Herzlich Willkommen » elf-control he assimilated at Stanford; staying in

MINNEAPOLIS -- After a strong start to the season, the Atlanta Hawks never thought theyd be in a fight to make the playoffs when April came rolling around. If they dont find a way to stop the tumble theyve been on before March closes, they could find themselves on the outside looking in. Gorgui Dieng had 15 points and 15 rebounds to continue his out-of-nowhere emergence, and the Minnesota Timberwolves dealt the slumping Hawks another costly loss with a 107-83 victory. "I think to a certain degree each guy has just got to find it in him," Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. "And I think the group has got to find the energy that the group can build. Weve spent most of this season playing with very good energy, so I think theres a lot of things we can pull on an reference to how we want to play and tonight would not be one of those nights." Paul Millsap had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Atlanta (31-39), which has lost four straight and has the New York Knicks right in their rearview mirror for the eighth and final playoff spot. Jeff Teague, who had averaged more than 23 points over the previous four games, went scoreless for the first time this season on 0-for-5 shooting. "I think we just didnt come ready to play," Hawks guard DeMarre Carroll said. "Once we started missing a lot of shots, then we lost our focus. At this time of year, you cant lose your focus." Corey Brewer and Kevin Martin each scored 18 points and Kevin Love had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Timberwolves. Minnesota scored 32 points off 26 Hawks turnovers and blew the game open in the second half. The struggling Wolves defence held Atlanta to 37.8 per cent shooting and had six of its 17 steals in the third quarter to start pulling away. With starting centre Nikola Pekovic out for the sixth straight game, Wolves coach Rick Adelman had no choice but to thrust the rookie Dieng into the first significant minutes of his career. Dieng has flourished with the added responsibility, posting double-doubles in five of the six games. He had 10 points and 13 rebounds in the first half, helping the Wolves weather an unusually quiet night from Love. "I dont care what the record is or where we are in the season, were trying to make them believe that we still have work to do," Wolves coach Rick Adelman said. "We still have to get better as a team and as individuals." The last time these two teams met, on Feb. 1, the Hawks overcame 43 points and 19 rebounds from Love to win for the fifth time in seven games. That put them at 25-22 and in third place in the Eastern Conference. But the Hawks have gone 6-17 since then, a slide exacerbated by injuries to Gustavo Ayon and Kyle Korver, who missed his fourth straight game with back spasms. Atlantas crumbling, combined with a surprising surge from the Knicks, turned a playoff spot that once appeared to be a foregone conclusion into anything but a sure thing. They led the ninth-place Knicks by three games for the final spot in the muddled East. And yet on Wednesday night it was the Wolves, who have essentially been out of the Western Conference playoff race for about two weeks and were completely deflated after a home loss to the Suns on Sunday, who played with the urgency and tenacity on defence of a team that needs every win it can get. "We needed a game like this in order to get our spirits up," Love said. "It was good for us. It goes to show you were down, but were not out." The Hawks had won five straight games after an ugly string of 14 losses in 15 games. But they dropped games to the Pelicans, Raptors, Suns and Wolves to allow the Knicks to creep back into the race. "Were a close team," Hawks forward Mike Scott said. "Weve been through a slump before. Its not good at all. But we know how to do good things, were professionals and were going to stick together." NOTES: Ricky Rubio had four points on 1-for-6 shooting, but he also had 10 assists and six steals. He had to leave in the first quarter to get 15 stitches in his upper lip after a collision with Hawks forward Mike Scott. ... Hawks F Mike Muscala, who played in high school in the Minneapolis suburb of Roseville, had eight points and four rebounds in 23 minutes. Vyncint Smith Jersey .Y. -- As if the worst start in franchise history isnt bad enough, Buffalo Sabres President Ted Black braced his teams win-starved fans for potentially more tough times. Tyler Ervin Jersey .J. Hardy finally got in on the fun Saturday, against a likely opponent. http://www.officialhoustontexansfootball...s-jersey-womens. He was still a kid, going into his senior year of high school. Thursday, the point guard stood in front of a couple dozen members of the media and spoke with poise about how much hed grown since then, and how hes ready for the next level. Seantrel Henderson Jersey . The native of Mont-Tremblant, Que., captured a World Cup downhill event Saturday, his second this year and fifth career victory on the circuit. Tyrann Mathieu Jersey . The appointment of Boullier continues the behind-the-scenes restructuring at McLaren, who recently brought back former team principal Ron Dennis as its new chief executive.Opportunity. First you have to recognize it before you can capitalize on it. I believe that in a sport, that is why there is always an emotional response after losing; because you realize the opportunity was there and you or your team could not capitalize on it. And it means you have not one less that year but one less in life. For the Bengals, Eagles, Packers and Chiefs, its over. For the Colts, Saints, Chargers and 49ers the next opportunity is next week. It is so true, the statement that losing hurts more than winning feels good because when you win you have another chance but when you lose in the playoffs, its like someone has taken away a moment in time you will never get back. An opportunity. In San Francisco, my number one observation was how well Colin Kaepernick handled the cold. The atmosphere that he performed in was brutal but he grew up in Wisconsin and was why he played so well in that weather. There he was in his sleeveless shirt running with conviction and gazelle speed. His greatest moment? After he almost lost the game by throwing right at Micah Hyde for an interception he stayed mentally tough, dismissed it and moved on to the next one when he hit Michael Crabtree changing third down to first down. That was Payton Manning/Tom Brady maturity under pressure. My second observation came from Green Bay and Eddie Lacy . Like Kaepernick, Lacy played a physical game in -18 Celsius weather. Lacy is from the University of Alabama, where I doubt it has ever been -18 in a football game. Extreme heat takes away your energy and second effort because of internal fatigue. It takes away your will to do extra because you sub-consciously pace yourself. Extreme cold is different; its limiting because it is so uncomfortable and painful too hit and be hit. I saw now hesitation from Lacy due to the cold, which is remarkable considering how hard and constant he dealt and receive punishment. In Cincinnati, the loss to San Diego has ruined Andy Daltons next six months. Five overthrows, two interceptions and one contact fumble he will think about day after day, month after month. And there is nothing he can do to rectify it until the season starts again. You can tell that Dalton is mentally tough but to keep it in perspective and move on is a mental mind set only developed when created in the first place. You cant prepare; only react and accept. In Indianapolis, I thought it was over but after the first comeback touchdown by Andrew Luck and how fast it happened I realized it wasnt. The Chiefs lost six players to injury in one game, quarter-by-quarter, and the biggest was Jamaal Charles oon the sixth play.dddddddddddd That was devastating because as good as the back-up Nail Davis was (lost him too), he is not Jamaal Charles. Full credit to the Colts but I am sure Bill Belichick in New England is not anticipating losing Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen, Donald Jones, Aqib Talib and Rob Ninkovich. That would be the equivalent. I will say this, though; if you can put the negative behind you and truly only concentrate on the present, given talent, you can overcome just about anything. Andrew Luck is an athlete that is way up there – bright, intelligent and a product of Stanford. I remember playing Stanford every year in college football. It was always an unusual game and almost different than any game that year. When you played Stanford, you (for lack of a better term) you played brains as much as bodies. They were always under control and focused; like robots. Andrew Lucks greatest asset is the emotional self-control he assimilated at Stanford; staying in the present to create the future. With New Orleans, I though one of the best football analytical moments was when Mike Mayock (who is very good) pointed out how Keenan Lewis was shutting down DeSean Jackson and then receives a neck stinger or concussion and Jackson then - and only then with Lewis out - becames effective. It just showed that it is 11-on-11 but if you have players who can dominate 1-on-1, it directly effects the other 10. Great moment From Mayock. Finally, the best week of the year may be this week because the questions have so many layered answers and speculation. New Orleans at Seattle; the environment is a big challenge for the Saints but this is the second time in a month and it just may be more manageable than ever before. In Carolina, the 49ers and Panthers are identical in so many ways. Carolina defended the 49ers to nine points in the first game but can they do it for a second time? That is a challenge. In Denver, you would have to think that the Chargers were the last team they wanted to play compared to others out of division. San Diego knows Payton Manning, having beaten Denver in Denver and the head coach, Mike McCoy, was the former offensive coordinator of the Broncos. Payton Manning destroys teams that are not familiar with him, those that have a chance. San Diego has a chance. In New England, with two weeks to prepare, I have to lean to the Patriots. After what we saw in the second half, the preparation video for New England is gold. The last one for the Colts was against the Bills in a cold monsoon. Aqib Talib on T.Y. 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