DIE ENTE » professionals can have its downside, an

MINNEAPOLIS - As a minority owner, team president and coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Flip Saunders holds as much power in one organization as any person in the NBA.What sounds like the ideal situation for a person who is confident in his abilities to evaluate talent, build a roster and develop young players into difference-making professionals can have its downside, and Saunders hit that in the early morning hours on Thursday after his team allowed the Philadelphia 76ers snap a 17-game losing streak on Minnesotas home court.I went to bed this morning at 5:30, a heavy-eyed Saunders said after practice Thursday. From 12 oclock to 1:30, the owner says what the heck is the president doing getting these guys on the team? From 1:30 to 3, the president says what the hell is the coach doing not getting these guys to play harder? And then from 3:30 to 5:30 the coach is getting down on the players. So that was my night last night.More sleepless nights could be right around the corner.The Timberwolves are 4-13, the worst record in the West, and face a gauntlet of conference opponents over the next week with Houston, San Antonio, Portland, Golden State and fully loaded Oklahoma City on the schedule. Those five teams started Thursday with a 61-28 record, which includes the Thunders 5-13 record amassed mostly without stars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, who are healthy now.And the Wolves most certainly are not.Starters Ricky Rubio (ankle), Nikola Pekovic (foot, wrist) and Kevin Martin (wrist) are all out for the long haul and point guard Mo Williams (back) and sixth man Shabazz Muhammad (ankle) are listed as questionable for the game against the Rockets on Friday night. Saunders said Rubio and Martin wont be back before the new year and Pekovic and backup big man Ronny Turiaf (hip) wont be able to suit up for at least another 10 days.The injuries have left Saunders with a roster relying primarily on rookies Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine and second-year men Gorgui Dieng and Anthony Bennett, and the results have been predictably bumpy. The Wolves have won just twice since Rubio went down in the first half of a game against Orlando on Nov. 7.And they hit rock bottom in an 85-77 loss to the Sixers (1-17), who would have tied the record for worst start to an NBA season had the Wolves not shot 36 per cent and turned the ball over 19 times against a team seemingly built to lose games.Were not a very good team right now, Saunders lamented after the game. Weve all got to get better. Everybody. Weve got to work with our guys more to get them to do what we need to do.Even after the Wolves traded All-Star Kevin Love to Cleveland in the summer, there was a belief internally that they had the right mix of reliable veterans and dynamic youngsters to be competitive this season. It looked that way early, with close losses to the Grizzlies and Bulls and victories over Brooklyn and Detroit in the first four games.Then the injuries started piling up, and suddenly Saunders was forced to play that young players far bigger minutes and rely on them for more of the scoring load than he ever believed he would have to so early. Its also reduced his ability to hold players accountable by taking away playing time because he simply doesnt have the bodies to take that approach.It might get uglier before it gets better because were so undermanned that some guys have to play, Saunders said. And theyre playing and theyre making mistakes.As the game against the Sixers slipped away, Saunders could see his young team tightening up, not wanting to become the answer to a trivia question.Its tough, Wiggins said after the game. Thats going to be on everyones mind, on the whole team, for a long time now. No team wanted to be that team.The Wolves are that team. And no one is coming to save them.It can be frustrating for fans and it can be frustrating for the coach and everyone else, Saunders said. But I do understand what we are trying to do. And I do believe this: Well have a pretty good understanding when this season is done on what players are going to be here that we can move forward with and what players we cant move forward with. Reggie White Jersey . He even addressed his group of relievers Sunday morning. Dustin McGowan made those worries a nonfactor, at least for a day. McGowan pitched three-hit ball for seven innings, Colby Rasmus hit a grand slam and Melky Cabrera added a two-run homer as the Blue Jays beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-2. Ray Nitschke Jersey . The Calgary skip fell 10-8 to Swedens Oskar Eriksson in semifinal action Saturday and will face Switzerlands Peter de Cruz for the bronze medal (Saturday at 10pm et/7pm pt on TSN2). http://www.officialgreenbaypackerspro.com/Jaire-alexander-packers-jersey/ . - A mixed martial arts fighter who changed his name to War Machine was ordered Friday to stand trial in Nevada state court on 34 felony charges including attempted murder, sexual assault and kidnapping that could get him life in prison for allegedly attacking his porn star ex-girlfriend and her friend. Clay Matthews Jersey . In a series of tweets, it is explained by the Department of Player Safety that Niederreiter makes full body contact with Burrows and although there is head contact, he does not "pick" the head in the course of making the hit. Dave Robinson Jersey . Portland won Game 4 Sunday night at the Moda Center and are now up 3-1. The last time the Blazers won a playoff series came in the 2000 Western Conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz.KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Rays were still unsure Wednesday whether left-hander Matt Moore will need surgery on his ailing left elbow after he was examined by orthopedic surgeon James Andrews. Rays manager Joe Maddon said after a 7-3 loss to the Royals that the team was still awaiting results from another series of tests. Moore was getting a second opinion from Andrews after an MRI exam performed in Kansas City proved to be inconclusive. Maddon did say that it appears the ligaments in Moores elbow were not fully torn. If that was the case, season-ending surgery would be a foregone conclusion. "There is no surgery tomorrow. Thats not planned. I can tell you that," Maddon said. "We need to get all the facts and see how we want to proceed with this, see if surgery is necessary or if its not necessary. Were still waiting to find out." Moore was placed on the disabled list Tuesday, one day after feeling discomfort in his elbow during a loss to the Royals. Moore conceded at tthe time that surgery "is a possibility.dddddddddddd." Moore was dynamic for the Rays last season, going 17-4 with a 3.29 ERA, even though he was on the disabled list from July 31 to Sept. 3 because of soreness in his elbow. "I would say its quite a bit different in how it feels, in how it dangles, with regards to soreness," Moore said before Tuesday nights game. "The discomfort is similar. The severity has jumped from what I was feeling. Its frustrating." Many pitchers have been able to play several seasons with a partially torn ligament, though they often end up undergoing Tommy John surgery eventually. "We are waiting with baited breath," Rays general manager Andrew Friedman said. The Rays recalled left-hander Jeff Beliveau from Triple-A Durham to fill Moores roster spot Tuesday. He appeared in Wednesdays game and was sent back to Durham afterward. Tampa Bay will make another roster move before a weekend series in Cincinnati. 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