TSNs Jack Armstrong offers his thoughts on the skilled and efficient Kevin Love in Minnesota, if Danny Granger gets bought out by the 76ers, discussions of a four-point line, the steady and dependable Robin Lopez with the Blazers and Kirk Hinrichs help in the Bulls resurgence. 1. KEVIN LOVE (Timberwolves): Another monster game Tuesday night vs. Phoenix with 33 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists and he goes 3-6 from 3-point range. Hes been off the charts lately and just dominates games in so many ways. You look at him and he doesnt have great explosiveness or lift in his game yet all he does is work you over. Incredibly skilled and efficient and hes very strong. Plays the game at the right pace and sees the game a few frames ahead of most. Former GM/coach Kevin McHale got ripped for selecting him out of UCLA but as we can all see now, one great big man knows another. He saw something in this guy that few others saw. Everyone knew he was good - not just this good. The fact that hes made a serious commitment to his conditioning and diet has taken his game to a whole new level. 2. DANNY GRANGER (76ers): Everyone in the NBA will be keeping an eye on what happens with the buyout negotiations here. Hes got until this weekend to get it done and be on another roster for the March 1 deadline so hes eligible for the playoffs. The big question is; does he do it? He gives up his Bird Rights if he agrees to the buyout which takes away some of his potential earning power as a free agent this summer. In addition, he can be a nice bargaining chip for Philly in a sign-and-trade this June/July. If he hits the open market, hell get lots of offers. Obviously, injuries the past few years (averaging only eight ppg and shooting a woeful 36 per cent) have really impacted him and he probably wont be right until next fall but is worth the risk if he becomes available in the next few days. Clock is ticking and its ticking real fast. 3. FOUR-POINT LINE: Is this a Hoax? Like the Justin Bieber protest in Atlanta? Really? Look, Im a fan of widening the court a little bit - Ive said it on the air many times that we see guys stepping on the sideline way too often, but a four-point shot - maybe Im too old fashioned or out of touch but I really dont want to get that extreme. Enough guys in the league right now that have a hard enough time making free throws let alone adding a gimmick like this. 4. ROBIN LOPEZ (Blazers): When you reflect on great under-the-radar pickups in the summer, this has to be one of the best. What was New Orleans thinking here? Hes been an ideal complement to LaMarcus Aldridge and has allowed the All-Star to play at his natural four-spot. Hes been the anchor for their defence and has posted nice numbers at 11 ppg and nine rpg while getting close to two blocks a game. Hes been steady and dependable and plays with wonderful energy and enthusiasm. Obviously, not an A-list talent but if I had to grade his performance for the Blazers, Id give him an A for the impact hes had in transforming their team into one of the fun stories in the league along with the Suns and the Raptors as surprise teams. 5. KIRK HINRICH (Bulls): Dont let the numbers deceive you (nine ppg and shooting only 38 per cent while averaging only 4.3 assists per game) compared to his career accomplishments. This guy is a winner and is healthy again and a big part in the resurgence of his team. Outstanding defensive player who competes really hard every night. Knows how to run a team and does whatever you need when you need it. Ideal role player in their system and his energy and relentless style is typical of their organizational culture. Really respect this guy and what he brings to the table each game. Yes, limited in many ways but if you really sit and watch him you gain a greater appreciation for his contribution to the team. Numbers are nice to look at and a judgment tool for many but its also about how a guy meshes with his teammates and compliments their games and sacrifices his for the greater good. He understands what it means to be a team guy first, last and everything in between. Jahlil Okafor Jersey .B. -- Canadas Rachel Homan had ideal preparation for the playoffs at the Ford World Curling Championships with a pair of hard-fought wins over tenacious opponents Thursday. Anthony Davis Pelicans Jersey . They never thought it would take some blood, too. Kevin Love grabbed his 4,000th career rebound as part of a 19-point, 13-board effort to lead the Timberwolves over the Utah Jazz 112-97 on Tuesday night. http://www.shoppelicansonline.com/Authentic-Jrue-Holiday-Pelicans-Jersey/ . Asdrubal Cabrera had four hits and three RBIs, Michael Brantley also homered and the Indians beat the injury-riddled Minnesota Twins 9-4 Thursday for their first three-game winning streak this season. Custom New Orleans Pelicans Jerseys . And former Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson certainly knows his pain. "Its pretty hard to coach there without allowing some of these things to kind of affect you," Wilson told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun in his ESPN. New Orleans Pelicans Jerseys . The result means Atletico Madrid now tops the table, with Madrid level on points in second and Barcelona a point behind in third with nine games remaining as the title race shapes up to be the closest in years.The City of Winnipeg has a stomach flu going around and I caught it. That made training a little difficult. I lost a lot of ground but gained a new understanding of just what it means when athletes get the flu, even a week before a big game or fight. I have been useless. Cardio was cut in half and I instantly dripped sweat. My technical skills hitting the heavy bag had no rhythm, and looked horrible. Im not looking to get into an MMA match, and I cant imagine what it must be like to go into one with a flu, having been part of the last one or two weeks of a fight camp. Its an official excuse in my books. However, training must go on, also, work and all things media related. This is the beauty of my career. Like most up and coming MMA fighters, I have a full time job to fit training around. I also do a lot of media work to promote my One Fit City movement. There are no days off trying to get the Nation of Canada healthier, One Fit City at a time. Fighters have to train, work, and promote themselves. There is no one who will make them stars; they need to do it themselves. It all takes time and energy. This week, after returning to something that resembled training Thursday, the plan is going to involve a lot of plyometrics and heavy lifts. This is where you, the fan at home can try adding to your workout. There is a lot of disconnect with fighters, fans, and strength coaches. Most fighters have media at their workouts for the last 10 days. Thats when the conditioning and power circuits are in place. Strength coaches usually are not well spoken or very interesting people so they dont get to come on and explain the science or the buildiing of a program.ddddddddddddSo fans think fighters do nothing but circuits. Early on, if an athlete needs to tune up their power, we use big power movements. Elite Performance is one of those gyms where you can drop weights, Olympic lift, and bend bars with weights. In fact, Jeff Fisher demands it. So for me, old, frail, retired, radio show, blogging, me, its going to be rough getting back to this next week for real. If you are a fan looking to try some of this stuff, you may want to consider one of two things. First, invest and go see and use a gym that trains pro athletes. Across the Nation there are some amazing gyms that have popped up. You can get the assistance from a professional strength coach and train in a facility that has real pro athletes getting better. Second, visit the local University. Same concept as a private facility, less cost, but there are usually a lot less options for when you can train. So this week, add into your training regime two days, preferably Monday and Thursday, that have big strength and plyo lifts. Im going to be doing something like this - 3 Warm up front squats x 8-10 - 5 sets of back squat x 6 super set with 4 max medicine ball jumps - 5 sets of dead lift x 6 super set with 6 single leg skate jumps Then I have a super-secret set of plyos and various balance/isolating leg exercises. They are just exercises I pick that day based on how Im feeling and whats needing more work, lateral jumping or vertical. Have fun, add some heavy strength creating work to your plan. Make some changes that you will notice in your lifting. Then, think about trying some conditioning classes. Give kickboxing a try. ' ' '