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TSN basketball analyst Jack Armstrong is back to start the week with five quick thoughts on the Los Angeles Lakers incomparable Kobe Bryant, the resurgent (and healthy) Oklahoma City Thunder, the Sacramento Kings decision to fire Mike Malone, David West and the struggling Indiana Pacers and December 15, the day when this past summers free agent crop can be traded. 1. KOBE BRYANT (Lakers): Hes #3 on the all-time scoring list. Let me say it right off the bat, Id take Michael Jordan any day over him, yet I have tons of respect for what hes accomplished. Kobes an incredible competitor and scorer and, in his prime, an outstanding defender, who had the flair for the dramatic. Its a shame that his career is winding down on such a lousy team. 2. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER: Here they come! The Thunder has won six in a row and are a half-game out of the final playoff spot in the brutal West. Ask yourself this: if youre a top-three seed and youre looking at the standings, arent you dreading the fact that you might have to play this team in the first round? Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are back and theyll be fun to watch these last four months. 3. MIKE MALONE (Kings): In the category of You cant make this nonsense up, he gets fired? What a strange story. This guy is one of the bright young minds in the game and has done a pretty solid job of making a dysfunctional team better. A playoff team? No way. Lots of flaws? You betcha. Fired? Yes. What a wacky business this is. I dont care what you read or hear, this is another example of why certain franchises rarely figure it out. 4. DAVID WEST (Pacers): Watching him on Friday night against the Toronto Raptors, I looked at him and said, He deserves better. Its been a rough year for Indy and hes had to battle back from injury, yet he keeps after it. Hes a no-frills guy, but I respect his game. West is a total pro. 5. DECEMBER 15: Today marks the day that guys who signed free agent contracts last summer can be start to be moved. Theres lots of speculation with Carmelo Anthony and Lance Stephenson already and Im sure other names will surface. At a boring time of year in the season, this sure keeps things interesting. People begin to realize that it isnt working out and its time for change. The reality is, its never particularly fun when youre paying a guy tons of money and hes not making a big enough difference. Cheap Cavaliers Jerseys Free Shipping .Y. -- Dallas Stars coach Lindy Ruff had an opportunity to experience an entire range of emotions in his first trip back to Buffalo to face his former team. Authentic Shaquille O’Neal Jersey . Its a blessing and a burden for nine sons of former NHL players who are all expected to be taken in the first four rounds of the draft this weekend. http://www.cheapcavaliersauthenticjerseys.com/?tag=authentic-jordan-clarkson-jersey . Solomon Elimimian did not make the trip with the team after suffering what appeared to be a right leg injury in the teams regular season finale against the Calgary Stampeders. Authentic George Hill Jersey . PAUL, Minn. Authentic Kyrie Irving Jersey . -- Mississippi State was crushed twice by Florida last season, once by 35 points and the other by 25.TORONTO -- After digging deep into its roster for a midweek friendly against Tottenham, Toronto FC gets back to business Saturday when it hosts defending MLS champion Sporting Kansas City. Four days later, Toronto wraps up a busy July with a visit to D.C. United (10-5-4), which trails Eastern Conference leader Kansas City (10-5-5) by one point. It speaks volumes about the turnaround in Toronto FC that midfielder Michael Bradley sees the two games against elite opposition as an opportunity rather than just a chance to see how his team measures against the best in the East. For Bradley, the K.C. and D.C. contests are a chance to move up the standings. Toronto (7-5-5) has two games in hand on D.C. United and three on Kansas City. "When you play the teams right around you these are six-point games and so if we can now, over this next week, come out with some good results, then still it gives us a chance to keep the games in hand but move right up the table," said Bradley. "Thats our goal. "Seventeen games gone, 17 to go. We feel like its been a good first half of the season for us but we still hold the bar high for ourselves and want to continue to move on up." Manager Ryan Nelsen says his team continues to be a work in progress. "Even now, were still learning about each other.," said Nelsen. "Im still learning about (designated players) Michael and Jermain (Defoe) and Gil(berto). And theyre still learning about us. Are we the finished product? Of course not. Were nowhere near that. But are we getting better? I think so. Were evolving quite nicely." This year has already been a success compared to previous seasons. Nelsens team is headed to a first-ever playoff campaign and has already exceeded the number of wins posted each of the 2007, 2011, 2012 and 2103 seasons. Three more victories and it will match the club single-season record of 10, set in 2009. With 13 leagues wins in his 1 1/2 seasons, Nelson is already the club leader for managerial victories. Toronto will have to face Kansas City without Defoe, the star striker who is suspended due to the accumulation of yellow cards. Brazils Gilberto is expected to start up front with Englands Luke Moore. Defoe has 11 of Torontos 26 league goals. Next on the list is Moore with three. Gilberto has two, although he has shown signs recently that he is finding his feet in the league after a lengthy scoring drought. Gilberto attributed to his slow start to the layoff since the Brazilian season ended inn December.dddddddddddd "It was tough getting used to the MLS because Id been off for so long," the 25-year-old said through an interpreter. "So the road was a little bumpy but now things are starting to progress." Is he having fun, he was asked. "Its good," he said in English with a smile. Bradley says the team is rooting for the likable Brazilian to succeed. "Sure. Hes a good guy. Hes somebody that has come in and shown such a willingness to work and run and fight and really do everything he can to help the team," he said. "We have total confidence in him," he added. Bradley did not figure in Torontos 3-2 midweek loss to Tottenham as Nelsen looked to give his midfield star time to rest. Kansas City also played a midweek friendly, losing 4-1 to Manchester City. Unlike Toronto, K.C. played its first team against the English side. Captain Matt Besler seemed unfazed by the defeat, telling local reporters that the focus was on Toronto -- "which is a huge, huge match, probably our biggest of the season so far." Nelsen said Brazilian winger Jackson is fit after an Achilles knock and is available for selection. Captain and centre back Steven Caldwell (quad) and right back Mark Bloom (knee) remain out. Kansas City has not lost in the league since dropping a 1-0 decision to D.C. United on May 13. The champions arrive on a six-game unbeaten streak (5-0-1). "Theyre a team that grinds out results," said Nelsen, before delivering one of his biggest compliments. "Theyre very good at not playing well and winning." Nelsen sees Kansas City as one of the leagues model franchises and values how they got there. "Theyve done a really good job there," he said. "I think they went through two or three years of really tough times. "Its really easy to see the beacon that they are now but to actually get there, they went through some really hard times. And you kind of have to live that when youre in the situation that they were and potentially where we were. But theyre an example of a team, like Real Salt Lake, that built it right, built it well. And that gave it longevity. Theyve got a foundation now where they can just spit out these good players because the clubs got such a good, stable foundation. NOTES: Toronto tied 2-2 at Kansas City earlier in the season in the strength of a stoppage-time goal by Bradley Orr. Torontos career record against K.C. is 4-10-5, but it is 3-3-3 at BMO Field. 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