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HOUSTON - Josh Smith has been a nice addition to the contending Houston Rockets and simply ignores those who credit Detroits recent success to his release. Hector Moreno Jersey .After all, the Rockets have been doing just fine lately, too.The Pistons have gone 11-2 since he was let go in the second season of a four-year, $54 million contract, causing some to throw around the phrase addition by subtraction when discussing their recent turnaround.It didnt upset me, Smith said. People have opinions and talk about things in the media that they dont necessarily personally know anything about. So you really cant let that affect whats going on.The 29-year-old forward still communicates with a number of the Pistons and is pleased to see them doing well after their early season struggles. He added that many of his detractors dont know the true story of what happened in Detroit.They made decisions that they thought was beneficial to their team, he said. I wish them nothing but success, but Im just focusing on what I can do to help this team win games.The negativity certainly hasnt slowed him down with Houston, where hes averaged 10.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 14 games.He started four games early, but acknowledged that he needed more time to adjust to his new team and has thrived since moving into a reserve role, averaging almost 12 points in those games.The Rockets have gone 6-3 in the nine games in which hes come off the bench after starting and they entered Sundays game 28-13 and in second place in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference. At this point, he isnt worried about returning to the starting lineup.For right now, this is whats having the team so successful, he said. Im all (for) doing what it takes for us to win. Im willing to do whatever it takes.He called his opportunity in Houston a new beginning, and is feeling much more confident on the court now that hes had some time to adjust.It was very, very crazy, he said of his first few days with the Rockets. It was the first time in my career it happened and having to move everything and get myself acclimated to the team was an adventure, but it was also kind of nerve wracking. But everything is starting to smooth itself out.Coach Kevin McHale is pleased that the Rockets were able to add a veteran player of Smiths calibre to a team that already has stars Dwight Howard and NBA leading-scorer James Harden.Josh brings an ability to handle the ball, pass the ball. Hes a good distributor. He breaks people down off the dribble, McHale said. So I think Josh is getting a little more comfortable with what were doing and I think hes going to continue to help us.Smith is happy in Houston where hes been reunited with Howard, a childhood friend and AAU teammate who was the best man in his wedding.This is a guy that Ive known since preschool and for us to be able to play together at the highest level of basketball, its definitely a blessing, Smith said, and were relishing the moment and maximizing our potential as much as possible while were together.And Houstons big man is the first to take up for Smith when it comes to the situation in Detroit, where he was averaging 13.1 points a game before his release.That team is playing pretty good basketball right now, but so are we, Howard said. Hes been a great piece for us and a great addition. You cant really focus on what everybody else is saying, all you can do is control what you do on the floor.Howard is no stranger to criticism himself after his tumultuous season with the Lakers where there were rumblings that he had problems with Kobe Bryant.When you leave somebody, the first thing they want to do is try to figure out all your flaws and try to expose them to the world, Howard said. In this profession, youve got to understand that and not allow that to affect your mind. Mario Osuna Jersey .com) - Guard Greivis Vasquez and forward Patrick Patterson, two key pieces to the Toronto Raptors run to an Atlantic Division title in 2013-14, were both given qualifying offers by the team on Saturday. Pablo Barrera Jersey . As their best player continued to orchestrate his dramatic exit from the club, the Whitecaps added size and creativity at Thursdays Major League Soccer SuperDraft. http://www.soccermexicojerseysteamshop.com/gerardo-flores-mexico-jersey/ .com) - Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau has been selected as the NHLs Rookie of the Month for December, the league announced Friday.ARLINGTON, Texas -- Brock Osweiler wont play a meaningful snap for the Denver Broncos until Peyton Manning gets hurt or retires. The third-year quarterback is closer to ready for that role than hes ever been. Osweiler led four scoring drives in an efficient final tuneup for a third year behind Manning, and the Broncos beat the Cowboys 27-3 Thursday night, sending Dallas to the fifth winless preseason in franchise history. Drafted by John Elway to be groomed as Mannings replacement, Osweiler had his best preseason yet, engineering eight scoring drives in four games and completing 29 of 49 passes for 416 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. "Coach (John) Fox has a saying, If youre not getting better, youre getting replaced, so that sat with me pretty hard since my rookie year," Osweiler said after directing three drives that ended in rushing touchdowns. "I was very happy with things, but this is a business where you consistently have to keep getting better, and thats what were going to do." With Manning and Dallas Tony Romo watching in uniform from the sidelines, Osweiler played three quarters, completing nine of 13 for 190 yards without an interception. "Hes matured so much in our system," Fox said. "Hes gotten those live games reps that are so critical in a quarterbacks development. I think he showed pretty well again tonight." Romos backup, Brandon Weeden, came out before halftime of his second ragged game in four preseason outings. He was 6 of 12 for 75 yards with an interception that set up Denvers first touchdown. The Cowboys (0-4) didnt make the playoffs in three of their other four winless preseasons and are trying to avoid matching a club record with a fifth straight year of missing the post-season. While Jerry Jones said he was concerned, he recalled his first season as owner in 1989 when he had fired coach Tom Landry. Dallas was unbeaten going into a preseason game against Denver and Broncos coach Dan Reeves, who played for Landry. "He was hot about coach Landry and those things that had been done here with the Cowboys," Jones said. "He left Elway all the way through the whole game and we played into overtime ... so we didnt go undefeated. And we won one football game the whole season.. Andres Guardado Jersey. So much for the preseason." Kapri Bibbs, a running back on the roster bubble, rushed for two second-half scores for the Broncos (3-1). "I think this was a game that was very important for young guys like me to go out there and give it your all and leave it all out there on the line," said Bibbs, who averaged 4.6 yards on seven carries. "Make the decisions for the coaches even harder and make the other NFL coaches take a look. It was real good." The Broncos shared most of their running plays between running backs expected to make the team in C.J. Anderson and Juwan Thompson. The Cowboys sat their top four runners and handed the ball to guys who might not be around after final cuts Saturday. Anderson got the heaviest load with 14 carries for 33 yards and a 1-yard touchdown set up by Osweilers 34-yard pass to a leaping Andre Caldwell near the goal line. One of the Dallas backs was Phillip Tanner, who wasnt re-signed by the Cowboys after spending his first three years with them. Tanner was cut by the Colts last week, so the Cowboys officially added him earlier Thursday just to get through the game. He led Dallas with 26 yards. As expected, Denver defensive end DeMarcus Ware didnt play in his first trip to Dallas since the Cowboys franchise sacks leader was released and signed with the Broncos in March. Ware had a long pregame chat on the field with Jason Witten, the Dallas tight end who interrupted Wares conference call with reporters this week for some playful trash talk. Weeden led a 74-yard drive to a field goal, but was off the mark on several throws and had just one first down in three other possessions. Several Dallas defensive starters got a few snaps, but Henry Melton wasnt one of them. The Cowboys changed their plan to get their free agent tackle his first preseason action before the opener, taking the safe route instead with his groin injury. Melton hasnt played since a torn knee ligament ended his final season in Chicago in Week 3 last year. NOTES: To make room for Tanner, Dallas waived CB B.W. Webb, a fourth-round pick last year. ... The Broncos sacked third-string Dallas QB Dustin Vaughan four times. ... New Denver K Brandon McManus was 2 of 4 with misses from 52 and 54 yards. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '