FIVE QUICK NBA THOUGHTS: 1. KEMBA WALKER (Bobcats): Walker is a little man with a huge heart. There are certain guys you come across in this gamewho just have that little extra something in their make-up and hes one of those guys. His team was down 16 in the second half against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night and he just willed his team to victory. He took over and dominated the game at the point of attack. You think back to his wonderful collegiate career at Connecticut and his ups and downs as a pro, playing for a less-than-stellar team. You cant keep him down for long. Hes become a respectable three-point shooter now and its opened his game up even more. There is still lots of room for improvement, but you wont find many guys in the game today who have his competitive spirit. I respect the guy. 2. MIAMI HEAT: I dont care what they say, but that was a necessary win for them last night against the Indiana Pacers. You dont want to let your top conference opponent have too much belief or confidence when it comes to the match-up. When youre the world champions, act like it and play like it and they did. It sets the tone for how you want to be viewed during the rest of the season around the league. Last year doesnt matter a bit anymore. Its all about the now and this win helps both in the short and long term. 3. ANDRE DRUMMOND (Pistons): I must confess that every day Im checking out Detroits box scores and watching their games when I have a free night. Drummond is simply fun to watch. Im not sure yet how much he truly knows how to play the game in all respects, but hes incredibly talented and gifted. On Wednesday night, he had another double-double with 14 points and 16 boards, eight of them offensive rebounds, against the Boston Celtics. Hes got major league, elite rebounding ability and he has the chance to be an impactful defender once he figures out schemes and tendencies of opponents. He can change shots in the lane at a high level and hes got two significant talents that directly change how you have to play as an opponent. 4. VINCE CARTER (Mavericks): Ill see him Friday night in Dallas and just cant believe its been 16 years since his rookie year with the Toronto Raptors. I feel old since its my 16th year as well as a Raptors broadcaster. Hes had the much better career, thats for sure. Wednesday night against the Memphis Grizzlies he had 14 points, four rebounds and six assists in 30 minutes. For a 16-year vet, hes still got game left and really knows how to play. Carter is a good teammate and fits Rick Carlisles system well. You see so many guys fall off the cliff when they get to this stage of their career, so its impressive that hes still able to play at a respectable level. 5. JJ BAREA (Timberwolves): It was a huge win for Minnesota over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night. Barea comes in and gives you something every game. On Wednesday, he put up 10 points along with five assists in the victory. He plays with great energy and determination when he plays and hes very difficult to keep out of the lane. Barea possesses good ball skills and shot-making ability. Hes undersized, but not undeterred. Cheap China Jerseys . -- C.J. Wilson parked his car and laughed while signing autographs for faceless fans who handed bats, balls and cards to the pitcher from the other side of a brick wall. Cheap NFL Jerseys China . De La Rosa pitched six strong innings to win his sixth consecutive decision, Todd Helton homered and the Colorado Rockies snapped the Los Angeles Dodgers six-game winning streak with a 7-5 victory on Wednesday night. http://www.nflcheapchinawholesalejerseys.com/. The right-hander said he threw about 30 pitches in a routine bullpen session Sunday at Yankee Stadium, his final hurdle before starting Tuesday night at Tampa Bay. Wholesale NFL Jerseys . The Professional Referee Organization, which manages game officials for the U.S. Soccer Federation and MLS, notified the Professional Soccer Referee Association of the lockout and said replacement officials will be used. Cheap Jerseys Store .The ruling takes effect on Jan. 1 and stems from the debate surrounding Paralympic champion Markus Rehm, an amputee who won the national long jump title competing with a carbon-fiber prosthesis.Former NHL player Alex Kovalev has announced his retirement. Kovalev last played in the NHL with the Florida Panthers during the 2012-13 season and spent last season with Swiss second-tier team EHC Visp. According to the International Ice Hockey Federations website, Kovalev made the announcement in an interview with Swiss TV station Kanal9. He cited injuries as the reason for his decision. The 41-year-old Russian native was selected by the New York Rangers with the 15th overall pick of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft and joined the team for the 1992-93 season. He then helped the Rangers end a 54-year Stanley Cup drought the following year, posting 21 points in 23 playoff ggames.dddddddddddd Kovalev spent his first six-plus seasons with the Rangers, then was traded to Pittsburgh and played with the Penguins until the 2002-03 campaign when he was sent back to New York. He also played with Montreal and Ottawa before rejoining Pittsburgh late in the 2010-11 season and signed with the Panthers in January 2013. In 1,316 NHL regular-season games, most of any Russian-born player, Kovalev notched 430 goals and 599 assists for 1,029 points. He added 45 goals and 55 assists for 100 points in 123 playoff games. On the international level, Kovalev won Olympic gold at the 1992 Games in Albertville and bronze at the 2002 Salt Lake Games. ' ' '