WASHINGTON -- The Washington Nationals have a nine-game lead over the New York Mets in the National League East race.But that doesnt mean the three-game series between the two teams that begins Monday wont be important.Wed like to beat them, Washington manager Dusty Baker said after Sundays 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. We know they have to beat us. It should be a very interesting series.The Mets come to Washington with an eye on the National League wildcard while the Nationals hope to finish with the second-best record in the league and get a possible homefield advantage for the playoffs, perhaps against the Los Angeles Dodgers.Weve got to keep playing, Mets manager Terry Collins told reporters Sunday in Atlanta. We know we can play with (Washington) them. Theyve got a little bit of a pitching issue right now, similar to us. Weve just got to go in there and play. For its about winning games, I dont care who theyre against. You cant look at any particular thing, you just have to go in and win as many games as you can.New York will start right-hander Rafael Montero against the Nationals on Monday. He is 0-0 with a 4.63 ERA this season with New York. He was 8-9, 5.30 in the minor leagues this year with Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Las Vegas. He pitched 4 1/3 innings on Sept. 6 against the Reds and gave up three hits and four runs.Baker did not name a starter for Monday or Tuesday against the Mets but the Nationals twitter account late Sunday reported that veteran right-hander Mat Latos would start on Monday against the Mets, with A.J. Cole going on Tuesday and Tanner Roark pitching Wednesday.Latos pitched for Baker in Cincinnati in 2012 and 2013 and was 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in six minor league starts in the Washington system this year. He signed with the Nationals as a minor league free agent on July 3 and is 1-0, 7.71 in two games for the Nationals this year.Latos was with the Chicago White Sox earlier this season -- he pitched against the Nationals one game -- and he was 6-2, 4.62 in 11 games in the American League this year before coming to Washington.Other options for the rest of the season for Washington include two rookie right-handers: Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez.Gioloito made his big league debut against the Mets at home in June while Lopez lost 5-1 to the Mets on Sept. 4 in New York. Lopes has made six starts this year for the Nationals and Giolito has made four.Giolito, who began the year as one of the top pitching prospects in the minors, is 0-1, 5.59 in five games with Washington.There has been some concern about his velocity: he threw in the upper 90s last year but was clocked around 90 in his last outing Wednesday as he came out of bullpen in a game in which Strasburg left early.Lopez has shown a devastating curve at times and is 2-3, 5.52 in his time with the Nationals this year.Cole broke into the majors last year and beat the Mets on Sept. 2 in New York. Cole started at home on Thursday against the Phillies.Cole is 1-2 with a 4.56 ERA in four starts this year for Washington after spending most of the season at Triple-A Syracuse.New York had won eight of its past 11 games after downing the Braves on Sunday 10-3.Vapormax Plus Italia . Murray beat Sam Querrey 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-3 to clinch Britains opening-round victory against the United States on Sunday at Petco Park. "Im proud of the way Im playing just now, because I had to do a lot of work to get back to where I want to be," Murray said after celebrating with his teammates on the red clay court in a temporary stadium in left field of the downtown home of baseballs San Diego Padres. Vapormax Hyper Punch .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. http://www.scarpevapormaxscontate.it/vapormax-flyknit-3-italia.html . -- Adam Snyder returned to the San Francisco 49ers this season because the offensive lineman thought it was his best opportunity to win a championship. Vapormax Plus Scontate . Marincin has played in two NHL games so far this season with two penalty minutes. The 21-year-old has three goals, four assists and a plus-5 rating in 24 games with the American Hockey Leagues Oklahoma City Barons this season. Vapormax Off White Bianche . The players spoke Jan. 13 during a Major League Baseball Players Association conference call after Rodriguez sued the union and Major League Baseball to overturn an arbitrators decision suspending him for the 2014 season and post-season.MILWAUKEE -- After building a big third-quarter lead against the defending NBA champions, the Milwaukee Bucks poured it on in the fourth.And when the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled their starters, including LeBron James, midway through the final period, the young Bucks still didnt let up.We didnt let them off the hook. We were attacking, said Giannis Antetokounmpo, who tied a career high with 34 points while the Bucks stunned the Cavaliers 118-101 on Tuesday night.They are the champs, but this is a great win.Bucks coach Jason Kidd had high praise for Antetokounmpo, who was often matched up against James.Hes getting better with hard work, Kidd said. He was going against the best player in the world.Antetokounmpo added 12 rebounds and five assists while Milwaukee ended Clevelands four-game winning streak. Jabari Parker had 18 points and Michael Beasley had 17 off the bench for the Bucks.It was a matter of us trusting each other, Kidd said. For a young team, sometimes it takes time. You want to put it in the microwave and instantly get it right away, but if youre patient enough for the process and the journey, it will come.James had 22 points for the Cavaliers, who fell to 13-3. Kyrie Irving added 20 points.You cant simulate how long they are in the passing lanes, James said. But four of my seven (turnovers) were unforced and thats careless.The Bucks scored a season-high 68 points in the paint.They played harder than we did, Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue said.The Bucks outscored Cleveland by 14 points in the third quarter and led by 22 in the fourth.Cleveland rode hot early shooting to a 14-point first quarter lead, but Milwaukee closed on a 10-0 run and trailed by only two at the end of the period.Antetokounmpo and Beasley sparked Milwaukee in the second quarter as the Bucks built an advantage of eight points before leading 58-54 at the half.FRIENDLY TO A FAULTThe Bucks exploited J.R. Smiths affable nature for an easy dunk in the second quarter.Right before an inbound play, Milwaukees Jason Terry stood up off the bench to say hello to Smith, sharing a handshake and hug along the baseline. Smith was supposed to be covering Tony Snell, but with Smith mingling, Snell cut to the basket, received the inbound pass and dunked with nobody around.ddddddddddddTerry said it wasnt planned and he didnt realize play had restarted, and Smith at first said he just wasnt paying attention. When asked again, he said, I didnt even know I was in the game. My bad.FAMILIAR FACESMatthew Dellavedova played against his former team for the first time since signing with Milwaukee as a free agent in the offseason.He was with those guys in a lot of battles, Kidd said.Lue said he misses having Dellavedova run his teams second unit.Hes going to compete and play hard. Hes going to scrap. His teammates loved him, Lue said.LOOKING FOR ANSWERSSmith entered the game just 1 for 22 in his last two contests, including going 0 for 11 against the 76ers on Sunday. He hit his first two shots, both 3-pointers, but missed his next five shots, all 3-pointers.IN THE HOUSEMichael Redd, the fourth all-time leading scorer in Bucks history, attended the game. Redd played 11 seasons for the Bucks.IN REMEMBRANCEA moment of silence was observed for the victims of a plane crash in Columbia on Monday. A chartered airliner slammed into the Andes mountains while transporting a Brazilian soccer team traveling to the finals of one of South Americas most prestigious club tournaments. More than 70 passengers were killed.TIP-INSCavaliers: Channing Frye missed his second straight game following the death of his father on Nov. 24. He is expected to rejoin the team by Thursday. ... Iman Shumpert (left hamstring strain) returned to the lineup after a one-game absence. ... Clevelands bench totaled just five first-half points.Bucks: Beasley, who entered averaging just more than eight points per game, scored 11 first-half points, connecting on 5 of 6 shots. ... Milwaukee shot 57 percent in the first half.UP NEXTCavaliers: Host Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night. Lue was an assistant under Clippers coach Doc Rivers in Boston and Los Angeles.Bucks: At Brooklyn on Thursday night. Milwaukee has won 12 of its last 16 meetings with the Nets, dating to Jan. 9, 2009, including a 110-108 win in Milwaukee on Oct. 29. ' ' '