their third game in four nights

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TSNs Jack Armstrong offers his thoughts on Eric Bledsoe of the Suns, Isaiah Thomas of the Kings, the potential return of Kobe Bryant, Kyle Korver of the Hawks, Evan Turner of the Sixers and the Raptors current situation. 1. Eric Bledsoe (Suns): Love how hes playing. This guy competes; plain and simple. Love his defensive intensity and ability to disrupt your flow, averaging close to two steals per game. His efficiency (50 per cent) has been impressive considering hes a below average distance shooter but he can get in the lane and break you down off the bounce. Finishes at the rim: fearless. Hes putting up major numbers (20.4 ppg and 4.6 rpg / close to seven assists per game) and was a wonderful pickup. The opportunity is there for him and hes taking advantage. 2. Isaiah Thomas (Kings): This little guy gets everything out of his game and then some. No back down and his quickness and change of speeds are tough to guard. Really improved. Averaging close to 18 ppg and close to five assists per game. Shoots it well from 3-point range at 43 per cent and is a major pest defensively. Always love to root for the underdogs and wasnt a high pick like teammate Jimmer Fredette yet hes got all of his minutes. Its not about your draft slot, its always decided between the lines. Respect him. 3. Kobe Bryant (Lakers): Lots of chatter out of LA that hes ahead of schedule with his rehab from a torn achilles. Im a huge fan and hes one of the greats of this era. Wont find a nastier guy when the game is on the line. Want him on my side. Fingers crossed that he doesnt rush it back. The mans got incredible will and drive but I hope that he takes it easy and makes sure hes being very cautious before he steps out there on the court. His pride will get the best of him once hes in the games so make sure you can demand lots of yourself and perform at a relatively high level before you subject yourself to the scrutiny. Look forward to seeing him (Raptors are in LA on Dec yet for the sake of his health and the game, I want to see him when hes truly ready. 4. Kyle Korver (Hawks): I watch this guy and hes the model of efficiency and has outstanding feel for what exactly his role is. The man shoots it (54 per cent and 51 per cent from long distance) and gets you 13 ppg which is very respectable. Really good at moving without the ball and cuts hard and is masterful at his screen usage. Excellent catch and shoot game and can create with a bounce or two. Spaces the floor out and opens major driving lanes for teammates like Jeff Teague which makes everyone better. Each place he has played (Philadelphia, Utah and Chicago), his coaches and teammates respect his professionalism and value of team play. Its no surprise that he stays at a good level, he knows exactly whats expected of him and he delivers on it. 5. Evan Turner (Sixers): Having a terrific start to the season (22 ppg and 6.3 rpg/47 per cent shooting) after being considered a disappointment early in his career. Very strong guy whos one of the best rebounding guards in the league. Explosive at the point of attack and gets to the rim and finishes with authority. Seems to be more relaxed and having fun playing for new coach Brett Brown. Some guys just take longer and more importantly style of play many times sets the tone for a career path. The Sixers go up and down and play fast and this better suits his game. In open space and quick rapid fire action/reaction situations, he thrives. 6 Toronto Raptors: I know, I know, I must have had a little something extra in my cup of tea this morning but hey what the heck! The Raps are playing for top spot in the Atlantic Division Wednesday at Philly. Whod have thunk it? Lets get the W and no Looking back. Atlantic Division Champs - Playoffs - Home Court: Dare to dream a little bit. Wouldnt that be fun? I know the folks in Tank Nation think Im nuts and Im yanking some chains here but lets enjoy the ride and see how it all shakes out. Remember the wacky 2006-07 season? None of us saw it coming with the Raps winning the division. I doubt it will happen but lets have some fun for a change and value winning. Minds off the ping-pong balls and lets be a firtst-place team for a few days. Onward and upward. I know, Im losing it! Keith Hernandez Cardinals Jersey . -- With Tony Allen back, the Memphis Grizzlies were able to turn up their defence pressure and hold off the Los Angeles Clippers down the stretch. Custom St. Louis Cardinals Jersey . For the Athletics, hes extremely important at the top of the order, especially with Coco Crisp hurting. Jaso drove in three runs Sunday night, helping Scott Kazmir and Oakland beat the Texas Rangers 9-3. http://www.stlouiscardinalsprosale.com/Chris-Carpenter-cardinals-jersey/ . The defending champions’ roller coaster season included trading offensive star Percy Harvin in the midst of the team’s 3-3 start. That move that reportedly irked several Seahawk players, but one management saw necessary to save the team’s chemistry. Tim McCarver Cardinals Jersey . Atletico Madrid made it three wins from three thanks to a double from in-form striker Diego Costa in a 3-0 victory at Austria Vienna, leaving the Spanish side on the brink of the last 16 already to continue its brilliant start to the season. Lou Brock Cardinals Jersey . - Connor Brown and Dane Fox both scored in regulation and in the shootout, as the Erie Otters extended their win streak to 10 games by defeating the London Knights 4-3 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. ST. LOUIS -- Antti Niemi thinks the San Jose Sharks have finally found the key to beating the St. Louis Blues. Its all about familiarity. "It took a while, but now we know how they play and thats whats made us better against them," Niemi said. "Were feeling comfortable when we face them." Niemi made 20 saves and Joe Pavelski scored the first of three straight San Jose goals to lead the Sharks to a 4-2 victory Tuesday night. San Jose completed a season sweep of the Blues, winning all three games by a combined 16-7. "Its really good to get the three wins against a tough team," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "A lot of different variables went into the three nights. Fortunately for us, we got the (six) points." St. Louis, which got goals from Kevin Shattenkirk and Jay Bouwmeester, had won six of seven against San Jose entering this season. But the Sharks have turned it around, winning 6-3 and 6-2 in the first two meetings. Matt Irwin, Brent Burns and Marty Havlat added goals for the Sharks, who led 3-0 after 22 minutes. Niemi improved to 18-6-6. He held off the Blues when they had a 6-on-4 skating advantage in the closing 2 minutes. "This was big for us," Niemi said. "We got in front, then reset our game and got the win." The Blues were playing their third game in four nights. San Jose had been in St. Louis since Sunday after losing in Nashville on Saturday. "Theyre a really good team and they could have been a little tired," Sharks centre Joe Thornton said. "We started fast and we played good enough to win." The Sharks jumped to a 2-0 first-period lead on goals by Pavelski and Irwin in a span of 2:56. Both came from close range on rebounds of missed shots that caromed off the end boards. Pavelski scored hiss 13th after a miss by Havlat, and Irwin jumped on a misfire from Justin Braun for his first of the season.dddddddddddd St. Louis goalie Jaroslav Halak gave up three goals on the first 12 shots and fell to 16-6-2. Halak has allowed 14 goals in his last five starts, 10 in the first period. "Tonight, it starts with me," he said. "I need to do a better job. We just need to play better, thats the bottom line." The Blues climbed to 3-2 on Bouwmeesters goal with 24.2 seconds left in the second period, but Havlat pounced on a rebound with 11:41 left in the game to make it 4-2. "The fourth one was tough. It was kind of like a dagger," Shattenkirk said. "Because we felt like we were moving in the right direction." San Jose snapped a season-high, four-game road losing streak with a solid effort. "A win is a win and were going to take that," McLellan said. "I havent seen anybody play a perfect game this year. We let the momentum get away on us. But in the third period, I thought we went out there and re-established it." NOTES: San Jose has outscored its opponents 44-15 in the first period this season. .... Blues coach Ken Hitchcock celebrated his 62nd birthday. ... St. Louis C David Backes missed his first game since Jan. 25, 2010, a string of 274 successive regular-season appearances. He sustained an upper-body injury in a collision with Ottawa C Colin Greening on Monday. Backes, who has 16 goals and 14 assists in 32 games, is expected to be out at least a week. ... The Blues were also without LWs Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Sobotka, who missed the game with upper-body injuries. Backes, Schwartz and Sobotka have combined for 29 goals and 38 assists. ... The Sharks are 0 for 16 on the power play over their last seven road games. Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '