TSNs Jack Armstrong offers his thoughts on Raptors small forward Steve Novak, Nets shooting guard Marcus Thorntons firepower and deep range, Celtics point guard Rajon Rondos talent and the Chicago Bulls harder work on the court. cheap jerseys from china . 1. HUGE GAME: Im here in NYC for the Raptors at Nets game Monday night. Some games are just bigger than others and this is one of them. Four games separate them for first place in the Atlantic. Tie-breaker at stake, as well. A win by the Raps would be a major step with only 20 games to play beyond this one. Both are on a back-to-back. Its a tough challenge for Toronto versus a desperate opponent. I cant wait. 2. STEVE NOVAK (Raptors): The five three-pointers at Minnesota were major. Patrick Patterson is out and its all about digging deeper into your bench and he delivered. The sum is more important than the parts. Love how Landry Fields and Chuck Hayes have performed when needed as well. 3. MARCUS THORNTON (Nets): 27 points Sunday night versus his old Kings team. A terrific pickup for Brooklyn. He gives them firepower and deep range. Streaky scorer who can change a game quick if hes hot. He did that on Sunday night. He is the perfect complement off the bench for their team. 4. RAJON RONDO (Celtics): 11 points and 18 assists on Sunday versus the Pistons. GM Danny Ainges phone will be ringing off the hook this summer if he keeps dropping as many dimes as he did on Sunday. Hes a wonderful talent and if he gets back to being the explosive lead guard he once was, watch out! 5. CHICAGO BULLS: Watched their overtime win over the Heat on Sunday. What can you say, other than wow! No team in the NBA plays harder than them. Coach Thibodeau gets after it and Joakim Noah is that guy you want on your side. Hustle truly is a talent. cheap jerseys . The 28-year-old forwards future at United has been uncertain since Chelsea tried to sign him last year, and he had only 18 months remaining on his current deal. But Rooney now looks set to end his playing career at the club he has been at since 2004 after signing a contract reportedly worth around 300,000 pounds ($500,000) a week. cheap nfl jerseys .S. Olympic hockey team. Dustin Brown had a goal and an assist and Jonathan Quick made 25 saves as the Los Angeles Kings made it back-to-back wins Thursday night with a 2-0 victory over the Flames.Sidney Crosby is still the best hockey player in the world. Thats not by any means an outrageous statement and its one that not too many would disagree with, at all. As Crosby and his Pittsburgh Penguins prepare for Game 7 against the New York Rangers in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, there is one thing about the Pens captain, though, that is considerably less definitive. When it comes to crunch time, is Sidney Crosby still the first player you would turn to? To the northwest of Pittsburgh, in St. Paul, Minnesota to be exact, there is another captain playing tonight in a game that could see his team advance to the conference final, just as Sidney Crosbys Penguins can. In Game 6 of their Western Conference second-round series, the Chicago Blackhawks - led by Jonathan Toews - can advance to a second-straight Western Conference Final by defeating the Minnesota Wild as they continue their defence of the Stanley Cup. As a two-time Stanley Cup winner and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, has Toews taken over the mantle as hockeys preeminent go-to guy? The suggestion that Crosby wouldnt be the first player you would turn to in the clutch is by no means a referendum on his status as the games best. It isnt and the Hart Trophy hes likely going to win next month at the NHL Awards (to go along with the one he earned in 2007), confirming his status as the NHLs MVP cements thhat. wholesale nfl jerseys. Crosby is hockeys best all-around player and has been for some time. Still, the Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia native has recently disappeared when the chips are down. Going into tonights game, Crosby has just one goal in his past 17 playoff games (of course, Rick Nash is enduring that exact same streak of futility, but thats another discussion altogether) and the indelible image of Crosby in these playoffs, thus far, was his Game 6 spear of Dominic Moore. Conversely, Toews could be looking at another Conn Smythe Trophy if he can help lead the Blackhawks to a third Stanley Cup in five seasons. While Crosby languishes with a solitary marker in this years playoffs, Toews has five in 11 games - with four of them game-winning goals. Thats now 10 game-winning goals in his career, most in his teams history. Sure, thats a long ways away from Wayne Gretzky and Brett Hulls joint record of 24 career game-winning goals in the playoffs, but its four more than Crosbys tally in eight fewer career playoff games. Perhaps, even more telling about Toewss current status of big game-breaker is that Crosby, upon being informed that he was being named Canadas captain for Sochi, reportedly wanted Toewss blessing before accepting the C. So who would you rather have in an elimination/advancement game like tonight: Sidney Crosby or Jonathan Toews? As always, its Your Call. ' ' ' |