Funkerstation » tching his legs out at each change of end, the

For the Charlotte Hornets, a 10-8 record is respectable but based on recent trends, it is not good enough.Coming off a 48-win season, Charlotte began this season by winning eight of its first 11 games and four of its first six home games. Starting with a five-point overtime loss in New Orleans, it has been difficult for the Hornets.The Hornets look to correct some of those negative trends Thursday night when they host the struggling Dallas Mavericks.On Nov. 19, the Hornets held a 14-point lead in the opening minute of the fourth quarter and wound up with a 121-116 loss to the Pelicans. The loss sparked a stretch of five losses in seven games, which continued during Tuesdays 112-89 home loss to the Detroit Pistons.Theres two ways you can look at this, Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. We can come in here and do the proverbial It was the schedule and its five in seven, and theyre fresh. If you do that, you have the wrong expectations of what I think our team should be. Weve done some good things to this point, but two things that are concerning are, one, were 5-5 at home, and two, were 1/3 on the second night of a back-to-back. If those things continue to happen, then were certainly not going to be in a position where we want to be.During Charlottes skid, the defense has allowed an average of 108.1 points per game and the latest loss occurred after Detroit center Andre Drummond was ejected before halftime. The Hornets trailed by three at intermission but were outscored by 20 in the second half.Kemba Walker scored 23 points but received little help. Frank Kaminsky shot 1 of 11 and Nicolas Batum was 3 of 11.Charlottes inability to get past Detroit resulted in its third home loss in four games.We could make a lot of excuses, but we have to start winning at home, Charlotte center Cody Zeller said. We have to start winning on the second night of back-to-backs. We just didnt do enough things to win tonight.The Mavericks have dropped 10 of their last 11 games and their 3-14 start is the third-worst 17-game start in team history. Dallas has been held under 100 points in 10 of those games and 14 times overall.The latest setback for Dallas was Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs when the Mavericks held a 13-point deficit only to lose 94-87. It was the seventh single-digit loss this season for Mavericks.Im encouraged by the competitive part of this, Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. Our guys have been fighting hard.Wesley Matthews scored a season-high 26 points and Harrison Barnes added 17 but neither player could get rolling down the stretch. Matthews missed six of his last seven shots while Barnes missed four of his last six attempts.Were still fighting, said Dallas guard Devin Harris, who returned from a left foot injury and played 11 minutes in his season debut. We felt like we shouldve had this one tonight. Our fight is still there. Our guys are playing their butts off and one of these days our luck is going to change. If we continue to fight this way, well win some of these games.Dallas played its 12th game without Dirk Nowitzki (strained right Achilles). Nowitzki is expected to sit again Thursday.Nowitzki missed eight games from Nov. 6-21 before returning last week against the Los Angeles Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers. He scored 25 points on 10-of-28 shooting in 47 minutes before sitting out again.We got to get him right, Carlisle said. And he is getting closer. But its not going to happen this week. Next week could be a possibility, but well see.Dorian-Finney Smith has started the last seven games Nowitzki has missed but has only scored 27 points. The undrafted rookie has been playing between 18 and 27 minutes in the starting frontcourt and is 10 of 30 from the floor.The Mavericks are 7-3 in the last 10 meetings. Cheap Royals Jerseys China . 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A person familiar with the hearing, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press on Saturday that Manfred testified the sport wasnt concerned whether Bosch distributed performance-enhancing drugs to minors because MLBs interest was his relationship with players under investigation. Cheap Royals Jerseys . 8 Iowa State on Saturday, sending the Cyclones to their third consecutive loss. The Longhorns (14-4, 3-2) got their biggest win of the season with their third in the row in the Big 12.Dominic Thiem defeated Gael Monfils in three sets to revive his hopes of qualifying for the last four of the ATP World Tour Finals. Thiem, who lost to Novak Djokovic in his first match, prevailed 6-3 1-6 6-4 in a closely fought encounter at the O2 Arena in which Monfils appeared to struggle with a leg problem during the second and third sets.Thiem will give himself a strong chance of progressing to Saturdays semi-finals if he can beat Milos Raonic in his final round-robin match, but Monfils has now lost both of his ties and needs to overcome Djokovic on Thursday, as well as hope other results go his way, to stay in the tournament. Live Tennis: ATP World Tour Finals November 16, 2016, 12:00pm Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass Shot of the matchMonfils laid the platform for breaking Thiem early in the second set with this corker of a forehand on the turn.Thiems reactionIt was a very close match. I had the much better start and then he was playing a good second set, and the third set was very tight. Luckily he helped me a little bit in the last game of the match. Maybe I was a little bit lucky I won today. Gael Monfils forehand winner on the turn was the shot of the match Expert analysisMark Petchey: He [Thiem] won it with his head rather than his feet and his groundstrokes. He managed to hang in there and ride out the wave of great tennis from Gael. Lets not forget a couple of wonderful forehands from Monfils to give himself a chance. He weathered the storm really well out there.Peter Fleming: It was a shame because Monfils wasnt able to give his best. You could tell he was in a lot of pain out there and there were a number of times when he slid into a shot but chose not to and chose to keep running to take the stress off of that part of his body. Thiem admitted he had been fortunate to win The matchBoth players made solid starts, but Thiem gained the upper hand when he broke in the fifth and ninth games to clinch the opening set.ddddddddddddMonfils had started to move gingerly by this point, but he compensated by launching booming forehands and the tactic paid dividends when he broke twice to take a 4-0 lead. Monfils was hampered by a leg injury Although Thiem gave himself hope by breaking back, Monfils was in rampant form and broke for a third time to take the second set 6-1.Despite Monfils continuing to hobble around the court and being seen stretching his legs out at each change of end, the third set went with serve for the first nine games.However, Monfils then lost his composure when serving to say in the match and three double faults handed Thiem victory. Monfils v Thiem: Match Stats Monfils Thiem Aces 8 4 Double faults 5 1 1st serve points won 81% 72% 2nd serve points won 46% 50% Break points won 3/3 3/8 Total points won 74/148 74/148 Watch every day of the ATP World Tour Finals, from November 13-20, live on Sky Sports. Full schedule here. Six months half price Upgrade to Sky Sports to watch Man Utd v Arsenal on Saturday and get the first six months half price Also See: We will get the dream final Murray: No 1 hasnt changed me Murray wins on No 1 debut Shots to watch at the O2 ' ' '