| 2070 Beiträge - Forenlegende
|
|
|
MINNEAPOLIS -- Even when his Minnesota Timberwolves were down by three with 12.5 seconds to play in the game, Kevin Love never stopped believing that they would come out of there with a win. He backed up that belief with one heck of a shot to put them in position to do just that. Love had 31 points and 17 rebounds and hit the game-tying 3-pointer with 10.2 seconds left to force overtime in the Timberwolves 120-115 victory over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night. Ricky Rubio had 13 points, 11 assists and three steals for the Timberwolves, who led by 17 in the first half and survived a major scare from a young and rebuilding team. "I personally knew wed win the whole time," Love said. "I told the guys with two or three minutes left, just keep playing through it. Its going to be a learning experience for us, but were going to win this game. They all agreed." Arron Afflalo had 28 points and nine rebounds and Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 16 rebounds for the Magic. Orlando was playing on the second night of a back-to-back, but led by three with 12.5 seconds to play. "That was fun. That was fun to be a part of," Magic coach Jacque Vaughn said. "Id be even in a better mood if we came out victorious, but great effort by our guys to give ourselves a chance to win the ball game." Love made a 3-pointer just over two seconds later to tie the game and Afflalo missed a turn-around baseline jumper at the buzzer that would have won the game in regulation. "A little more upset about the 3 they got off," Afflalo said. "We shouldve just had a little more communication and not even been in that position. "It kind of hurts more when you feel like youve got the game won, after all weve been through last season and trying to build this season, we want to start capitalizing on these type of games." Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Martin hit three-point plays in overtime for a 113-107 lead with 2:36 to play, and the Wolves just breathed a big sigh of relief at the start of a season that begins with high expectations. Corey Brewer finished with 16 points and Martin scored 23 points on 6-for-19 shooting. Jameer Nelson had 18 points and eight assists and Victor Oladipo had 14 points, six rebounds and four assists for Orlando. But it was a triumphant return for Love, who played in just 18 games last season due to a twice-broken hand. The injury issues, and Loves perceived unhappiness with the organization under previous president David Kahn soured him with some fans. He spent the summer working out harder than ever to be ready to reclaim his status as the leagues top power forward. If any fans had any lingering hard feelings, they were buried with that big 3-pointer from the left elbow. "Thats why he gets paid the big bucks," Brewer said with a smile. "We knew we were going to him and he made the shot." The lead swelled to 17 points early in the second quarter, but coach Rick Adelmans concerns about this teams makeup surfaced later in the period. After a rough shooting night in the opener against the rugged Pacers, Afflalo found the groove in the third quarter. His 3-pointer cut Minnesotas lead to 69-68 midway through the quarter and the Magic trailed by seven heading into the fourth. All looked lost when Oladipo hit two free throws for a 103-100 lead with 12.5 seconds to go. Love came off a screen, rose up and swished the big shot, then hollered at the delirious crowd. The Wolves had worked on that exact play in practice on Tuesday, but Love didnt make the shot. "Id rather make it in a game than in practice," Love said with a chuckle. "So were happy we converted." NOTES: The Magic again were without Tobias Harris (sprained left ankle) and Doron Lamb (sprained right ankle). Lamb is on the road trip with the team, meaning he is likely closer to playing than Harris. ... Rubio has at least one steal in 22 straight games, the second-longest active streak in the NBA. ... Derrick Williams, the No. 2 overall pick in 2011, did not play for the Wolves. http://www.intermilanfcteamshop.com/Authentic-Rey-...aj-Jers ey/ . The Dutchmans tenure got off to a poor start when referee Guido Winkmann awarded a penalty within two minutes for Niklas Starks clumsy challenge on Alexandru Maxim. http://www.intermilanfcteamshop.com/Authentic-Jona...ny-Jers ey/ . Just not the game. Kyle Palmieri scored two straight goals in the third period to rally the Anaheim Ducks past the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Tuesday night. http://www.intermilanfcteamshop.com/Authentic-Ezeq...to-Jers ey/ . The quest begins with what is supposed to be an easy one, although Germany has traditionally been a stubborn opponent to Canadian teams at international tournaments. http://www.intermilanfcteamshop.com/ . MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez also will attend the session, which was announced Monday. The league has discussed placing its next two expansion teams in Miami and Atlanta. http://www.intermilanfcteamshop.com/Authentic-Mira...da-Jers ey/ .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action.Warren Foegele wont be playing in the Canadian Hockey League Top Prospects game in Calgary on Wednesday, but hes an intriguing prospect whos creating some draft buzz amongst scouts nonetheless. There are two reasons you wouldnt find him in the game. One, hes No. 62 on the NHL Central Scouting Bureaus mid-term ranking of North American skaters, which was issued today by the league. No. 62 certainly doesnt guarantee you a spot in the CHL Top Prospects game. Two, its impossible to get an invitation to the CHL Prospects game if you dont play in the CHL, and this player doesnt. Foegele, 17 (he turns 18 on April 1), was passed over in both the 2012 and 2013 Ontario Hockey League drafts and currently plays high school hockey at St. Andrews College in Aurora, Ont. Something of a late bloomer – he was only 5-foot-8 and 150 pounds in his minor midget season with the Markham Waxers – the now 6-1, 178-pound left winger is attracting attention from NHL scouts, whove been flocking to the Canadian private school or following SAC when they play games in the U.S. against prep schools there. Hes committed to go to the University of New Hampshire for the 2015-16 season, with the plan, for now anyway, to play in Penticton of the British Columbia Junior League next season. Some scouts have been buzzing about his play of late, a fast-skating, hard-working, two-way left winger..dddddddddddd Adding to the chatter is the fact hes one of those seeming "come out of nowhere" kids whos playing at a level of hockey in Canada that doesnt usually attract many, if any, NHL scouts. Some scouts have wondered aloud whether Foegele may be this years version of Mark Jankowski, the Calgary Flames surprise first-round pick, 21st overall, in 2012 from Stanstead College in Quebec, whos now developing and playing well at Providence College. A flash survey of NHL scouts puts Foegele in potential second or third-round territory for this years draft. While some have projected him to go later than that, no more than a mid-round prospect, some of those who rank him as a possible second-rounder believe he has the tools to perhaps trend even higher. Jankowski, part deux? "Hes a kid everyone is going in to look at now," one scout told TSN. "Theres a lot of interest in him right now, so well see how does with a lot of scrutiny. There are always skeptics for players playing at that level but hes a legit NHL prospect."Foegele, who trains in the off-season with Gary Roberts, is eligible for the OHL draft, again, this spring, though he seems intent on playing NCAA hockey at UNH. In any case, its a name thats getting some play from the scouts in a week when the top dogs will be on display in the CHL Top Prospects game. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
|
