roup of guys and each team and each person has a special spot in my

CHICAGO -- Both the Chicago Bulls and the Minnesota Timberwolves were missing their starting centres. The Timberwolves were able to overcome the adversity. Kevin Love scored 31 points to lead the Timberwolves over the Bulls 95-86 Monday night. Ronny Turiaf added 14 points for the Timberwolves, who snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Bulls and won for the fourth time in five games overall. Timberwolves centre Nikola Pekovic exited with a sore right Achilles tendon midway through the first quarter. Turiaf, who was averaging 2.3 points, scored a season high in his absence. "He stepped up when Pekovic went out, and he brings a lot," Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio said. "He brought everything he had." The Bulls were also without their starting centre. Joakim Noah was sent home before the game due to an illness. Kirk Hinrich (strained right hamstring) missed his fourth straight game. "They had some people out too, but we knew it was going to be a physical game," Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman said. "We knew how they were going to play, and I thought we responded pretty well." Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 14 rebounds, and D.J. Augustin added 19 points for the Bulls. Pekovic, who was averaging 18.4 points and 9.3 rebounds, said he hopes his injury is not serious. The injury has been bothering Pekovic during the teams road trip, Adelman said. Pekovic had one point and one rebound in 6 minutes. In Pekovics absence, Turiaf grabbed seven rebounds and had his highest-scoring game since he scored 19 points on Jan. 11, 2011, for the New York Knicks against the Portland Trailblazers. "My goal this year, regardless of the situation, is just to go out there and have some fun," Turiaf said. "No matter how much or how little I play, I just want to have fun." The Bulls pulled within five with 1:29 left on Augustins 3-pointer but got no closer. Love answered with a layup with 1:10 remaining, and Corey Brewers dunk gave the Timberwolves an 88-79 lead with 57.4 seconds left. The Timberwolves improved to 2-11 on the road when scoring fewer than 109 points. Minnesota shot 46.6 per cent compared to the Bulls 37.6 per cent. "We need that," Love said. "We communicated really well and we definitely contested a lot of shots." Chicago had won four of five and is 10-4 in January. Chase Budinger added 12 points off the bench for Minnesota, and Brewer had 11. Jimmy Butler scored 16 points, and Mike Dunleavy and Taj Gibson each had 10 for the Bulls. Gibson started at centre in place of Noah and had eight points and seven rebounds at halftime before running into foul trouble in the second half. "Hes an All-Star. Youre going to feel it," Gibson said about the Bulls missing Noah. "He was playing real phenomenal. Hes one of the vocal leaders, rebounding, playing defence, controlling the offensive end and making plays for guys. "We got to keep pushing forward." The Timberwolves went cold in the third quarter as the Bulls outscored them 19-18 and pulled within five. Minnesota had one field goal in the final 7:38 of the period -- Budingers dunk with 34.9 seconds left. The Wolves led 72-65 heading into the fourth. The Bulls had won by an average of 13.3 points during their seven-game winning streak against the Timberwolves. Minnesota last won in Chicago on Jan. 3, 2009. "When you lose a guy like Jo your margin for error is smaller," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said about Noah. "We can get it done. Youve got to give Minnesota credit. Theyre playing real well right now. We can never lose sight of how hard we have to play. We cant play hard for 32 minutes. We have to play hard the whole game." NOTES: The Timberwolves ranked second in the NBA in scoring at 106.8 points per game coming in. The Bulls were holding opponents to 92.9 points per game, second in the league. ... It was the first of two meetings between the teams this season. The Bulls lead the all-time series 28-18. Jimmy Butler Heat Jersey . Rockhold." Known as an aggressive striker, Belfort (23-10) instead paced himself as the engaged in the early going and showed restraint by not overcommitting against the larger Rockhold (10-2). But when the opportunity presented itself, Belfort delivered an incredible spinning heel kick that landed flush on Rockholds chin and sent him toppling to the floor. Udonis Haslem Jersey . After seven wins in a row, they have to do it one more time to get into the playoffs. https://www.heatlockerroom.com/Tim-Hardaway-City-Edition-Jersey/ . “The fact that he was willing to do the deal the way we wanted it to be done showed that he wanted me to be a part of something great," Lowry said, noting that Ujiri willingness to sign off on the proposal that both Lowry and his agent presented to the GM was the final straw that convinced him to return. Chris Silva Heat Jersey .com) - World No. 1 Rafael Nadal, Wimbledon champion Andy Murray and four-time Australian Open titlist Roger Federer were among Mondays fourth-round winners at Melbourne Park. Jimmy Butler Jersey . You can watch all the action on TSN and TSN GO beginning at 8:30pm et/5:30pm pt. Minnesota dropped the first two tests of this best-of-seven set at Chicagos United Center and was outscored by a combined 9-3 margin in those setbacks. However, the Wild righted themselves at home by taking Game 3 by a 4-0 count before knotting the series at two games apiece with Fridays 4-2 triumph at Xcel Energy Center.So you were in college for four years and managed to maintain a 3.7 GPA. This is a draft known for its large amount of one-and-done players, how important was it to you to stay all four seasons?It was key for me. I mean it was an opportunity for me to get better, to get a degree and to do everything I wanted to do, I wanted to go to college. So I was able to just improve over those four years, clearly show that Ive been able to get better, work hard, the determination that I have as well to do something really good and get a degree as well as a number of academic accolades. So it was key for me. It taught me a lot of maturity, a lot of commitment and dedication. So I think that one-and-dones are not for everyone and if its not for you definitely take the time to stay in school and get a degree, it will help you in the long run. Was it ever difficult to balance basketball and school at the same time?Yeah, I mean a lot of the time when you have papers, homework, anything thats due, youve got to develop some good time management skills and thats something I think I really valued and really got out from college, being able to be good at time management skills, being able to prioritize and being able to put things in perspective that were most important. And for me that was at the time school and now its basketball. So now I think that its taught me a lot, but there are definitely times where its hard, definitely times after games and workouts where Im drained and I have to come back and do papers and homework and stuff like that. But ultimately it all works out and for me it was something that worked out for the best. When youre in the states, what is the one thing you miss most about Canada?(Image via Lays)Everything. I just miss being by family, I miss just being home. I also miss Tim Hortons [laughs], fuzzy peaches, ketchup chips, Ruffles all-dressed chips, just little things you wouldnt think about.Youve been posting the hash tag #DraftDreams. What does that mean to you? Charlotte was fun! On to the next! One step away! #DraftDreams — Melvin Ejim (@MelvinEjim) May 30, 2014Its important. Everything Im doing right now is for the drafts for the NBA and, you know, I just want to get people, especially on social media a way that they can follow me, a way that they can interact and feel like theyre coming along for the ride as well. So its definitely a cool thing to be a part of. But everything Im doing now is exactly what it means; its a draft dream. Im working as hard as I can to make that dream come true and that draft on the 26th is what everyone right now is working towards. So its important. Its just a way for fans and people to give support and interact with me on a social media network. So which players did you grow up idolizing?I really like Hakeem Olajuwon.(Image via Sports Illustrated) He was Nigerian. I really liked his game and even when I was in college playing the four, I thought he was someone who I could look up to for skill work; I mean hes trained a lot great players like Kobe, and guys who are smaller. I also liked watching Reggie Miller; he was a competitor. And obviously Steve Nash, being a Canadian, being someone who cares so much about Canada, those are three guys I grew up idolizing.Steve Nash said before that you were underrated by NBA scouts on Twitter, what did it feel like to get that compliment from Steve? @M3llyM3I wayyyy underrated by NBA scouts. RT @YungBoiMayes: Yo Melvin had 48pts and 18 Rebss!!!!!!!!!!! — Steve Nash (@SteveNash) February 8, 2014It was cool. Anytime that you are going underrated and people are starting to pick up on what youre doing, especially someone as renowned as Steve Nash who definitely knows the game and understands what it means to be a good player, for him to go out and say something on a social network , especially when he doesnt have to, that was a pretty cool feeeling.dddddddddddd Whenever you have someone like Steve Nash, who interacts with players and kids in colleges, to help you out and to be willing to be involved in your career, its great and its going to help you and its going to help basketball in Canada.Were you a big Raptors fan growing up?Yeah, I liked the Raptors because they were the only team we had. I wasnt watching any other sports or teams. Just watching them grow and develop, like through the Vince Carter years, and watching them really become a good team. Like this year, when people considered them not to have a good year, they were really able to overachieve. Thats great, and it shows perseverance. Theyve been able to a great job. You excited to workout with them tomorrow?Yeah. Anytime you can back home and work out for hometown team, youre always excited. You have the opportunity to work out for the team in your own backyard. Watching Vince Carter play, and watching those games, I never would have thought Id have the opportunity to play for them and to have the opportunity to work out for them and meet the people; its great, its refreshing. Its a gratifying opportunity. Did you play any other sports growing up?Yeah I use to play soccer, track and field and volleyball in high school. I played those competitively until tenth grade when I exclusively started playing basketball. Why did basketball stick out?(Image via Ames Tribune) It was just something I continued to get better at. When I went to school in the United States when I was 15 I was going there on a basketball scholarship and I didnt want to mess it up. Luckily, the school there didnt really offer any other sports I wanted to play so there was a chance for me to dedicate myself as a player.What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? I have 11 siblings, I guess thats pretty surprising, not all with the same mother and father, but Im the oldest. I think when people see the things that I do and a lot of the academic stuff is something I try to preach because Im the oldest and I have brothers and sisters who look up to be and I want to set the best example that I can for them. My family and my siblings are the reason I go out and do what I do, Im trying to be the best role model I can be and guide them in the right direction.Whats your best basketball memory so far?I think obviously one of my best memories is the 48/18 game and that whole incredible experience.You know, the tournament runs, the last three years Ive had a great experience with a brand new group of guys and each team and each person has a special spot in my memory for the relationships and the things weve done together. When you get on an NBA court, is there going to be one guy youre playing against and just think "holy crap," Im playing against this guy?Right now, LeBron, Kobe and Kevin Durant and than there is guys like Paul Pierce, guys you would grow up watching whos a great player. I think Ill definitely have that moment but youve got to snap out of it quickly because youre going to be guarding and playing and playing against them, and you dont want to stand there with your mouth open. You have an admiration for these guys, but you got to shake it quick because now youre on the same page as these guys. I think that it may happen with a lot of people, but its only natural. So lets say you sign that NBA contract, whats the first thing you go out and purchase? Im probably going to get something for my mom, but Im not really a big spender, Im probably going to invest most of my money and make it last. Im not thinking about buying a huge car or a big house, Ill probably get something for my mom and my family and than open up a saving account and invest my money. Thats really how you set yourself up in the future. Dont forget to check out BarDowns sit-down with fellow Canadian NBA draft prospect Tyler Ennis. ' ' '