Sonstiges » aldo. You tell me when you find him.Hollow

MINNEAPOLIS -- There is a gaping hole in the northeast corner of Target Center, the result of a renovation that has started on the Minnesota Timberwolves aging arena to update it as much as possible without completely tearing it down and starting from scratch.After almost a decade-long identity crisis, the major rebuilding of the roster is finally over.With Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine, a core is firmly entrenched that makes one of leagues most unsuccessful franchises the subject of envy for its wealth of young talent. Tom Thibodeau has arrived to give the Wolves a top-flight coach to take over their on-the-job education. And they are just plain sick and tired of hearing about the teams 12-year playoff drought.It bothers me, Towns said. It truly bothers me. Its something I dont want to hear anymore. Im tired of hearing about a drought around here. Thats something that annoys me and bothers me. What I can do to control that is come in every day, work tremendously hard and do everything possible to help us be the winning team we see ourselves being.The Timberwolves won 29 games a year ago, a 13-game improvement from the previous season. They will likely need at least 12 more wins this season to be in the mix in the competitive Western Conference.Despite starting three players who are 21 or younger, their optimism is high.There are a lot of guys on the team that have never been in the playoffs and theyve been here for a long time, Wiggins said. We havent seen it. Now we finally have the perfect pieces to get there, the perfect opportunity this year. Were very confident. Were overly excited. We just want to work hard to get there.The Timberwolves open the regular season on Wednesday in Memphis. Here are some things to watch this season:VETERAN WIGGINSThere is relative certainty surrounding Towns ability to assert himself as an elite big man in the league. It remains a little unclear just how great Wiggins will be. He has worked tirelessly to improve his ball-handling and perimeter shooting to become an All-Star caliber player. If Thibodeau and Wiggins can form the relationship that helps the supremely talented wing play with fire more consistently, look out.DUNNS DEVELOPMENTThe Wolves grabbed point guard Kris Dunn with the fifth overall pick in June, and there is a lot of speculation that he will eventually supplant Ricky Rubio as the starter. But point guard is the most difficult position to play in the league, and the Wolves have no reason to rush him into that role on a team that desperately wants to make the playoffs. Dunn has shot poorly in the preseason, but Thibodeau has already proclaimed him NBA-ready on defense, which is a big thing for the coach.BJELICAS BOUNCEBACKNemanja Bjelica came to the Timberwolves last season after being named Euroleague MVP in Turkey, but struggled with injuries and making an adjustment to the NBA game. He has looked much more comfortable during the preseason of Year No. 2. If he can emerge as the playmaking, sharpshooting, stretch 4 with the second unit, the ceiling for the team raises significantly.BYE, BYE KGFranchise icon Kevin Garnett retired earlier this month, leaving the pups he mentored last season to strike out on their own. The best players on this team are very, very young, so watching the leadership element develop will be intriguing. Towns has quickly asserted himself as one of the teams hardest workers and most vocal communicators, so he is a natural candidate.We talked. I know what I must do, Towns wrote on Instagram after KG retired. Ill take it from here.FINANCIAL MATTERSWith so many young players under contract, the Timberwolves enter the season with cap space galore. But that space will be chewed up in the coming years when Wiggins, LaVine and Towns come up for extensions. One of the interesting pieces in the immediate future is versatile big man Gorgui Dieng. If the Wolves do not reach agreement on an extension with him by the end of the month, he will become a restricted free agent next summer and likely command a salary on the open market of $17 million a year or more. Thibodeau is a big fan of Diengs game, but it remains to be seen if the two sides can come to an agreement.---Follow Jon Krawczynski on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/APKrawczynskiStu Grimson Jersey . John Tavares, Thomas Vanek and Kyle Okposo were also being counted on to slow down sizzling Rangers forward Rick Nash. That plan didnt go so well early. Wholesale Ducks Jerseys . Dusautoir, the former World Player of the Year, sustained a torn bicep playing for Toulouse in the Heineken Cup on Saturday. The flanker, who has played 65 times for France, is expected to be out for up to four months. https://www.cheapducks.com/ . 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. Josh Mahura Jersey . On Tuesday, Ottawa placed forward Cory Conacher and defenceman Joe Corvo on waivers as trade rumours swirl around the Senators. Matt Beleskey Jersey . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1.TORONTO -- UFCs featherweight division has been a confusing place in 2016. Max Holloway might be the one to give it some clarity.Holloway (17-3) claimed UFCs interim featherweight championship Saturday by defeating former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis via TKO in the third round. The 145-pound bout headlined UFC 206 inside Air Canada Centre.Referee Yves Lavigne stopped the fight with 10 seconds remaining in the third round. Pettis (19-6) had fallen to a crouched position and could only cover up from punches.The win sets up a future meeting between Holloway and official titleholder Jose Aldo.We couldnt fight Aldo, so I started calling it Jose Waldo, hashtag Wheres Jose Waldo? Holloway said. [UFC 208] Brooklyn in February, lets get the f---ing real [title]! This is my ticket to Jose Waldo. You tell me when you find him.Holloway, out of Waianae, Hawaii, is now on a 10-fight win streak, third longest in UFC. He has not suffered a loss since a unanimous decision defeat to Conor McGregor in August 2013.It was actually McGregor who held up the weight class this year. The Irish star won the title last December by knocking out Aldo in 13 seconds and has since fought three times without making a defense. UFC was finally forced to take the belt from McGregor last month.Although McGregor (21-3) will likely point out that the next title fight will feature two men he beat, the 25-year-old Holloway has been nothing short of brilliant since the McGregor loss.Holloway piccked his shots Saturday, showing a clear respect for Pettis knockout ability.dddddddddddd Holloway played with the range in the first two rounds and eventually started to find timing on his right hand.He opened a cut over Pettis right eye in the second round and stuffed the Milwaukee natives attempts to get the fight to the ground. Holloway scored a couple of trip takedowns, but he refused to follow Pettis to the floor.The finish started with a spinning back kick to Pettis midsection, followed by a right hand to the head. Another kick landed to the body moments later, and Pettis appeared to be done.Pettis (19-6) would not have won the interim title even if he won the bout. The 29-year-old missed weight by three pounds Friday and said he will move back up to the 155-pound division.The first punch I threw, my right hand hit him on the top of the head and broke, Pettis said. Max Holloway is a beast. He stood with me and got the belt.Its too much to make the cut. They literally had to pull me out of the sauna. I have to go up. I cant make 145. The weight cut is too hard.Once considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, Pettis has now lost four of his past five fights.Aldo (26-2) won the interim title by defeating Frankie Edgar at UFC 200 in July. Aldo was promoted to the official champion when McGregor was stripped. ' ' '