PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia 76ers forward Elton Brand is retiring, the NBA veteran announced Thursday.The Chicago Bulls?selected the Duke standout with the No. 1 pick of the 1999 NBA draft. Brand shared Rookie of the Year honors with Steve Francis for the 1999-2000 season. He played 17 seasons in the NBA and was in his second stint with the 76ers when he announced his decision to retire.?He averaged 15.9 points and 8.5 rebounds in 1,058 games with the Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks and Sixers.Brand was a two-time All-Star when he spurned better offers and signed an $82 million, five-year free-agent contract in 2008 with Philadelphia.He made the announcement Thursday at the Sixers training complex in Camden, New Jersey. Brand said playing in the NBA has been a wonderful journey. Its been an honor and a privilege.Brand had not played in the preseason. He will still collect $1 million from the Sixers. Cheap Custom Saints Jersey . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. Custom Saints Jerseys . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. http://www.customsaintsjersey.com/ . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. Cheap Saints Jerseys . Jason Zucker and Matt Cooke also scored for Minnesota, which has won five of six. Kuemper made five saves in the first, nine in the second, and nine in the third. The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side. Saints Jerseys China . The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said hed like to play the outfield. Yankees manager Joe Girardi says hes thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros.Liverpool, straight from their Europa League semi-final first-leg defeat against Villarreal, head to the Liberty Stadium on Sunday with the aim of securing European football for next season. They need to chase down West Ham in sixth to guarantee it and will be relying on the fine form of Daniel Sturridge, who has scored in six of his last seven Premier League appearances, including each of the last four.The 1-0 home victory over Chelsea nearly three weeks ago took Swansea to 40 points and seemingly a sixth straight season in the top flight. But back-to-back defeats at Newcastle and Leicester have left them with a bit of work still to do as Norwich and Sunderland could yet overhaul them and plunge them into the bottom three. Jurgen Klopp is impressed with Danny Ings as he nears his return to Liverpools first team Team news Alberto Paloschi is out with a hamstring injury Swansea are without striker Alberto Paloschi and midfielder Leroy Fer for Liverpools visit on Sunday.The pair have both picked up hamstring injuries and head coach Francesco Guidolin does not know if they will figure again this season.Jefferson Montero, Ki Sung-yueng and Bafetimbi Gomis are all vying for rare starts as Swansea seek to bounce back from successive away defeats at Newcastle and Leicester. Klopp issues Anfield warning Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp warns Villarreal about Anfield atmosphere after Europa League loss Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is likely to ring the changes for a game which kicks off 56 hours after they returned from their Europa League semi-final in Villarreal.Goalkeeper Danny Ward could get another start while striker Daniel Sturridge, an unused substitute in Spain, is set for a recall.Playmaker Philippe Coutinho should be recovered from the illness whichh forced him off at half-time on Thursday but is only likely to be on the bench.ddddddddddddpta statsThe Swans have kept six clean sheets in their last nine Premier League matches at the Liberty Stadium.Swansea didnt manage a single shot on target when they visited Anfield back in November, losing 1-0. James Milner scored from the spot for Liverpool against Swansea earlier this season The Swans have converted just 31 per cent of their clear-cut chances in the Premier League this season; a league-low.Gylfi Sigurdsson has scored the most goals (11), had the most shots on target (30) and created the most goalscoring chances (54) for Swansea in the Premier League this season.Swansea have won just one of their nine Barclays Premier League meetings with Liverpool (drawn three, lost five), losing the last four in a row. Jurgen Klopp will be looking for a response from his side against Swansea Daniel Sturridge has scored four goals in four Premier League starts for Liverpool against Swansea.Sturridge has scored in six of his last seven Premier League appearances (six goals), including each of the last four.Liverpool have scored 17 goals in their last six Premier League away games. Gylfi Sigurdsson celebrates scoring against Man Utd Liverpool have lost a league-high 19 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season.Mersons predictionsLiverpool dont need this game. Swansea were atrocious against Leicester last week and really Liverpol should win 5-0. Jurgen Klopp has a big game against Villarreal to prepare for and its bigger than this. Sigurdsson is dangerous from set pieces Swansea will have a go and Liverpool, whoever they put out, will have a go as well. Theyre not going to go there and bore everyone to death, theyll go out and enjoy themselves.Swansea have got Gylfi Sigurdsson who can put the ball on a sixpence and Liverpool arent exactly going to be working on their set-pieces so Ill also go Ashley Williams first goalscorer.Paul predicts: Swansea 2-2 LiverpoolBettingLiverpool will want to bounce back from their Europa League disappointment when they take on Swansea on Sunday and Sky Bet make the Reds the 5/4 favourites to get the win with Swansea 21/10 and the draw trading at 12/5. Sky Sports football pundit Phil Thompson has tipped Daniel Sturridge to score the first goal in a 2-0 win at odds of 28/1.Take a look at the odds and other tips from our pundits here. ' ' '
