FIVE QUICK HOOPS THOUGHTS 1. Balenciaga Shoes Discount . SPURS WIN TITLE: The model NBA franchise. Bottom line, Im hopeful that everyone saw how beautiful the game is when its played with the team concept in mind and thats the right way to play. In a society where if very "Copycat" aligned, this could be a really good development for the game as a whole on all levels. Every coach out there has the blueprint that we all witnessed for the sacrifice and selfless play that is the core principle of the sport. Now its on every coach to demand that the game be played (and important for folks in authority to back this concept and their leaders) in the proper fashion with We/Us always coming first before I/Me and a guys nonsensical "brand". Youre a player, not a "brand". Its a TEAM game - always will be. Fingers crossed that young players across the globe and particularly here in North America (where some have a warped view of what the sport is) see this as a cool way of playing the game and that the "pass" is a great way of "expressing yourself". 2. LEBRON JAMES (Heat): Im tired of the knuckleheads that bash him vs. Michael Jordan. Hes a totally different player in a different era. The guy plays hard, is a great teammate and is the only reason the Heat even were able to compete in short stretches. I saw no Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Horace Grant, Toni Kucoc, John Paxson or Steve Kerr out there for Miami in this series. The guy was fighting many times on his own. Hed be a guy that I would be honoured to coach and Id say more than 99 per cent of players - current and retired - would love to have him as a teammate. Is he as good as Jordan? No. So what? Its not like he isnt laying it on the line each night. Hes still terrific and not the problem. Im far from an apologist. He has made his fair share of mistakes but at the core, he carries himself properly and values the team concept. I would take him any day of the week on my team. 3. CARMELO ANTHONY (Knicks): I said this after Game 4 and Ill say it again, I think the Melo to Miami rumours were a distraction to the Heat - particularly to guys like Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. By the way, the two of them played poorly to say the least (24 points combined on 26 shots in Game 5). Not sure where he ends up but hes a wonderfully talented player who is an amazing scorer who Im not totally sold understands the 10-man (5-on-5) game and the value of team play. He needs a very strong coach and point guard to get him to see the light. In my opinion, Jason Kidd really helped him last season in his final year as a player, allowing him to understand the right way to play. With him though, its a daily fight to continue to get him to shake off bad habits and buy in to the value of the team game. He knows right from wrong - hes a big boy with tons of talent and money. Accountability is key with him. You keep him on the right path and he can really help you but you have to battle him every day. Ask George Karl - thats tiring. It can be done though. You need great energy and persistence to get him to do it each day. Teams need to decide if they want to fight that fight. 4. SHANE BATTIER and RAY ALLEN (Heat): Battier has already announced his retirement (guys actually retire? Not too often these days - normally guys hang on for anther deal as long as possible) and Allen might choose the same path. Both of them are FIRST CLASS, top-notch professionals who got everything out of their games. They had work ethics off the charts and are coachable. Wonderful examples of the best the game has to offer. Have always admired their approach. When you think of all the lucky guys who had a chance to play with these guys over the years, it has made the game better. Their influence and maturity were impactful, as was their play. 5. DAVID BLATT (Coach): Has had great success overseas and in international competition. Happy to see his name mentioned for the Cavaliers head coaching job as well as the top assistant job with the Warriors. Long overdue. Hes a top-notch offensive coach and gets a ton out of the talent level at his disposal. Very adaptable and creative. Would be a nice addition to the NBA coaching fraternity in some role. Adidas Ultra Boost China Wholesale .com) - The fading Ottawa Senators have a chance to make up some ground in the playoff race on Tuesday night as they play host to the New York Rangers. Wholesale Nike Air Max China . The biggest shock of this seasons competition was on when Watford took a 2-0 lead after 30 minutes at Etihad Stadium, only for a remarkable Aguero-led comeback by City in the final half-hour. The Argentina striker produced clinical finishes in the 60th and 79th minutes to level the score before Aleksandar Kolarov put City in front in the 87th. http://www.brandshoescheaponline.com/ . He will just have to wait a little longer. Bester grabbed an early lead before Scotlands Darren Burnett took over and ran away with the mens singles lawn bowling final 21-9 on Friday.PHOENIX - A rookie who probably wont play in the Super Bowl could help the New England Patriots win it.By the time the game starts Sunday night, Jimmy Garoppolo will have done his primary job of preparing the teams defence by imitating speedy Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson in practice.Ive had to get a lot faster real fast, Garoppolo said with a smile.Drafted in the second round out of Eastern Illinois, he threw just 27 passes as Tom Bradys backup. His behind-the-scenes role has been much more valuable to the team preparing to face the defending champion Seahawks.When we play quarterbacks like were going to see this weekend, thats a huge role for us, defensive co-ordinator Matt Patricia said. This is definitely a kind of unsung hero job.It also was a new one for Garoppolo.As a college star, he didnt play on the scout team. So when he joined the Patriots he had to start from the beginning. As the season progressed, so did he.He met on Tuesdays with defensive coaches. He imitated the skills and quirks of quarterbacks as diverse as pocket passers Peyton Manning and Kyle Orton and more mobile quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers and Andrew Luck.Ive been, what is it, 18 different quarterbacks? Garoppolo said. You just try to do the best you can for the defence Youre trying to give them a look and, at the same time, perfect your craft.The more time running plays in practice, even on the scout team, the more experience a player has that should help him when he gets into the game. Even if he never does, it can be rewarding.Jim Miller didnt play as a backup to Brady during the 2004 season. But he enthusiastically ran the scout team and ended up with a Super Bowl ring.Hed get in the huddle every single day and be like, all right, guys. You love football. Lets go, said Patricia, who ran the scout team at the time. And it just set the right tone for everybody to go out and practice extremely hard.Garoppolo may not have much to do on game days, but hes had to learn how to manage his time during the week. Cheap Nike Air Max 97 China. He studies opposing quarterbacks in film sessions so he can help the defence and still has to prepare to play if Brady gets hurt or comes out of the game during a blowout.Hes been practice player of the week for us a number of weeks, probably couldve been more, for the look that he gives the defence, coach Bill Belichick said.From one week to the next, Garoppolo must forget the tendencies of one quarterback and learn those of another.The next quarterbacks cadence, habits at the line of scrimmage and amount of time he tries to throw to his primary receiver before dumping the ball off to another are part of Garoppolos imitations.Does the opponent use an up-tempo offence or huddle after most plays?The better Garoppolo can copy the opposing quarterback, the better chance a defence has to stop him in a game.There have definitely been a couple of times when its like, hey, they did the exact same thing to me in practice. Its paying off, he said.Previous quarterbacks who ran the Patriots scout team were Matt Cassel, Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett. All moved on to other teams.But when the Patriots took Garoppolo so early in the draft, he was seen as a more likely heir apparent to the 37-year-old starter, even though Brady has said hed like to play into his 40s.Meanwhile, Garoppolo is doing more for the Patriots defence than for their offence.This week, he helped it prepare for Wilson, a dual threat and a Super Bowl champion.It takes you a little out of your comfort zone, thats for sure, Garoppolo said, but Im an athlete. Ill make do.His defensive teammates certainly appreciate that.Hes given us a great look, whether hes dropping back and trying to make a play, whether its being zone read and running, safety Devin McCourty said. Obviously, were not going to get Russell Wilson in practice but we got a good showing of what we could see on Sunday.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '