Auburn Hills, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - Stephen Curry had 16 points and 10 assists as the Golden State Warriors defeated the Detroit Pistons 104-93 on Sunday afternoon. Draymond Green posted 20 points and six rebounds, while Klay Thompson added 15 points for the Warriors, who have won their last nine games, finishing up a perfect five-game road trip. Its showing the character of this team to keep winning games that are obviously tough considering the situation, Curry said. Were happy to have done so well on the trip going home. Brandon Jennings tallied 22 points and six helpers, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope netted 23 points and Greg Monroe supplied 13 points and 10 boards for Detroit, which has dropped eight in a row. Weve got a real problem scoring in the paint and even closer, said Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy. I dont have an answer to that. The Pistons raced out to an 18-10 advantage before a 10-2 Golden State run tied the game at 20-20. Detroit led 24-21 following a quarter of play, but Marreese Speights scored the first four points and Shaun Livingston netted the final four during a 13-3 surge to begin the second. Two Livingston free throws staked Detroit to a 34-27 cushion. Golden State closed the opening half on a 10-1 swing, with Greens floater at the horn extending its lead to 53-40 heading into the locker room. The Warriors led by as many as 22 in the third and took an 82-71 spread into the fourth, where they cruised to the easy victory. Game Notes Golden State shot 46.8 percent (37-of-79) from the floor, while Detroit finished 36.3 percent (33-of-91) from the field ... The Warriors held a 46-32 points in the paint advantage. Amed Rosario Jersey . -- Louisville backup quarterback Reggie Bonnafon ran for two touchdowns and passed for another and the No. New York Mets Store . Consider it received. Attacking on offence early and often, the Penguins topped the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 on Saturday night as Jussi Jokinen scored the go-ahead goal in the third period to help give Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference playoff series. https://www.cheapmetsjerseys.us/ .C. - Canadian ice dancing, it seems, is in good hands. Gary Gentry Jersey . At a news conference Tuesday where it was thought that the fiery Schallibaum may be shown the door after a dismal finish to the Major League Soccer season, team president Joey Saputo said no decision has been made on whether the Swiss Volcano will be back in 2014. Gil Hodges Jersey . Dane Dobbie and Shawn Evans each had two goals and two assists for the Roughnecks (8-5), who outscored Minnesota 6-2 in the fourth quarter after being tied through 45 minutes. Curtis Dickson scored once and set up three more for Calgary and Dan MacRae, Geoff Snider, Tor Reinholdt, Karsen Leung and Matthew Dinsdale.NEW YORK - Islanders star centre John Tavares is the NHLs first star of the week after scoring four goals and adding six assists over New Yorks season-high four-game winning streak. He began the week by recording his second career five-point game, including his fifth career hat trick, in a 7-3 win over the Dallas Stars last Monday. Tavares followed that up by posting three assists in a 5-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. After being held off the score sheet in a 2-1 overtime triumph againstt the Colorado Avalanche, scored the game-winning goal and added an assist in a 4-2 win over the Stars on Sunday.dddddddddddd. Anaheim goaltender Jonas Hiller is the second star, posting a 3-0-0 record with a 1.67 goals-against average, .941 save percentage and one shutout over the week. New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is the third star, going 3-0-1 with a 1.97 goals-against average and .943 save percentage to carry the Rangers into third place in the Metropolitan Division. ' ' '
As an elite athlete and Olympic gold medallist, how did you make the transition to sports broadcaster?Well, the camera never scared me – I always enjoyed doing interviews and tried to have fun with them. And when an opportunity presents itself, I like to dive at it head-first. When I was competing on Battle of the Blades, [I was asked] to come in for a screen test with Leafs TV. It was something I was interested in, so I immediately decided to jump at it. I fell in love with the job the second they put that mic in my hand, and Ive worked hard every day trying to get better. Its my new passion.How does your experience in sports shape your perspective on what athletes go through?Being an athlete is a privilege, its not something I took for granted. And its something that allows me to connect with and relate to other athletes as theyre competing at the top level. Having been able to play at such a high level, Ive seen a lot of fantastic athletes and the way they prepare. You can relate with steps theyre walking through: going over shifts in their mind, or even calming their nerves [in the clutch]. And the quality that all competitive athletes have in common is the fact that we all want to be perfect. Thats what we strive for, even though its never really attainable. So I understand that feeling, and I empathize with them. Youre well known as an Olympic hockey player, but do you play any other sports?I was most focused on hockey and soccer up until I went to college, and I ended up having to choose one, because you cant play both. But in high school I played flag football, softball, basketball, cross country, track and field, soccer, and of course hockey. I just enjoy competing, and I think it was also a cheap excuse to get out of class sometimes!One other sport Im passionate about: I recently fell in love with my road bike. Ive got the need for speed. Oh, and I also play tennis with friends for fun. By no means am I Serena Williams, though in my head sometimes I do think I hit as hard as she does!You were a panelist for womens hockey broadcasts on TSN during the Sochi Olympics. What was it like covering a team you played for?Those are my best friends – theyre my sisters. I spent years training with them. Weve laughed together, cried together, won together, and learned together. So to step in and cover it was an emotional experience, having just been released from the team. It was also a great learning experience for me. I wanted to give not only the Canadian women but the sport of womens hockey the best possible coverage, because I think they deserve it. I put a lot of pressure on myself to come up with unique points to break down the game differently, not only to show how skilled these athletes are, but to teach the viewer about our sport, because its a little different from the mens game. Due to the no body contact rules, its a speed and finesse game. It made me proud to be able to talk about my friends, not only from Canada, but the USA, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, and more. To share their stories with the rest of Canada, and to let viewers know how much attention they deserve.Youre also part of the Champions network with the Special Olympics, how did you get involved with it?It was actually through Jamie Salé. I got to know her through Battle of the Blades, and she was so helpful and patient – I dont know if Id have been able to half the things on that show if it werent for her. She reached out to me and asked if Id be interested in helping out. Im an honourary chair with Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer, and this was another chance to give back and stay involved with the athletic community, so it was an easy decision. Weve got a really good team in place, and there are many events to come.Who were your sports heroes growing up?As a kid, you always look up to your parents. My mom played baseball. She was a rover, and she had a hot glove. And my dad played hockey at the collegiate level and junior level in Sudbury. My dad coached a college team, the Cambrian College Golden Shields, and I lived at the rink, watching them play. So my dads hockey players were my first true hockey idols. They were a big, tough team, and it helped shape my game. I wasnt the biggest, but I played mean.When womens hockey emerged with the Womens World Championship in 1990, there was one player who I played a lot like, and that was Geraldine Heaney. She came to Sudbury one year to my dads hockey school, so I actually got to play with my idol at the age of 12. She snapped a picture with me wearing her silver medal from Nagano, and I knew immediately that the Olympics was something I was prepared to do anything for. Whats your favourite sports team?I went to college at Ohio State University, so Im a Buckeye. I bleed scarlet and grey through and through. Aaron Ward tries to make fun of me about it, but his Michigan Wolverines have a hard time standing up to the Buckeyes. Ohio State-Michigan football games are the best: I remember one game at the end of the year we beat them 52-49, and I rushed the field with everyone and ripped out part of the 50-yard line. We planted it in our front yard at the house I lived in.Youre currently hosting TSNs French Open Primetime broadcasts, who are some players youre looking forward to covering at the tournament?Well, I think Roger Federer owns the title of most talented, but Novak Djokovic is the most entertaining tennis player out there. I always like watching him because he brings lightheartedness to the game. He pushes the envelope of traditional tennis etiquette. And of course the young Canadian players: Eugenie Bouchard is so young and so talented, and Milos Raonic is just waiting for his breakthrough moment. This is the first tennis tournament Ive covered, and if he does well, obviously I must have had something to do with it, right? Maybe that will be my claim to fame.Tessa Bonhomme hosts French Open Primetime, airing every evening of the tournament on TSN. Visit TSN.ca for full schedule info. Jayson Williams Jersey . The 31-year-old Spain midfielder hasnt played since Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid in May due to back and foot injuries. Iman Shumpert Jersey . In mens doubles, Vancouvers Vasek Pospisil and American Jack Sock reached the quarter-finals with a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-4 win over Croatian Mate Pavic and Andre Sa of Brazil. https://www.cheapnetsonline.com/725g-wal...-nets.html . Bilbaos first victory in four rounds lifted it four points clear of Real Sociedad and kept it in command of Spains last Champions League berth for next season. In contrast, Betis was left 11 points from safety after a dismal performance that at times bordered on self-destruction amid some questionable refereeing decisions. Caris LeVert Jersey .J. Fair didnt have many chances to be the main option for Syracuse last season. Nets Jerseys 2020 .4 seconds left and dribbled up court, weaving through Pitts defence.DUBLIN, Ireland -- Ireland winger Keith Earls will miss the entire Six Nations after scans confirmed his left knee injury was serious and he will be sidelined for up to eight weeks. Earls sustained medial ligament damage in the knee and limped off in the first half of Munsters 38-6 win over Edinburgh in the Heineken Cup on Sunday. He signed a two-year contract extension with Ireland only this week, and was due to join the team on Sunday. The injury was the latest blow for the 39-cap winger who hasnt played for Ireland since last years Six Nations. Another knee complaint, patella tendinitis, ruled him out of thhe autumn internationals.dddddddddddd He regained fitness and form until bad luck struck again. Dave Kearney, Fergus McFadden, Luke Fitzgerald and Andrew Trimble will compete for the wing spots in the Six Nations home opener against Scotland on Feb. 1. Meanwhile, No. 8 and former captain Jamie Heaslip signed a new three-year contract extension with Ireland on Thursday. In turning down overtures from Toulon, Heaslip joined Earls, captain Paul OConnell, Sean OBrien and Rory Best in rejecting moves to France. Heaslip, a member of the British and Irish Lions last two tours, has 60 caps since 2006. ' ' '
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Its been so much fun winning their past seven games, the Columbus Blue Jackets dont want to quit now. R.J. Umberger scored twice to lead the Blue Jackets to a franchise-record for consecutive wins with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Kings. "Its special," said Umberger, who has seen a lot of losses since coming to the Blue Jackets in a draft-day trade in 2008. "You dont want to get caught up in it, but it shows the direction the clubs going. There have been some bad moments here. But weve got a lot more in us. Were not satisfied." The win kept the Blue Jackets -- who have made the post-season just once in their 12 seasons -- in playoff contention. Nathan Horton scored in his 600th NHL game, Artem Anisimov had a goal and an assist and Ryan Johansen also scored for Columbus, with James Wisniewski picking up two assists. Sergei Bobrovsky moved to 8-0 in his past eight starts with 26 saves. Theyre 8-1-0 with Horton, a big free-agent signing last summer from Boston, in the lineup. "Were on a roll, but were not where we want to be," Horton said. "We want to get back in the playoffs and stay there. We needed a winning streak; now we need to keep the thing going." The Blue Jackets have been surging since getting Horton, who missed the first 40 games after shoulder surgery, and Bobrovsky, who sat out most of December with a strained groin, back on the ice. Columbus, thought to be hurting for offence heading into the season, has outscored its opponents 30-15 in the streak. "Theres something with our group," coach Todd Richards said. "Our young guys are a year older and feeling more comfortable. Our power play is better, so thatll help. But theres something different about our offensive output." Jeff Carter, Dwight King and Robyn Regehr had goals for the Kings, who have lost three in a row. Mike Richards had two assists. "Were clearly giving up too many goals," Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. Down 2-1 after the first, the Kings tied it before the Blue Jackets scored twice in 89 seconds late in the second to take command. Carter, a former Blue Jacket who was booed loudly every time he touched the puck, received a nice pass on a 3 on 1 break from Richards and recorded his 20th goal at 8:39. Umberger shadowed defenceman Drew Doughty and stole the puck from him along the short boards, then put up what appeared to be an innocent shot from a hard angle. But Martin Jones, making his first start since Jan. 2, struggled picking it up and the puck caromed off his glove and into the net with 1:45 left in the period. "We fought hard to get back in it and make it 2-2," Jones said. "A bad goal changed the momentum. And thats the difference in the game." Anisimov then won a puck battle in the neutral zone and carried the puck down the left wing. On a rush, he sent a tape-to-tape lead pass to Horton who lifted the puck high for his third of the season with just 15.6 seconds left for a 4-2 lead. The Blue Jackets had killed off three first-period penalties and escaped the first 20 minutes with a 2-1 lead after falling behind early. The Kings scored at the 2:42 mark when Trevor Lewis shot from the right dot went off Bobrovskys right leg pad to King, who was charging the net through the high slot. He had an almost empty net for his 11th of the season. Columbus pulled even on the power play, where it has been particularly effective of late -- scoring on 6 of its past 13 attempts with a man advantage. Wisniewskis hard slap shot from the top of the left circle was redirected in the crease by Umberger at 12:47. It was his 12th of the season and his 114th as a Blue Jacket, moving him past David Vyborny into sole possession of second place in franchise history behind Rick Nash (289). Then, in the final minute of the period, Johansen took a seeing-eye stretch pass from rookie Ryan Murray and glided past a defenceman to go high with a forehand. It was Johansens 19th goal of the season. "This says a lot," Umberger said. "The fans can enjoy it, they deserve it. But we keep talking about how we can be better every night." Notes: D Fedor Tyutin, who became the sixth player to appear in 400 games with the Blue Jackets, returned after missing two games with an undisclosed illness. ... Los Angeles was playing its fourth of a five-game road trip. Yeezy 350 Clearance . Appearing on TSN 690 Monday afternoon, Mike Babcock said he had conversations with both P.K. Subban and Carey Price about those on-ice traits during Hockey Canadas summer orientation camp. Mike Babcock: McGill experience, P. Yeezy 350 Fake .com) - Ryan Miller made 28 saves to record his fifth shutout of the season and second in as many nights as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0 on Friday. https://www.cheapyeezy350outlet.com/ .com) - Jahlil Okafor erupted for 25 points and 20 rebounds as No. Yeezy 350 Cheap . -- John Senden never imagined it would take more than seven years to win again. Yeezy 350 Store . "It was a little weird looking over and seeing all the green uniforms," he said of his first game against the Boston Celtics.MIAMI - Erik Spoelstra wanted to get Miamis starters some extra in-game conditioning.Winning was a bonus.Dwyane Wade scored 26 points, including a jumper that made it a two-possession game with 35.8 seconds remaining, and the Heat rallied from a 13-point deficit to beat the Houston Rockets 90-85 in a preseason game Tuesday night.Wade either scored or set up Miamis final five field goals, helping the Heat to their third consecutive exhibition win.We have a lot of work to do with this team and our guys understand that, Spoelstra said.Chris Bosh added 22 points in 35 minutes for the Heat, who went largely with starters against Houston backups in the final minutes. Mario Chalmers finished with 13 for Miami.Dwight Howard had 19 points and nine rebounds in his most extended action of the preseason for the Rockets, while James Harden added 19 points.Howard was 7 for 10 from the floor in 28 minutes. The Rockets led by 13 late in the first half and 11 at halftime, before sputtering offensively in the final two quarters.We had a good first half, Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. The second half we were lethargic. The first group knew they were only going to play five or six minutes in the third quarter and I think they kind of played accordingly.With the game knotted at 79, Wade hit a 3-pointer — the third such attempt by Miami on that particular possession — and the Heat kept the lead the rest of the way.Wade finished 11 for 17 from the floor, plus added six assists.Donatas Motiejunas grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds for Houston, which finished with a 44-35 edge on the backboards.The Heat were again without forward Josh McRobertss, who is working his way back from a toe injury and hasnt appeared in the preseason.dddddddddddd Other players with likely rotation spots who were held out included Udonis Haslem, Justin Hamilton and James Ennis.TIP-INSRockets: Howard hadnt logged more than 17 minutes in a preseason game — he had played in only two of Houstons first five — and his exhibition high-point game was 11. He topped those numbers in the first half alone, going into the break with 15 points in 18 minutes.Heat: When Wade was 6 for 6 in the first half, the rest of the Heat were a combined 5 for 19 from the floor. And one of those other five makes was a circus shot from Bosh, who drew a foul from Terrence Jones, shot and watched the ball bounce twice off the top of the backboard before falling.NEW COURTMiami unveiled a new court, with a virtually identical look to its old floor. The unpainted wood is a slightly lighter shade than the previous model, and the basket supports are a bit smaller and placed further from the baselines than before.BIRTHDAY GUESTHeat fan Iluminada Magtotos wish on her 90th birthday was to play basketball with Wade. So after Miamis shootaround on Tuesday, Wade made it happen. The woman who goes by Grandma Nelly took some underhand shots, one of which Wade rebounded and laid back in before telling the beaming woman You throw better lobs than Mario Chalmers. And when one of her shots dropped, the three-time champion rewarded her with a hug.UP NEXTRockets: Houston goes to Orlando on Wednesday, before finishing the preseason at home Friday against San Antonio.Heat: Miamis preseason finale is Friday at Memphis. ' ' '
In her latest World T20 diary entry, England Women’s Tash Farrant discusses the teams dancing, joins a dinner club and gatecrashes some golf awards... Hello again, this time from Delhi!We are well into the thick of things in the Womens World T20 now, having won all three of our warm-up clashes as well as coming out on top in our first group game against Bangladesh - a cheeky 36-run win, thanks largely to a player-of-the-match display from our leader, captain fantastic, Dame Charlotte Edwards. Charlotte Edwards in T20 action for England. Is a Damehood on the way? After the win over Bangladesh we headed to our hotels rooftop bar for a couple of celebratory drinks, particularly as it was also our team managers birthday. It was all very swanky, with a trendy Ibiza-esque vibe and equally trendy DJ who played a lot of Dubstep remixes. The highlight of the evening though was when we persuaded the DJ to play our team song as part of his carefully selected playlist that seemed to just consist of Kygos greatest hits. Safe to say, we absolutely belted it out, with our slightly off harmonies clearing the rooftop. I think an apology to all the hotels guests that night is in order!In addition to some great vocalists, we have a couple of pretty good dancers in the group. Nat Sciver in particular is regarded as a good mover. But have a watch of this video of Danni Wyatt and Dame Lottie to see if you think they too possess any sort of shapes...As a team we have had some cracking meals in the lovely hotels that we are staying in. Nothing quite beats some Chicken Tikka and Dahl Lentils in my eyes. The kind of fine dining you can expect in the England Womens dinner club A few of us have formed a dinner club, which prides itself on being accessible, open, and inclusive, with everyone welcome to join, but repeatedly seems to consist of the same five or six of us every time. We obviously dont have a reputation of good chat at the dinner table!One of the more comical moments after one dinner club outing was when we somehow found ourselves in the middle of the annual Indian Golf Awards, which were being hosted in our hotel.All we wanted was a bottle of water! But we made the most of the opportunity to be there, taking a couple of snaps in front of various media backdrops, with Heather Knight even practicing her swing… Heather Knight (right) practices her swing as England Women have a night out at the India Golf Awards There were a few more comical moments in the warm-up games, especially in the match against South Africa, when Katherine Brunt started preparing for the practice Super Over before we had even batted… I think the heat may have got to her head a bit.Plus, there was Tammy Beaumonts unusual running between the wickets, which on one occasion ended in a backwards roll and dismount that Beth Tweddle would have been pleased with. Talk about putting your body on the line, literally.We are seeing a lot of India during the tournament, which brings with it A LOT of flying. This, for some of our girls, is certainly not their favourite pastime, #nervousflyers.Its probably not the greatest trait to have as an international cricketer and I have personally drawn the short straw recently, by sitting in front of Danni Hazell. She likes to punch the back of my seat as we land on some fairly bumpy runways.We now move on to the picturesque Dharamshala for our next two group games against India and West Indies. Bring it on.Ill be reporting back after them!Until next time!Fazza (Natasha Farrant, England Womens cricketer) Also See: Womens cricket home Sportswomen Cricket fixtures/results Get Sky Sports Anthony Mason Jersey . Funny, they looked like longtime friends during Pittsburghs 5-1 demolition of Dallas on Tuesday night. Quick to the puck and even quicker to the net, the Penguins top line overwhelmed the suddenly struggling Stars as Pittsburgh bounced back from a dismal weekend sweep at the hands of Philadelphia by jumping on Dallas early. Andrew Bogut Jersey .ca presents its latest weekly power rankings for the 2013-14 Barclays Premier League season. https://www.cheapbucksonline.com/266t-bo...bucks.html . TSN was honoured with several awards, with Rod Smith and James Duthie sharing the win for Best Sports Host for SportsCentre and the NHL: Season On The Brink coverage, respectively. Nikola Mirotic Jersey . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. Moses Malone Jersey . The CFL will help tackle womens cancers by playing four special "CFL PINK" games this weekend.Dubai, United Arab Emirates (SportsNetwork.com) - Benjamin Hebert closed with a 3-under 69 on Saturday and he won the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final. Hebert finished at 12-under-par 276. This was his third victory of the season on the European Challenge Tour, and the sixth win of his career on that tour. He also won three times in the 2011 season, making him the first player in Challenge Tour history to win three times in one season on two separate occasions. The Frenchman got on the board with a birdie at the first at Al Badia Golf Club. After three pars, he birdied the fifth and sixth. Hebert stumbled to a bogey on the par-4 ninth. He again carded back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15 to move to 13-under. Hebert tripped to a bogey at thhe 17th and parred the last to close out the 5-stroke win.dddddddddddd. Jerome Lando Casanova also shot 69 on Saturday and he finished second at minus-7. Oliver Farr grabbed third place at 6-under 282 after a final-round 73. Former U.S. Amateur champion Byeong-hun An ended alone in fourth at minus-5 after closing with a 4-under 68. Following the event, the top-15 players on the Order of Merit earned their European Tour cards for 2015. Hebert finished second on that list and Lando Casanova soared 25 spots to No. 13. The top 15 were Andrew Johnson, Hebert, An, Moritz Lampert, Mark Tullo, Sam Hutsby, Jordi Garcia Pinto, Jason Palmer, Michael Lorenzo-Vera, Farr, Edouard Espana, Florian Fritsch, Lando Casanova, Jake Roos and Jason Barnes. ' ' '
The NHL Play of the Year showdowns second round resumes today with some quick hands battling some quick feet. Todays Round of 16 match-up features Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick taking on Toronto Maple Leafs centre Nazem Kadri. Quick looks beaten, but gets a skate in the way at just the right time. Blake Wheeler hurls a shot on net from a tight angle, but Quick is flat on his stomach with no chance of moving his body in front of the attempt. He decides to try an isolation move. Quick lifts his left leg up in the air behind him yoga-style and manages to get his skate to the puck and deny Wheelers look at the gaping twine. Quick took better than 60 per cent of the vote in his all-goaltending battle against the Stars Kari Lehtonen. Kadri, meanwhile, scorches a rival defender to set up a gift for a teammate. The Leafs centre sees a challenge coming from Montreal defender Alexei Emelin and absolutely inside-outs the Russian blueliner. Drawing Carey Prices attention with a drive to the net, Kadri slides the puck cross-ice and finds Cody Franson streaking in for the one-time tap-in. Kadri topped the Columbus Blue Jackets Corey Tropp in the first round, taking over 56 per cent of the vote. You can watch the highlights and make your decision here. Every vote counts, so watch all the plays and take part in the TSN.ca Play of the Year Showdown. Let us know who you voted for via Twitter by using the hashtag #tsnklondikepoy. Chuck Cooper Jersey . -- Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana agreed Tuesday to a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles as he tries to come back from the second major operation on his left shoulder. Atlanta Hawks Gear . Groves signed with Cleveland as an unrestricted free agent last year after a season with Arizona. He was in the linebacker rotation and had a sack in the season opener against Miami. https://www.cheaphawks.com/214r-bob-pett...hawks.html . The 24-year-old Pruneau played his CIS football with the Montreal Carabins. The six-foot, 200-pound Montreal native had 41 tackles, 3. Al Horford Jersey . The former Toronto FC designated player played three of his 15 professional seasons with the team. Zaza Pachulia Jersey . "It was awesome," he said. Coming off an ugly three-game sweep at the hands of the Yankees, Toronto found itself in a deep hole early after the Reds put an eight spot up on starter Liam Hendriks (six runs in 1 2/3 innings pitched) and Todd Redmond in the second.With their loss to the Oakland Athletics on Thursday night, the Toronto Blue Jays lost sole possession of first place in the American League East for the first time in 43 days. Not only were they bumped out of first in their division, but theyve also dropped out of a wild card spot, trailing the Los Angeles Angels and the Seattle Mariners by a game going into Fridays match-up. Which brings the question with just over a week until the All-Star Break - is this team actually a playoff contender? Since their last World Series victory, the Blue Jays have been mired in a 20-year playoff drought. But it wasnt like they werent trying to change their ways. That blockbuster trade with the Marlins in 2012 produced just one more win last season than the previous one. They finished 23 games behind the John Farrell-led Boston Red Sox and 17 1/2 games back of a wild card spot. So where do things sit for this season? How did they stay atop of the division for such a long period of time? The offence has certainly been a factor. The team has had their fair shaare of home runs - especially in the month of May led by Edwin Encarnacion - but the small ball has been evident too.dddddddddddd And it certainly has - until recently - a lot to do with a healthier roster. But the real question around this team making it to the postseason will depend on their ability to crawl back to a comfortable lead. They have a tough ten-game road trip prior to the All-Star break. In their first lengthy road trip of the season, they went a combined 3-7 in Baltimore, New York and Cincinnati. And over the past six seasons, Toronto has struggled hard on road trips of nine or more games. In fact, since their nine-game road losing streak in 2009, the Blue Birds have an abysmal 66-108 record over 18 road trips of nine or more games. Over those 18 road trips, they returned home with a winning record just three times. That all said, do you think the Toronto Blue Jays will re-take the division and make the playoffs this October or will are we looking at another disappointing season? As always, its Your! Call. ' ' '
As much as seven prospects with Canadian connections could find their way onto an NFL team come draft time. Canadians Brent Urban and Bo Lokombo appear to be locks to have their name called on Draft weekend while Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, a CIS offensive lineman, could also be drafted. John Urschel and T.J. Jones are Americans born in Canada that should be drafted as well while Hunter Steward and Casey Chin could earn UDFA contracts after the draft. Go to TSN.ca for the full list of Canadian prospects. China Jerseys Outlet .J. -- Rampage Jackson scowled, howled, then bellowed to the crowd: "Im back! Im back!" With rebuilt knees and a new promotion, Jackson might have one more act left in MMA. China Jerseys Replica .Stanton suffered fractures in his face and other injuries when he was hit by a pitch Sept. 11. The Marlins are confident hell fully recover and be ready for spring training, and they hope to reach a long-term agreement with him. http://www.chinajerseyspaypal.com/ . -- Lara Gut of Switzerland regained the overall World Cup lead with Sundays super-G win in Lake Louise, Alta. China Jerseys Online . Born in Berkeley and raised in Oakland, where he later pitched for the As, Ross beat the Giants for the first time in six career appearances by throwing eight scoreless innings to lead the San Diego Padres to a 2-1 victory Friday night. China Jerseys Fake . Kadri was dressed in a green jersey at Thursdays practice and skated as an extra forward on the teams fourth line as the Leafs. LOS ANGELES -- Don Mattingly will be back as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers next season with a new three-year contract that takes him through 2016, quieting speculation that his future with the club was somehow in doubt. A person familiar with the agreement, speaking on condition of anonymity because no statements were authorized, said Mattingly is getting a raise from the $1.4 million he made last year. By comparison, Yankees manager Joe Girardi, entering his seventh season in New York, is starting a $16 million, four-year agreement after completing a $9 million, three-year deal. Mattingly had sought the stability of a multiyear deal. "I just want guys to know the organization has confidence in you is important to me as a manager," he said by phone from his off-season home in Evansville, Ind. Mattingly has a 260-225 record in his first three seasons with the Dodgers, who reached the NL championship series this year, automatically triggering an extension of his contract that was set to expire at the end of last season. He was runner-up for NL Manager of the Year last season. Last winter, the Dodgers declined to exercise Mattinglys option for 2014, a move he believed portrayed him as a lame-duck in the clubhouse. In an awkward October news conference after the Dodgers were eliminated by St. Louis in the playoffs, Mattingly said the organization put him in a difficult position by not exercising the option. The front office didnt clarify his status for 2014 that day, which frustrated Mattingly. "I knew my contract had vested. I thought that at least that would have been said that day," he said. "It kind of got left open and thats what got me going a little bit. If I had to do all over again, I would have preferred it to be in-house. I wish I had kept it inside and dealt with it face-to-face with those guys." The next day, the team didnt pick up the contract option of coach Trey Hillman, who was Mattinglys right-hand man on the bench.dddddddddddd. Shortly thereafter, Mattingly spoke with majority owner Mark Walter and team president Stan Kasten, who let him know they wanted him back. "I was comfortable with where it was going to go," Mattingly said. "I knew at that point wed get something done." General manager Ned Colletti said the deal was mostly done three weeks ago, but the club waited until after a flurry of off-season signings and the holidays ended to announce it. "Its well-deserved," he said. "The traits of the man are really work ethic and making sure he can be as successful as he can be and not leaving anything per chance. Thats one of the main reasons I hired him three years ago." Mattingly began his career with the Dodgers in 2008 as a hitting coach under Joe Torre, who mentored Mattingly and endorsed him as a successor after Torre retired. NOTES: Colletti has talked to the representative of star pitcher Masahiro Tanaka and he said his camp is in a feeling-out process with all 30 MLB teams. The 30-day window to sign the 25-year-old Japanese right-hander ends on Jan. 24. ... The team has talked to the agent of NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw, who is eligible for free agency after next season. "Its our desire to sign him here for a very long time," Colletti said. ... CF Matt Kemp is out of the walking boot that was on his sprained left ankle at the end of last season, and hes starting to hit. The Dodgers expect him to be ready by the middle of spring training. ... Colletti would like to sign another infielder to give the team more versatility. ... INF Dee Gordon is playing winter ball in Puerto Rico. ... Pitchers Chad Billingsley and Scott Elbert wont return until midseason after recovering from Tommy John surgery. ' ' '
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Mike Munchak is going back to his roots, and heading closer to home in the process. A person familiar with the decision said Wednesday night the former Tennessee Titans head coach will join the Pittsburgh Steelers as offensive line coach. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal was not yet official. The hiring was first reported by the Houston Chronicle. Munchak was fired by the Titans on Jan. 4 after leading Tennessee to a 22-26 record in three seasons. The 53-year-old had a year left on his contract, but was let go after 31 seasons as a player or coach with the club due to differences with upper management about the direction of the franchise. He interviewed with the Steelers recently to replace Jack Bicknell Jr., who was fired earlier this month. Munchak also spoke to Cleveland and Detroit about their head coaching vacancies as well as Penn State, where he played under Joe Paterno from 1978-81. Munchak grew up in Scranton, Pa., rooting for the "Super Steelers" of the 1970s. Now the Hall of Fame guard finds himself in charge of a unit that has struggled to stay healthy or play with any consistency in recent years. The Steelers went 8-8 in 2013, rallying from a 2-6 start to avoid the franchises first losing record in a decade. Pittsburgh did it despite losing star centre Maurkice Pouncey eight plays into the season — against the Titans — for the season with a major knee injury. It kick-started a fitful fall that saw the Steelers use four centres and forced Bicknell to play mix-and-match with the other line positions depending on who was healthy. The constant shuffling, combined with significant step backs in play by second-year left tackle Mike Adams and third-year right tackle Marcus Gilbert, stunted the growth of Pittsburghs offence. The Steelers ranked 27th in the league in yards rushing (1,383) and 29th in yards per attempt (3.5). While running back LeVeon Bell set a team record for yards from scrimmage by a rookie, he averaged just 3.5 yards per carry and spent most of his time mincing his steps at the line of scrimmage waiting for holes that sometimes failed to open. The line struggled to protect quarterback Ben Roethlisberger early in the season, giving up 36 sacks through the first nine games. Those numbers dipped significantly later in the season, a combination of improved play and Pittsburghs move to a no-huddle offence. Munchak, who made nine Pro Bowls during his 12-year career with the Houston Oilers from 1982-93, was considered one of the best line coaches in the NFL before ascending to head coach in 2011. AP Sports Writer Teresa Walker in Nashville, Tenn., contributed to this report. Charles Smith Jersey .C. Now hes squarely in the U.S. capital and helping the Washington Wizards playoff drive. John Wall scored 33 points, Gooden got 11 of his 21 in the final quarter and the Wizards overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit for a 101-94 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night. Bill Walton Jersey . Louis Blues and back into top spot of the TSN.ca NHL Power Rankings. The Sharks had been ranked No. https://www.cheapclippersonline.com/760h...ppers.html ., will experience this week. A year in which the Canadian curling championship has been pushed forward a week to accommodate the Winter Olympics was deemed the perfect chance to stage the event in Montreal for the first time since 1979. Jim McMillian Jersey . But Josh Bailey scored the shootout winner to lead the Islanders to a 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens in a battle of the Eastern Conferences two worst teams. Eric Piatkowski Jersey . Fielder ended 4-for-5 with a solo homer, while Avila was 4-for-4 with two runs scored for the Tigers, who put the brakes on a three-game skid and rebounded from a loss in Mondays opener. Victor Martinez and Austin Jackson both contributed two hits, an RBI and a run scored as Detroit maintained its healthy lead atop the AL Central. CLEVELAND -- The Browns have matched Jacksonvilles offer sheet for Pro Bowl centre Alex Mack and will keep one of their top players. Mack signed a five-year, $42 million offer from the Jaguars on Friday, and the Browns matched the deal just a few hours later. The 28-year-old Mack will receive $26 million guaranteed in the deal, which he can void after two seasons. Also, the Browns are not allowed to tag or trade him. Clevelands decision to keep Mack ends a strange saga that began when the club placed a $10 million transition tag on him at the outset of free agency. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam repeatedly pledged is commitment to hanging on to Mack and kept his word.dddddddddddd "We have talked about keeping our own players and this is a positive for us," general manager Ray Farmer said. "Alex is a quality person and player that truly brings to life what playing like a Brown means. "The ending is positive for everyone. Keeping our young, good nucleus of players is vital for clubs and specifically the Browns, and therefore this is a good step." Mack has not missed a snap in five seasons with the Browns, who drafted him in the first round in 2009. ' ' '
ARE, Sweden -- Olympic silver medallist Anna Fenninger won a World Cup giant slalom race Thursday, and closed the gap on overall leader Maria Hoefl-Riesch. The Austrian, who also won the Olympic super-G in Sochi, won the race despite finishing seventh in the first run. Her combined time of 2 minutes, 26.39 seconds was 0.21 faster than surprise runner-up Anemone Marmottan of France. Lara Gut of Switzerland and Eva-Maria Brem of Austria tied for third, trailing Fenninger by 0.39. Hoefl-Riesch placed 21st in what is typically her weakest discipline and earned only 10 World Cup race points. Fenningers 100 points brought her within 67 of the 2011 overall champion from Germany with six races remaining this season. Congratulating Fenninger in a post on her Twitter account, Hoefl-Riesch wrote: "Now you are the favourite for the big crystal globe." In her past four races, Fenninger has collected two Olympics medals, finished second in a World Cup downhill and now taken her sixth career World Cup win. The 24-year-old Austrians second GS victory this season lifted her to second behind Jessica Lindell-Vikarby of Sweden in the season-long discipline standings. Lindell-Vikarby placed sixth in front of her home crowd, 0.82 behind, and has a 54-point lead over Fenninger. Are hosts another giant slalom on Friday, after Thursdays race was a replacement for one cancelled last month in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. Tina Maze of Slovenia, the Olympic champion in GS, held a clear first-leg lead Thursday but had a strangely cautious second run to fall to fifth place. Marmottan and Brem both recorded their first career podium finishes in the World Cup. Mikaela Shiffrin of the United States placed 15th, 2.16 behind Fenninger. The Olympic champion in slalom will get a chance to race her favourite event on Saturday. The season concludes next week with the World Cup finals races in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, where weather has been a major factor. Hoefl-Riesch clinched her 2011 title by only three points from Lindsey Vonn when the final GS race was cancelled, and last year none of the mens and womens downhill and super-G races were completed. Clyde Shugart Jersey Online . Tepesch, back from the minor leagues, earned his first major league victory in more than 10 months and the Rangers edged the Seattle Mariners 4-3 on Wednesday. Cheap Jerseys . -- Craig Anderson has quite a record against his former team, the Florida Panthers. https://www.cheapjerseysatwholesale.com/...ey-online/ . - The Denver Broncos kept rookie wide receiver Tavarres King from joining the Green Bay Packers by promoting him to their active roster Tuesday. Alex Burl Jersey Online . They were expecting him there all along. The Pacers announced Friday night that George has been cleared "to return to normal basketball activity," a decision made three days after he was concussed in Game 2 of the Indiana-Miami series. Garrett Wolfe Jersey Online . - Jordan Addesis shootout goal helped the Plymouth Whalers to a 3-2 win over the Sault Ste.Captain Eoin Morgan says England must improve if they are to reach the ICC World Twenty20 semi-finals after an unconvincing 15-run win over Afghanistan. England slipped to 57-6 and then 85-7 in Delhi before Moeen Ali (41no) and David Willey (20no) lifted the target to 143.Afghanistan finished on 127-9 so Morgans men remain in contention for a last-four place, but will need to lift their game against Sri Lanka on Saturday. Matt Prior discusses the reasons why England seem to struggle to beat lesser sides at ICC World tournaments The execution of plans was off by a long way here, said Morgan, who was bowled first ball shouldering arms.If Afghanistan are going to beat us we need to under-perform and we let them in by under-performing with the bat, but I thought our bowling and fielding was very good.Its very important between now and Sri Lanka that we sit down as a group and emphasise what were trying to do, make sure we have the right plans and reinforce them.This was the wicket every single one of us was expecting. The Verdict team discuss England’s batting collapse in their World T20 It was simply a matter of not adapting.dddddddddddd Weve been practising similar things that we needed here but just didnt produce.Morgan might easily have been reflecting on another upset to rank alongside defeats by Holland, twice, and Ireland in ICC tournaments. Warne: England must bowl first England must chase totals to win World T20, says Warne That he was instead picking the bones from a narrow escape was largely down to Moeen and Willey, who plundered 57 runs in 5.3 overs to swing the momentum of the match.The pair also played their role with the ball, taking three of the first four Afghanistan wickets, and were well due a word of praise from their skipper. To get us up to 142 Ali and Willey played really well. It was a really important stand, said Morgan, who made a golden duck in the early malaise.The difference between chasing 120 and 140 is huge, and one of our strengths is that we bat right down the order. Where the rest of our batsmen struggled those two guys showed a great deal of application.Watch England take on Sri Lanka from 2pm this Saturday on Sky Sports 2. Also See: England survive scare Scorecard How it happened Cricket videos ' ' '
DETROIT -- Don Mattingly wouldnt mind a rematch. The Los Angeles manager knows full well that if his Dodgers face the Detroit Tigers again this year, it can only happen in the World Series, so despite Wednesdays 4-1 loss in Motown, Mattingly would be happy to return. "Well take that right now, and Im sure the Tigers would, too," Mattingly said. "Wed love to be here again." The Dodgers split two games against the Tigers in Los Angeles in April, and Detroit swept the two-game series this week. Max Scherzer pitched seven impressive innings Wednesday, outdueling Zack Greinke and lifting the shorthanded Tigers. Detroit was without sluggers Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez, but the AL Central-leading Tigers scored two runs in the first inning against Greinke, and Scherzer (11-3) made the lead hold up. The All-Star right-hander allowed a run and four hits. He struck out seven and walked two. "Hes a great pitcher, and he showed why again today," Dodgers second baseman Dee Gordon said. "You dont get many chances against him, and when you do, hes got so many pitches that hes able to throw that you cant just sit on something." Joba Chamberlain struck out two in the eighth, and Joe Nathan fanned two in a perfect ninth for his 18th save in 23 chances. Greinke (11-5) allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings. He struck out eight without a walk. "You look at their lineup today, and you think you are getting a break with Cabrera and Victor being out," Greinke said. "But they were putting up great at-bats all day. I was throwing good pitches." Miguel Rojas of the Dodgers hit his first career homer in the fifth. Cabrera was given a day off by Detroit manager Brad Ausmus, and Martinez is dealing with a lingering back issue. The Tigers won without them. Scherzer escaped a first-inning jam thanks to some impressive fielding behind him. Yasiel Puig hit a one-out triple, but with the infield in, Hanley Ramirez hit a sharp grounder to Eugenio Suarez, and Detroits rookie shortstop threw quickly to third to catch Puig off the base. "That was a great play," Scherzer said. "He just made an instinct play -- saw Puig was off the base, and made a quick little snap throw. That just helped keep the game where it was." Rajai Davis made a sliding catch in left field for the third out. Austin Jackson opened the bottom of the inning with a triple of his own and scored on Ian Kinslers single. Kinsler advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single by Don Kelly. Greinke was sharp after that. Detroit scored again in the fourth on an RBI single by Nick Castellanos, but the Los Angeles right-hander retired the last nine hitters he faced, striking out the final four. But the Dodgers couldnt overcome Scherzer. They put men on first and second in the third, but Puig hit into a double play. In the sixth, Puig hit a leadoff double, but the next three batters couldnt hit the ball out of the infield. Matt Kemp went hitless with three strikeouts. Hes now 0 for 21 against Scherzer. Torii Hunters sacrifice fly in the eighth gave Detroit another run. NOTES: Mattingly says he doesnt plan any major changes to the lineup when OF Carl Crawford returns from a sprained left ankle. There could be a logjam with OFs Kemp, Puig and Andre Ethier also in the fold. "Were playing pretty well," Mattingly said. "Well just talk about it with (Crawford) -- let him know where everything is." ... Kelly drew the second intentional walk of his career in the eighth inning. ... Detroit faces Kansas City on Thursday night. The Tigers send LHP Drew Smyly (4-8) to the mound against RHP Jeremy Guthrie (5-7). ... The Dodgers return home to take on San Diego. Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw (10-2) faces RHP Odrisamer Despaigne (2-0) of the Padres. Malik Beasley Jersey . Joining him in this years class were Switzerlands Patrick Huerlimann and Norways Eigil Ramsfjell. The announcement was made at the world mens curling championship at Capital Indoor Stadium in China. Denver Nuggets Store . Globo TV and other news outlets said early Monday that Scolari will not remain as coach after the national teams failure to win the World Cup at home. https://www.cheapnuggets.com/247y-dikemb...ggets.html . Unlike last year when nobody got in, there have been estimates of as many as five getting voted in this time around and as few as one, Greg Maddux. Arron Afflalo Jersey . Lawrie was hit on the hand by Cincinnati pitcher Johnny Cueto in the second inning of Sundays 4-3 loss to the Reds. Anthony Carter Jersey . Louis Blues and Buffalo Sabres came to an agreement on a big trade that may only offer incremental improvement to the Blues in their quest for a Stanley Cup. FORT WORTH, Texas -- Brad Keselowski led 106 of 200 laps at Texas to win for the sixth time in his last eight Nationwide Series starts, while Austin Dillon and Sam Hornish Jr. got closer Saturday in the battle for the season title. With the win in the No. 22 Ford, Keselowski put Roger Penske back in the lead for owner points. Keselowski finished nearly a second ahead of Denny Hamilin.dddddddddddd Hornish recovered from being a lap down early in the race to finish third. That was two spots ahead of Dillon, whose points lead was cut from eight to six with two races to go. Hornish and Dillon each led only two laps on the high-banked 1 1/2-mile track, with Sprint Cup points leader Matt Kenseth finishing third between them. ' ' '
TORONTO -- A day after being demoted to the American Hockey League, T.J. Brennan gave the Toronto Maple Leafs another reason to call him back up. The 24-year-old scored three goals and added an assist to lead the Toronto Marlies to a 6-3 win over the St. Johns IceCaps in AHL action Saturday afternoon. Brennan opened the season by being named AHL player-of-the-week and was summoned by the Maple Leafs Wednesday. While he didnt see any game action in his brief stint, he says he got enough of a taste while practicing with the big club to keep hopeful for another re-call. "You see the level and the pace up there and you try and reflect your game off that speed," said Brennan. "Im just trying to do the things that elevate my game. Thats where I want to be." The hat trick was Brennans second of the season and he now leads the AHL in scoring with seven goals and 10 points in three contests. Wade MacLeod, John-Michael Liles and Stefan Legein had the other goals for Toronto (3-0-0) while Spencer Abbott and Trevor Smith chipped in with two assists apiece. Andrew Gordon, Jerome Samson and Will ONeill scored for St. Johns (1-2-1). Drew MacIntyre made 21 saves for the win as Jussi Olkinuora turned aside 27 shots in defeat. MacIntyre, who played with Brennan two seasons ago with the Rochester Americans, is familiar with how Brennan plays an offensive minded game. But hes most impressed with the way the 24-year-old has come along protecting his own net. "He could play forward easily, but hes good defensivly too," said MacIntyre. "Hes worked hard at that." Brennan scored two goals in the first 2:43 of the opening period to put the Marlies ahead. However, Toronto picked up three straight penalties, including a double minor to Sam Carrick for roughing, and the IceCaps scored three times to take a 3-2 lead into the first intermission. Gordon put St. Johns on the board at 6:11 while ONeill and Samson added power-play goals. Marlies head coach Steve Spott was not pleased with his clubs lack of discipline in the opening 20 minutes, and questioned the double minor handed to Carrick. "Im really not sure what happened on that play," said Spott. "I didnt get an explanation so Im not sure what he did." Liles tied the game with a power-play goal at 15:28 of the second period and MacLeod put Toronto ahead in the final minute of the period. Legein added to the Marlies lead midway through the third period and Brennan capped the game with a goal into an empty net. "Sometimes the best defence is a good offence," said Brennan. Both clubs went 2 for 7 on the power play. Air Force 1 Off-White Outlet .com) - Pittsburgh Steelers running back LeVeon Bell, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Elvis Dumervil and New England Patriots punter Ryan Allen were selected as the AFCs top players for Week 14 of the NFL season. Air Force 1 Wholesale . After the loss, White refused to make good on the bet, instead offering Hoyt tickets to a Bears game. https://www.cheapairforce1outlet.com/air...ed-outlet/ . Jose Bautista homered for the fifth straight game in the sixth inning, following a two-out solo homer by Melky Cabrera. Edwin Encarnacion led off the seventh with a homer to tie the game 3-3 and, with two out in the seventh, Munenori Kawasaki came through with the two-out single to score pinch-runner Steve Tolleson with what proved to be the winning run. Air Force 1 On Sale . PETERSBURG, Florida – Its been almost seven years since the Blue Jays last won a series at Tropicana Field. Air Force 1 Womens Outlet . - Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Jason Babin is now a free agent.TSNs Jack Armstrong offers his thoughts on Raptors small forward Steve Novak, Nets shooting guard Marcus Thorntons firepower and deep range, Celtics point guard Rajon Rondos talent and the Chicago Bulls harder work on the court. 1. HUGE GAME: Im here in NYC for the Raptors at Nets game Monday night. Some games are just bigger than others and this is one of them. Four games separate them for first place in the Atlantic. Tie-breaker at stake, as well. A win by the Raps would be a major step with only 20 games to play beyond this one. Both are on a back-to-back. Its a tough challenge for Toronto versus a desperate opponent. I cant wait. 2. STEVE NOVAK (Raptors): The five three-pointers at Minnesota were major. Patrick Patterson is out and its all about digging deeper into your bench and he delivered. The sum is more important than the parts. Love how Landry Fields and Chuck Hayes haave performed when needed as well.dddddddddddd 3. MARCUS THORNTON (Nets): 27 points Sunday night versus his old Kings team. A terrific pickup for Brooklyn. He gives them firepower and deep range. Streaky scorer who can change a game quick if hes hot. He did that on Sunday night. He is the perfect complement off the bench for their team. 4. RAJON RONDO (Celtics): 11 points and 18 assists on Sunday versus the Pistons. GM Danny Ainges phone will be ringing off the hook this summer if he keeps dropping as many dimes as he did on Sunday. Hes a wonderful talent and if he gets back to being the explosive lead guard he once was, watch out! 5. CHICAGO BULLS: Watched their overtime win over the Heat on Sunday. What can you say, other than wow! No team in the NBA plays harder than them. Coach Thibodeau gets after it and Joakim Noah is that guy you want on your side. Hustle truly is a talent. ' ' '