NBA MID-SEASON THOUGHTS Here we are at the mid-point of the NBA season and this appears to be one of those years that you can look at and honestly say its as wide open as it has been in a long time. Fun times in winning markets where there is lots of hope. Here are six thoughts regarding the first half of the season. 1. MVP: Steph Curry (Warriors): Hes been sensational so far. Great leadership and offensive skills. Incredible shooter who has wonderful playmaking ability as well. Continues to improve as a defender and leads the League in steals. Im a huge believer in winning matters in these votes and hes been the guy who has given the best team in the league their mojo. 2. ROOKIE: Andrew Wiggins (Timberwolves): Yes hes had the benefit of being on a team thats young and had lots of injuries so hes gotten increased playing time and shots. That always helps. Yet with that being said, Im seeing the light starting to come on with him. Hes got amazing ability - the question has always been, will he play hard all the time and can he sustain it? Little by little I see a guy who is starting to get it. 3. COACH: Mike Budenholzer (Hawks): This team is an absolute joy to watch. They produce an outstanding defensive effort and put on a complete offensive clinic in how to play the game the right way. Total buy in from his team. Testament to his leadership. 4. SIXTH MAN: Lou Williams (Raptors): Sure you could vote Jamaal Crawford every year and Ryan Anderson is very good but I look at the Raptors at 27-14 which is the best mid-point record in their history and ask why? The answer is they have a guy like Williams who gives them a shot to sustain, score and compete at a high level every night. Hes literally won them games Im convinced they would have lost last season without him. Hes been a huge pickup and helped Toronto become a legitimate Top 10 team. 5. SURPRISING TEAM: Milwaukee Bucks. At 21-20, theyve already exceeded last seasons win total for the season. Coach Jason Kidd has done a wonderful job. They really guard you and compete. Lot of solid parts that mesh well. Brandon Knight has really improved and the ball moves with purpose. Even without Jabari Parker, I like the makeup of this club. 6. DISAPPOINTING TEAM: New York Knicks. I didnt think they would be good yet never expected them to be at 6-36, the worst team in the NBA. Wow, theyve been awful to watch. Simply put, not a lot of talent here. Coach Derek Fisher has tried everything and on many nights gotten good competitive push from them yet they cant sustain and go through the droughts that poor teams do. Injuries have been a killer. Might be the ultimate blessing in disguise that finally gets them to build for the long term and try to do it right. Rough season in the Big Apple. Marian Hossa Jersey . 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Jakob Chychrun Jersey .com) - Scott Parel carded a 5-under 65 on Thursday and he grabbed a 1-stroke lead after one round of the season-opening Panama Claro Championship.Seattle, WA (SportsNetwork.com) - What a difference two and a half weeks make. The Seattle Seahawks rode their defense to beat the San Francisco 49ers again as the bitter rivals continue heading in opposite directions. Marshawn Lynch ran for 91 yards and a touchdown and the Seahawks stifled the 49ers in the second half, eliminating them from playoff contention with a 17-7 victory on Sunday. Seattle (10-4) allowed 178 yards to San Francisco (7-7) in the first half, but clamped down and limited the 49ers to a meager 67 over the final 30 minutes. The Seahawks outscored the 49ers 14-0 in the second half. Seattle outgained San Francisco 379-164 during its 19-3 victory in Santa Clara on Thanksgiving Nov. 27, then racked up 440 yards while limiting the potent offensive attack of first-place Philadelphia to 139 during a 24-14 win last Sunday. The red-hot Seahawks clash with Arizona in Glendale next Sunday night with first place in the NFC West on the line. Were having a great time right now, Seahawks safety Earl Thomas said. I think we did great overall the whole game. The Seahawks have won four in a row and seven of their last eight, while San Francisco has dropped three consecutive games, including a 24-13 defeat to woeful Oakland last Sunday. Russell Wilson was 12-of-24 for 168 yards with a touchdown and an interception, while Jermaine Kearse caught five passes for 78 yards for Seattle, which has beaten San Francisco four straight times at home and recorded its first season sweep in the series since 2007. Colin Kaepernick completed 11-of-19 passes for 141 yards for the 49ers, who lost running backs Frank Gore (concussion) and Carlos Hyde (ankle) along with linebacker Chris Borland (ankle) to injury. Im aware of it and I understand what it means, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said of his team missing the postseason. Well never give in, keep fighting. Sunday was the seventh time in their last eight contests that the 49ers failed to score more than 17 points. The 49ers held a 7-3 advantage when the Seahawks took over at their own 40 midway through the third quarter. Lynch picked up 15 yards on a left end run and Wilson hit Paul Richardson for an 11-yard completion to move the chains on a 3rd-and-10 and move the ball to the San Francisco 13-yard line. Lynchs 4-yard TD plunge three plays later capped the 10-play, 60-yard march and staked Seattle to a 10-7 lead late in the third. The Seahawks defense then forced a three-and-out and found thhe end zone again, although they were aided by a controversial roughing the passer penalty.dddddddddddd Bryan Walters returned Andy Lees 53-yard punt 19 yards to the San Francisco 44. Wilson took a zone-read keeper 19 yards to the 49ers 20, with the penalty coming three snaps later on a 3rd-and-5. Wilson tossed an incomplete pass to Richardson, but Nick Moody hit Wilsons chest with his helmet and was flagged. Wilson then flipped a quick slant to Richardson two plays later for a 10-yard score. The 49ers then took the ensuing 7:50 off the clock, but Bruce Miller was stuffed on a 4th-and-1 at the Seattle 38 and they never threatened offensively again. Seattle opened the scoring late in the first quarter on its second possession. Wilson flipped a 10-yard completion to Doug Baldwin on a 3rd-and-6 to move the ball to the San Francisco 44. The second of two Eric Reid unnecessary roughness penalties put the Seahawks in field goal range and Steven Hauschka split the uprights from 38 yards out. San Francisco answered with a touchdown on its ensuing series. Kaepernick rolled right and floated a 31-yard completion to Garrett Celek down the right sideline. Anquan Boldin hauled in a low throw from Kaepernick on a 3rd-and-11 for a gain of 15 to get the 49ers to the Seattle 40. Gore was stuffed for no gain on a 3rd-and-1 from the Seattle 10 and Harbaugh elected to go for it on fourth down. Gore then scampered off left tackle for a 10-yard score to cap the 11-play, 85-yard trek and give San Francisco a 7-3 cushion early in the second. Wilson lofted a perfectly thrown ball to a well-covered Kearse down the right sideline and Kearse was able to corral it for a gain of 47. Seattle was able to get down to the San Francisco 30, but a Justin Britt holding call took it out of field goal range on first down. Dan Skuta sacked Wilson on 3rd-and-17 for a 2-yard loss to put the ball at the 39 and the Seahawks elected to punt. Seattle drove to the San Francisco 29 on its final touch of the second, but Reid intercepted Wilson on the final play of the half and returned it 73 yards to the Seahawks 24 before time ran out. Game Notes Seattle, which gained 152 rushing yards, had averaged 204.6 yards per game and 5.36 per carry over its last five games coming in ... The Seahawks kept the ball for 28:58 after holding it for at least 35 minutes in their last four ... Seattle was 8-of-14 on third down, while San Francisco was 6-of-15. 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