INFO » The Pelicans dominated the first half statistically

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Kei Nishikori of Japan successfully defended his title at the U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships, beating Ivo Karlovic of Croatia 6-4, 7-6 (0) on Sunday. Nishikori won his fourth career title along with the $103,100 winners check and 250 points on the ATP Tour by making this event at The Racquet Club his first successful title defence. He became the first back-to-back winner since Tommy Haas won in 2006 and 2007. Karlovic came in having not been broken even once this week and looking for his sixth career title. The big-serving Karlovic and his 20 aces couldnt counter Nishikoris precision Tony Gwynn Jersey . The Brazilian-born strikers brace drew him level with Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo as the leagues leading scorers with 17 goals apiece through 16 rounds. "The important thing is to help the team win, not the goals," Diego Costa said. After a first half dominated by defence, Atletico pressed Valencia into its area and Diego Costa did the rest. Matt Strahm Padres Jersey . Prado stuck his glove down with Colorados Charlie Blackmon sliding into the bag, and quickly jumped back in pain after applying the tag. Prado held his left wrist as trainers came out of the Diamondbacks dugout to check him. http://www.padressale.com/ . The native of Mont-Tremblant, Que., captured a World Cup downhill event Saturday, his second this year and fifth career victory on the circuit. Dave Winfield Jersey . Top-seeded Djokovic swept to a 6-1, 6-3 win over 51st-ranked Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain in just 57 minutes, but fourth-seeded Federer had to see off a serious challenge from 48th-ranked Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic before coming through 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-3. Ozzie Smith Jersey . -- Miguel Angel Jimenez quickly shifted his focus back to the Ryder Cup after winning his first Champions Tour event. NEW ORLEANS -- Tyreke Evans hit the final shot. Jrue Holiday made every big play before that to put the New Orleans Pelicans in position to win. Evans sank a mid-range, pull-up jumper with 1.2 seconds left, and Holiday scored 15 of his season-high 31 points in the fourth quarter as the Pelicans beat the Portland Trail Blazers 110-108 on Monday night. Holiday, acquired in a draft-night trade with Philadelphia last June, connected on seven shots in the fourth when the score was tied or New Orleans led by two or fewer points. He also tied his season high for assists with 13. "I was just being aggressive," he said. "They were backing off on the screen-and-roll where I had the guard behind him, and I had a lot of confidence in my shot. I just felt good and it came at a good time." Evans big basket came right after Portlands Damian Lillard, who has hit several game-winners this season, made a contested 3-pointer to tie the score at 108. New Orleans, which won its fourth in a row at home, never trailed in the second half but never led by more than five in the final 10 minutes. Anthony Davis added 27 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks. Evans had 20 points, getting his first eight baskets in the lane before making his first jump shot at the end. The opportunity came after Holiday pushed the ball up the court instead of calling a timeout when Lillards 3-pointer rolled in with 10.9 seconds left. "It really kind of gets them off guard," Holiday said. "Sometimes when they celebrate like that, well go right back down in 2 or 3 seconds. Thats definitely big for us." Davis then forced LaMarcus Aldridge into a tough shot from the baseline that bounced off the top of the backboard and came after the buzzer anyway. "I thought they were going to try to give him the ball and hit a jump shot," Davis said. "I just tried to play good defence on him and put my hands up and make him shoot real high." Lillard scored 29 points and Aldridge had 28 for Portland (24-7), which lost its second straight. "Its a lot of stuff," Lillard said. "This was just a game that we couldnt pull out our best abilities. We just need to learn from this game and use it in a way to win our next one." Holiday answered every Portland challenge down the stretch. When thhe Blazers scored the first seven points of the fourth to tie the score at 89, he sank a 3-pointer.ddddddddddddHoliday then hit an outside shot and a buzzer-beating driving bank to keep the Pelicans ahead 98-95. After Nicolas Batum missed a free throw that would have given Portland its first lead since 33-32 in the second quarter, Holiday sank a floater to make the score 100-98. After Aldridge missed an outside shot with the score tied at 100, Holiday sank one from just beyond the free throw line. "He was excellent in the fourth quarter," Evans said. "He was in control. Thats what hes here for." The Blazers, who have struggled defensively lately, allowed the Pelicans to hit 53.9 per cent of their shots. Portland entered having allowed an average of 111.8 points in its last four games. "There are a lot of causes," Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. "Its penetration, its not helping out one another, its transition." The Pelicans limited the Blazers to 44.3 per cent shooting, and Davis was a major factor. He blocked two fallaway attempts from Aldridge before stifling him on the final shot. The Pelicans dominated the first half statistically -- shooting 52.2 per cent to the Blazers 38.3 per cent and outrebounding them 28-19 -- so New Orleans 56-49 lead at the break felt as though it should have been larger. New Orleans outrebounded the Blazers 18-8 in the first quarter, had a 10-0 advantage in second-chance points and held Lillard to one basket. The Pelicans also committed only one turnover, yet were up only 26-21. That advantage disappeared quickly when Dorell Wright and Lillard sank consecutive 3-pointers to put Portland ahead 33-32 early in the second, but Evans scored six in a row to start a 12-0 New Orleans run. NOTES: Pelicans guard Eric Gordon missed his third consecutive game with a bruised right hip. ... Pelicans centre Jason Smith sat out with a left shoulder injury. He had missed three games with a bruised right knee before returning against Houston on Saturday. ... New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton sat courtside a day after his team clinched its fourth NFL playoff berth in the last five years. ... The Pelicans Ryan Anderson had made at least one 3-pointer in all 20 games he played in this season and 26 in a row dating to last season. ' ' '