AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- With interim coach John Loyer hoarsely shouting instructions, Brandon Jennings and the Detroit Pistons ran away from the San Antonio Spurs in the third quarter. Jennings finished with 21 points, and the Pistons beat San Antonio 109-100 on Monday night in Loyers first game at the helm. Detroit abruptly fired Maurice Cheeks on Sunday after only 50 games as coach, but although theyve been unimpressive for the most part this season, the Pistons have played better lately. The comfortable win over the Spurs was Detroits fifth in seven games. "I told them it was going to be an emotional day," Loyer said. "I told them I thought we can play, collectively, for longer periods of time better than we have." Rodney Stuckey scored 20 points for the Pistons, and Greg Monroe added 15 points and 10 rebounds. Marco Belinelli led the Spurs with 20 points. Detroit pulled even with Charlotte for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and the Pistons have shown flashes recently of the potential they thought theyd have this season. After signing Josh Smith and trading for Jennings in the off-season, Detroit is barely ahead of last seasons pace in terms of wins and losses. Jennings has been terrific lately, though. After scoring 35 points with 12 assists Saturday against Denver, he orchestrated another strong offensive effort Monday. San Antonio, meanwhile, turned the ball over eight times in the third quarter, when Detroit pushed its lead from 11 to 20. The Spurs finished with 19 turnovers, giving the Pistons all the help they would need. "We lost the game because we probably played the worst defence weve played all season, especially in the first half," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "We didnt bring it mentally or physically, and the Pistons did." Loyers sideline demeanour was quite a change from Cheeks more calm approach. At one point, Loyer came all the way across midcourt to give instructions as the Pistons were trying to hold on. "Theyre both two different coaches," Jennings said. "One is loud, the other one is kind of laid back. Theyre both great guys -- especially Cheeks. Hes like a father figure to me, so hes definitely going to be missed. But this is the NBA, so I know how that goes." The Pistons went on a 12-2 run in the third to take a 73-52 lead, then added a few more highlights later in that quarter. Smith threw down a one-handed dunk after a turnover by San Antonio, and Jennings made a layup after Detroits Andre Drummond blocked Aron Baynes shot emphatically off the glass. Jennings missed from the perimeter, then stole the ball near midcourt and went in for a three-point play to make it 84-62. "I told the guys today, just when we were in the locker room, Im so proud of them," Loyer said. "I only thought there was about a three-minute period where they showed more energy, more determination than us. You show determination, hustle for 45 of the 48 minutes, youre going to be pretty successful most nights." San Antonio is in the midst of a nine-game road swing. Belinelli was back after dealing with back spasms, but the Spurs were without Manu Ginobili (left hamstring) and Kawhi Leonard (right hand). The Pistons went on a 15-4 run in the second quarter, capped by a 3-pointer by Jennings that put them ahead 57-45. "They played hard," San Antonios Danny Green said. "They wanted to play with some passion and they got loose balls." NOTES: The Pistons have won five straight at home after starting 7-15 at The Palace. ... After Cheeks firing, Popovich was asked about the key to his longevity with the Spurs. "I have information on everybody," he joked. "And Ive threatened everybody Ill let it out unless they keep me as long as I want to stay." ... Ginobili has joined the Spurs on this road trip, but hes not expected to play until after the All-Star break. Cheap Air Jordan 4 . Canadas 5-1 loss to Finland in the semifinal ranks as the tournaments most-watched game with a record 2.7 million viewers, the largest ever for a World Juniors game played outside of North America, and winning Saturday as the most-watched program on Canadian television. Air Jordan 4 Cheap Sale . -- Jake Peavy arrived at Bostons spring training complex on Monday with a large white bandage covering his left index finger, the result of a weekend accident. http://www.airjordan4uk.com/.Y. - Carey Price had an early feeling that one goal might be enough to settle the latest matchup between his Montreal Canadiens and longtime Original Six foe, the New York Rangers. Air Jordan 4 Cheap Uk . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Marc-Andre Fleury, Penguins (3) - Surrendered a tough first goal against on a deflection through the body short side. Air Jordan 4 For Sale .ca. Hello Kerry, After watching Nino Niederreiter clobber Alex Burrows with an open-ice hit on Wednesday, do you think he should have gotten more than the two minutes for interference.The Toronto Blue Jays entire plans for the approaching July 31 non-waiver trade deadline may have been drastically altered, if not shut down, by Sundays injury news. Brett Lawrie is likely gone for 4-6 weeks with a broken finger on his right hand, and Jose Bautista is possibly following him to the disabled list with a hamstring issue on his right leg. Before those injuries and during that ugly 3-7 road trip, there was talk the Blue Jays were scouting Rays ace lefty David Price and might have an interest in the multi-talented Ben Zobrist, who can play nearly any position on the diamond. Both players would be an immense help to the Blue Jays, but the odds of either ending up in Toronto are slim and none. It all goes back to that old cliché about not trading within your division. This is Tampa Bays 17th year of existence. Over that span, the Devil Rays/Rays have only made four trades within the American League East, and it might even be a stretch to say even one of those was significant. In fact, they have made only one deal apiece with the Yankees and Red Sox. The Yankees deal goes back over eight years to May 24, 2006. The Yanks bought Nick Green from the Rays. Thats it. The Boston trade goes back even further to July 21,1999. The Rays dealt Dominican-born reliever Julio Santana to the Reds Sox for a player to be named later (Will Silverthorn) and cash. Santana spent seven years in the Majors - including a brief stint with Montreal - but never did pitch for the Red Sox after that deal. The Rays have made three trades with Baltimore but none since August 7, 2009. Arguably the biggest deal between the Rays and Os happened March 29, 1999, when Tampa Bay dealt right hander Jason Johnson to the Orioles for Danny Clyburn and a minor leaguer by the name of Bolivar Volquez. Again, hardly a blockbuster. On August 7, 2007 the Rays picked up catcher Gregg Zahn from the 0s for a player to be named later, named Rhyne Hughes. Zahn was 38 at the time and about a year from calling it a career. All of which brings us to the Blue Jays. They havent made a trade with the Rays in nearly 10 years. On December 12, 2004, they sent catcher Kevin Cash to Tampa Bay for right hander Chad Gaudin. The deal with the Rays that was supposed to have the biggest impact for the Jays happened on July 31, 2000. The Blue Jays looking to add some pitching depth for the stretch run dealt second base prospect Brent Abernathy to the Rays for right hander Steve Trachsel and veteran reliever Mark Guthrie. The deal failed to push Jim Fregosis Jays over the top. Overall, if you look at all eight of the deals the Rays have made without their diivision, only one - the Trachsel-Guthrie for Abernathy trade - actually came on the July 31 deadline.ddddddddddddMost of the trades were inconsequential and none involved a star player. The Rays, as mentioned, havent even made a deal in the East since August 7, 2009, so dont hold your breath waiting for the Jays or any other team in the East to get Price or Zobrist. If either or both are dealt, theyre likely wind up in the National League. The San Diego Padres will be holding a special ceremony this Thursday to honour Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, who passed away after a long battle with cancer. I only had the pleasure of watching him up close and in person three times. The first was at the All-Star game in 1998 at Coors Field in Denver. I was so impressed with his smile, his laugh, his personality and his limitless skill with the bat. I was lucky enough to watch that game from a bunker just below field level in right field. We were able to look thought a glass partition and see Tony Gwynn playing right field right in front of us. It was like we were playing right alongside him on every ball hit to right. It was an unforgettable experience. I saw him again in the 1998 World Series, where he might have been the best player on the diamond even though the Yankees swept the Padres four straight. In 1999, I was at the final All-Star game of the last century at Fenway Park in Boston. The most incredible moment was watching all the All-Stars gather at the mound before the game when Red Sox legend Ted Williams threw out the ceremonial first pitch from his wheelchair. Tony Gwynn was right at his side. That will always be one of my greatest sporting memories. The Angels put 42-year-old Raul Ibanez on waivers for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release. If this indeed is the end for Raul as a player, what a career he had. He was a 36th-round draft pick of Seattle back in 1992. He went on to hit .273 for his career with five different organizations with 2019 hits and 3030 homers. He was one of those rare individuals who seemed to get better with age. In 2005, at age 33 he played the entire 162 game schedule. He slugged 29 home runs with Seattle last year at age 41. He also made it to the postseason in five different seasons. If he wants to remain in the game, there are bound to be plenty of organizations willing to give him a chance. If the Jays are going to stay in playoff contention, they have to pick it up against the East - 47 of their remaining 85 games are against their own division and they have slipped to 15-14 versus the East. Baltimore is a division-best 20-13 against the East, while the Yankees are second at 15-10 and the Jays are third. ' ' '