Forenregeln » expel the increasingly aloof

MINNEAPOLIS -- The struggling Minnesota Timberwolves finally got to blow off some steam. Nikola Pekovic had 27 points and 14 rebounds in three quarters and the Timberwolves blasted the Utah Jazz, 98-72 on Saturday night. Kevin Love had 18 points, 13 rebounds and five assists, and Kevin Martin scored 20 points to help the Wolves snap a three-game losing streak that included losses to Sacramento and Toronto. The Wolves scored 28 points off 16 Utah turnovers and outscored the Jazz 50-18 in the paint for a much-needed blowout. Alec Burks scored 18 points for the Jazz, who trailed by as many as 36 points and shot 28.8 per cent, the worst shooting night in franchise history. Derrick Favours had eight points and 10 boards, but was just 3 for 10 from the field. The Timberwolves hit a season-low three games under .500 with a dispiriting loss in Toronto on Friday night, and a season that started with playoff aspirations was threatening to be done in by a lack of team chemistry and an inability to win close games. They are 0-11 this season in games decided by four points or less, but also lead the league in games in which theyve led by at least 30 points (10). The Jazz were playing again without leading scorer Gordon Hayward, who was out with a strained left hip flexor. And theyve never missed him more. The Jazz missed 20 of their first 26 shots against the team with the worst field goal percentage defence in the league. With just under nine minutes to play in the first half, Favours went up for a dunk but didnt make it high enough and was rejected by the rim. He grabbed the ball, went straight up again, and missed another dunk off the back iron. Incredibly, it only got worse from there. The Jazz made two field goals in the entirety of their nine-point second quarter and went into halftime trailing by 28 points. They went 8 for 39 in the first two quarters, just 20.5 per cent, and managed a season-low 23 points, the second-lowest scoring half for a Wolves opponent in franchise history. How bad was it? Pekovic and Martin combined for 39 points midway through the third quarter. The Jazz had 37. The Timberwolves werent exactly on fire, either. They shot 44 per cent in the first half and missed eight of 19 free throws. But if any team needed a gimme like this one, it was the Wolves. They had lost four of their previous five games to fall to 11th in the Western Conference and were fighting discord in the locker room and plummeting confidence on the court. That all changed on Saturday night, with Love and Pekovic rough-housing on the sideline, Martin playing with an aggression that hasnt been seen for a few weeks and Ricky Rubio playing with a hop in his step and a smile on his face for the first time in a month. Rubio had six points, nine assists and eight rebounds in 26 minutes. Promising rookie Trey Burke had just nine points on 2-for-10 shooting for Utah. NOTES: The Jazzs previous franchise low for field goal percentage was 29.3 per cent against New York on Nov. 14, 2005. ... Love hit a 3-pointer in the first quarter that moved him past Wally Szczerbiak for second on the franchises career list. ... The teams meet again in Utah on Tuesday. Cheap Red Wings Jerseys Authentic . Huntelaar also had a penalty saved by Wolfsburg goalkeeper Diego Benaglio. The two goals brought Huntelaars total for the season to 18, level with Bayern Munichs Mario Gomez for most in the league. Wholesale Red Wings Jerseys .Bekker was added Wednesday in exchange for allocation money after two seasons with Toronto. The native of Canada had 29 MLS appearances, including 16 starts. Hes also played in 13 games for the Canadian national team. http://www.cheapredwingsjerseys.com/ . Stevenson scored the first three goals of the game in the first period for Regina (35-22-6), which has won eight of its last 10 games. Patrick DAmico added two for the Pats, Braden Christoffer had a single and Morgan Klimchuk chipped in a goal and four assists. Cheap Red Wings Jerseys . Burris threw for 247 yards in one half of a game -- on pace for a nearly 500-yard outing -- as the Redblacks downed the woeful Montreal Alouettes 26-10 in CFL pre-season play Friday night at Percival Molson Stadium. Cheap Detroit Red Wings Jerseys . Cory Batey and Brandon Vandenburg were each convicted on four charges of aggravated rape, one of attempted aggravated rape and two for aggravated sexual battery. Vandenburg was also found guilty of tampering with evidence as well as an unlawful photography charge.Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Vivek Ranadive is widely credited with being one of the principal reasons the Kings still reign in Sacramento. His ownership exhilarated a new fanbase and he helped expel the increasingly aloof Maloof brothers from the hierarchy of the Kings. Ranadives methods have been strange to say the least. Publicly, the Kings owner has tinkered with the idea of having his team play 4-on-5 on the defensive end with an offensive cherry-picker hanging back. The Kings D-League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns, average a staggering 138.5 ppg. Sure, they allow 136.3 ppg, but theyre 6-5. The latest strangeness around Ranadive and the Kings was the abrupt dismissal of head coach Mike Malone earlier in the week. The Kings are 11-14, but 2-9 since DeMarcus Cousins left the lineup. The first record is very respectable in the brutal Western Conference and the second record is expected when the best player is unavailable. Ranadive hired Malone before he hired his GM, Pete DAlessandro, a move Ranadive acknowledged was out of order. I know it was unconventional to get the coach before we got the GM, Ranadive conceded in an interview with Sacramentos News10. I consulted some of the experts in the game. They said Malone was the right guy and we should get him as soon as we could ... Malone was exactly what the doctor ordered. How could Malone be exactly what the doctor ordered, then be unemployed just a season and 24 games later? Everything was literally and figuratively falling apart, Ranadive explained to News10. There was chaos, even anarchy in the locker room. The draft was weeks away. We needed to get a coach in place who would restore order. Malone must have done that. In all my years watching the NBA, let alone covering it, I never witnessed a coach publicly call out his team to the media like Malone did. He wouldnt throw guys under the bus, hed do that, back them over with the bus, then repeat. But, as Yahoo Sports Adrian Wojnarowski reported, Malone softened a bit. Wojnarowski reported that Malone traveled to visit Cousins and Rudy Gay while they were on Team USA for the FIBA World Cup this summer. Wojnarowski even went as far as to say Malone was a big reason for Gay extending his contract in Sacramento and that Malone was getting through to Cousins, who could, at times, be a little difficult. So why then, fire the teams coach, a coach who was hired without approval of either DAllesandro, or Ranadives closest advisor, Chris Mullin, this early while the team is progressing and while the teams best player has VIRAL MENINGITIS? The Western Conference is arguably the most competitive that it has ever been, Ranadive explained. Its a little like the hi-tech business. Just because you invent the iphone, doesnt mean you can rest on your laurels. Just because you win 50 games, you cant be satisfied with the status quo. We live in a time when good enough, isnt. We need to take this to the next level. We needed to pivot so that we move from a great defensive orientation to having both defense and offense. Move from an isolation offense to a more free-flowing offense. Move from a rules-based culture which was important when there was chaos, to more of a value-based culture so you can have more of a read-and-respond offense. Wow, thats interestting, equating a value-based culture to a fluid NBA offense.dddddddddddd Its certainly not owner speak. Thats a detailed, thought-out offering from someone who takes his job very seriously. Ranadive also said that the DAlessandro/Mullin combination made the final call, but Ranadives explanation was candid and very much forward-thinking. Clearly, offense is a big part of the problem Ranadive had with Malone. Owners meddling in sports matters is older than fire. Does Ranadive understand what he has in Cousins? A dominant, two-way big man who can shoot and pass, all while 24 years of age is a unique commodity. Does he want to flush Cousins impact in the future for the love of offense? Maybe he does, but Ranadive is a man who wont settle for anything but the best. Mark Cuban is a Maverick in team name and in personality. He did things oddly it seemed, and hes always had a hand in things. Now, Cuban is an elite, shrewd owner who has a championship ring and one of the most consistently strong teams every season. Cuban also backed off and let the basketball people run things when needs be. Wojnarowski said Ranadive really wanted Detroits Josh Smith and told other owners Malone didnt, yet still pursued him. Thats too meddlesome and hell need to curb that kind of behavior. But Ranadive isnt willing to settle. Doesnt that pinpoint exactly what a fanbase should look for in an owner? Progress is fine, but when that progression plateaus, hell find the next guy for the next level. Ranadive used Malone to balance his roster out mentally, then chucked him. Its like when Bane snapped that dudes neck who provided money and infrastructure, although the comparison is not exactly flawless. Ranadives methods are goofy, but his mind is where it should be. There will still be issues to flesh out for Ranadive going forward. Will any worthwhile coach want to work for an owner who fires coaches when the best player is away? Will any worthwhile coach want to work for an owner who fires coaches a little over 100 games into his tenure? Will any worthwhile coach want to work for an owner who wants to employ a 4-on-5 strategy? Ty Corbin is not the answer. He didnt do anything of note with the Utah Jazz and he wont in Sacramento. George Karls name was pumped up early based on the fact he has a working relationship with DAlessandro, but thats already appeared to fizzle. Sam Amick of USA Today reported that Mullin, DAlessandro and Cousins met with Mark Jackson after he called the game for ESPN Tuesday night. That would be fun - taking the most recent genius who butted heads with ownership and pair him with a guy who wants his coach to use lessons from his days coaching his daughters youth team. If this episode proved anything else, its that Ranadive isnt in this to just be owner and deposit checks. He wants to win and his desire to do so borders on impatience. Whoever the long-term solution is in Sacramento, be it Jackson, Karl or Mullin, better be on guard. Ranadive is doing things his way based on his background in the business and technology world. Its his right. He may have some trouble getting coaches to trust him for now, but his honesty and approach is refreshing. Improvement is the only acceptable outcome. Did he have a cherry-picker in software development? Cheap Buffalo Sabres Gear Wholesale Calgary Flames Jerseys Cheap Adidas Colorado Avalanche Jerseys Montreal Canadiens Outlet Store Wholesale New Jersey Devils Jerseys Adidas Arizona Coyotes Jerseys Cheap Adidas Boston Bruins Jerseys Cheap Adidas Carolina Hurricanes Jerseys Chicago Blackhawks Shop Free Shipping Wholesale Columbus Blue Jackets Jerseys Dallas Stars Shop Free Shipping Cheap Adidas Detroit Red Wings Jerseys Anaheim Ducks Jerseys China Wholesale Edmonton Oilers Jerseys Florida Panthers Shop Free Shipping Wholesale Los Angeles Kings Jerseys Minnesota Wild Outlet Store Cheap Adidas Nashville Predators Jerseys Cheap Adidas New York Islanders Jerseys New York Rangers Winter Classic Jerseys Cheap Adidas Ottawa Senators Jerseys Cheap Adidas Philadelphia Flyers Jerseys Wholesale Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys Cheap Adidas San Jose Sharks Jerseys St. Louis Blues Winter Classic Jerseys Wholesale Tampa Bay Lightning Jerseys Toronto Maple Leafs Outlet Store Vancouver Canucks Outlet Store Cheap Adidas Vegas Golden Knights Jerseys Cheap Adidas Washington Capitals Jerseys Cheap Adidas Winnipeg Jets Jerseys ' ' '