Dein erstes Forum » Saturday with Bart Houston winning the starting

PHOENIX -- After one of the worst seasons in the franchises 48-year history, the Phoenix Suns believe they finally are headed in the right direction.A team plagued by injury and internal problems mostly traced to the presence of disgruntled Markieff Morris went 23-59 last season, the second-worst record in franchise history. Only the inaugural season of 1968-69 (16-66) was worse.But the Suns found a budding star in guard Devin Booker and drafted a pair of promising teenage power forwards -- Dan Bender as the No. 4 pick overall, Marquese Chriss as No. 8. General manager Ryan McDonough brought in a pair of popular ex-Suns, Jared Dudley and Leandro Barbosa, to provide veteran leadership.With Eric Bledsoe healthy and 37-year-old coach Earl Watson preaching enthusiasm and a family attitude, these Suns expect to be competitive, or at least entertaining.Phoenixs six-year playoff drought probably wont end, but this teams personality and energy might begin to win back some of a disillusioned fan base that once was among the most faithful in the NBA.Watson, who took over on an interim basis after Jeff Hornacek was fired, calls his team a group of high-character guys with enthusiasm and energy.Were really lucky to have this group, he said.Every Suns player stayed in Phoenix through the summer, playing together on the court and spending a lot of time together off it.Our foundation was built in stages, Watson said, relationships first, bonding, creating a unity of compassion for each other, which resulted in love and, when we got into the preseason, sacrificing roles.The players dont want to hear anything about low expectations.Were all about winning and winning now. Booker said. I dont feel like were in a rebuilding phase. I feel like were built.Here are some things to consider as the Suns enter the season.BOOKERS TEAM: Booker turns 20 on Oct. 30 and already is the face of the franchise.He averaged 13.8 points last year and made the all-rookie team, but he really blossomed when Brandon Knight and Bledsoe both were out with injuries. After Jan. 1, he averaged 18.3 points per game, second among rookies. Booker became the third-youngest player to reach 1,000 points. Only LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant did it at an earlier age.In a survey of general managers, Booker was voted the player most likely to have a breakout 2016-17 season.Just taking it all in, at the same time using it as motivation, he said of the accolades. I know where Im at right now and I know where Im trying to get. So Im just staying focused, staying humble and every time I touch the floor giving it my all.KNIGHTS SACRIFICE: Watson calls Brandon Knight the most important player on the team after he was relegated to a sixth man role with Bledsoe and Booker the starting guards.Knight teammates understand how important it is for Knight to accept what has happened.B-Knight has been the biggest sacrifice for our family, center Tyson Chandler said, because hes a starter. Hes a great player in this league. So him coming off the bench is going to be huge for us.IMPRESSIVE CHRISS: The 6-foot-10 Chriss was impressive in the preseason and is ahead of Bender in terms of being ready for the NBA game. Expect the ex-University of Washington star to be part of the rotation right away.Hes a raw talent, Bledsoe said. Hes got some stuff you really cant teach.Chriss, who turned 19 in July, impressed his teammates in a confrontation with Dallas Andrew Bogut in a preseason game.He kind of reminds me of me out there last year, Booker said. ... I think you see him in the Dallas game push Bogut around and thats what we need, someone who wont back down on anybody, so Im really proud of him.HEALTHY AT LAST: Bledsoe is back after missing 51 games and undergoing another knee surgery. Knight is healthy after missing 30 games. Small forward T.J. Warren is kind of a forgotten man after missing most of last season with a broken foot. Small forward P.J. Tucker expects to be back by the second game of the season after undergoing back surgery.YOUTHFUL ENTHUSIASM: Nine of Phoenixs core players are 26 or younger. Bledsoe is the old man at 26. Knight is just 24, Warren and center Alex Len 23.They bring enthusiasm that rubs off on everyone.An older team, you kind of relax and take it easy, said Chandler, at 34 the oldest player on the roster. But these guys have so much energy, they go non-stop. It kind of gets you going. Custom John Starks Jersey . Mickelson barely made the cut but had the best round of the day with nine birdies and an eagle coupled with two bogeys to sit two shots behind leader Craig Lee of Scotland. Lee shot a 69 for a 12-under 204 total. "I just love the fact I am in contention and have an opportunity in my first tournament of the year here in Abu Dhabi," Mickelson said. Custom Knicks Jersey China . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. http://www.customknicksjersey.com/custom-allan-houston-jersey-large-249w.html .ca! Hi Kerry, Heres an interesting one. I know its common knowledge that all players are responsible for their sticks. We witnessed that when Zack Kassian hit Edmontons Sam Gagner in the face after a missed check. Custom Willis Reed Jersey .C. -- Manny Malhotra had two goals and an assist, leading the Carolina Hurricanes to a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. Knicks Jerseys China . - Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie never doubted he would bring back coach Dennis Allen for a third year despite back-to-back 4-12 records. The first indication of what kind of impact new LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda is having will come against his former team.Aranda joined the Tigers in the offseason after an impressive three-year stint as the Badgers defensive coordinator. Arandas old team and his new team open the season Saturday (3:30 ET) at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.LSU coach Les Miles brought in Aranda to replace Kevin Steele one year after he brought in Steele to replace John Chavis as the Tigers try to regain the elite defense that they had at the start of this decade.Last season under Aranda, Wisconsin had the No 1 scoring defense in the country (13.7 points per game) and the No. 2 total defense (268.5 yards per game). LSU ranked 41st in scoring defense (24.3) and 25th in total defense (347.2).Dave Aranda has done a very nice job with the defense, Miles said, playing a real physical style, fast, speed to the ball performing extremely well during scrimmages, so it was extremely difficult for us to move the football.I know he cares very much for the place he used to work and to line up against them and players hes coached. Im not speaking for him, but I know that he respects Wisconsin extremely well.Aranda might not need the Tigers to duplicate the Badgers lofty rankings in order to contend for a spot in the College Football Playoff. With junior Leonard Fournette coming off the most productive rushing season in SEC history, the LSU offense should put up big numbers that wont require the defense to be overly stingy.The Tigers have had to do some juggling on their offensive line due to injury. They should have their five starters available but exactly how they line up could be a work in progress in the first few games as LSU didnt have as much time to test various combinations during the preseason as they would have preferred.LSU is hopeful that junior quarterback Brandon Harris has matured sufficiently to provide better offensive balance and make things a little easier for Fournette.Our offense has got a veteran signal caller now, more poised and ready for situations, Miles said. We will have maybe the finest tailback group that Ive been around with Leonard Fournette and Derrius Guice, Darrel Williams and just a nnumber of guys that can really run the football.ddddddddddddI like the offense and the way theyve come. I think balance is a way to remove people from the box and allow us bigger plays. So if we can do the job that we have planned to do throwing the football, then I think you will find that there will be less people in the box and then maybe more productivity out of less carries.Fournette launches his Heisman Trophy campaign on national television against a team that had the fourth-best run defense in the country last season. LSU already was hoping to lessen Fournettes workload a bit before he was slowed by a sprained ankle toward the end of preseason camp. He had 300 carries in 12 games last season.The Badgers have their own quarterback questions entering Saturday with Bart Houston winning the starting job just 10 days before the opener. Houston, named after former Packers great and Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr, is living a dream by taking snaps at the hallowed home of his favorite NFL team. But LSUs defense brings nightmare potential.NFLDraftScout.com ranked LSU as the No. 2 program in terms of draft potential of the current roster, and speed is everywhere on this Tigers defense.The new 3-4 defense LSU employs is strongest up the middle, where inside linebacker Kendall Beckwith has All-America potential.Wisconsin wants to win on the ground. Running back Corey Clement is the bell-cow back after a hernia injury knocked him out last season, when the Badgers were far below their own lofty standard in the running game.Wisconsin averaged 150.3 yards rushing per game last season -- the worst single-season total since the 1995 team averaged 128.9. Since 2007, the Badgers averaged at least 200.8 yards per game for eight straight seasons. In 2014, Wisconsin averaged 320.1 yards rushing per gameThe Badgers trail the all-time series 3-0 but are no stranger to deadly competition in kickoff games. Theres also a rough road ahead, with Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State -- all ranked in the preseason top 12 -- all on the Wisconsin schedule for the first time since 2010. ' ' '