He said hes ready for this next chapter.Its talked about a lo

MINNEAPOLIS -- Charlotte coach Steve Cliffords fiery halftime speech got his team going in the right direction.Minnesota Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau saved his hollering for after the game because his team is headed in the wrong one.Kemba Walker scored 30 points and the Hornets blitzed the Timberwolves in the third quarter on their way to a 115-108 victory on Tuesday night.Frank Kaminsky scored 12 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter for the Hornets (7-3), who snapped a two-game skid. Nicolas Batum had 16 points and seven assists, and Charlotte outscored Minnesota 36-17 in the third quarter to wipe out a 12-point halftime deficit.It was perfect timing, and we needed it, Walker said of Cliffords speech. We just (werent) ourselves, and he got into us a little bit. It worked out for us, because we needed to pick our energy up.Andrew Wiggins scored 29 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and eight rebounds for the Timberwolves, who fell to 1-2 on their four-game homestand. Minnesota turned the ball over 18 times, which led to 20 points for Charlotte.The teams entered the game on opposite ends of the spectrum in the third quarter this season. Charlotte leads the league in scoring differential coming out of the break, while Minnesota is dead last.The Timberwolves have built double-digit leads in the first half in eight of their first 10 games, but have lost six of them thanks to the failings in the third. That trend continued on Tuesday, with Charlotte opening the third with a 15-2 run and closing it with a 21-4 surge.Very concerned, Thibodeau said. It tells you were not learning. That bothers me.Wiggins rallied the Wolves in the fourth, giving them a 92-91 lead with a 3-pointer. But Kaminsky responded with a 3 and a three-point play, and Clifford got the best of his longtime friend.Weve got guys who have been in the league for a while now, Thibodeau said. Were making mistakes that never should be made.WALKERS BACKA scary moment happened at the end of the first quarter when Walker, who scored 12 points on 6-for-7 shooting in the period, went to the locker room. The team said his back tightened up and he went back to get stretched out.Walker was able to return to the game midway through the second quarter and played the rest of the game with no visible issues.My training staff, theyre the best, Walker said. They did a great job at looking out for me when I came out the game with the heat pack, good massages, things like that. But Im feeling good though.BADGERING TOWNSKaminsky was on the Wisconsin team that stunned Towns and previously undefeated Kentucky in the Final Four two years ago. After ruining Towns shot at history in college, Kaminsky helped spoil the reigning Rookie of the Years 21st birthday on Tuesday.I dont have anything against him. Hes a great player, Kaminsky said. I just want to go out there and compete.LAVINE RETURNSTimberwolves shooting guard Zach LaVine missed the win over the Lakers on Sunday with a sore right knee, something he said hes been dealing with for more than a week. He looked just fine on Tuesday, hitting his first four 3s and finishing with 19 points in 33 minutes.TIP-INSHornets: They shot 53.8 percent from the field and made 11 of 24 3s, including eight of their last 14. ... Clifford said G Jeremy Lamb, who has missed the last seven games with a strained left hamstring, practiced on Monday and will work out on Wednesday and Thursday back in Charlotte with the possibility of playing on Friday night against Atlanta.Timberwolves: F Shabazz Muhammad (right knee) and G/F Brandon Rush (right big toe) both were out. Rush said he hopes to be ready to play on Thursday. ... After shooting 22 free throws on Sunday, Wiggins was just 6 for 9 on Tuesday.UP NEXTHornets: Head home to host Atlanta, Marvin Williams former team, on Friday.Timberwolves: Wrap up a four-game homestand by hosting Philadelphia on Thursday in a game to be televised on TNT. Mike Clevinger Jersey . What general manager Dave Nonis called "short and productive" negotiations ended with Kessel signing a US$64-million, eight-year contract on Tuesday. Jason Kipnis Indians Jersey . -- If this was Aaron Gordons final home game at Arizona, and it almost certainly was, then he went out in style. https://www.cheapindiansonline.com/768u-sam-hentges-jersey-indians.html . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. Dennis Martinez Indians Jersey . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. Joe Charboneau Indians Jersey . -- Stanford squashed Oregons national championship hopes again, schooling the Ducks in power football. CALGARY, Alberta -- Brian Elliott was eager to get back in the rink on a hot summer day. After years of fending off challengers in St. Louis, the goalie has big expectations entering next season as the unquestioned No. 1 in Calgary.This is a big one for me so Im really looking forward to it, Elliott said when introduced to the media Wednesday. Sometimes you want that extra bit of summer to relax and enjoy your downtime but now Ive gotten really excited to get the pads back on and ready to get back at it.The Flames acquired the 31-year-old Elliott from St. Louis on the night of the NHL draft for a second-round pick. Elliott and his wife were on vacation in Croatia at the time.When I got the news, it was 2 oclock in the morning and I saw my phone lighting up, Elliott said. I didnt go back to sleep after that, I was so excited.Elliott has the second-highest save percentage in the league among goalies who have played at least 50 games over the past five seasons at .925, just behind New Jerseys Cory Schneider (.926).Yet as well as he has performed over that five-year period in St. Louis, he never seemed to fully gain the trust of the coaching staff that kept trying other options. He gave way to Jaroslav Halak in one playoffs, Ryan Miller was brought in to be the guy in another. Two years ago, the Blues turned to Jake Allen in the postseason.To have that good of numbers and not get the opportunity to be the No. 1 guy, sometimes its frustrating, Elliott said. But Ive always believed if you worked hard, put your head down and plowed through it, opportunitiees will pop up for you.dddddddddddd.Last year, the Flames trio of Jonas Hiller, Karri Ramo and Joni Ortio collectively ranked last in the NHL in goaltending.Calgary will turn to two new goalies. Veteran backup Chad Johnson was signed as a free agent.Elliott was selected by 291st overall by Ottawa in the 2003 draft and has played 323 career games (165-99-32) with the Senators, Blues and Colorado Avalanche. He said hes ready for this next chapter.Its talked about a lot with goaltenders. It just takes longer to develop. You have to go through those experiences just to be able to be that consistent player and not really feel the ups and downs and the roller coaster of a season, he said. Just stay calm. Trust your game, trust your work and just go out and play. It takes time to learn that.Flames general manager Brad Treliving said while Elliotts on-ice performance was important, they also really liked the fit off the ice.The numbers speak for themselves but a big part of us going out and getting Brian is also the person, he said. We talked to players that played with him, teammates that have had him, coaches that have coached him. The work ethic, the type of person that he is in the locker room, the teammate stood out as much as the goaltender stood out.Also on hand at the Saddledome was Elliotts wife, Amanda, who is pregnant with the couples first child, due at the start of the season.A little cowboy on the way, Elliott said. ' ' '