rebounds, finished with 14 points and six boards. Hick

BARCELONA, Spain -- Karim Benzema and Jese Rodriguez scored early to help Real Madrid ease to a 3-0 win at Getafe and restore a three-way tie for first place in the Spanish league on Sunday. Madrids win matched Barcelona and Atletico Madrids victories on Saturday to keep the trio level after 24 rounds, and 16 points clear of the nearest chaser Athletic Bilbao after it lost 2-1 to visiting Espanyol. With leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo serving the second of a three-game suspension, the 20-year-old Jese scored for a third straight round to get Madrid going in the fifth minute at Alfonso Perez Stadium. Benzema made it 2-0 from Angel Di Marias pass in the 27th, and midfielder Luka Modric added another goal from long range in the 66th. "The team played well from the start and the first goal made things easier for us at a ground that has always been difficult," Madrid goalkeeper Diego Lopez said. "We played in an effective manner knowing we needed to win." Also, Espanyol earned an entertaining win to deal Bilbao its first loss in 12 league games at its new San Mames Stadium, while Granada edged Real Betis 1-0 to leave the leagues bottom dweller 10 points from safety. Valencia goalkeeper Diego Alves saved Ivan Rakitics 63rd-minute penalty kick in a 0-0 draw at Sevilla with his team playing with 10 men. Both teams were left level on points with Espanyol and Levante at 12 points from fourth place and the last Champions League spot. Getafe, which never threatened Madrid, remained winless in nine straight rounds and four points from the relegation zone. While Getafe hasnt won in the league since November, Madrid hasnt lost in 14 rounds going back to October. Madrid again proved that even without the reigning Ballon dOr winner in Ronaldo it has more than enough talent in its star-studded squad to keep winning against the Ligas middling teams. Behind Ronaldos league-leading tally of 22 goals, Benzema has scored 14 times in the league for Madrid this season, while Jese has managed five goals in what is becoming a breakthrough season for the young forward. Jese took Ronaldos spot on the left side of the attack and used his pace to take Gareth Bales pass, move the ball to his right foot, and flick a shot just inside the far post. Benzema doubled the lead when he chested down Di Marias lobbed pass on the break before driving it under goalkeeper Miguel Moya. Modric finished Getafe off by sending a long shot off the turf and past the diving Moya. Espanyol forward Sergio Garcia scored his 10th league goal of the season with a solo effort in the sixth. After Carlos Gurpegui levelled for Bilbao in the 56th, Espanyol defender Diego Colotto used his knee to deflect in Simao Sabrosas corner kick in the 65th for the winning goal. Bilbao striker Aritz Aduriz was sent off with his second booking with three minutes left. "Athletic had more of the ball and pressed us, but we have our own playing style and are comfortable without the ball," Espanyol coach Javier Aguirre said. Aguirre said that with 34 points Espanyol was close to its goal of 42 points for the season, the mark it hopes will ensure it avoids the drop. Granada forward Francisco "Piti" Medina scored what proved to be the winner at Los Carmenes Stadium in the 31st when he controlled a long pass and slotted inside the post. Granada ended a three-game losing streak to move six points clear of the relegation zone. Both teams finished with 10 men after Granada substitute Dani Benitez got a straight red card for a bad foul on Jose "Nono" Delgado in the 79th, and Betis Antonio Amaya received his second booking in injury time. Betis is winless in 12 away league matches this season. It has one win and three losses under coach Gabriel Calderon, its third manager of the season. There were red cards too in the days goalless draw. Valencia defender Ricardo Costa sent off after two yellows in the 50th and Sevillas Denis Cheryshev was shown two yellow cards in injury time. Former Barcelona and Sevilla midfielder Seydou Keita debuted for Valencia when he came on as substitute. Authentic Brett Favre Jersey . The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the league hasnt announced the award. Crawford was the Clippers third-leading scorer and the NBAs top-scoring reserve with 18. Authentic Jack Crawford Jersey . After a 10-game skid, winning sure feels good. Atlantas third error in the last two innings allowed Jackie Bradley Jr. http://www.cheapfalconsjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-deadrin-senat-jersey .This one was bigger than most.Ben Roethlisberger and LeVeon Bell came up big in a game that Pittsburgh had to win Sunday, leading the Steelers to a 42-21 drubbing of the Cincinnati Bengals that left the AFC North race wide open. Authentic Eric Saubert Jersey . City has reached new heights under manager Manuel Pellegrini as they transition from big spending/immediate impact to perennial contender. Yaya Toures seeming discontent Tuesday may complicate that, as does the little issue of Financial Fair Play. Authentic Matt Bosher Jersey . Toronto announced the deal with the restricted free agent on Saturday. The terms were not disclosed.DENVER -- The Trail Blazers took Denvers best shot -- and the Nuggets took way too many errant shots thanks to Portlands stifling defence. Damian Lillard made up for the absence of fellow All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge by scoring 31 points in the Trail Blazers 100-95 win over the Nuggets on Tuesday night, including a pair of free throws and a layup in the closing minutes to help hold off Denvers fourth-quarter rally. "It was a difficult game," Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. "We did a lot of good things, made some big plays defensively to win it at the end. The offence kind of shut down in the fourth quarter but our defence stayed solid, and to get a win like this in Denver is something we needed to do." The Nuggets trimmed an 18-point deficit to two but couldnt catch the Blazers. Denver made just 37 of 103 shots, including 27 of 64 in the paint, and couldnt even find the rim at the line, missing 9 of 26 free throws. Lillard scored 12 points in the third quarter when it looked as if to the Blazers were headed for a blowout win, but he saved his biggest shots for late in the fourth. Lillards clutch shooting helped Portland overcome a terrific performance by Denvers J.J. Hickson, who pulled down a career-high 25 rebounds, including 15 on the offensive side. Hickson led the Nuggets to a 64-41 advantage on the glass, appearing as a reserve power forward after starting 52 games at centre this season. "Twenty-five boards is exciting, but the win would have been more exciting," Hickson said. The Blazers again went with a smaller lineup with Aldridge missing his fourth straight game with a strained left groin, and Dorell Wright helped make up for Aldridges team-high 23.9 points and 11.4 rebounds by giving Denver another long-range shooter to defend. As Nuggets coach Brian Shaw said before tip-off when talking about Aldridges absence, "Theres a big sigh of relief that you dont have to deal with that, but at the same time it just creates a different type of problem: Theyre one of the best -- if not the best -- 3-point shooting teams in the league. Theyre the best free-throw shooting team in the league. Theyre the highest-scoring team in the league." Six Blazers scored in double figures, including Nicolas ;Batums 16 points.dddddddddddd Aldridge averaged 34.5 points in the Blazers two earlier games against Denver this season and the Trail Blazers missed him in the fourth quarter when it was tougher to close this one out than they had expected when they surged to a 79-61 lead in the third. Randy Foye led Denver with 17 points. Denver again was without Ty Lawson, who leads the Nuggets with averages of 18 points and 8.8 assists. Hes missed seven straight games with a broken rib. Shaw also made a big change with his big man, starting 7-foot-1 Timofey Mozgov at centre in place of Hickson, a natural power forward pressed into duty at centre after JaVale McGee fractured his left tibia five games into the season. Hickson filled in admirably, averaging 11.4 points and 9.2 boards, but he shot just 52 per cent from the free-throw line, and Shaw said that "affected his confidence rolling to the basket aggressively and running the floor because maybe he doesnt want to get fouled." Mozgov, who was averaging 8.6 points and 5.8 rebounds, finished with 14 points and six boards. Hickson scored 16 points. Hickson said he was much more comfortable going back to power forward. "It just felt good to play my natural position," he said. He didnt seem bothered coming off the bench, either. "I dont know how many minutes I played, but I definitely played starters minutes tonight," said Hickson, who played just under 30 minutes. "So, coming off the bench or starting, people always tell me its not who starts, its who finishes and tonight, coach made the call to let me finish and that shows he has a lot of confidence in me still." Evan Fourniers pair of free throws with just over four minutes remaining capped a 15-2 run that pulled Denver to 86-84. Lillard ended the drought with a pair of free throws. After back-to-back buckets by Denvers Kenneth Faried, Lillard hit a finger-roll layup for a 92-88 lead, and the Nuggets never got any closer. "When youre in a situation like that, youve just got to find a way to get it done," Lillard said. NOTES: Blazers F Thomas Robinson played just 14 minutes and had a wrap on his left knee after the game. Stotts said he had no information on the injury. ' ' '