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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Greg Hardy will start the Carolina Panthers home opener Sunday against the Detroit Lions, coach Ron Rivera said Friday. Hardy missed practice Wednesday to meet with his attorney, but practiced for a second straight day. The defensive end was convicted July 15 of assault on a female and communicating threats, but is appealing. The teams franchise player, Hardy has not been suspended by the NFL or the Panthers despite his conviction following an altercation with his ex-girlfriend at his apartment in March. The league has stated it is waiting to see what happens in a jury trial set for Nov. 17 in Charlotte. Rivera acknowledged dealing with the Hardy situation -- which has received added attention this week after Ray Rice was cut by the Baltimore Ravens and suspended indefinitely by the NFL -- has been a distraction to players. "They want to talk about football," Rivera said. "They want to talk about who theyre playing. They want to talk about themselves. They want to see their pictures in the paper doing good things. That is the truth of the matter. Its hard. It really is. As a coach you want your guys to focus in on what they have to do." But Rivera said his team has handled the distractions well. Rivera said what is hardest to deal with is the "perception" the Panthers dont care about the issue of domestic violence, which he said couldnt be further from the truth. "We are trying to do things the right way," said Rivera, the NFL coach of the year last season. Hardy was unavailable for interviews Friday. Rivera reemphasized the team is following the leagues stance of waiting until the legal process is complete. He was found guilty in a bench trial, but under criminal procedure in North Carolina, lawyers can appeal that ruling. That basically gives Hardy a new trial where he is considered innocent until proven guilty. "Its a tough situation and a set of circumstances," Rivera said. "We are in a process, as weve said, and we are letting the process play out. ... Were not trying to do anything below board, we are trying to go through the process as we understand it. We are going to do the best we can." Theres a chance the jury trial may be pushed back to next year due the cases pending ahead of it in the legal system, Hardys attorney Chris Fialko recently said. By that time, Hardy may be an unrestricted free agent as his current one-year, $13.1 million contract expires after the season. Rivera said in the meantime the focus is on football. He said Hardy, who had four tackles and a sack in last weeks 20-14 win over Tampa Bay, doesnt appeared distracted on the field. "Greg gets on the practice field and hes full go," Rivera said. "Hes full blast 100 per cent. Football is football to him and he is focusing in on what needs to be done." NOTES: Running back DeAngelo Williams missed his second straight day of practice with a thigh injury and is questionable. Jonathan Stewart will start if Williams cant play. ... Rivera listed Cam Newton (ribs) as probable, but said theres "no doubt" the quarterback will start after practicing all week. ... Tight end Greg Olsen is probable after leaving practice early Thursday to be with his 2-year-old son, T.J., who is battling heart problems. Rivera said the youngster is doing much better but didnt share any details. .. In other injury news, reserve offensive lineman Garry Williams (hip) and linebacker Jason Williams (thigh) are questionable for Sunday. Air Max Scontate Online . 1 goaltender tonight when they conclude a four-game road trip versus the Winnipeg Jets. Scarpe Nike Air Max Scontate . - The Washington Redskins have signed free agent offensive lineman Mike McGlynn. http://www.italiaairmax.it/ . - Kentucky freshmen Stanley Boom Williams, Dorian Baker, Drew Barker and Tymere Dubose have been charged with disorderly conduct for their involvement with air pistol shots being fired near a residence hall on the South campus Sunday night. Air Max Outlet Online Italia . Pretty good hitting, too. Dan Haren pitched six innings and sparked the go-ahead rally with a single, leading Los Angeles to another win over the skidding Atlanta Braves, 4-2 on Tuesday night. Air Max Italia .com) - Joique Bells touchdown run in the fourth quarter gave the Detroit Lions a 20-14 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.DALLAS -- The Los Angeles Clippers have not tired of inflicting fourth-quarter pain on the Dallas Mavericks. The Clippers rallied from a 10-point deficit in the final period to beat the Mavericks 109-103 on Thursday night. Los Angeles has won all three meetings thus far, with second-half rallies in each game. Each meeting has also featured plenty of emotion. On Thursday, the teams combined for six technical fouls charged to players on the floor, three on each team. "We need to start playing like that more often, to tell you the truth," Chris Paul said after leading Los Angeles with 31 points, a night after going 0 for 12 in a two-point loss in New Orleans. "We knew it was going to be a playoff-type game. Theyre not just playing for their playoff lives; were trying to gear up for the playoffs, too." The Clippers got double-doubles from Blake Griffin (18 points, 13 rebounds) and DeAndre Jordan (16 points, 15 rebounds). Los Angeles maintained its one-game lead over Houston for third place in the Western Conference. Vince Carter scored 23 points off the bench for the Mavericks, going 4 for 5 on 3-pointers. Dirk Nowitzki had 21 points but only two in the fourth quarter. "Its tough. Its very frustrating," Carter said. "But we fought like hell to give ourselves a chance to win, and thats all you can do." Samuel Dalembert was questionable going into the game for Dallas because of a stiff back. He started, played 22 minutes and led the Mavericks with 11 rebounds -- all in the first half. The loss dropped Dallas a half-game behind Phoenix and into ninth place in the tight race for the final playoff berths in the West. The score was tied at 81 going into the final period before the Mavericks ran off the first 10 points. Los Angeles chipped away and tied it at 101 on a drive by Griffin. Dallas then committed a backcourt violation when a pass from Nowitzki back to Jose Calderon near midcourt went astray. Griffin followed with a spinning runner to give the Clippers the lead for good at 103-101. Griffin was pleased with the defence that he played on Nowitzki, who was 7 for 15 from the floor. ";For the past how many years, everything Ive heard is the things I couldnt do," he said.dddddddddddd. "One of the many things I cant do is play defence. "I take pride in the things I cant do. I just use that as motivation." The Clippers victory Thursday was their least dramatic in the series so far. They outscored the Mavericks 16-2 down the stretch to win by seven points in the first meeting on Jan. 5. Twelve days later, they rallied from 17 points down to win by two. A shoving match broke out early in the third quarter after the Mavericks brought the ball into the forecourt. Paul pushed Dallas Shawn Marion, who knocked into the Clippers Matt Barnes while falling over the end line. Barnes and Marion then had words, and Barnes shoved Marion. Paul, Marion and Barnes were all assessed technical fouls. "I just think its been a heated battle," Barnes said. "They had us down in the fourth three times, and theyre playing for the playoffs." Clippers coach Doc Rivers noted his team responded after Wednesday nights last-minute loss to the depleted Pelicans. "You could see our guys were fresh," Rivers said. "In a joking way, we should have been fresh because we didnt use a lot (Wednesday) night." The Mavericks are 3-3 on a franchise-record, eight-game homestand, having opened the stretch in seventh place with a 1 1/2-game cushion on ninth-place Phoenix. "Its basically the next game becomes the most important game of the year," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "Thats just how it is going to be, every one down the stretch." The Mavericks will then close the season with five road games among their final seven. That includes one more game against the Clippers, at Staples Center on April 3. "We have one more chance," Calderon said. "Hopefully, next week maybe we can beat these guys." NOTES: The Clippers J.J. Redick, out since early February with a back injury, said he hopes to return before the end of the season. . Nowitzki, a 91.8 per cent shooter from the free throw line going into the game, was 6 for 10, equaling his most misses this season. ' ' '