AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Josh Smith was booed when he went to the scorers table to check in, booed when he touched the ball and booed again when he went to the line to shoot free throws.Just over a month after Detroit waived the high-priced forward, Pistons fans gave him an unfriendly welcome when he returned to the Palace on Saturday night as a member of the Houston Rockets. Detroit beat Houston 114-101.Smith, who spent nine seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, was with the Pistons for less than a season and a half. He said the boos didnt bother him too much.That wasnt emotional to me, because I wasnt here long enough to feel any kind of way about it, Smith said. If that happened in Atlanta, it would be tougher for me, but it didnt affect me at all.Smith said before the game he had no ill will toward his former team, which went on a seven-game winning streak immediately after cutting him.I still have friends on this team, where we hung out and we had fun times and fun memories together, Smith said. I have no hard feelings. When they went on that winning streak, I knew the process and the hard work that we had to put in right after Labor Day weekend, all the way into training camp — it was finally kind of paying off.Detroit cut Smith loose in late December. The Pistons started playing well after his departure, and Smith caught on with one of the leagues best teams and is contributing.I kind of sat back and looked at it, and I saw it as being a blessing, Smith said. I had an opportunity now to play for a contender and really try to do something special this season.The Pistons won those first seven games after waiving Smith, but Brandon Jennings ruptured his left Achilles tendon last weekend, and Detroit began struggling again.Smith, meanwhile, has for the most part come off the bench for the Rockets. His scoring is down, but his shooting percentage has improved.Ive enjoyed Josh. Working with him has been great. In our system, we try to get him to do things that we think he does real well, Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. Have him drive, have him play-make, have him kick out, get defensive rebounds, push it down the floor.When the Pistons cut Smith, coach Stan Van Gundy wanted to adjust the offence, and he said it may not have been fair to Smith to reduce his role at this point in his career.Smith has looked and sounded comfortable with the idea of being a reserve, but Van Gundy said that doesnt mean a move like that would have helped the Pistons much.Hes in a totally different situation with a totally different team in a totally different role. The people around him are not even similar, Van Gundy said. How he would have played here probably wouldnt have changed a lot. Just, he would have been coming off the bench. Scarpe Adidas Nmd Uomo Italia . The underachieving franchise finished 17th in the 19-team league with a 6-17-11 record this season. "Our soccer team is absolutely in complete disarray," said Leiweke, drawing laughs during an Empire Club luncheon speech about the future of MLSE teams and plans to improve them. Scarpe Nmd Nere Scontate .Y. -- Defenceman Ryan Murphy had a goal and an assist and Drew MacIntyre made 24 saves to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Islanders 4-2 in an exhibition game Wednesday night. http://www.scarpenmdscontate.it/. Fellow Argentina forward Gonzalo Higuain also had a brace for Napoli. And Samuel Etoo scored for his fourth different team. On a night of standout individual performances Wednesday, Schalke goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand had a game hell want to forget. Adidas Nmd r1 Italia . LOUIS -- Alexander Steen scored a power-play goal with 59. Yeezy Boost 350 Outlet . I kept my eyes focused up on the camera during each approach. I just tried to stay focused on my form, as I didnt know what the ball reaction was. I was quite emotional at the end. I did not actually see any of the shots in the game until I got home and watched the video.VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Whitecaps have cleared many hurdles in their four Major League Soccer seasons. One hedge that has continually tripped them up is playing the L.A. Galaxy on the road. Vancouver has never beaten the Galaxy at StubHub Center, where they have lost four times and been outscored 10-1. "Thanks for reminding me," coach Carl Robinson said with a grin this week after his team practised at the University of British Columbia. "Its got to change at some stage." The Whitecaps (2-1-2) are aware of the challenge they face when they play the Galaxy (1-1-1) Saturday in Carson, Calif. The team is packing a sense of confidence for the road trip. The Whitecaps have managed a win and tie against the Galaxy at B.C. Place Stadium. Saturdays game is another chance to measure themselves against one of MLSs perennial powerhouses. "Both sides have good competitors," said Vancouver captain Jay DeMerit. "Them being one of the better teams its a time for us to raise our game and really test ourselves and see how good we are. "That creates that battle sense." The Whitecaps are coming off their first defeat of the season, a 2-1 home loss to the Colorado Rapids last week. Vancouver led 1-0 but, playing one man down, gave up two goals in as many minutes to Rapids midfielder Jose Mari. "Those things happen and you move on," said DeMerit. "Knowing the calibre of team we are up against this weekend, that should excite us. That should take our focus and make sure we are preparing right. If we do the right things we can beat anyone in this league." The Whitecaps will be without midfielder Matias Laba who is suspended after picking up two yellow cards against Colorado. He could be replaced by Nigel Reo-Coker who missed two games after tripping over a bike rack and bashing his head. The 29-year-old from London was back practising with the team this week sporting an ugly scar on his head and a desire to get back on the pitch. "Im excited," said Reo-Coker, who started the first three games of the season. "When you sit out and watch one or two games its not nice. "Im someone who is used to competing." DeMerit said Reo-Coker makes the Whitecaps more abrasive. "Nigel brings a grit, he brings competitiveness, he brings a toughness in the tackle," he said. "He can really help us going forward when he gets the ball at this feet and drives at the defence.dddddddddddd" The Whitecaps have been a tale of two teams this year. Both their wins have come at home where they have outscored their opponents 7-4 in three matches. On the road Vancouver has managed two draws and just one goal. Robinson relishes the challenge the Galaxy present. "Were a young evolving team," said the first-year head coach. "It will be a good test to see where we are. "Its important we go on the road and try and dictate what we can, control ourselves, deal with them attacking wisely but putting a focus on us attacking." The Galaxy won their first match of the season with a 3-0 defeat of Chivas USA last week. Captain Robbie Keane scored his second goal of the season in the match. Keane has 36 goals and 22 assists in 58 MLS games since joining the Galaxy in 2011. Forward Landon Donovan needs just one goal to reach 135. That would make him the MLS all-time regular-season leader in goals scored. Whitecaps goalkeeper David Ousted said he doesnt want to be the answer to a trivia question. "It would be nice not to be that guy," said Ousted. "I am trying to keep a clean sheet so it doesnt matter who scores." Donovan has scored four goals against the Whitecaps, the most of any L.A. player. Keane and Donovan combine for a dangerous one-two punch, but defender Andy OBrien said its dangerous to focus on them because the Galaxy have plenty of other players able to deliver a knockout blow. "If you emphasize on Keane there are 11 players on the pitch," said OBrien, who has been a teammate with Keane on the Irish national team. "Not only does Robbie score goals he creates goals. "We need to close him down. He is one of a number of players theyve got that can score goals. From a defensive prospective you try to make life difficult for him and stick to it." DeMerit agreed the Whitecaps cant become too focused on just two Galaxy players. "One of their best qualities is they have a lot of interchangeable parts," he said. "You will see guys on the left end up on the right and guys in the centre on the left. "Guys have to make sure they are sticking with their jobs and their spots on the field. They are going to try to get us moving and change around. Defensively we need to be wary of that and get help from all 11 (players) defensively, not just the back four." ' ' '