after the Chicago captain skated out of the right corner

FIVE QUICK NBA THOUGHTS: 1. NBA TV DEAL: The new nine-year, $24 billion deal with Disney and Turner is a major development for the League and its players. Congrats to Commissioner Adam Silver for working out such a lucrative deal. Now hes got what I call a Positive Problem on his hands trying to figure out how to divvy up the extra cash and keep both his players and owners happy. It will be imperative for Silver to connect and find lots of common ground as true partners with the Players Association and their new boss, Michele Roberts. Already hearing lots of chatter about lockouts and strikes. Tuesday was a wonderful day for the growth of the game, exposure of it worldwide and a terrific reward to the owners for the risk they take buying into the business (Yes, any time you buy something you assume lots of risk as well as potential reward) as well as the players who lay it on the line each day as true professionals. Both sides can WIN BIG here as long as overwhelming greed doesnt kick in. Common sense and seeing whats good for the game will hopefully guide both sides to a fair and reasonable solution to that Positive Problem. Both sides have hit the Lottery - dont screw it up! 2. TORONTO RAPTORS: GM Masai Ujiri has been very patient assembling the team and type of organization he wants over the long haul, always with an eye on solid salary cap management. I like that. Steady is the way to go until you can make that defining move. With Landry Fields, Tyler Hansbrough, Amir Johnson, Chuck Hayes, Lou Williams and whomever the 15th man is all off the books next year the Raptors will have approximately $28 million coming off their books. It will be interesting to see how the Raptors and the other 29 teams navigate the market with players potentially looking to sign shorter deals for the true cash in when the Cap rises considerably when the new TV deal kicks in. Might be able to get a major player on shorter and more lucrative deal until the bigger market kicks in. Im sure Ujiri and his staff are crunching lots of numbers and discussing player values today and what they could grow to over time. This could potentially allow bigger markets that havent managed their Cap well to get back in the game quicker due to the excess money. Whatever happens, it always comes back to getting the right players at the right price point and having a strong and disciplined environment with great leadership in place. If you have those qualities, you can win anywhere. Toronto is slowly developing that. Stick to the plan. 3. NIK STAUSKAS (Kings): First impressions are lasting. I think hes going to be a sound pro. After watching him for two games, hes going to be just fine. Is it going to take time for him to figure out how to guard in the league? Yes - definitely. There will be some tough nights early in his career but hes got a discernable skill that resonates consistently. You have a young star in DeMarcus Cousins - you must surround him with skilled perimeter people who can stroke it and he can do that. Hes got a quick first step and he can create off the dribble. Hell figure it out. Growing Pains? Sure - thats a good thing. Hes a dedicated and passionate player who will pay the price and wont be outworked. 4. KENNY FARIED (Nuggets): A five-year, $60 million deal. Based upon the new league television deal and the type of player he is, thats respectable value in the changing climate. Amazing that Im saying that but I think were all going to have to recalibrate our thoughts as they pertain to NBA contracts. You look as well at the contracts that Phoenix gave to Eric Bledsoe and the Morris twins and these teams got in under the wire before the madness begins. Im a fan of Faried - he plays all out and does it all the time. Thats consistency to me. Hes a tenacious rebounder and defender whose offensive game is growing. Hes a winning player in my book and he helped his value in the NBA community with his performances for Team USA. Yes, he has limitations yet he strikes me as a guy that doesnt worry about them. He focuses on what he CAN do and does it well. Most teams would take that in a heartbeat. 5. GREG STIEMSMA (Raptors): Based upon the first two preseason games against the Kings, the Raptors still have issues inside as far as toughness, interior defence and rebounding that have to be addressed with significant improvement. I understand that Patrick Patterson hasnt played yet. If you remember Andray Blatche (this guy isnt even in the league right now - he has lots of talent but questionable maturity - what a shame - hes wasting his talent) giving them headaches in the Playoffs last season its not a good sign of things to come. Im sure Dwane Casey will be getting after his frontcourt guys the rest of the month now that the same flaw is being exposed and has to be fixed. Coach Casey wont tolerate it. Better to have your warts revealed early with plenty of time to fix it than kid yourself that its not an issue. Its an issue. Now as far as Stiemsma is concerned, hes impressed me with his rock solid approach to the game. Very professional. Good teammate with outstanding work ethic. In the battle for the 15th spot hes a guy that brings the Raptors a big and strong physical presence that they sorely need. Hes a solid post defender and rebounder. He takes charges and will get the body on opponents as a screener. Capable guy getting offensive rebounds and so far what Ive seen is hes a sound fit. Not as many moving parts this past summer for the Raptors and thats a welcome development. The guy that makes this team will have to work his tail off to make it. Not an easy roster to make. The internal competition is outstanding and Stiemsma looks like a guy that could help in a very limited role. In my opinion it will be him or Jordan Hamilton (solid player as well - might be a numbers game in his case unless they make a move). The versatility of Lou Williams to play the point guard spot in a pinch allows them to only have to carry two pure points in Kyle Lowry and Greivis Vasquez who will play all the minutes at that spot anyway. St. Louis Cardinals Shirts .J. -- Tom Coughlin doesnt have many options at halfback for the winless New York Giants. Cheap Cardinals Jerseys . PETERSBURG, Fla. https://www.cheapcardinalsonline.com/624t-genesis-cabrera-jersey-cardinals.html . -- San Francisco 49ers offensive co-ordinator Greg Roman is a finalist to replace Joe Paterno at Penn State, his agent said Monday. Jose Martinez Jersey . Mesoraco hurt his hamstring while scoring from second in Friday nights 5-4 loss at Atlanta. Chapman was hit by a line drive during an exhibition game on March 19, breaking his nose and a bone above his left eye. The left-hander looked strong while throwing 43 pitches in batting practice before Saturday nights game against the Braves. Bruce Sutter Jersey . His team rose to the occasion Sunday with a 3-1 victory over Sweden in the bronze-medal game. "The sting from yesterday is not something we hid from or pretend didnt happen," Dineen said.CHICAGO -- A night after giving up seven goals, the Chicago Blackhawks rebounded with an improved defensive effort. Patrick Sharp scored two goals, including one on a third-period penalty shot, and Kris Versteeg had a goal and an assist to lead Chicago to a 5-1 win over San Jose in a matchup of two of the Western Conferences top teams on Sunday night. Jonathan Toews and rookie Brandon Pirri also scored for the Blackhawks, who lost 7-2 in Nashville on Saturday, their most lopsided this season. "Tonight was back-and-forth, trading chances, but at the same time, theres a lot of individual battles that we were on top of," Sharp said. Chicago limited road-weary San Jose to a handful of prime scoring opportunities before pulling away with three goals in the third period. "We werent happy with the last game, obviously," said Chicago goalie Corey Crawford, who finished with 23 saves. "Tonight was one of our better efforts all around, defensively, from everyone in this room. "(San Jose) came out strong, but throughout the game, we had a little bit more legs than them. We opened up the game at the end there." Versteeg scored his first goal with the Blackhawks in his first home game since being reacquired in trade from Florida on Thursday. A member of Chicagos 2010 Stanley Cup-winning team, he joined the Blackhawks Saturday in Nashville. "It was emotional, obviously, coming back," Versteeg said. "Last night wasnt definitely the way I saw coming back in my head, but tonight was very exciting. The guys put in a big effort." Crawford and San Joses Antti Niemi, the goalies who backstopped the Blackhawks to their two recent Stanley Cup titles, opposed each other. Crawford, in nets for Chicagos Cup run last season, allowed only a second-period goal to San Joses Joe Pavelski on a shot he caught, but then misplayed. Niemi, who helped lead the 2010 Blackhawks to the championship, stopped 22 as he faced his former team for the 12th time. Niemi is 5-6-1 against the Blackhawks. The Sharks havent won in Chicago since Dec. 3, 2010, Niemis first game against his old club. Theyre 0-5-1 at the United Center since then. And Niemi didnt get a lot of help in this one, as the Blackhawks created chances and pounced on San Jose turnovers. "We lacked a lot of energy that was needed to play in this game," San Jose coach Todd McLellan said. "When you dont have energy, you better be sharp mentally and we may have been poorer in that area. "There are a lot of teams that play against the Blackhawks and Im sure the coaches are tellling them the same thing: That turnovers kill you," McLellan added.dddddddddddd "Their counter-punch is incredible and we learned that lesson again. The Sharks played the final contest of a five-game road trip, finishing at 3-1-1 on a zigzagging swing with four contests in Western Canada and a finale in Chicago. The Blackhawks, meanwhile, embark on a seven-game "circus trip" Tuesday at Colorado. They dont return to the United Center until Dec. 3 against Dallas. Chicago started its solid send-off in the first period when Pirri scored the only goal of a crisply played frame with 3:26 left. Pirri, who led the AHL in points last year with 75 points, has goals in three straight games and four in his past six. Patrick Kane went down the right wing into the San Jose zone, backing in Sharks defenceman Scott Hannan to the circle. Kanes shot deflected off Hannan and across the crease to the left side of the net, where Pirri buried the loose puck. Pavelski tied it at 8:16 of the second on a 30-foot shot from the slot. Crawford picked Pavelskis shot out of the air with his glove, but when he lowered it to his side, the puck rolled out and trickled across the goal line. Sharp put Chicago back ahead at 2-1 just under 4 minutes later on a one-time shot from the left circle. He ripped the puck past Niemi after taking a pinpoint cross-ice feed from Marcus Kruger. Toews extended it to 3-1 at 3:39 of the third with his team-leading 10th goal by converting a rebound of his own shot. Niemi stopped Toews first attempt after the Chicago captain skated out of the right corner, but the rebound dropped inches from the goal line. Toews skated around a scrum at the edge of the crease and tucked in the loose puck. With Niemi down on the ice and out of the net, Versteeg converted a rebound of Brandons Saad shot with 4:50 left in the third to make it 4-1. Sharp was awarded the penalty shot with 1:11 left after being pulled down by Marc-Edouard Vlasic on a breakaway. He fired high over Niemi score on a penalty shot for the first time in five chances with Chicago NOTES: The Blackhawks placed G Nikolai Khabibulin on injured reserve with a lower-body injury suffered in Saturdays 7-2 loss in Nashville. Chicago called up rookie Antti Raanta from Rockford of the AHL to back up Crawford. Raanta was signed as a free agent from Finland last summer and was 7-5-0 with a 2.83 goals-against average in 14 games with Rockford. ... Chicago RW Marian Hossa missed his second game with a lower-body injury. Coach Joel Quenneville hopes Hossa will be able to play Tuesday in Colorado. ' ' '