DENVER -- Sitting quietly at his locker, Andre Miller tore the stat sheet into shreds and put the bits of paper in the trash. Mens Black Kendall Wright Elite Jersey . He knew that the last of his six turnovers cost the Denver Nuggets a potential game-tying shot in the final seconds. O.J. Mayo also was mad at himself for committing six turnovers, but at least he could take satisfaction -- and considerable satisfaction at that -- in his shooting touch. Mayo matched his season high with 22 points, including a critical 3-pointer in the closing seconds and the Memphis Grizzlies hung on to beat the Nuggets 94-91 on Sunday night to sweep the three-game regular-season series for the first time in their history. "I definitely did have it going," said Mayo, who came off the bench. "So mad, had so many turnovers. I know how important it is to take care of the ball when youre playing the one (position) and I failed in that area. Im happy it didnt cause us to lose." Mike Conley, who returned to play after suffering a cut above his right eye, had 13 points. Dante Cunningham added 12 points and Tony Allen 10 for the Grizzlies, who also snapped an eight-game losing streak in Denver. "O.J. was super. He carried us tonight," Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said. "He was the man. I was really upset with our guys early. I didnt take them out to rest them. I took them out because we werent competing like I thought we should. As soon as that other group came in, they got us back in the game. I could see I was going to need the bench a lot more tonight and they produced. It was good to see." Nene, Al Harrington and Corey Brewer each scored 15 for the Nuggets, who dropped to 2-2 on a season-high nine-game homestand. Memphis stretched its lead to 85-80 after Allen hit a 21-foot jumper with 6:20 remaining. But the Nuggets fought back to within a point at 88-87 when Ty Lawson connected on a 3-pointer with 2:55 left. The teams traded free throw shots over the next two minutes before Mayo drained a 3-pointer with 57 seconds remaining to put the Grizzlies up 94-89. Nene and Brewer each hit one of their two free throws in the final 40 seconds, pulling the Nuggets within three. After a Memphis miss, Denver rushed up the floor in the waning seconds but failed to get off shot after Miller lost the ball. "I just fumbled the ball, thats all," said Miller, who also had 14 points, three steals and seven assists. "In that case, you dont want to give the team an opportunity to set up on defence. I fumbled the ball and that was the game." Nuggets coach George Karl afterward had second thoughts about his strategy to push the ball upcourt immediately after Harrington rebounded Cunninghams missed shot with about 9 seconds remaining. "In hindsight, I should have called a timeout," Karl said. The bottom line for Karl, though, was that the Nuggets, who had 24 turnovers, committed too many giveaways, a thread that ran through all three of their losses to the defensive-minded Grizzlies. "We lose because we throw away too many possessions," Karl said. Memphis had 21 turnovers of its own, but still managed to come out on top. "This is a tough environment to play in, a tough team to play," Conley said of the Nuggets. "Theyve been playing very well. This is a huge win for us." Trailing 58-55 after Nene made a pair of free throws, Memphis went on a 14-1 tear to grab a 69-59 lead with 3:35 left in the third, their biggest lead to that point. But they lost Mike Conley during the surge, when he had to leave the game for the locker room to have a cut over his right eye treated. Conley returned early in the fourth quarter. The Nuggets got back into it with a 9-0 run of their own, capped by Arron Afflalos 20-foot jumper pulling Denver to within 69-68. Mayo hit a long jumper to stall Denvers momentum and the Grizzlies held a 73-70 lead going into the fourth. Denver led 53-50 at halftime, helped by Nene, who broke through for a pair of dunks and hit two free throws during the last 2:18 of the second period. Notes: The Nuggets Timofey Mozgov (left ankle), Kosta Koufos (left knee) and Rudy Fernandez (lower back) remain sidelined. ... Memphis has won 10 of its last 12 games. ... Denver was playing the first of five straight games against winning teams. Atlanta, Oklahoma City, Boston and Dallas are next. ... All three of Memphis wins over Denver this season were by three or fewer points. Bernard Pollard Elite Womens Jersey . - The Oakland Raiders have signed quarterback Trent Edwards and defensive tackles David Carter and Torell Troup to reserve/future contracts. Warren Moon Elite Womens Jersey . While Canadian women have stood on the Olympic podium in the sport, a Canadian man never has.DETROIT -- When Brad Ausmus was a player -- which wasnt that long ago -- the mental aspect of the game always came pretty easily. "I always enjoyed the cerebral part," Ausmus said. "It was much more difficult to hit -- that was the part of the game I didnt really enjoy." Perhaps it was inevitable that Ausmus would become a manager, and hell have that chance now. The Detroit Tigers hired the 44-year-old former catcher to replace Jim Leyland at the helm of the three-time defending AL Central champions. Ausmus has little managerial experience, and the Tigers will entrust him with a talented roster that is expected to keep right on winning. "Im well aware that you dont generally get dropped into a situation like I will be this coming season," Ausmus said. "I understand Im very fortunate. That being said, Im not taking anything for granted. No details will be glossed over. Im not assuming anything going into the job." Ausmus, who worked in the San Diego Padres front office as a special assistant to the general manager, emerged as Detroits pick less than two weeks after Leyland stepped down. He takes over a team that has reached the AL championship series three straight years and should be well positioned for another big season in 2014. The Tigers lost to Boston this year in the ALCS. "Were not going to re-invent the wheel here. This is a pretty darn good team," Ausmus said. "I think I would be foolish to come here and try to make sweeping changes." Ausmus managed Israels team for the World Baseball Classic, but hes inexperienced as a manager compared to some other potential candidates. Ausmus played in the majors from 1993-2010. The Tigers also interviewed Padres bench coach Rick Renteria and Los Angeles Dodgers third-base coach Tim Wallach -- as well as Tigers hitting coach Lloyd McClendon. Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski said hed planned to interview former Cincinnati Reds star Barry Larkin, but Larkin decided not to interview because he wasnt in a position to make the time commitment necessary for the job. If continuity was Detroits main concern, McClendon may have been the choice, but the Tigers acted a bit more boldly in hiring the Dartmouth-educated Ausmus, whose name also recently surfaced in connection with the Chicago Cubs job. "When we interviewed, we were -- not just me -- taken back at how impressive he was," DDombrowski said. Michael Griffin Jersey. "It really became quite clear for us, that he would do an outstanding job for us. It was probably not where I started, but its where we ended, and we feel very good about that." There will be one important holdover on Detroits coaching staff. Leylands bench coach, Gene Lamont, will remain in that role. Ausmus agreed to a three-year deal with a club option for 2017. Lamont agreed to a two-year deal. Ausmus is 24 years younger than the man hes replacing, and he inherits a roster with a high payroll and several big names, including Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera. Hell have a chance to win right away, and hell have to deal with high expectations. "Anybody you hire has some risk attached to it," Dombrowski said. "Even a veteran manager that you bring in with a new club, where they are in their life, theres risk attached to that." The contrasts with the 68-year-old Leyland are obvious, and Ausmus will have to prove he can guide this star-studded team through the inevitable rough patches -- but it wasnt long ago that Ausmus was on the other side of that player-manager relationship. He played in 1,971 games with four different teams. He played for the Tigers for part of the 1996 season, and again from 1999-2000. "Ive got to be me," Ausmus said. "Jim Leyland -- great, Hall of Fame manager. Im not going to be Jim Leyland. I would never make an attempt to be Jim Leyland. Im going to be who I am." Detroit is one of at least three teams with first-time major league managers who should have a chance to win right away in 2014. The Washington Nationals hired Matt Williams to replace Davey Johnson. The Cincinnati Reds, who fired Dusty Baker after a 90-win season, went with pitching coach Bryan Price as their new manager. Ausmus is the latest former player to take over a contending team with little managerial experience. Mike Matheny succeeded Tony La Russa in St. Louis after the Cardinals won the World Series in 2011, and Matheny reached the NL championship series in 2012 and won the National League pennant this year. Former New York Yankees star Don Mattingly is the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team the Cardinals beat in the NLCS this season. "I was just playing the game three years ago," Ausmus said. "I have a pretty good understanding of how the locker room dynamic is." ' ' '
