MINNEAPOLIS -- Keeping things simple is working just fine for the Houston Rockets.
[b]Custom Chiefs Super Bowl Jerseys[/b] . Dwight Howard had 18 points and 15 rebounds, and the surging Rockets used a fourth-quarter push to hold off the Minnesota Timberwolves 107-89 Monday night for their sixth consecutive victory. Chandler Parsons had 20 points and James Harden scored 19 for the Rockets, who have won six straight for the first time since taking seven in a row in January 2012. All five starters scored in double figures for Houston, which has won nine of 11 and 14 of 18. "Its just not trying to make the spectacular play, giving up good shots for great shots, not forcing anything. Thats what weve been doing really good lately and its a lot more fun to play that way," Parsons said. "We have so many talented guys, we can be so balanced every single night." The short-handed Timberwolves do not have that luxury right now. Back after missing one game with a bruised left quadriceps, Kevin Love led Minnesota with 31 points and 10 rebounds. Chase Budinger had 15 points as a fill-in starter and Alexey Shved scored 11 off the bench for the Timberwolves, who have lost four straight and six of seven. Ricky Rubio, who had three straight games in double figures, including a career-best 25 points on Saturday, was 2 of 10 for seven points. Loves strong game -- including a career-best 23 first-half points -- was needed because Minnesota played without starting guard Kevin Martin (broken thumb) and centre Nikola Pekovic (right ankle bursitis). Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman also was absent due to personal reasons. He is expected back Wednesday. Assistant coach Terry Porter filled in for Adelman, but was left scratching his head. "Unfortunately for us, we couldnt make shots," Porter said. "Guys that normally make shots struggled. We had good looks, but just couldnt knock them down. On those misses, they ran out, got some easy baskets and extended the lead." After its 15-point lead had dwindled to four, Houston scored the first 11 points of the fourth quarter to push its cushion to 93-78. Parsons had a pair of fast-break layups and a dunk to spark the run. This time, the Rockets did not let Minnesota counter with a run, outscoring the Timberwolves 25-11 in the quarter -- Minnesotas lowest-scoring period of the year. "Its almost been like that three games in a row where weve been in pretty good position, either ahead or right within striking distance," Love said. "Then in those first few minutes the other team just gets off to a better start than you do and pushes the lead up. We just need to be better in the fourth quarter." Howard said the key surge came about because the Rockets slowed things down. "We didnt try to rush shots and rush down the floor and take bad shots. We took our time, shared the ball and got good shots," he said. "We do an excellent job of sharing the ball and finding an open man. When we do that its hard for teams to decide what theyre going to do, if theyre going to double out the posts or stay with the 3-point shooters. We just want to make teams make tough decisions on the floor." Down by nine at the break, Minnesota scored the first six points of the second half, but Patrick Beverley had five of his 14 points as Houston countered with a 12-0 spurt to extend its lead to 79-64. The Rockets then began to work the shot clock, but couldnt get shots to fall. Instead, a 12-3 run got Minnesota within four heading into the fourth quarter. Behind 10 points from Harden -- including a pair of 3-pointers -- Houston led 34-28 after one. Love had 17 points in the quarter, including 15 straight at one point for the Timberwolves. Houston had two dunks and a pair of layups as part of a 10-2 run that bumped the lead to 56-45 with 3:43 to play in the second. The Rockets led 67-58 at the break, the most points Minnesota has allowed in a first half this season. NOTES: The Timberwolves were 21 for 21 from the free throw line, but had no attempts in the fourth quarter. ... Houston, which averages an NBA-high 31.22 free throw attempts per game, had just 20. ... Minnesota starting forward Corey Brewer and centre Ronny Turiaf were a combined 3 for 8, scoring just seven points in 48 minutes. ... Houston is home Wednesday against Washington, its lone home game in an eight-game span.
[b]Jordan Lucas Super Bowl Jersey[/b] .C. -- Jackson Whistle made 26 saves for his first shutout of the season as the Kelowna Rockets blanked the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes 5-0 on Saturday in Western Hockey League action.
[b]Anthony Hitchens Super Bowl Jersey[/b] . -- A 25-year-old freelance journalist from British Columbia was formally charged on Thursday with a felony, five days after she was arrested in the United States over allegations she threatened to kill her hockey player boyfriend.Casey Stoney believes she has had two of her best seasons since her twins - Teddy and Tilly - were born 18 months ago, despite surviving on five hours sleep a night. But the 34-year-old, who is endorsing the McDonalds Football Mum of the Year Award to be presented by Coleen Rooney, says she worries about the sporting prospects her children face once they get into primary school.Stoneys partner, Megan Harris, gave birth in November 2014 and the Arsenal ladies defender says she cannot wait to become a football mum herself after being inspired by her own, who sacrificed so much to make sure she could play the game. But Stoney is calling for specialist PE teachers in primary schools after being stunned by what she has seen in her coaching work around the country. Stoney (right) returned to Arsenal after spells with Charlton, Chelsea and Lincoln The reason I got involved with this award is because mums are so important and my mum was massively important for me playing football when I was a kid, she told Sky Sports News HQ.She sacrificed so much of her own time and money so that I could play. Mums are a prevalent force in the game, not just taking kids to training, washing kits and cheering them on, but becoming coaches and managers and working in the background.My mum was actually one of the first. She took over one of my old teams when I left - a little league side called the Blue Arrows - she really enjoyed it. She said she didnt really know what she was doing, she needed my help a bit,, but said she was standing on the side-lines anyway, so why not?Ive been a mum for 18 months now - its fantastic - but I have to juggle work and parenting.
[b]LeSean McCoy Super Bowl Jersey[/b]. Theyve motivated me and Ive probably had two of my best seasons despite getting only five hours of sleep a night. Stoney is a Sky Sports athlete mentor and does coaching work in schools I hope I dont force them to play football when theyre old enough but as long as they get involved in sport Ill be happy. Ive always thought about the sport that kids do in schools and I do a lot of coaching in schools myself, and kids dont do enough PE.Its also about the quality of PE and whether theyre enjoying it. A lot of kids walk away from school with bad experiences and are put off sport for life. Ive been into a lot of primary schools and I feel sorry for the teachers. Theyre not specialists and have to juggle it with other subjects.We need specialists. Kids absolutely love PE and this carries on into sport outside school. Theres a lot of hard work to do on this.The McDonalds Football Mum of the Year Award offers individuals the opportunity to honour and recognise mums across the UK who selflessly dedicate their time to prioritising grassroots football for their children and others in their local area. Each of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales will have their own winner from which a national UK Football Mum of the Year will be chosen and presented by Coleen Rooney. For more information go to:
www.mcdonalds.co.uk/mumoftheyear ' ' '
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