hes done a good job for us," Stevens said. "I think that speaks to his professionalism, too, because this hasnt always been easy for him. But hes been a pro about everything." Ty Lawson scored 20 points before leaving late in the third quarter with a left hamstring injury, and J.J. Hickson had 17 for Denver. The Nuggets had won seven straight games but have now lost two in a row to Cleveland and Boston, two Eastern Conference teams that were at or below a .400 winning percentage. "Second consecutive game in a row that we basically got beat up, got hit first," Denver coach Brian Shaw said. "We told our team before the game started tonight that regardless of their record, theyre going to come out and fight to stay in first place. And they did that." The Celtics opened the game with a 14-0 run, getting six of Bradleys 13 first-quarter points in the first 4 minutes, before Hickson made one of two free throws with 7:20 left for Denvers first point. Boston expanded the lead to 24 by scoring 12 of the last 13 points in the quarter, including a 30-foot 3-pointer by Crawford just before the buzzer. In all, Denver shot 23.8 per cent in the first, getting just two baskets from the starters, while falling behind 39-15. Boston shot 65.4 per cent to match a season high for points in a quarter it set in the fourth during Tuesday nights victory over Milwaukee; the Celtics topped their season high for a half, taking a 64-44 lead into the break. The Nuggets scored the first nine points of the second half -- six from Hickson -- during a 16-2 run that made it 66-60 with 8:38 left in the third. They eventually cut it to three points before Humphries made a pair of baskets and Bradley hit a 3 to make it 83-73 with just more than 2 minutes left in the quarter. NOTES: Before the game, the Celtics observed a moment of silence for South African president Nelson Mandela, calling him "a friend of the NBA." ... Nuggets guard Nate Robinson, a member of the Celtics when they made the NBA Finals in 2010, got a smattering of applause when he came off the bench in the first quarter. ... With the back-to-back losses, Denver fell to 5-2 against the East. Marshall Faulk Rams Jersey .C. -- Ryan Sproul scored the winner late in double overtime to lift the Grand Rapids Griffins to a 2-1 win over the Abbotsford Heat on Friday in Game 1 of their American Hockey League playoff series. Greg Gaines Rams Jersey . He says he will have the operation Wednesday and be ready in time for training camp in September. Bernier missed five games in March due to the injury. http://www.laramsfootballshops.com/jack-youngblood-jersey/ . Leverkusen said on Friday it signed Schmidt on a two-year contract. He guided Red Bull Salzburg to the Austrian championship this season. Gerald Everett Rams Jersey . - Olympic champion Marielle Thompson accomplished her mission of defending her skicross World Cup title at Nakiska Ski Area on Saturday. Torry Holt Rams Jersey .com) - Robert Upshaw made a putback jumper to put 17th-ranked Washington ahead with 1:27 remaining in the game and the Huskies held on to beat Eastern Washington 81-77 on Sunday.BALTIMORE -- The Texas Rangers finally ran out of patience with left-hander Joe Saunders, who was designated for assignment Tuesday after going winless in eight starts. Saunders gave up four homers and seven runs in five innings on Monday night in a 7-1 loss to the Orioles. That left him 0-5 with a 6.13 ERA. "I just dont think its worked out to his liking and we just wanted to try something new and different at this point," assistant general manager Thad Levine said. The Rangers have 10 days to trade, release, or outright Saunders to the minor leagues. But it appears likely his time with Texas is over. "It was something we discussed, and we felt like it was best we go in another direction," manager Ron Washington said. "We appreciate everything Joe done. He was a pro. Sometimes, things just doesnt work out." The Rangers (37-5) had lost 10 of 12 through Monday and were mired in fourth place in the AL West, 14 games behind division-leading Oakland. So instead of waiting to see if the 33-year-old Saunders could break his extended slump, Texas recalled 25-year-old Miles Mikolas from Triple-A Round Rock. Although Levine labeled Mikolas "a work in progress," he said and the right-hander will start Wednesday at Baltimore and become part of the starting rotation. Mikolas was 5-1 with a 3.22 ERA in 16 games, including six starts, for Round Rock. He entered the year with just 11 career starts at the minor league leevel, all in 2009, his first professional season.dddddddddddd But Mikolas was 3-1 with a 3.58 ERA after joining the Express rotation on May 30. So the Rangers bid farewell to Saunders and welcomed Mikolas to the big leagues. "It just so happens we have a starting pitcher at Triple-A who our manager and Triple-A pitching coach are highly recommending we give a chance at the big league level," Levine said. "So I think those two paths cross and we decided to make this move at this point." Saunders signed with Texas on March 5 and was given a job in the starting rotation on March 25, but he went on the 15-day disabled list after one start and did not return until May 28. He never got in a groove after that. Including Mondays outing in Baltimore, Saunders yielded 20 runs in 15 2-3 innings over his last three starts. "They have been miserable," he acknowledged. "Its tough man." Saunders owns an 89-86 lifetime record and made the AL All-Star team in 2008. He broke into the majors with the Los Angeles Angels in 2005 and also pitched for Arizona, Baltimore and Seattle before latching on with the Rangers. "He tried out with us in spring training this year, and he had strong beliefs that he could help us win major league games," Levine said. "I think what he ended up doing is he came in and gave us some very valuable innings. He also has been a consummate professional since hes been here." ' ' '