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DAngelo Russell had to say something. After all, his favorite player was right there, standing a few feet away, on the same court -- someone he had studied for years, devouring countless hours of footage, then rewinding and playing it again before trying to mimic it on the court.For years, Russells friends and family couldnt quite understand his adoration. The player he had long admired wasnt one of the NBAs biggest stars. He didnt play for a major-market team. He didnt even start.To Russell, none of that mattered, and when the games action paused for a pair of free throws during one of their matchups last season, the Los Angeles Lakers point guard, then a rookie, made his move and approached his idol the same way a fan might.Man, Russell told Spurs guard Manu Ginobili.?Its a pleasure to be out here with you.Russell cant remember what Ginobili said in return, but for Russell, the moment was cool enough.I was like, Damn, he said, because he was one of my favorite players growing up.Growing up in Louisville, Kentucky, Antonio Russell Jr., like many his age, pledged allegiance to Kobe Bryant, but when it came time to pick sides, his younger brother went in a different direction.He used to tell me that his favorite player was Manu Ginobili, Antonio Jr. said. He always used to be like, Manu Ginobili, Manu Ginobili, Manu Ginobili.Antonio Jr.s response: Whoa.For years, Antonio Russell Sr. considered his 6-foot-5 son to be a blend of Jalen Rose and Lamar Odom, two left-handers with size who could handle the ball and do a bit of everything. He soon noticed that DAngelo just wasnt as interested in those players -- or anyone else -- as he was in Ginobili, an acrobatic lefty with court vision and, above all, a fearless nature.As time went on, I saw him pattern his game [after him] and doing the things that Ginobili does, Antonio Sr. said.DAngelo Russell studied film of Ginobili, trying to learn whatever he could.Yeah, basically everything Ginobili did, said Jamie Johnson, a childhood friend. He tried to watch how Ginobili moved off the ball -- just everything, as far as IQ-wise too, because Ginobili, of course, isnt the fastest guy. [DAngelo] understood that he wasnt fast either, so he tried to find players that were similar to him.Thats perhaps the largest reason Russell came to admire Ginobili so much: He believed Ginobilis style was one that he could emulate because their bodies, athleticism and skill sets seemed similar.See, its different when you ask who your favorite player was. You can say those American guys who made their name, like Kobe and Allen Iverson and Shaq and all those types of guys, he said. But I really look at it and say, if I could model my game after somebody [it would be Ginobili].Russell explained further by saying that if a player wanted to emulate, say, Dwyane Wade, he might focus more on pump-faking and midrange jumpers. If that player liked Bryant, precision footwork would be a priority. It depends what suited that specific player.You try to go to what youre accustomed to, he said. And Manu was never as athletic, but he could really pass the ball. He could score the ball, and he was just so unpredictable, and he was a lefty, so he was a player that I really prided myself on being.Throughout Russells youth, it seemed the Spurs were always in the NBA Finals, and Ginobili always seemed to be making a huge impact as a spark off the bench, helping San Antonio win four championships after he joined the team in 2002. For years, Russell followed the wily Argentinian, wondering how Ginobili remained so comfortable as a backup and seemed so ready coming into games, so bursting with energy.When he gets in the game, its like, the whole persona of the game just changes, he said. I was like, man, if I can pride myself into being like that, just being a guy thats so unpredictable that even at the age hes at now [39], hes so hard to guard.More than that, Russell said Ginobili was one of the first players to popularize the Eurostep dribble.Ever since then, everybody really started doing it, he said.As a rookie, Lakers staffers showed Russell footage of Ginobili, particularly how the Spurs ran plays to get him the ball -- a film assignment that didnt take much coaxing.He was just, like, so fiery, and he makes winning plays, and hes so unpredictable, so its hard for teams to scout him, he said.Russell hopes to develop all those traits, but theres one, above all, that he wants from his idol.Just the energy he has, he said. When he gets in the gym, I dont know, hes always ready. Its hard to come off the bench and be ready all the time. Hes always ready, and thats a skill. Blake Martinez Super Bowl Jersey .C. - The Carolina Hurricanes have placed backup goalie Anton Khudobin on injured reserve with an unspecified lower-body injury. Marcedes Lewis Super Bowl Jersey . -- Its been a long road back for Sean Bergenheim. http://www.officialgreenbaypackerspro.com/Clay-matthews-packers-jersey/ . -- Jonathan Drouin gave Halifax the boost it needed to edge host Sherbrooke Phoenix 3-2 in a shootout in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Paul Hornung Super Bowl Jersey . LOUIS -- Alexander Steen scored a power-play goal with 59. Kevin King Super Bowl Jersey .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. PHOENIX -- Kenta Maeda wasnt as sharp as he has been during his successful rookie season. But the right-hander from Japan was good enough to beat ace Zack Greinke and the Arizona Diamondbacks for the second time in less than two weeks.Maeda limited the Diamondbacks to a run on three hits over five innings, and the Los Angeles Dodgers held on for a 3-2 victory Friday night.Maeda (15-9) struck out six and has seven wins is his last 10 starts. He outdueled Greinke, a former Dodger who allowed only one earned run.My command was off in general today, and I wasnt able to get into my groove, Maeda said through a translator. I put a lot of pressure on the position players to pick up the slack.I just made my adjustments throughout the game.Greinke (12-7) gave up three runs on four hits, struck out four and walked four. The Dodgers lead in the NL West remained four games over second-place San Francisco.The Los Angeles bullpen held the Diamondbacks to three hits over four innings, with six relievers combining for six strikeouts. Closer Kenley Jansen gave up Chris Owings triple and a long sacrifice fly by Paul Goldschmidt in the bottom of the ninth, but got Jake Lamb to ground out into the defensive shift to end the game.Jansen set a career high in saves with his 45th, though his streak of nine straight scoreless outings ended.Reliever Joe Blanton walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth, but got pinch-hitter Rickie Weeks Jr. to hit into a force play to end the inning.The Dodgers scored twice off Greinke in the first inning. Chase Utley led off with a double and took third on a wild pitch. With one out, Justin Turner tripled to right field, just beating the relay throw with a slide, and came home on a passed ball.I got into some trouble early in the game, Greinke said. By then it was just about too late. After the first couple of batters I did as well as I could do.Maedas momentary lack of control in the bottom of the second helped the Diamondbacks get a run. Welington Castillo singled and Maeda walked Yasmany Tomas and Brandon Drury with one out. Mitch Hanigers fielders choice drove in Castillo, but Arizona stranded runners at the corners.With Kenta you can tell. When theres a rhyythm, hes getting ahead of guys with his fastball and throwing the slider .dddddddddddd. but hes around the zone and getting strikes, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. He didnt really have it until the fourth inning, so it was a grind for him. But he still found a way like he seemingly always does to give us a chance to win the baseball game.The Dodgers made it 3-1 in the fourth. Adrian Gonzalez scored from second base on a force when Jean Seguras throw to first for a double play got past Goldschmidt for an error. Howie Kendrick reached on the play.You cant make those mistakes in a game like this, Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said.The Dodgers escaped with a win despite issuing seven walks. The Diamondbacks left 11 runners on base.The offense was fine, Roberts said. You know Zack was going to bring his best to atone for his last start against us. I thought that we competed very well.Segura made up for his error, at least some, by flagging down a ball hit up the middle by Maeda that looked headed for center field and an RBI. Segura threw out Maeda to end the inning.The Diamondbacks put the first two batters on base in the sixth, but Dodgers reliever Josh Fields pitched out of the jam. Arizonas bullpen held Los Angeles to one hit over three innings, but the Diamondbacks four-game win streak ended.UFC, KNIGHT IN THE HOUSEUFC athletes Forrest Griffin (retired), Cub Swanson, Johnny Case and 2008 Olympic wrestling gold medalist Henry Cejudo, who is from Phoenix, took part in the ceremonial first pitch and met with fans before Fridays game.Also, former Indiana basketball coach Bob Knight attended, watching the game from a suite.UP NEXTDodgers: Bud Norris was originally the scheduled starter, but the Dodgers will go with rookie RHP Brock Stewart on Saturday. Stewart (1-2) beat the Diamondbacks on Sept. 7 and will be making his fifth start of the season. Norris will be available out of the bullpen.Diamondbacks: RHP Shelby Miller (2-11) faces the Dodgers for the seventh time in his career and the fifth start. He is 1-2 with a 7.02 ERA in his career against L.A. ' ' '