FIVE QUICK NBA THOUGHTS: 1. LANDRY FIELDS (Raptors): He is looking much more comfortable each time I watch him play. Thats a good development for a guy that had injury issues/surgery to deal with last year. He lost his shot mechanics and, in many ways, his confidence. His shot release is still a bit slow but in time it will get better. Hell have to be conscious of that when he takes perimeter shots and make sure he has time to set himself up and get it off. His shot preparation will be very important. Hes a smart, team oriented player and does all the little things that coaches love and has a winning personality/approach. Too often folks focus on the contract - its not his fault that he got the deal he was offered, and who wouldnt take it? Bottom line for the Raptors, to compete for a playoff spot this year theyre going to have to find some consistent productivity from their second unit (an area of concern right now) and Fields is a guy that you hope can be ready to contribute. 2. REGGIE JACKSON (Thunder): Talk about a guy whos on the radar this year in OKC. With the trade of James Harden and the free agent departure of Kevin Martin to the Timberwolves, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook will need some heavy perimeter support to make up the difference and keep their team at a high level. In his third NBA season out of Boston College, this is the year you have your fingers crossed his level of play is elevated and reliable. Hes got solid versatility in his game, has decent shot making ability and hell compete for you on the defensive end. Now its all got to come together and quick. Usually in the third pro season you find out an awful lot about a guy with the growth of his skills, strength, and basketball IQ. You focus on his dedication and overall makeup and whether hes got what it takes to take that next step. Time has arrived and hes going to get a shot each night. Take advantage. 3. LA CLIPPERS: The Clippers have decided to cover the Lakers Championship banners and retired numbers when they play their home games at the Staples Center. This has caused quite a stir and to be perfectly frank it should have happened the day they started playing games at the arena. Theyve been the JV team in LA for too long and they owe the Lakers organization and their former greats absolutely nothing. Theyre a tenant of the arena just like the Lakers and can do whatever theyd like when its their building. Its their money and their time. I always wondered why they would ever even acknowledge the other team. This is competition; its ruthless and thats the way it would be if the shoe was on the other foot, thats for sure. 4. CHARLIE VILLANUEVA (Pistons): Villanueva will be starting his ninth NBA season next week and the question is if hell ever play at a consistently productive level as a pro. Hes coming off two poor seasons in Detroit where he averaged 7 ppg and 3.5 rpg while shooting an abysmal 38% from the field for a lousy team. Are you part of the solution or part of the problem? Ill never forget a conversation I had with an NBA College Scouting Director when he was a player at UConn. He said that Villanueva would end up playing for at least 4-5 NBA teams and be one of those guys that youd be fascinated by his skills and potential and yet always be frustrated that you never got the high level nights enough. After former Raptors GM Rob Babcock drafted him in controversial fashion hes had stints as well with the Bucks and now the Pistons. I like him, hes a good guy and not a problem player, yet hes just not getting it done. At age 29, its time. Now or never. 5. THOMAS ROBINSON (Blazers): Robinson is in his second season and already on his third NBA team after playing his rookie year in Sacramento and Houston. Is this another guy who will bounce around and not fulfill his potential? Honestly, I dont know yet. He averaged an underwhelming 4.8 ppg and 4.5 rpg in his rookie year; thats not going to make anyone happy for a lottery pick out of Kansas. I liked him in college yet I was a bit concerned with his size and still unpolished game. He reminds me of Truck Robinson (Im dating myself!) who had a good career (15 and 9) in his best days with Washington, Phoenix and New York. He needs to focus on being a terror on the glass and the other stuff will work itself out. Hell get a shot at good playing time in Portland and Blazers fans will hope the light comes on this season and he takes that significant jump as a player. http://www.airmaxbutikskor.com/nike-air-max-90/air-max-90-american-flag.html . Charlottetown scored four times in the third period en route to a 5-2 win over the defending champion Halifax Mooseheads on Friday. http://www.airmaxbutikskor.com/nike-air-max-90/nike-air-max-90-essential.html . - A trainer flooding the field with five horses. http://www.airmaxbutikskor.com/nike-air-force-1/air-force-1-low-dam.html .Y. -- The New York Islanders are showing theyre capable of winning on the road. http://www.airmaxbutikskor.com/nike-roshe-run/nike-roshe-run-flower.html . Theyre ready for a "street fight," if thats the route to the NBA finals. James came up big down the stretch to finish with 29 points, Dwyane Wade scored 24 and Miami beat the Chicago Bulls 85-75 Wednesday night to tie the Eastern Conference finals at one game apiece. http://www.airmaxbutikskor.com/nike-free-5-0/nike-free-5-0-v3.html . Priscilla Lopes-Schliep and Perdita Felicien both failed to qualify for Canadas team bound for London in a dramatic womens 100-metre hurdles final that saw heptathlete Jessica Zelinka emerge the winner.Its all or nothing for Vancouver Whitecaps. Wednesday night could officially signal the end of the Caps playoff hopes if they dont beat Seattle Sounders at CenturyLink Field, live on TSN2 (10pm et/7pm pt). The way in which Vancouver twice fought back to draw against Portland at BC Place with two sensational goals from Camilo created a feel-good factor around the club, but unfortunately a point against the Timbers likely wasnt enough. Now the Whitecaps will probably have to win their remaining three matches in order to make the postseason. Its a position nobody expected them to be in when they were within touching distance of the Western Conference summit in mid-July, but a run of just two wins in their last 12 matches has seen the club tumble well outside the top five. Right now its a long shot. Mathematically it is still possible, but extremely unlikely. Theyre six points behind fifth-placed Colorado with three matches remaining for both teams, and they have to play the Rapids twice. The picture will become much clearer on Wednesday as both teams are in action. Colorado goes to San Jose, a team that is also chasing down the Rapids for the final playoff place. The Whitecaps recent road results have been positive, tying in San Jose and winning in Montreal, but with the draw at home to Portland, Martin Rennies men have now won just one of their last six home matches, losing three of them. Ultimately that will cost them their place in the playoffs. Theyve also won just four of 21 matches against Western Conference opposition this season. Thats plenty of points that they have handed to the sides they are competing with. Now they must achieve something they are yet to do in Major League Soccer, just to keep their season alive – win in Seattle. A victory against the Sounders would also move the Whitecaps into first place in the race for the Cascadia Cup, with one match remaining next weekend between Portland and Seattle. Up until July, the Whitecaps hadnt beaten one of their Pacific Northwest rivals in MLS. They managed to put that right by winning against the Sounders at BC Place. A month earlier, they lost 3-2 to an understrength Sounders team in Seattle despite twice taking the lead. So both matches this season have shown the Whitecaps can live with their neighbours from down the I5. Seattle are clearly one of the best teams in the league – especially at home. They will go into Wednesday nights contest anxious to put things right after a shock 5-1 thumping at Colorado on Saturday, a result that was the Sounders heaviest MLS defeat. Seattles squad may be weakened by injuries, suspensions and international call-ups, but they will still go into the match as heavy favourites against a Whitecaps side that will allso be missing the likes of Kenny Miller and Darren Mattocks.dddddddddddd. The Sounders have been pretty much invincible at home. They are currently on the second-longest unbeaten home run in MLS history, not having lost since the opening day of the season when Montreal won 1-0 at CenturyLink. A win for Seattle would clinch them a playoff spot for the fifth successive season since they joined the league in 2009. It would also take them into first place in the chase for the Supporters Shield as the team with the most points over the course of the regular season. If the Whitecaps could pull off a win in Seattle it would be one of their best results since joining Major League Soccer. Thats how big the task is ahead of them. No one expects it, but a 3-0 victory in Montreal three weeks ago also seemed totally unrealistic. Rennies side needs the win. They have to go for it. It should be an intriguing match between two long-standing rivals. Camilo or Hassli? Theres a debate going on about the Whitecaps best goal in Major League Soccer. Is it Camilos super scissors kick from Sunday, or Eric Hasslis wonder-strike in Seattle back in June 2011? Ironically, both goals tied the game for Vancouver at 2-2 and both were scored against Cascadia opposition. I absolutely loved Camilos goal against Portland. It should be MLS Goal of the Year, but in my mind Hasslis is superior. Camilos may have had a bigger impact because of the time of the season and the importance of the match, plus the way it capped off an incredible three minutes of play. But Hasslis goal was a once-in-a-lifetime thing. It was a moment of individual brilliance which was executed to perfection, and quite rightly nominated for the FIFA goal of the year. Hassli should also have won MLS Goal of the Year, but that honour went to Darlington Nagbe from Portland Timbers, leaving most of North America – except those in Portland – questioning the way the league handles the voting for that award. Like Hasslis effort, Camilos goal was also taken superbly, and capped off a great move for the Whitecaps, but I think it comes second to the Frenchman. If you widen the selection to include other competitions, there is also the fantastic volley Hassli scored against Toronto FC in last years Canadian Championship when talking about the best goals of Vancouvers MLS era. Whatever your view on which goal was best, the fact is Whitecaps supporters have been treated to some spectacular strikes in the last few years. With the club set to miss out on postseason play in Major League Soccer, Camilos two-goal performance on Sunday will likely be the highlight of the season. Vancouver Whitecaps against Seattle Sounders is live on TSN2 on Wednesday at 10pm et/7pm pt. cheap jerseys cheap nfl jerseys ' ' '