FIVE QUICK HOOPS THOUGHTS 1. RUDY GAY (Kings): Bottom line, it didnt work out the way Raptors fans had hoped it would. I give GM Masai Ujiri credit for recognizing that this was a contract and a playing situation that was going to hamper the development of the franchise and individual players and made his move. I love coach Mike Malone but I feel for him. Good Luck trying to get Derrick Cousins and Rudy Gay thinking about the needs of teammates when theyre such proud/competitive guys who believe they can score on anyone. I personally like Rudy Gay; hes a first-class individual who carries himself in a nice way. Hes a good man. On the court, he has some limitations and hell have loads of pressure on him in Sac-town to live up to the big money. If he cuts down on turnovers, starts to attack the basket with greater determination, tightens up his shot selection and trusts his teammates abilities and is willing to give them the ball it can work for him. A lot to ask, though. I like this trade for the Raptors; both on the court and with the cap flexibility. 2. GREIVIS VASQUEZ (Raptors): Like this addition. They have an option on him in the offseason and also could move him before the trade deadline to add another piece. Hes a guy who will give the ball up and is a nice pick and roll player. Plays with energy and enthusiasm. I have no problem if he and Kyle Lowry (he could be dealt as well with his expiring contract) play at times together on the court. Like the leadership, play-making, ball handling and passing that two lead guards give you and its a nice luxury to have. The Raptors needed to improve this area and they did. As crazy as this sounds, the Raptors could very well be better with these new four players than the previous mix. That wont go over well with Tank Nation. 3. AMIR JOHNSON (Raptors): Good to see him flying around the court and playing with such passion and productivity. He was awesome Sunday night in LA. He will benefit from the trade. He thrives as a roller in the screen and roll game, and hes so efficient in the lane that when you give it to him in there you feel really confident that hell make the shot. Considering all the chippies that Rudy Gay missed in the lane as well as all of his turnovers, I feel quite confident that with the redistribution of touches to guys like Johnson that Raps will have better chemistry and ball movement. Obviously, Gay is a really talented guy yet many times, less is more. 4. KOBE BRYANT (Lakers): Looked really rusty and a ways away from his normal level. Its going to take a while. Normally you dont see an eight turnover 2-9 FG percentage performance from him and I doubt youll see that in a few weeks. In time, as he gets into rhythm and in game shape, his game will gradually come back. Thats a major injury to come back from in less than eight months. Not easy, yet when I think of great players/competitors, hes at the top of the list. In 4-6 weeks from now hell be back to/close to his normal self. 5. JEFF HORNACEK (Suns): Love the job hes doing in Phoenix. His team plays really hard and they play together and share the ball. He has incorporated a style of play that suits the philosophy that theyll use in their pursuit of players that fit their model. Hes gotten complete Buy-In and has done as good a job as any coach in the league so far this season, based upon the talent at his disposal. Always really important for a fist year head coach to lay the foundation for how he wants his team to play and look. At 20 games in, he is succeeding deservedly so . Mike Wallace Eagles Jersey . -- Billy Donovans bench came up big, bailing out top-seeded Florida in a tight game against what was supposed to be an overmatched opponent. Michael Bennett Eagles Jersey .ca. Hello Kerry, After watching Nino Niederreiter clobber Alex Burrows with an open-ice hit on Wednesday, do you think he should have gotten more than the two minutes for interference. http://www.eaglespromart.com/markus-wheaton-eagles-jersey/. Now, the hottest team on the ATP are pointing their sights on qualifying for the eight-team season finals in London next November. Pospisil has now established the year-end World Tour Finals as the benchmark for a breakthrough season, with Pospisil and Sock provisionally standing ninth. Michael Bennett Jersey . -- Keith Aulie has joined the Tampa Bay Lightning. Eagles Jerseys . Ashton scored a hat trick -- giving him 13 goals in 16 AHL games this season -- to power the Toronto Marlies to a 5-2 victory over the visiting Lake Erie Monsters in AHL action on Sunday.HOUSTON - The Los Angeles Angels finally showed off their high-powered offence to win their first game of the season. Mike Trout, Josh Hamilton and Kole Calhoun all homered to help the Los Angeles Angels get their first win of the season with an 11-1 rout of the Houston Astros. After being swept in a three-game series against Seattle to begin the season and scoring just eight runs over the three games, the Angels equaled that in the first six innings Friday. "I think with a game like this, hopefully, we build confidence," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "Hopefully, on the offensive side we build confidence." Trout hit a solo homer in the first inning and Hamilton hit a three-run drive in the sixth off Jerome Williams that made it 8-1. After Erick Aybars RBI single, Calhoun added a two-run shot off Williams in the seventh. "As competitors, five out of eight games, we are capable of doing something like that," Hamilton said. "The talent is there. We dont go out and try to do that every day. We go out and have the at bats we are going to have. Thats contagious. Thats the mentality we have." Trout also threw out Marc Krauss at the plate in the second inning to keep the Astros off the scoreboard. Garrett Richards (1-0) allowed one run on three hits with five walks and seven strikeouts in five innings. "Its not just me, its all of us," Trout said. "It just happens that I got a home run, but look at Josh tonight. . We just have to keep pushing together, and we pitched well tonight with Garrett getting out of some battles and jams." Lucas Harrell ((0-1) was roughed up for five runs on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts in three innings.dddddddddddd "With a lineup like that, they have so many good hitters you cant leave the ball over the plate like that," Harrell said. "You go from one hitter to the next, and there is no let-up. Thats why they are so good. You have to execute your pitches every time. I just left it over the plate too many times." Jose Altuve had two hits and a bases-loaded walk in the fifth inning. The Astros loaded the bases in the fifth and sixth innings but were only able to get the one run as Richards struck out Krauss to end the fifth and Fernando Salas struck out Marwin Gonzalez and induced an Alex Presley ground out to end the sixth. NOTES: Astros outfielder Dexter Fowler was out of the lineup and not at the park because of a stomach illness. Fowler was in the hospital with the stomach issue and having tests run, Porter said after the game, and Porter said he would have more details Saturday. Through three games, Fowler is hitting .500 with a home run and three RBIs. He recorded his third consecutive multi-hit game Thursday night. ... Houston catcher Jason Castro was out with a bruise on his right foot but said he feels much better on Friday. Castro is day to day. ... Aybar picked up his 900th career hit with the single in the seventh. He became the third Angels shortstop to reach that mark joining Jim Fregosi and Gary DiSarcina. ... Houston will send left-hander Dallas Keuchel to the mound against Los Angeles left-hander Tyler Skaggs in the second game of the four-game series. Blackhawks Jerseys StoreCheap Wild JerseysCheap Red Wings JerseysCheap Maple Leafs JerseysPenguins Jerseys StoreCapitals Jerseys For SaleBlues Jerseys StoreCheap Kings JerseysAdidas Lightning JerseysStars Jerseys For SaleCheap Predators JerseysDucks StoreSharks Jerseys For SaleCheap Sabres JerseysRangers Jerseys For Sale ' ' '