DENVER - High-flying Kenneth Faried received quite a raise for elevating his game last season.The Denver Nuggets forward has agreed to a four-year, $50 million contract extension, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.The person spoke Tuesday night on condition of anonymity because the team has yet to announce the deal. Denver had until Oct. 31 to negotiate a new contract for Faried or he would have become a restricted free agent next summer.Faried averaged a career-high 13.7 points last season, and he also grabbed 8.6 rebounds per game. Because of his recent improvement, all eyes will be on him this year.Thats why Nuggets coach Brian Shaw said that in order for Faried to take his game to even loftier heights, he may have to slightly alter the way he plays. Shaw believes teams are going to show Faried as much respect as they do, say, point guard Ty Lawson or newly acquired guard Arron Afflalo.He will be a point of emphasis for other teams to game plan against, whereas before maybe he wasnt, Shaw said Tuesday after the team met for a film session following a preseason loss to the Los Angeles Lakers the night before in San Diego. Its what every player goes through that reaches that level.Star players, once they have an effective season, the next season, teams start double-teaming them and game-planning specifically for the strengths you bring to the floor. He has to learn how to negotiate through that.Yahoo Sports and The Denver Post were the first to report the details of the agreement.The player nicknamed Manimal received quite a confidence boost suiting up for Team USA this summer and helping it capture a gold medal at the Basketball World Cup. He was even asked by coach Mike Krzyzewski to be one of the leaders on the American team, a role hes hoping to bring to the Nuggets this season.Faried was a first-round pick of the Nuggets in 2011 after becoming the modern-day career rebounding leader at Morehead State, surpassing the mark Tim Duncan set at Wake Forest. Faried has long maintained he could be an impact player in the league, even if he doesnt possess one of the most polished jumpers.Instead, he relies on hustle, hard work and a knack for being in the right spot.Ive been believing my whole life I could be a star a superstar in this league, Faried said recently. I dont believe I take a back seat to nobody.The 6-foot-8 Faried got off to a sluggish start in the exhibition loss to the Lakers, scoring six points and grabbing one rebound.Only got one rebound, Shaw said. Hes going to have to do better in that area.Shaw and Faried reached an agreement last season, one that made the already speedy Nuggets even faster: Go after a defensive rebound as vigorously as he did on the offensive glass and Faried could push the ball up the court.I gave him the freedom to use that raw energy and athleticism to get our break going, Shaw said. I envision that in this coming season. Stitched Orioles Jerseys .S.-Portugal game on June 22 in the Amazonian jungle city of Manaus. FIFPro, the international soccer players union, had pressed FIFA to avoid the earliest kickoffs in the hottest and most humid weather. Baltimore Orioles Shirts https://www.cheaporioles.com/. - Titans quarterback Jake Locker will miss the rest of the season with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot, leaving Tennessee trying to rally with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Baltimore Orioles Pro Shop . -- Jimmie Johnson has a sixth NASCAR championship in hand and two legends within reach. Cheap Orioles Jerseys . -- Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno was admitted to the hospital Friday for observation due to minor complications from cancer treatments, his family said.VANCOUVER -- Make it 411 minutes and counting for the Vancouver Whitecaps. Darren Mattocks had two great chances in the first half Saturday, but again failed to connect along with the rest of his teammates as the Whitecaps were shut out for a fourth straight game in a 0-0 draw with D.C. United. The Whitecaps have not scored since Mattocks effort in the 39th minute of a 2-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City on Aug. 10. Thats more than nine halves of soccer, or nearly seven hours of play. "I wouldnt say its frustrating. We created some very good chances. Unfortunately we didnt put one away. Thats the game sometimes," said Mattocks. "Sometimes it goes in, sometimes it doesnt. Weve just got to keep doing what were doing and its going to go in eventually." But it hasnt in almost a month for a Whitecaps side that earned a point against the best team in Major League Soccers Eastern Conference, but dropped to 1-3-6 in its last ten. The lack of finish has been to blame most nights during that stretch for Vancouver (7-6-13), and this one was no different. "Its tough," said Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson. "But its tough for them as well because we put in a good 90-plus minutes -- a hard-working performance. Im proud of them tonight, because they gave me everything but we didnt come out with the result. Weve just got to keep going. "You do go through periods. You go through winning streaks and losing streaks and tough streaks." Saturday was the fifth 0-0 draw of the season for Vancouver, which has been shut out in five of its last six while tumbling down the Western Conference standings after a bright start to the season. The scoreless tie does temporarily move the Whitecaps level on points with Portland for the fifth and final playoff spot in the West, but the Timbers host the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday. Meanwhile, United (14-8-5) padded its lead atop the East and improved to 3-1-1 over its last five. Following a spirited first half where both teams had chances, Vancouver midfielder Pedro Morales fired a shot from outside the penalty area moments after the break that D.C. goalkeeper Bill Hamid handled. Whitecaps defender Jordan Harvey then sent a diving header just wide in the 50th minute from in close that almost brought the crowd of 18,116 at B.C. Place Stadium to its feet. The game lost much of its energy from there, with both sides running out of ideas, although Vancouver did show a bit more initiative moving forward. "I thought we played well. I thought we were the only team that was going to win tonight," said Harvey. "Other than in front of the (D.C.) net, I thought it was a solid performance, just couldnt put it in." Whitecaps goalkeeper David Ousted said the scoring drought is a topic of conversation in the locker-room, but one the entire team has to battle through. "Disappointed. I think we did well. I cant fault the guys out there for the effort," said Ousted, who picked up his eighth cleaan sheet.dddddddddddd. "They put in a lot of hard work and I thought we were almost there, but almost doesnt get the biscuit." Looking for an answer to his teams scoring woes, Robinson elected to go with Mattocks and Sebastian Fernandez up front to start the game, and a four-man diamond midfield featuring Morales at the top. That left strikers Erik Hurtado and Kekuta Manneh -- who both started in last weekends 3-0 home loss to Portland but are mired in long scoring slumps -- on the bench. Manneh was subbed on for Fernandez in the second half but failed to make an impact. "Hopefully well get a break or well take one of the number of chances we missed tonight," said Robinson. "I thought we played very well. I think at times we played some very good stuff, at times we looked a little bit open but thats going to happen with the shape we played." After a timid opening, Vancouver started to create chances off the break and had the games first opportunity in the 12th minute when Mattocks skied a shot over Hamids goal from in close after some good build up from Morales and Fernandez. Vancouver defender Kendall Waston, making just his second start since being acquired last month, then completely missed a free header in front of the United goal in the 31st off Morales free kick. D.C. striker Fabian Espindola fired a shot from outside the penalty area that Ousted pushed over the bar with his finger tips in the 37th minute, and Espindola was at it again moments later, but his chip went over the Vancouver goal after Ousted came out to challenge the unmarked United man. Mattocks headed another effort at Hamid in the 42nd, before breaking in down the right in added time and ripping a shot that Hamid did well to keep out. Vancouver doesnt have long to dwell on the result or its continued lack of finish with San Jose coming to town on Wednesday night for another key game. "Its just going to be a battle down the stretch," said Harvey. "Weve got to win more than we lose and get some points. Were playing well, we just need to be a little bit more clinical in front of the net -- and that includes everybody. Everybody on the field I feel like had a chance tonight." Notes: Hamid also picked up his eighth shutout of the season. ... Whitecaps defender Ethen Sampson, 20, made his first appearance for the club, starting at right back in place of Steven Beitashour (hip). Sampson was subbed out in the 54th minute for Sam Adekugbe after suffering cramps. ... Vancouver midfielder Gershon Koffie (foot) missed his fourth straight game. ... D.C. was without midfielder Chris Rolfe, who broke his forearm in training on Wednesday and will miss up to six weeks. Rolfe has six goals on the season. ... United striker Eddie Johnson, who has five goals on the year, sat out with a concussion. ... Kimberly Caldwell, Harveys fiancee and a finalist on season two of American Idol, sang the national anthems. ... D.C. visits the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday. ' ' '