WHISTLER, B. Stephen Gostkowski Jersey .C. -- Canadas Alex Gough slid to the first singles silver of her World Cup luge career Saturday, missing the top of the podium by just 0.133 seconds. Germanys Natalie Geisenberger won her fourth straight race with a combined two-run time of one minute 13.412 seconds for gold. "My second run wasnt as great as I wanted it to be," said Gough, who finished with a time of 1:13.545. "I had a few little skids here and there and (it) could have been a little bit better. I put it together and had two good, consistent runs and I had the performance I wanted. "It definitely confirms that what were doing in training and what were doing off the track and all of that is working." The 26-year-old from Calgary adds a silver to her trophy case alongside 10 other World Cup medals -- including two golds -- and two third-place finishes in world championships. Germanys Anke Wischnewski was third on Saturday night at the Whistler Sliding Centre with a time of 1:13.622. Gough was fourth last week in Winterberg, Germany, and won bronze in the first World Cup race of the season in Lillehammer, Norway, three weeks ago. She also won bronze at the 2013 world championship in Whistler. Geisenberger won gold in womens singles at last seasons world championship after taking bronze at the 2010 Olympics on the same track. "My sled is good. My start is good," said Geisenberger, who holds the track record. "The line is nearly perfect." Gough, who will be among the Canadians looking to win the countrys first-ever Olympic luge medal at the Sochi Games, said Geisenberger is in the zone right now. "Shes just on right now. Shes doing so well and shes sliding really well," said Gough. "Im just going to keep chasing and keep trying to catch her at the start and down the start. "Always hoping to be on the top (of the podium) but Im definitely happy with the performance that I had and the result that I produced." Canadians Kimberley McRae, Arianne Jones, Jordan Smith, also all from Calgary, finished 11th, 14th and 17th, respectively. The team relay went later Saturday. Notes: Park City, Utah, will host the second of two North American stops on the World Cup luge schedule next week. ... The Whistler Sliding Centre is the same venue where 21-year-old Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili died just hours before the start of the 2010 Olympics. Tedy Bruschi Womens Jersey Elite .C. -- After a listless first half, the Washington Wizards used a big third quarter run to beat the Charlotte Bobcats Bradley Beal scored 21 points and the Wizards used a 17-0 run in the third quarter to take control of what had been a close game and beat the Bobcats 97-83 on Tuesday night. Julian Edelman Jersey . It was almost exactly like the way Bab****s Team Canada won gold at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The result was a 2-1 Red Wings victory on Swedish Olympian Gustav Nyquists rebound goal with 28 seconds left in overtime.FIVE QUICK NBA THOUGHTS: 1. TORONTO RAPTORS AND THE PLAYOFFS: After watching the Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat game Tuesday night and once again witnessing the Nets beat the Heat, Im convinced that the best course of action for the Raptors will be for them to make sure they do everything in their power to secure the third seed in the Eastern Conference and the Atlantic Division title. I want no part of the other current bracket (Heat/Nets/Chicago Bulls). Ill take my chances with the Washington Wizards or Charlotte Bobcats in the first round, though, either of those match-ups isnt a walk in the park, either. If you can win a series, and that wont be easy, and the current standings hold form, I feel confident that the Raptors could play a very competitive series against the Indiana Pacers. Im not saying they would win that series - the defence has to really improve down the stretch here and get back to early-mid-January form - but it would be quite compelling. There are five games left. Win all of your games and you write your own ticket. Stumble and the help will have to come from others and thats never a position you want to be in. 2. JOE DUMARS (Pistons): Rumours are swirling that hes going to step down as the teams president and GM and Im not a bit surprised. Too many coaching firings and going all-in on guys like Ben Gordon, Charlie Villaneuva, Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings sealed his fate in Motown. He had a terrific run in the early 2000s as the elite team in the Eastern Conference, but you see it often with coaches and GMs - you lose your fastball and get stale in your approach/creativity and you lose your way. Hes a good basketball man and some time away will reinvigorate him and Im sure hell be back at it again down the line. 3. MIKE DANTONI (Lakers): Watching some of his recent games, he looks like a beaten man and someone who knows that his fate is sealed in LA. DAntoni is an outstanding offensive coach who has had to deal with numerous injjuries and drama there. Shane Vereen Jersey. At the end of the day, its a results-oriented business and when you evaluate his run in Denver, New York and LA, it doesnt look good. On the other hand, his teams in Phoenix - thanks in large part to Bryan Colangelos personnel moves - were awesome and entertaining to watch. Does he get another shot? Im not sure, but I do know that hes very capable if you give him a solid roster. If it ends there, I think hell be heard from again, at least as an assistant coach for a head coach looking for a guy who can upgrade his offence. Hed be a guy to talk to if hed consider being in that role. 4. INDIANA PACERS: Heard coach Frank Vogels interview where he said that being the top seed in the East was the "goal", but the "priority" is to be playing well down the stretch and be healthy/sharp heading into the playoffs. Well, what a change in approach. Theyve been obsessed with being the top seed since training camp. Now its about trying to rebuild your teams collective psyche, which wont be easy, but is doable. The talent is there to win the East, but the chemistry is off-kilter and Roy Hibbert needs a reality check. He is a defensive player who can block shots and rebound on both ends. Do what you do well, thats your strength, and play to it. Hes a quatenary or quinary offensive option in the grand scheme of things when hes on the floor. If they get him to buy into that, theyll be fine. Paul George and David West must have the ball in their hands a majority of the time, plain and simple. 5. STEVE NASH (Lakers): Congrats on becoming number-three on the NBAs all-time assists list last night. I watched the game versus the Houston Rockets and felt for him playing injured and in pain. Its ice to see him out there, though. What a career. Hell be a Hall of Famer. Itll be interesting to see if hes back next year for the Lakers for the final year of his contract, but its been a great run either way. ' ' '
