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LOS ANGELES -- Clippers guard Jamal Crawford will be named the NBAs Sixth Man of the Year for the second time in his career, a league official with knowledge of the award said. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the league hasnt announced the award. Crawford was the Clippers third-leading scorer and the NBAs top-scoring reserve with 18.6 points per game. He added 3.2 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game for the two-time Pacific Division champions. "Hes deserving of it," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "I dont know that theres a more lethal weapon in the league that you could bring off the bench." While starting just 24 of his 69 games this season, the shifty veteran guard had his highest scoring average since the 2009-10 season with Atlanta, where he won his first Sixth Man award. Crawford is the Clippers top perimeter threat, setting a franchise record with 161 3-pointers while making at least one 3-pointer in 63 games. The 6-foot-5 guard also finished ninth in the NBA by making 86.6 per cent of his free throws. Rivers believes Crawford will win the award for his all-around game, not just his shooting acumen. "Hes done this in the past, over the past couple years, where hes been so good offensively," Rivers said. "But I actually think he won it because I think voters saw him doing other things for the team -- playing defence, running the team at the point guard position when Chris Paul was out at times. Hes been the perfect utility player for a team. Hes been awesome." The 34-year-old Crawford has spent 14 NBA seasons with six teams, including lengthy stints with the Chicago Bulls and the New York Knicks. Although he once scored 52 points in a game and averaged more than 20 points per game during a season in New York, Crawford has carved out a career as a dependable rotation member with the Clippers for the last two years, delivering steady bench scoring and veteran leadership. Crawford likely would have received the award Tuesday night before the Clippers fifth playoff game against the Golden State Warriors, but the trouble surrounding Clippers owner Donald Sterling prevented it. Los Angeles leads the series 3-2 heading into Game 6 in Oakland on Thursday night. The Clippers are one win away from just their third playoff series victory in 33 years. Crawford is the fourth player to win the Sixth Man award twice in his career, joining Kevin McHale, Ricky Pierce and Detlef Schrempf. Crawford is the first to win it with two different teams. . Nick Holden scored two goals and had an assist and the Avalanche held off the Nashville Predators 5-4 Saturday night for their fourth straight victory. . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Tonight, Michigans Nik Stauskas of Mississauga, Ontario. http://www.bayernmunichfcstore.com/auth ... ch-jersey/. - Bryan Price sat down in the cushy chair. . According the CSNBayArea.com, the 31-year-old suffered an ACL injury in his right knee on Friday when he collided with Anaheims Emerson Etem during a pre-season game. .com) - The Carolina Panthers won for the first time in seven games last week, were without Cam Newton due to a car accident this week, but somehow sit atop the much-maligned NFC South.PARIS -- France coach Didier Deschamps has left Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri out of the squad of 23 players he plans to take to the World Cup. Monaco centerback Eric Abidal, Manchester City leftback Gael Clichy and Lyon playmaker Yoann Gourcuff were also overlooked. "Its not necessarily the 23 best French players, but its the best squad in my eyes to go as far as possible in this competition," Deschamps said. "The best solution was to give a list of 23 players right from the start, to create a good mindset, so there would be no sense of insecurity. "When you give a list of 30 players, you have about 15 players who could be worried about making the cut or not." Deschamps, who also named seven players on standby in case of injuries, doesnt need to communicate his 23-man squad to FIFA until June 2. Deschamps captained France to glory at the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Championship. He became the national coach in 2012. Nasri scored seven goals and had seven assists in the Premier League this season. But it was not enough to convince Deschamps. "Samirs performances with the France team were not at the level of his performances with his club," Deschamps said. "Hes an important player and a regular starter at Manchester City. Thats not the case today with the France team. "And he also said hes not happy when hes a substitute. I can tell you that you can feel it in the squad. Because of those two or three reasons, I decided not to select him in this squad." Nasri was hit with a three-match ban by the French Football Federation for his behaviour at the 2012 European Championship in Poland and Ukraine, where he aimed an expletive-laced tirade at a journalist after a 2-0 quarterfinal loss to Spain. The exclusion of Abidal and Gourcuff from the list was less surprising. Abidal proved a key player when France was the runner-up at the 2006 World Cup but he has lost his starting spot at Monaco in the past few of months, while Gourcuff had an injury-plagued season. "At the human level, living together for such a long time with players who have strong characters and personalities requires harmony and an ability to live together and make the common interest prevail," Deschamps said.dddddddddddd The entire France squad went on strike four years ago to protest the expulsion of Nicolas Anelka, who had insulted then coach Raymond Domenech during a 2-0 loss to Mexico at the World Cup in South Africa. The French federation punished Anelka and three players for their role in the mutiny. Anelka received an 18-match ban while Patrice Evra was suspended for five games, Franck Ribery for three and Jeremy Toulalan for a single match. "I dont pretend that nothing will happen," Deschamps said. "Things could happen, things will happen, but I hope it will be positive things." Deschamps will especially rely on Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery and Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba to go through the group stage. France will open its World Cup campaign against Honduras on June 15 before facing Switzerland and Ecuador in Group E. Les Bleus will warm up for the tournament in Brazil by playing against Norway, Paraguay and Jamaica in friendlies. -------- Squad: Goalkeepers: Mickael Landreau (Bastia), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Steve Mandanda (Marseille). Defenders: Lucas Digne (Paris Saint-Germain), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal), Eliaquim Mangala (Porto), Mamadou Sakho (Liverpool), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid), Mathieu Debuchy (Newcastle), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal). Midfielders: Blaise Matuidi (Paris Saint-Germain), Rio Mavuba (Lille), Paul Pogba (Juventus), Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle), Yohan Cabaye (Paris Saint-Germain), Clement Grenier (Lyon), Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille). Forwards: Loic Remy (Newcastle), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal), Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad). List of seven back-up players: Stephane Ruffier (Saint-Etienne), Loic Perrin (Saint-Etienne), Benoit Tremoulinas (Saint-Etienne), Morgan Schneiderlin (Southampton), Maxime Gonalons (Lyon), Remy Cabella (Montpellier), Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon). ' ' '