WASHINGTON -- An already rough-and-tumble playoff series between the Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls now has a full-blown fracas, an ejection and a Game 4 suspension for Nene. What everyone will be watching when these clubs meet Sunday, with Washington leading the Eastern Conference series 2-1, is just how physical the play will get -- and whether things will escalate again. "Weve had scuffles all three games, basically. Youve got to make sure we dont lose our composure, where we get thrown out of the game like that. It doesnt matter who it is, we cant afford that," Washington coach Randy Wittman said after the Wizards loss Friday night. "So weve just got to do a better job. Hey, its very emotional. Emotional game, tough game." Nene was tossed with about 8 1/2 minutes left in the fourth quarter after wrapping both hands around the back of Jimmy Butlers head and neck as they stood so close their foreheads touched. Rod Thorn, the NBAs president of basketball operations, announced Saturday that Nene had been suspended one game without pay for head-butting and grabbing Butler "around the neck with both hands and attempting to throw him down." Butler made two key 3-pointers from there, helping the fourth-seeded Bulls win 100-97. "When you play physical ... things get hot," Nene said with a smile and a shrug Friday. During Washingtons victory at Chicago in Game 2, some lesser contretemps led to a total of four players getting called for technical fouls: Washingtons Bradley Beal and Trevor Ariza, and Chicagos Kirk Hinrich and Joakim Noah. So neither club seemed all that surprised at the rising temperature in Game 3. "Hes a guy, just like each one of us, hes a guy with a big ego," Wizards centre Marcin Gortat said about Nene. "Theres nobody in this locker room whos going to be pushed around like that. And thats just how he reacted. Does he deserve two technical fouls? I dont know. But at the end of the day, he got kicked out and we had to play without him." Added Beal: "It gets to the point where you just get pushed to the limit way too much, and I think Nene got pushed to the limit. Do we agree with what he did? Not necessarily, but he did it and we cant take it back." Noah, who has spent plenty of time jostling with Nene in the low block, called the ejection a "turning point" of Fridays game. Indeed, not only did Nene average a team-high 20.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in Washingtons wins in Games 1 and 2, but the teams entire approach changes when the 6-foot-11 Brazilian is on the floor. He provides big-body defence and soft-hands passing. He can score and rebound. Hes so influential that John Wall, Washingtons All-Star point guard, has called him the "X-factor." During the regular season, Washington won two of three games from Chicago, but lost at home 96-78 on April 5 without an injured Nene. The Wizards scored 26 points in the first half. As for what Game 4 would mean without Nene, Noah said Saturday before the official announcement, "Im not sure. I dont think it changes our mindset, though. Its a crucial game for us. All three games really came down to the end. Attention to detail is huge. The game in these situations is so mental. For us, its just about staying focused on the things that we can control." Asked whether he thought Nenes actions warranted a suspension, Noah said, "As a player, those arent things I can control. The only thing I can control right now is eating lunch and ice baths and sleeping and shooting free throws and things like that." All three games so far have been won by the visiting team, a pattern the Bulls would love to see continue Sunday, of course. "I cant tell you why thats happened," Wizards forward Trevor Ariza said. While Washingtons offence is particularly dependent on young guards Wall and Beal, the Bulls found some new sources of much-needed offence in Game 3: Mike Dunleavy scored 35 points, one shy of his NBA high, and Butler finished with 15, including a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 24 seconds to go. Wittman will want to come up with a way to change that Sunday, of course. What is not likely to change is the testy nature of this matchup. "It gets chippy," Bulls forward Taj Gibson said. "But youve got to be smart. Its playoff basketball. You can get ejected; you can get suspended. Youve got to keep your hands to yourself." Gary Zimmerman Womens Jersey . The visitors missed a host of good chances to win the game, and were left to rue substitute Ivo Ilicevics strike against the crossbar in the 86th minute, when he only had the goalkeeper to beat. Von Miller Authentic Jersey . PAUL, Minn. http://www.broncosonlinenfl.com/broncos-tom-jackson-navy-blue-jersey/ . The Blueshirts hope to stay alive once again when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins in Sundays Game 6 battle at Madison Square Garden. Emmanuel Sanders Authentic Jersey .com) - Semyon Varlamov more than earned his third shutout of the season as he made a career-high 54 saves to lift the Colorado Avalanche to a 2-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. Peyton Manning Jersey . And follow TSN.ca right through Wednesdays 3pm et trade deadline for all the updates. Blue line help for Red Wings? In addition to what he reported in Insider Trading, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun wrote on ESPN.NASHVILLE -- General manager David Poile hopes he sent the strongest message possible by making the first coaching change in Nashvilles history: missing the playoffs is not acceptable for the Predators. Poile announced Monday that Barry Trotz, the NHLs longest tenured head coach with one team, would not be back for a 16th season after the Predators missed the post-season for a second straight year. A few hours later, Poile said at a news conference a few hours later that wont get it done. "This is a wakeup call for everybody in our organization," Poile said. "Its a wakeup call for me. Get out of your comfort zone. Its going to be different here. Theres going to be a new coach in charge. ... Its going to be a difference voice and its going to be a different direction. And hopefully ... the foundation Barrys presented here for the next coach will take us to a higher level." Trotzs contract expires June 30, and the Predators offered him a job in their hockey operations department. The two-time Jack Adams finalist made it clear in a very emotional news conference before Poile spoke that he appreciated the offer but wants to keep coaching. "I love Nashville, but now Im going to have to beat you," Trotz said with a smile. Poile refused to put a timetable on hiring a new coach or what type coach he wants. This will be his first search since hiring Trotz in August 1997 when the Predators were gearing up for the expansion franchises debut season in 1998-99. Trotz said he had not been contacted by any other teams when he spoke to reporters, but Poile said he will let the coach out of his contract instantly for another coaching job. Predators captain Shea Weber said the only NHL coach hes ever played for wont be out of a job long. "His resume speaks for itself," Weber said. Still, missing the playoffs for consecutive seasons for the first time since 2001-02 and 2002-03 was too much for a franchise that needs to reach the post-season to sell tickets and generate crucial revenue. "We didnt win this year, we didnt win last year," Trotz said. "Theres no excuse. I expect us to be in the playoffs, the Nashville Predators expect us to be in the playoffs.dddddddddddd We didnt make it this year, so Im good with it." Trotz said losing goaltender Pekka Rinne, a two-time Vezina Trophy finalist, for 51 games to an E. coli infection in his surgically repaired left hip "blew a hole" through the Predators this season. Poile said having a healthy Rinne or even two more shootout wins after going 2-9 would have gotten Nashville into the playoffs. Poile said that would have at least delayed this coaching change. But the general manager noted that hes been thinking about needed changes since the Predators missed what both he and Trotz thought was their best chance at a Stanley Cup in 2011-12. That team lost 4-1 to Phoenix in the Western Conference semifinals. Trotz coached 1,196 games with Nashville, second only to Greg Popovich of the NBAs San Antonio Spurs for longest active coaching tenure in the four major sports. He is the only NHL coach to take his team to the playoffs in seven of eight seasons between 2003-04 and 2011-12, which included two conference semifinals. He was 19-31 in the post-season. But the Predators have been in transition since losing defenceman Ryan Suter to Minnesota as a free agent in July 2012 and matching a 14-year, $110 million offer sheet to keep Weber. Poile said hes been rebuilding the Predators "on the fly" over the past year. He said upcoming changes will not include Weber, who will remain with the Predators. With the lockout shortening the season, the Predators posted their first losing record (16-23-9) since 2002-03. Nashville spent more than $36 million on five free agents last July. Goalie Carter Hutton did post 20 wins in Rinnes absence, but the rest of the spending spree didnt produce the offence they wanted. With Rinnes hip keeping him sidelined, they finished 10th in the West going 38-32-12 with 88 points. "In the end, its our fault he got fired," said forward Patric Hornqvist, "and obviously thats a huge responsibility for us and we have to be better next year." Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '