KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia -- Benjamin Raich has reached a World Cup podium for the 91st -- and probably last -- time in his career at the same resort where he earned his first top-three finish 15 years ago. New Orleans Pelicans Jerseys . The 36-year-old Austrian, who is considering retirement after the season, came runner-up to Olympic champion Ted Ligety in a giant slalom on the Podkoren course on Saturday. As a 21-year-old, Raich finished third in a slalom here on Jan. 6, 1999. Raich was only 17th after the opening leg but posted the fastest time in a blistering second run to get his first World Cup podium since winning a super-G in Crans Montana Switzerland, in February 2012. Raich said he never lost faith in his skiing despite failing to reach a podium for the last two years. Even his persistent back problems getting worse in January didnt hit his confidence. "I knew I still have a fast turn but, if youre not in good health, you cant race that good," Raich said. "Ive always had back problems in my career. Three, four days, then it was gone. This year it was more than a month." The injury hampered his buildup to the Sochi Olympics, and finally forced him to skip the super-combined race in Sochi. It wasnt Raichs first mishap in the Olympic season. He needed weeks to recover following an accident while riding his off-road motorbike in early August. The 80-kilogram bike rolled over on steep terrain and landed on his right leg, but Raich escaped with a torn muscle in his thigh. "I had a really tough season," Raich said. "It was not easy, it was not fun. But after preparing for the Olympics, I had a really good feeling. I was in good health. And now I am back on the podium -- as I believed." Raich won the overall title in 2006 and finished runner-up five times, including in the 2008-09 season when Aksel Lund Svindal edged him by two points. Raich also won 11 medals at major championships, including two golds at the 2006 Turin Olympics. Not having to prove anything to anybody, Raich can compete without pressure -- just like in the early days of his career. "My first podium in Kranjska Gora, I felt very free," Raich said. "Afterward you have big goals and you know everyone wants to see you on the podium. So there was more pressure then but I handled that always very well." Austria mens head coach Mathias Berthold said he wasnt taken aback by Raichs podium finish. "I was only surprised by the way he did it, coming from 17th with a sensational second run," Berthold said. "Since his back problems are gone, he has progressed extremely well." Berthold said he will speak with Raich about next season -- but not before the current campaign is over. "We let the World Cup finals go by," Berthold said. "Its not good to discuss long-term plans while your focus should be on a race the next day." Raich has said before that he will take his decision regardless of the career plans of longterm girlfriend Marlies Schild. The 32-year-old slalom specialist won a record 35th slalom race in December, and she is also yet to decide whether shell remain on the World Cup. Norways Henrik Kristoffersen, who trailed the 17-year-older Raich in third for his first career GS podium, said Raich was his idol when following ski racing as a kid. "I think today Benni was the most impressive skier," Kristoffersen said. "I watched him when I grew up and I remember my dad (Lars Kristoffersen) telling me that Benni had the cleanest turn and he was the best in GS." Raich smiled when hearing Kristoffersens words. "Its nice to be on the podium next to him," Raich said. "Because he is the future and I am the past." Anthony Davis Pelicans Jersey . THE THUNDER & PACERS BENCHES: In a nutshell, not impressive at all. Jahlil Okafor Jersey . The thinking at the time was Clowney could have already been promised he would be selected first overall by the Houston Texans, therefore negating any need to meet with any other teams. The plot took another twist this week. http://www.shoppelicansonline.com/Authentic-Jrue-Holiday-Pelicans-Jersey/ . 8 Sergio Parisse for its penultimate Six Nations match against Ireland at Lansdowne Road.SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- DeMarcus Cousins and Jason Thompson put the perfect capper on a celebratory opening to a new era of basketball in Sacramento. Cousins had 30 points and 14 rebounds and Thompson scored the game-winner on a putback in the final minute to give Sacramento fans plenty more to cheer about than just having a team as the Kings won their season-opener 90-88 over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night. "Its a sense of relief," coach Mike Malone said after winning his debut. "Opening night and there was so much hoopla going into this game, rightfully so for our fans, for our mayor, for our owner. It was a great way to celebrate. To win on this night was great for the fans most importantly and for our players." Greivis Vasquez added 17 points and Isaiah Thomas had 16 off the bench as the Kings snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Nuggets in the first game of the new regime headed by owner Vivek Ranadive and Malone. "Thats the old Kings," Cousins said. "Were not really worried about the past. This is the first game." Ty Lawson scored 20 points but missed a potential tying shot in the closing seconds for the Nuggets, who started off Brian Shaws tenure with a loss. Shaw took over for last seasons coach of the year George Karl, who was fired after a first-round playoff loss to Golden State despite winning 57 games in the regular season. "It was a raucous atmosphere but we played through it," Shaw said. "It was a crazy atmosphere tonight." The Kings are building their franchise around Cousins, giving him a $62 million, four-year contract extension before the season and giving him a tutor in new minority owner Shaquille ONeal, who sat court side for the opener. "He was coaching me through the game a lot," Cousins said. "He sent me a text at halftime. Im glad he came and supported us. Hopefully well see him around more often." Cousins backed that support up with a strong performance in the opener. Cousins made an emphatic dunk off his own miss to give the Kings an 86-82 with just under 4 minutes left and then drew an offensive foul on Lawson. Thomas followed with a bank shot and the Kings appeared in control. "He is much more than a one-way player," Malone said of Cousins. "He has to be a guy who defends at a high level for us and I thought he did a decent job of that for us tonight. Jahlil Okafor Pelicans Jersey. " But the Nuggets answered with six straight points to tie the game at 88 on J.J. Hicksons drive with 1:37 to play. Cousins came up with a blocked shot and a deflection on the defensive end for force a shot-clock violation and the Kings went back ahead when Jason Thompson followed Cousins miss with a jam with 41.5 seconds to go for his only basket of the game. "I just made an aggressive energy play and it just happened to be the game-winner," Thompson said. Lawson missed a difficult reverse over Thompson with about 1 second left. The Nuggets got the ball out of bounds with 0.9 seconds left but Randy Foye missed an off-balance jumper at the buzzer. "I got hit in the face and didnt even know what happened," Lawson said. "Someone had to tell me afterward it rolled off the rim. Ive got to make that shot." It was a party atmosphere in Sacramento with a loud crowd dressed in purple "Long Live the Sacramento Kings" T-shirts. They even cheered ONeal, their longtime antagonist who once referred to the team as "the Queens" when he played for the Lakers. The loudest cheers were for Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, who was integral in keeping the Kings here and Ranadive who put up the money to accomplish it. Ranadive proclaimed "This is your team and its here to stay!" The two also thanked commissioner David Stern for his help in keeping the Kings here and gave him a key to the city and a hard hat to symbolize the upcoming project to build a new arena. The Kings fed off the energy from the crowd to get off to a fast start. Thomas scored seven points during a 12-2 run starting late in the first quarter to give Sacramento an 11-point lead. But Denver used a three-guard lineup to protect the ball better and fought back to tie the game late in the half before Travis Outlaws 3-pointer from the corner in the closing seconds gave Sacramento a 48-45 lead at the break. NOTES: Nuggets F Wilson Chandler sat out with a strained left hamstring and was replaced in the starting lineup with Anthony Randolph. ... The Kings have won the last 13 times they have opened the season at home, the longest streak in NBA history. ' ' '