Tell me » still in good shape to clinch a wild-card berth, although it drop

MINNEAPOLIS - It can be easy to forget the electricity that crackled through Target Center every time Ricky Rubio walked to the scorers table to check in during his rookie season with Minnesota.That was way back in 2011, a lifetime in the NBA. The flashy Spaniard was a game-changer that first season, breathing new life into a downtrodden franchise and had the lowly Timberwolves nearing a playoff berth when he went down with a major knee injury in early March.Three years after his debut, essentially two years after his left knee was surgically repaired and three days before the deadline to extend his rookie contract, Rubio feels like hes as close as hes ever been to recapturing that old magic.If you look at the stats, Im not a big guy to put up a lot of numbers, Rubio told The Associated Press on Tuesday before boarding a plane to Memphis for Wednesdays season opener. I think what I do is change the game. I can do it from defence. I can do it with a couple steals. I can do it by getting the ball to a player who is hot. ... Winning games — thats what I want to do.Thats what he did as a rookie. His long-scrutinized shooting has never been worse than it was that first season (35.7 per cent), but he found numerous other ways to impact the game.With his hair flopping and the ball zipping to open teammates, a team that had won just 32 games combined over the previous two seasons and had not made the playoffs for seven straight years was 21-19 and nearing the eighth seed when Minnesota hosted the Lakers on March 9.I was coming from a winning team and coming here, knowing they only won like 17 or 15 games the season before, it was kind of shocking. But I was trying to bring everything I learned during my years overseas in Europe and try to change the mentality, he said.That night, Rubio tore two knee ligaments in the closing moments of the close loss, and the Wolves season quickly swirled down the drain. Kevin Love was injured as well and the team would only win five more games.Rubio returned to play in 57 games in the next season and all 82 last year, but he wasnt the same player. He shot 36 per cent in 2012-13 and 38 per cent last season. Critics point to those numbers as reason for the Wolves to be cautious in signing him to a big-money extension.The whole season last year was trying to get back that feeling, Rubio said. I was feeling 100 per cent healthy, but you never know when youre healthy 100 per cent. I think this summer I could finally workout on my body, could make a couple steps forward. I felt pretty good in the (FIBA) World Cup. My quickness was 100 per cent back.In six preseason games this year, Rubio averaged 11.3 points in 22.5 minutes and shot 43.5 per cent from the field, but only 20 per cent on 3s. He also averaged 4.8 free throw attempts while showing more aggressiveness.Coach Flip Saunders said Rubios new-found mentality is a product of a different system that puts the ball in his hands more and gives him more responsibility for where the shots come from. That, coupled with Loves departure for Cleveland, has given Rubio more freedom to call his own number than in the past.Hes shown good leadership, Saunders said. I like the fact that hes a willing learner. I like the fact that he works hard. Like all young players, they all have things they have to work on. But he works at his deficiencies. Hes extremely competitive and he wants to win.If the Timberwolves are going to avoid taking a huge step back after trading Love, Rubio is going to have to lead the way. Youngsters Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine and Anthony Bennett arent ready for that responsibility and have yet to show they can make a difference in a regular-season game.Rubio did that once before, and he can feel it coming again.A lot of people put us in the 15th seed in the Western Conference, Rubio said. If they believe that, Im not agreeing with that and were going to show everybody.___Follow Jon Krawczynski on Twitter: http://twitter.com/APKrawczynski Austin Seibert Jersey . - Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte sees the commitment to the handoff and cant help but come away impressed. Sione Takitaki Jersey . -- Having already fallen behind because of the NFL lockout, Blaine Gabbert couldnt afford a lengthy holdout. http://www.footballbrownsnflprostore.com/ . The Brazilian-born strikers brace drew him level with Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo as the leagues leading scorers with 17 goals apiece through 16 rounds. "The important thing is to help the team win, not the goals," Diego Costa said. After a first half dominated by defence, Atletico pressed Valencia into its area and Diego Costa did the rest. Greedy Williams Browns Jersey . The Giants chances of winning the division were dealt a serious blow by the three-game sweep at the hands of the lowly Padres. The Giants open a three-game series at Dodger Stadium on Monday night. San Francisco is still in good shape to clinch a wild-card berth, although it dropped into a tie with Pittsburgh in the race for the top spot. Odell Beckham Jr Womens Jersey . However, after review it became clear Kadri kicked the puck in.ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Champ Bailey wont play in the Denver Broncos opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night because of a sprained left foot. The 15th-year pro was ruled out Wednesday. He hasnt practiced since getting hurt in a preseason game at Seattle on Aug. 17. Denver will start Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in Baileys place alongside right cornerback Chris Harris with Tonyy Carter getting work at nickel.dddddddddddd Although Bailey was beaten twice by Ravens receiver Torrey Smith in the playoffs, his absence for the "NFL Kickoff" may prove less critical because Joe Flacco is without his top two targets from last season in Anquan Boldin (trade) and Dennis Pitta (hip). Bailey plans to play against the New York Giants in Week 2. ' ' '