Carrier, a 19-year-old prospect, was selected in the secon

WASHINGTON -- Dwight Howard played the role of NBA rain delay entertainer, playing one-on-one with some kids from the front row and playfully rejecting their shots. Maybe a baseball team should borrow him the next time some summer storms are in the forecast. The pair of stoppages, due to a leak in the Verizon Center roof on a rainy day, would have been more than enough to make the game memorable, but why stop there? Lets have Howard and his heavily favoured team play like gangbusters each time the water was mopped up. Then blow a 25-point lead. Then come from five down in the fourth quarter to win it. Yep, that Houston Rockets 114-107 win over the Washington Wizards on Saturday night was somethin else altogether. "The craziest game ever?" Howard said. "Yeah, I would say that." Long after the delays of 35 and 22 minutes, James Harden tied the score with a driving layup with 2:33 to play, then gave the Rockets the lead again -- this time for good -- with a three-point play with 1:54 remaining. He finished with 25 points to lead the Rockets, who made only four field goals in the final period yet closed with a 17-5 run. "It was a long game," Harden said. "A leakage in the court. Ive never been a part of something like that before." Neither had Howard, who ran the gamut of good and bad. He did the most to keep the fans engaged during the interruptions in play, signing an autograph or two and playing with the youngsters. The crowd reacted with exaggerated gasps when Howard would slap a shot in the seats -- "They told me to protect the house," Howard joked -- and cheered when one of the kids scored. "Ive got to work on my defence," Howard deadpanned, "if I want to get defensive player of the year." Howard also dominated the game well into the second half before falling apart in the fourth quarter, committing four turnovers and missing both of his field goals and all four free throw attempts. He finished with 23 points. "I did OK," Howard said. "I think in the second half I didnt finish like I needed to. I wasnt as aggressive as I was in the first half." Terrence Jones added 19 points and 17 rebounds, and Jeremy Lin added 18 points and eight assists for the Rockets, who are 1-1 halfway through a four-game road trip. John Wall led Washingtons comeback and finished with 23 points and 10 assists, Trevor Ariza had 23 points and 14 rebounds, and Kevin Seraphin -- another catalyst in Washingtons surge -- had all of his season-high 18 points in the second half. The Wizards lost their fourth straight home game and fell to 2-14 against teams that are currently .500 or better. "Now I wish they would have just cancelled it," Washington coach Randy Wittman said. The leak caused the officials to hit the pause button 9 seconds into the second quarter and again at the start of the second half. Trash cans and an array of towels were spread at the midcourt line close to the scorers table. Several people were in the rafters, apparently trying to solve the problem. The wet mess was an obvious black eye for the Wizards franchise, and the team seemed intent on matching it with their play. After shooting 62 per cent in the first quarter, Washington made only 6 of 24 field goal attempts (25 per cent) for the rest of the half. The Rockets went on a 34-13 run to seemingly break open a tie game after the first delay. The towels and trash cans reappeared after halftime. Wittman said the leak was finally stopped after a tarp was laid on the arenas roof. The Rockets, already with a 17-point lead, again were able to get themselves in gear faster than the Wizards, going on a 15-7 run after the restart. But the Wizards eventually regrouped and came back. Then the Rockets came back. The wet floor never did. "Obviously weve had a lot of rain here," Wittman said. "And obviously theres a hole up there somewhere." NOTES: The Rockets are 11-3 against the Eastern Conference; the Wizards are 3-9 against the West. ... Houston F Chandler Parsons missed his third consecutive game with a sore right knee. ... Washington has lost seven of eight at home, another frustration for Wittman. "We just go out and play like its an AAU game," the coach said. Cheap Vapormax China . -- Coyotes coach Dave Tippett thinks of one thing when he watches Eastern Conference teams struggle against Western opponents before they get to Phoenix: His team must keep pace. White Vapormax Cheap . His absence against the Celtics comes a day after he scored 43 points in the Heats 100-96 win at Cleveland. http://www.cheapvapormaxtrainers.com/ . -- The Phoenix Coyotes have won three in a row for the first time in 4 1/2 months, and theyve done it just in time for the stretch run to the playoffs. Cheap Vapormax For Sale . Rockhold." Known as an aggressive striker, Belfort (23-10) instead paced himself as the engaged in the early going and showed restraint by not overcommitting against the larger Rockhold (10-2). But when the opportunity presented itself, Belfort delivered an incredible spinning heel kick that landed flush on Rockholds chin and sent him toppling to the floor. Cheap Nike VaporMax Moc 2 . Louis Cardinals have agreed to a one-year contract.The first major trade domino has fallen. Ryan Miller and Steve Ott have been traded to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Jaroslav Halak, Chris Stewart, William Carrier, a first-round draft pick in 2015 and a conditional third-round draft pick in 2016. The Sabres scratched both Miller and team captain Ott ahead of Friday nights home game against the San Jose Sharks. Neither player was on the ice for the teams warm-up at the First Niagara Center. "The thought of getting the grit and determination of a player like Steve Ott and obviously Ryan Millers resume speaks for itself, we think this gives us a better opportunity for success this year," said Blues general manager Doug Armstrong. The Sabres currently sit last in the NHL with a 17-34-8 record and are believed to be poised to move several veteran pieces in an effort to add future assets. The conditional third-round pick in 2016 would become a first-round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft if Miller re-signs with the Blues or St. Louis makes it to the 2014 Western Conference Final. However, should that pick become a first-rounder, the Blues would then acquire the Minnesota Wilds second-round pick (which Buffalo acquired as part of the return for Jason Pominville) as well as the Sabres own 2014 third-rounder. If the Blues dont reach the Western Conference Final but sign Miller after the 2014 NHL Draft has taken place, then Buffalo would receive a 2016 second-round pick. Buffalo also retained a portion of Millers salary in the trade, according to a report on the teams official web site. Both Miller and Ott will join the Blues in Phoenix and are expected to be available for Sundays game against the Coyotes. The 33-year-old Miller has posted a 15-22-3 record with the Sabres this season, with a 2.72 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. Originally selected in the fifth round (138th overall) by the Sabres at the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, Miller has spent his entire 11-year NHL career in Buffalo, posting a 284-186-1-56-28 record with a 2.60 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. Miller is in the final year of a five-year deal worth an average annual value of $6.25 million that he signed with the Sabres prior to the 2009-10 season. "I got to know some of the (Blues) with (USA Hockey)," Miller said during a news conference in Buffalo after the deal was announced. "They have a very strong competitive spirit, so I look forward to joining that group." Ott, 31, has appeared in 59 games with the Sabres this season, scoring nine goals and 11 assists. He is in the final year of a four-year, $11.8 million contract and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Ott was selected in the first round (25th overall) of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars and played nine seasons in Dallas before being traded to Buffalo in 2012. In 673 career games with the Sabres and Stars, Ott has scorred 103 goals and 161 assists while racking up 1,318 penalty minutes.dddddddddddd "Im really excited to have this opportunity with St. Louis," said Ott. "My dream and my biggest goal is to have a chance at a Stanley Cup." Halak, 28, has appeared in 40 games with the Blues this season recording a 24-9-4 record, with a 2.23 goals against average and a .917 save percentage. He is currently in the final year of a four-year, $15 million contract he signed prior to the 2010-11 season and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Halak was selected in the ninth round (271st overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens. He has appeared in 260 career games with the Blues and Canadiens, posting a 139-81-26-29 record with a 2.38 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. The Slovakian has represented his country on numerous occasions including the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, where he backstopped his team to a quarter-final upset over Sweden en route to a fourth-place finish. He played again at the recent Sochi Games where his team finished 11th. Speaking to Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Halak said. "(The trade) is still fresh. Youre getting a good goalie. Good luck in the playoffs." In 58 games with the Blues this season, Stewart has scored 15 goals and 11 assists. Currently in the first of a two-year deal he signed prior to this season, Stewarts contract carries an average annual value of $4.15 million. Originally drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round (18th overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Stewart has appeared in 377 career games with the Blues and Avalanche, scoring 115 goals and 113 assists. He was acquired by the Blues along with Kevin Shattenkirk and a second-round draft pick in the blockbuster deal that sent Erik Johnson, Jay McClement and a first round pick to Colorado in February, 2011. Carrier, a 19-year-old prospect, was selected in the second round (57th overall) by the Blues at the 2013 NHL Draft. The left winger has scored 17 goals and 39 assists in 59 combined games with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles and Drummondville Voltigeurs so far this season in the QMJHL. The Sabres now possess 10 combined picks in the first two rounds of the 2014 and 2015 Drafts. In addition to their own first- and second-round picks in 2014 they possess the Blues first-rounder, the Los Angeles Kings second-round pick (acquired in excahnge for Robyn Regehr) and the aforementioned Minnesota second-rounder. In addition to their own 2015 picks they also own the Kings second round pick (also obtained in the Regehr trade) and the New York Islanders second-rounder (acquired in the trade that sent Thomas Venk to Long Island). They also possess a conditional first from the New York Islanders - in either 2014 or 2015, to be determined by the Islanders - as part of the return for Vanek. ' ' '