Kristaps Porzingis has become a matchup problem in just his second season with the New York Knicks.The 7-3 Porzingis is listed as a power forward, but with his ability to hit mid to long-range jumpers, score on tip-ins and dunks and run the floor like a gazelle, he has created headaches for opposing coaches and their players.The Atlanta Hawks (9-3) will attempt to slow down Porzingis and the Knicks (5-7) Sunday at Madison Square Garden.Porzingis is averaging 20.8 points and 6.8 rebounds. Hes shooting 49 percent from the field, including 40 percent from 3-point range. In a 105-102 win over Detroit on Wednesday, Porzingis scored a career-high 35 points.Porzingis, who finished second to Karl-Anthony Towns for Rookie of the Year last season, is earning praise from coaches around the league.Hes (Porzingis) definitely going to be one of the best players in the league very soon, Washington Wizards coach Scott Brooks told the New York Post. He can score (from) so many spots on the floor. For a guy whos 7-3, puts it on the floor, left, right, mid-range game, step back 3s, gets lobs, offensive rebounds.Hes a great player now. Hes definitely on his way to being an All-Star. Its pretty remarkable to improve so quickly, he said. Hes got point-guard moves. Hes even got a crossover (dribble).On Friday, Porzingis announced he will donate $500 for each of his blocked shots for the rest of the season to the RENS, a New York-area, not-for-profit youth basketball program. Hes averaging 1.2 blocks.The Hawks are one of the early season surprises. Led by power forward Paul Millsap (17.3 ppg, 8 rpg), Atlanta is second in the Eastern Conference and leads the league in turnovers forced (17.6 per game) and ranks second in field-goal percentage (48.0), assists (26.2) and steals (10.2).Dwight Howard has resurrected his career in Atlanta after several pedestrian seasons with the Houston Rockets and one year with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 31-year-old center is fourth in the league in field-goal percentage (.606) and third in rebounding (12.9).The Hawks could be without guard Thabo Sefolosha, who has missed the last two games with a knee sprain. The pesky Sefolosha is third in the league in steals (2.60). Former Knick Tim Hardaway Jr. should get most of those minutes if Sefolosha is a no-go.Center Tiago Splitters return from a Grade 2 hamstring strain that has forced him to miss the start of the season is uncertain.Atlanta is coming off a 100-96 loss to Charlotte on Friday in which they squandered a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. Charlotte took control of the game after Howard was ejected for a flagrant 2 foul with 5:38 remaining and the Hawks leading 89-86. He landed a hard elbow to the jaw of Cody Zeller as the two were battling for rebound position. From there, the Hornets scored nine straight points.That was a momentum shift right there, Millsap said. It just completely turned the game around. They took that and fueled it to the fire, the crowd gets into it and theyre at home. What can you say?Howard insisted the foul was not intentional. Thats basketball, he said.Atlanta plays six of its next seven games on the road. New Orleans Pelicans Jerseys . But now that hes in the NHL, the Calgary Flames centre showed big improvement in that department by scoring the winner in the eighth round of a 5-4 shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday. Brandon Ingram Pelicans Jersey . Kuznetsov, who was selected by the Capitals in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, has been playing for his hometown team Chelyabinsk Traktor of the KHL. https://www.pelicanslockerroom.com/Derrick-Favors-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers. Jordan Crawford Pelicans Jersey .Y. - Detroit goaltender Jonas Gustavsson has earned NHL first star of the week honours after winning in his first three appearances of the season. Josh Gray Pelicans Jersey .com) - The Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks both take aim at their first wins of the season on Saturday, as the Canucks open their home slate at Rogers Arena. FINHAUT-EMOSSON, Switzerland -- Fabian Cancellara has withdrawn from the Tour de France to focus on his preparations for next months Rio de Janeiro Olympics.The 35-year-old Swiss rider was 114th in the overall standings after Wednesdays 17th stage, nearly three hours behind race leader Chris Froome.Cancellara, who will retire at the end of the season, has been working hard for his Trek-Segafredo team leader Bauke Mollema over the past two weeeks.ddddddddddddCancellara said it was a hard Tour for me, a lot of stress and I feel tired.The four-time time trial world champion won seven stages at the Tour and wore the yellow jersey for 29 days. He first made his mark at cyclings biggest event 12 years ago, when he won the prologue in Liege in his first Tour. ' ' '