, things are going

[vv1122365]

MINNEAPOLIS - As a minority owner, team president and coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Flip Saunders holds as much power in one organization as any person in the NBA.What sounds like the ideal situation for a person who is confident in his abilities to evaluate talent, build a roster and develop young players into difference-making professionals can have its downside, and Saunders hit that in the early morning hours on Thursday after his team allowed the Philadelphia 76ers snap a 17-game losing streak on Minnesotas home court.I went to bed this morning at 5:30, a heavy-eyed Saunders said after practice Thursday. From 12 oclock to 1:30, the owner says what the heck is the president doing getting these guys on the team? From 1:30 to 3, the president says what the hell is the coach doing not getting these guys to play harder? And then from 3:30 to 5:30 the coach is getting down on the players. So that was my night last night.More sleepless nights could be right around the corner.The Timberwolves are 4-13, the worst record in the West, and face a gauntlet of conference opponents over the next week with Houston, San Antonio, Portland, Golden State and fully loaded Oklahoma City on the schedule. Those five teams started Thursday with a 61-28 record, which includes the Thunders 5-13 record amassed mostly without stars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, who are healthy now.And the Wolves most certainly are not.Starters Ricky Rubio (ankle), Nikola Pekovic (foot, wrist) and Kevin Martin (wrist) are all out for the long haul and point guard Mo Williams (back) and sixth man Shabazz Muhammad (ankle) are listed as questionable for the game against the Rockets on Friday night. Saunders said Rubio and Martin wont be back before the new year and Pekovic and backup big man Ronny Turiaf (hip) wont be able to suit up for at least another 10 days.The injuries have left Saunders with a roster relying primarily on rookies Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine and second-year men Gorgui Dieng and Anthony Bennett, and the results have been predictably bumpy. The Wolves have won just twice since Rubio went down in the first half of a game against Orlando on Nov. 7.And they hit rock bottom in an 85-77 loss to the Sixers (1-17), who would have tied the record for worst start to an NBA season had the Wolves not shot 36 per cent and turned the ball over 19 times against a team seemingly built to lose games.Were not a very good team right now, Saunders lamented after the game. Weve all got to get better. Everybody. Weve got to work with our guys more to get them to do what we need to do.Even after the Wolves traded All-Star Kevin Love to Cleveland in the summer, there was a belief internally that they had the right mix of reliable veterans and dynamic youngsters to be competitive this season. It looked that way early, with close losses to the Grizzlies and Bulls and victories over Brooklyn and Detroit in the first four games.Then the injuries started piling up, and suddenly Saunders was forced to play that young players far bigger minutes and rely on them for more of the scoring load than he ever believed he would have to so early. Its also reduced his ability to hold players accountable by taking away playing time because he simply doesnt have the bodies to take that approach.It might get uglier before it gets better because were so undermanned that some guys have to play, Saunders said. And theyre playing and theyre making mistakes.As the game against the Sixers slipped away, Saunders could see his young team tightening up, not wanting to become the answer to a trivia question.Its tough, Wiggins said after the game. Thats going to be on everyones mind, on the whole team, for a long time now. No team wanted to be that team.The Wolves are that team. And no one is coming to save them.It can be frustrating for fans and it can be frustrating for the coach and everyone else, Saunders said. But I do understand what we are trying to do. And I do believe this: Well have a pretty good understanding when this season is done on what players are going to be here that we can move forward with and what players we cant move forward with. Wholesale Bears Jerseys Online . The injury will keep the Finnish forward out of the Olympics. The 29-year-old has 20 goals and 41 points in 56 games this season, his first with Tampa Bay. Javon Wims Jersey .Morse gets a $1 million signing bonus and salaries of $7 million next season and $8 million in 2016 under the agreement announced Wednesday. http://www.cheapbearsjerseysonline.com/?tag=roquan-smith-jersey-online . James Harden wasnt worried and told his coach as much. "He was fired up but I told him: Its OK. Were going to be all right," Harden said. And they were. Houston scored 17 straight points after that timeout, led by 10 from Harden, to take the lead and roll to an easy 129-106 win. Joel Iyiegbuniwe Jersey . No such luck. Wiggins owned the end of Parkers impressive homecoming. The Kansas star scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half, outplaying Parker down the stretch and helping the fifth-ranked Jayhawks knock off No. Patrick Scales Jersey . A lawmaker is hoping the buzz from California Chromes run for the Triple Crown might build support for a bill that would place the U.Watford head coach Walter Mazzarri says he has not even met former chairman Raffaele Riva and is not worried about the club facing possible sanctions. Riva stepped down from his post on Wednesday night, saying he wanted to focus on other business interests.The announcement came in the wake of the news that the Football League is investigating allegations Watford provided the organisation with a forged letter in 2014, as evidence that incoming owner Gino Pozzo could bankroll the club. Shortly after Riva announced his departure, Watford released a statement, which said in part: We can assure every supporter the club acted with honesty, integrity and in good faith at every step and is not guilty of any wrongdoing. Liverpool vs Watford November 6, 2016, 1:30pm Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass And Mazzarri said at his Thursday press conference that he was also unconcerned.I am perfect, said the Italian. I am not worried at all.I never met him [Riva] and never had the pleasure to meet him. I know he was in charge in that position but I never had the pleasure to meet him.I always speak inside the club with the president Giampaolo Pozzo, chief executive Scott Duxbury and sporting director Luke Dowling.On the field, things are going smoothly for Mazzarri, with Watford lying seventh ahead of their trip to Liverpool on Sunday, live on Sky Sports 1.dddddddddddd Troy Deeney will again bid for his 100th Watford goal on Sunday However, key man Troy Deeney is without a goal in three games, as he searches for his 100th for the club.Its possible its a psychological problem because on Sunday [against Hull] he should have scored, Mazzarri said.Now hopefully he can score on Sunday so that, from here on, he can score as many as possible.Mazzarri is likely to be without Sebastian Prodl at Anfield after the defender was forced off late on against Hull due to a muscle injury.A late decision will also be made on striker Stefano Okaka, who is close to recovering from a hamstring strain. Football Score Centre app Sky Sports customers can watch Premier League goals and highlights every weekend at no extra cost. Mazzarri added: Unfortunately, Prodl has been added to the injury list. I dont think that he will be able to be available for this weekend, but we will see.We will also think about Okaka but I dont want to run the risk of him getting even more injured. We will decide last minute. Also See: Watford: No wrongdoing in takeover Watford chairman Riva resigns Key Battle: Firmino v Kaboul Mersons predictions Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap Adidas Hockey Jerseys Wholesale Nike Baseball Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys China Wholesale NFL Jerseys China Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Nike NBA Jerseys Authentic Cheap NHL Jerseys Canada Cheap Nike MLB Jerseys Cheap Soccer Jerseys China NCAA Jerseys Cheap Nike NHL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys Store Cheap Football Jerseys Store Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Jerseys NCAA China Jerseys NFL Cheap Cheap Nike NBA Jerseys ' ' '