Pirate Galaxy » ween attacking in the first 10 overs and remaini

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. sWell Water Bottle Marble . Speaking to the Chicago Tribune at baseballs Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Boras called the former home of the Expos a "tremendous environment" for baseball. Marble Water Bottle Cheap . The formidable trio of Canadian receivers -- individually known as Chris Getzlaf, Rob Bagg and Andy Fantuz -- will share the field at Mosaic Stadium one more time on Sunday. http://www.swellbottlesale.com/swell-bottle-wood-sale.html . -- Charline Labonte couldnt have asked for a better homecoming. Swell Bottles On Sale . In Europe, top teams seem to be largely happy with their squads after spending nearly $1 billion in the off-season. And although English league clubs are unlikely to splash cash in January, Arsenal and Chelsea could be tempted to strengthen their squads with new strikers. Cheap Swell Traveler . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. Australia vice-captain David Warner said his sides 142-run loss in the second ODI at Johannesburg could be traced to a poor start in each innings. Warner said Australia found it hard to recover in the field after South Africa finished the first 10 overs at 66 for 0, setting up a platform for an imposing 361 for 6 which was more than enough for the hosts to defend.We didnt start well, Warner said after the game. We always talk about trying to start well with the bat and the ball in the first 10. We lacked that a bit today and I think our energy and intent was probably lacking. But look when a team puts 360 on the board, its always going to be a tough chase. You have to start positive and try not to lose too many wickets in the first 10. Its unfortunate today but weve got another chance to come back and show up again in Durban.Australias debutant new-ball combo of Chris Tremain and Joe Mennie took the brunt of the punishment from Rilee Rossouw and Faf du Plessis, who produced his sixth ODI ton. Tremain and Mennie took a combined 1 for 160 in 20 overs, with Mennies 0 for 82 the worst return for an Australian bowler on ODI debut.However, Warner noted that the Johannesburg pitch is never an easy place for bowlers, noting Mennie didnt have it as bad as Mick Lewis, who conceded figures of 0 for 113 in the famous 438 chase by South Africa on the same ground 10 years earlier. He also said Mitchell Starcs absence was not an excuse for a lackluster bowling performance and that the young attack will hopefully learn from the experience.Youve got to play the cards that youre dealt and at the moment weve got two young guys making their debut. We do have a young attack but theyve done everything they can to be here and be in this position to play for the country.dddddddddddd Its going to be a learning experience for them especially today.They have to go back and reflect on what they can do better, especially in the first 10. With Starcy and them out, it is what it is. We have to deal with it and we can only control what we can at the moment and thats with the guys that we have.As for Australias reply, Warner said the team needed to find a better balance between attacking in the first 10 overs and remaining patient enough to wait for scoring opportunities that open up over the course of the innings. While South Africa ended their Powerplay blemish free, Australia were 54 for 2 after 10 and lost George Bailey one over later, setting them back to a position they could not dig out of.Warner singled himself out for poor shot selection despite making Australias second-best score in the match and said Australia needed to produce bigger scores in the manner of du Plessis on Saturday and Quinton de Kock from the first ODI if they want to make a comeback in the series.We have to get hungry and we have to be hungry, Warner said. We are that on our day. Obviously it hasnt been our day the last couple of games but we have to keep having that positive mindset and go big. Weve seen the wickets. Theyre very very good wickets and if you get in... today I played probably a poor shot. Ive had a couple of soft dismissals. A few of the guys got caught down the leg side. ' ' '