Timberwolves were considered an upstart team to begin the season, Los Angeles has adapted the quickest with its new pieces gelling under coach Luke Walton.The

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves seemed to be two teams on similar paths; young rosters filled with high draft picks to develop with new coaches.While Minnesotas youth seemed to be further along and the Timberwolves were considered an upstart team to begin the season, Los Angeles has adapted the quickest with its new pieces gelling under coach Luke Walton.The two teams get their first chance at each other Sunday as each will play the second game of back-to-back situations.The Lakers (6-4) showed their growth again on Saturday night in New Orleans, cruising to a 126-99 victory against the Pelicans. Los Angeles has won five of its past six games.I think our guys love competing, Walton said. I think they feel more challenged in the second half to go get it done. Its almost as if when the game starts, you know we have 48 minutes to get it done. Obviously, we dont want that ... but its a process.Under coach Tom Thibodeau, Minnesota has struggled to open the season, especially on the defensive end. The Timberwolves (2-6) lost at home to the league-leading Los Angeles Clippers 119-105 on Saturday night, giving up 21 fast-break points to Los Angeles and allowing the Clippers to shoot 52.6 percent from the field and make 11 of 24 3-pointers.Right now were not consistent enough, Thibodeau said. We have to build the right habits. Defensively its hard to win when you give up 119 points.Defensive improvement was expected under Thibodeau for a team that has long struggled to stop opponents. The transition is proving to take time. Minnesota has allowed 119 points in two of its past three games. Opponents have scored more than 102 in all but one game.The Timberwolves did get point guard Ricky Rubio back in the lineup on Saturday after he missed five games with a sprained right elbow. Rubio had seven points, six rebounds and six assists in the loss.Im trying to find a rhythm, trying to find how to run the team too, Rubio said. First game back after a couple weeks, just get the rust off.Minnesotas talent has shined at times on the offensive end. The Timberwolves have two players averaging more than 20 points per game in forward Andrew Wiggins (23.8) and center Karl-Anthony Towns (22.1). Guard Zach LaVine was also above the mark before he was held to 15 points on 7 of 15 shooting on Saturday.Wiggins struggled against the Clippers league-best defense on Saturday. He scored 22 points but was constantly harassed and shot just 8 of 24.The Lakers had no trouble shooting Saturday against New Orleans, particularly from Los Angeles guards and bench.Jordan Clarkson scored 23 points and Williams added 21 for the Lakers, who entered the game leading the league with 48.8 points per game from their bench.Me and Lou are going to be real aggressive coming in. Were trying to do a good job of leading this second group, bringing the energy, scoring the ball, pushing the pace, Clarkson told the Associated Press. Coach gave that to us. Thats our role and thats what were going to do.Including starters DeAngelo Russell (22 points) and Nick Young (15), the Lakers backcourt accounted for 81 points on 31-of-51 shooting, including 15 of 25 from 3-point range.We got some great guards -- we got some killers, Russell said. Its up to us to go out there and maintain it and do it every game.Los Angeles rookie Brandon Ingram left Saturdays game with a sprained ankle but told the Associated Press he could have returned if the game was closer.Of course, these are two teams used to integrating high draft picks. Towns was picked No. 1 overall a year ago, one spot ahead of Russell. In 2014, Wiggins was the top pick by Cleveland before being traded to Minnesota. The Lakers took Julius Randle seventh overall.Ingram was this years second pick and the Timberwolves went with Kris Dunn at No. 5. http://www.authenticfootballshopsaints.com/Youth-Manti-Teo-Elite-Jersey/ . Michell Burger, a woman who lives on an estate next to Pistorius gated community, said she and her husband were awoken by the screams in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 14 last year, when Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp by shooting four times through a door in his bathroom. http://www.authenticfootballshopsaints.com/Youth-Sheldon-Rankins-Elite-Jersey/ . -- Ryan Blaney provided more evidence that Penske Racings No. http://www.authenticfootballshopsaints.com/Youth-Craig-Robertson-Elite-Jersey/ . Thousands of Southern California fans enveloped the Trojans to celebrate an improbable win secured by an interim coach, an inconsistent kicker and a thin defence that wouldnt break. Thomas Morstead Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.authenticfootballshopsaints.com/Hats/ . -- Derrick Rose shook off poor shooting early to hit clutch shots late and Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 104-95 preseason victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night.Barcelona have confirmed a long-term contract extension with American kit manufacturers Nike that will see the Catalan giants make at least 155m euros (£140m) a season from 2018. The initial deal, which smashes Manchester Uniteds previous record £750m (835m euros) 10-year deal with Adidas, will run until 2023 when Barcas members will have the chance to vote in favour of a further five-year extension.It is a figure which puts us No 1 in the world for sponsorship in the sports industry, Barca vice-president Manuel Arroyo told the clubs annual general meeting on Saturday. The fixed rate of the contract increases 48 per cent and the royalties also increase.From this season (2018-19), the total turnover of the deal will be around 155m euros. The new contract smashes Manchester Uniteds previous record £750 million 10-year deal with Adidas Barca confirmed in May they had reached a deal to continue their partnership with Nike, which began in 1998, without releasing the value of the deal.The agreement will be a huge boost to Barcelonas aim to be the first football club to break the one billion euro revenue barrier by 2021.The Spanishh champions overcame eternal rivals Real Madrid with a record turnover of 679m euros (£612m) last season.dddddddddddd Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract. Members on Saturday also passed a budget of 695m euros (£626m) for this season, a massive 392m euros (£353m) of which will go on sporting salaries.However, that figure could even rise as president Josep Maria Bartomeu said the club are working on renewing the contracts of star forwards Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi after Neymar recently extended his deal to 2021.These strikers are spectacular. Believe that our principal objective is that they all stay here, Bartomeu said of Barcas MSN frontline.Neymar has renewed and now we are trying so that Suarez stays here for many years to come and then we will speak with Messi of course. He is the catalyst, the one that makes everything else function. 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