FIVE QUICK NBA THOUGHTS 1. [url=http://www.shoptimberwolvesstore.com/Cheap-Karl-Anthony-Towns-Timbe rwolves-Jersey/]Karl-Anthony Towns Jersey[/url] . CHAUNCEY BILLUPS (Pistons): Yes they got Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings in the off-season and Andre Drummond is a beast (teams are kicking themselves f

FIVE QUICK NBA THOUGHTS 1. Karl-Anthony Towns Jersey . CHAUNCEY BILLUPS (Pistons): Yes they got Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings in the off-season and Andre Drummond is a beast (teams are kicking themselves for passing on him - he rebounds and block shots every game - thats two more discernable and significant skills than most guys in his draft class), but dont for a second discount the impact of having a savvy veteran like Billups on your team. He can play both guard spots and plays within himself and can shoot the three-ball exceptionally well but most importantly he is a respected elder statesman who gets it and can still play. Hes a huge asset to coach Maurice Cheeks getting this young/talented team to buy in" and make the sacrifices necessary to be successful. A good under the radar pickup by GM Joe Dumars after a messy departure a few years back. 2. NIKOLA VUCEVIC (Magic): Check out these numbers (14.8 ppg, 11.3 rpg and shooting 56 per cent) and I think you can see this guy is no fluke. Loved watching him get extended minutes last season and its paying off. Hes relentless on the offensive boards and has that nose for the ball that good rebounders have. Hes getting the opportunity and is one of the bright spots for a young team that is flying high after knocking off the Brooklyn Nets. 3. LANDRY FIELDS (Raptors): None of us have any control over the bloated contract he received yet we do have control over our pure objectivity in assessing a guys game and overall contribution to a team with money left totally aside. I like what I see. Would he be a guy Id want as a teammate? Yes, definitely. Would he be a guy Id like to coach? It would be an honour. He gets it. Hes all about team and sacrifice. Smart and tough. Does he have limitations? Yes, but hes a solid rotation player who you can count on and trust to try to do the right things and be in the right places. He wont always be successful but you know the intent is precisely what the script calls for. As a former coach, you reach a point where you get tired of waiting for guys and youd rather deal with someone who is dependable. Fields fills that void for a number of minutes each game to allow for others to grow/prosper. I talk to lots of coaches, executives and scouts and in spite of a contract thats overpriced (no fault of Fields) to a man - hes a respected player who fits the bill as a role player with winning habits. Hes healthy and were seeing a guy regaining his confidence and earning the trust of his coaches and teammates as a guy who will be in that nine-man rotation. Guys like this are hard to keep off the floor. Its a team game. 4. MICHAEL CARTER-WILLIAMS (Sixers): Who saw this coming? The 76ers are 3-0 and the Suns are 2-1 (they played pretty well in their loss at Oklahoma City on Sunday night and lost Goran Dragic). Carter-Williams has been awesome in their upsets. Hes averaging an amazing 20 ppg and 7 assists and is shooting 47 per cent from long distance. He guards and sets the tone for Brett Browns team defensively with his excellent lateral quicks and his ball pressure. Honestly didnt think hed be this good this early with a team that has limitations to say the least. He strikes me as a guy that will be one of those players who will be a better pro than he was in college at Syracuse. The pace and rules of the NBA game favour his game and also look at him as a guy who is still figuring out how to run a team. Has lots of ability and hes really jumped out at me. 5. XAVIER HENRY (Lakers): Style of play is a major benefit to this guy playing for Mike DAntoni. He parks himself behind the three-point arc (14.3 ppg and 45 per cent on threes) and lets loose. Watched a few of the Lakers games already and this system fits his game perfectly. Run to a spot and fire away on the catch. Im curious to see how he performs as we go along here as teams lock in with their scouting/preparation and begin to chase him off the distance line and make him score in a secondary fashion. If he can handle all that hes playing in an ideal situation for himself. Gorgui Dieng Jersey . This weeks topics include his take on the Kevin Pillar incident, All-Star snubs, the firing of Padres general manager Josh Byrnes and more. Andrew Wiggins Jersey . Here is a look at all the moves through the first week of NHL Free Agency. The most significant deals will get the full Numbers Game column treatment, like these:Briere-for-Parenteau trade. http://www.shoptimberwolvesstore.com/Cheap-Nemanja-Bjelica-Timberwolves-Jersey/ . Its the second straight year he has decided not to play as he cuts back his schedule. Stricker was replaced in the field by Ryo Ishikawa of Japan.HOUSTON - Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck and Texans quarterback Case Keenum both have strong ties to Houston, are in their second year in the NFL, and are starting for their respective teams. Thats where their similarities end. Luck was the first overall pick in the 2012 draft and started from Day 1. Keenum joined the Texans as an undrafted free agent and spent all of last season on the practice squad. Luck has thrown for 1,574 yards and 10 touchdowns. Keenum had 271 yards passing and a touchdown in his only NFL game on Oct. 20. The pair will meet tonight when the AFC South-leading Colts face a Houston team looking to end a five-game skid. Watch the action unfold live on TSN, beginning with Football Night in America at 7pm et/4pm pt. "I think you realize when you go into an NFL locker room, after a certain period of time, it doesnt matter where youre drafted or how you got there," Luck said. "If you get a chance and you play well, thats what matters." Keenum agreed. "Drafted first overall or undrafted, I think, its kind of all put to the side when it comes down to it," Keenum said. Luck went to high school in Houston before attending Stanford. Keenum is from Abilene, Texas and set career NCAA records for yards passing (19,217) and touchdown passes (155) at the University of Houston. Keenum made his NFL debut in Houstons last game filling in for an injured Matt Schaub. The Texans lost 17-16, but coach Gary Kubiak saw enough promise in Keenum to give him another start with Schaub healthy. "I think (hes) growing," Kubiak said. "I liked him or I wouldnt have brought him here in the first place. I think he has all of the physical ability to do what you need to do in this league to be successful." Five things to know about the Colts-Texans game: BANGED-UP BACKS: Houstons top two running backs are dealing with injuries and are questionable. Starter Arian Foster has missed practice this week with a hamstring injury he sustained early in the last game. Backup Ben Tate finished that game despite breaking four ribs in the third quarter. Hes said he expects to play Sunday. Houston signed three running backs on Monday to add depth: rookies Ray Graham and Dennis Johnson, and fourth-yyear player Deji Karim. Jimmy Butler Jersey. Karim played three games for the Colts late last season, mostly on special teams. He had a 101-yard kickoff return for a touchdown last season to help the Colts to a 28-16 win in their last meeting with Houston. REGGIES REPLACEMENT: Sunday will be Indianapolis first game without star receiver Reggie Wayne, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in a win over Denver. With the Pro Bowler out, the Colts will look to 2008 first-round pick Darrius Heyward-Bey and second-year player T.Y. Hilton to pick up the slack. Heyward-Bey has 18 receptions for 190 yards and a touchdown, and Hilton has 27 receptions for 412 yards and two scores. AVOIDING ED: Houstons Ed Reed has just 14 tackles with no interceptions in five games this season, causing some to wonder if he can still be a difference maker at age 35. Coach Chuck Pagano does not have that doubt. Pagano was asked how to account for him. "Dont throw in his direction, first of all," Pagano said. "Wherever hes at, just tell the quarterback, Dont go near him. Thats one way. Thats easier said than done." Reed leads active players with 61 career interceptions and has four against the Colts. MONSTER MATHIS: Indianapolis linebacker Robert Mathis has already tied his career high with 11 1/2 sacks. He reached the mark in both 2005 and 2008. "The second year in (this defence), hes much more comfortable," Pagano said. "Obviously, it was a huge transition a year ago for him, going from a 4-3 end to a stand up outside linebacker. ... Were not surprised that hes putting the numbers up that he is." Mathis has 103 sacks in his 11-year career. Hes had 15 1/2 against Houston, which is the most of any opponent. NO CUSHING: The Texans are trying to regroup after losing star linebacker Brian Cushing to a season-ending knee injury for the second straight year. "Unfortunately, weve been down this road before and some guys will have to step up," Kubiak said. Fourth-year player Darryl Sharpton will take over for Cushing, and Kubiak will look to fellow starting linebackers Joe Mays and Brooks Reed to help make Sharptons transition easier. ___ AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Discount NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys 2018 Cheap Jerseys 2018 Discount NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys From China Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping ' ' '