Armour has a lot of catching up to do in China.

The Dallas Mavericks return home wounded and slumping. Facing off against the Memphis Grizzlies probably wont help either malady.The Mavericks (2-8) take a three-game losing streak into their first meeting against Southwest Division rival Memphis (6-5) Friday night at American Airlines Center.We obviously are trying to win games, Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. So far, its been difficult, but we got to stay the course. Its a long season. Theres a ton more games to go. No ones going to drop their heads here, Ill make sure of that.The injury toll continues to mount for the Mavericks, who received a huge scare with J.J. Barea went down in the second half of Wednesdays 90-83 loss at Boston.Barea was in great pain initially and thought the injury could be season threatening. It turned out to be a calf strain that will likely sideline the combo guard for several weeks.It was awful, Barea said. I never felt that before in my entire basketball career. I thought it was over. I thought it was the Achilles. Its a little bit of good news that its my calf. Hopefully I dont need surgery, but well just wait. I never felt that feeling before. It felt like you got shot in your leg.Barea is an integral part of Carlisles rotation, both coming off the bench or starting. The Mavericks are already without Dirk Nowitzki (Achilles soreness) and Devin Harris (toe), and Deron Williams (strained calf) had to leave Wednesdays game before halftime after returning from a four-game absence.Theres no secret, were going through some adversity right now, forward Harrison Barnes said. We caught a little break with J.J. ... but our young guys are going to have to step up with everybody out. Its all hands on deck. Coming back home against Memphis, its a must-win game.The Grizzlies are coming off Wednesdays dramatic 111-107 win at the Los Angeles Clippers. Marc Gasol hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 14 seconds left for Memphis to snap the Clippers seven-game winning streak.They are the best team in the league right now, so for us to get a signature win like this is huge, point guard Mike Conley said.Conley scored 30 and Gasol added a season-high 26 points for the Grizzlies in their second straight win, both coming on the road.Our two franchise players, Marc and Mike, just carried us and it was a good game, forward Zach Randolph said. Were starting to come around. Guys are getting more comfortable.Gasol is becoming comfortable in 3-point territory this season. After only hitting 12 from deep in his first eight years in the NBA, the 7-foot center has already knocked down 16 this season.Hes the best 3-pointer shooter on the team, no disrespect, Randolph quipped. Ive been saying that for a long time.The Grizzlies four-game trip ends in Dallas. Memphis coach David Fizdale has seen an uptick in team chemistry during the last week away from home.Were really starting to become more connected as a group, he said. Thats what the road does for you.The trip to Dallas is also a return for Chandler Parsons, who spent the last two years with the Mavericks before signing with Memphis in the offseason. Dalton Pompey Jersey . Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. Roberto Osuna Jersey . The Swede became the first golfer to win the PGA Tours FedEx Cup and European Tours Race to Dubai in the same season. "It is still taking a little time to sink in what Ive achieved this week as was the case when I won the FedEx Cup but then it just kept getting better and better as the days went on and I am sure this will be the same," he said. http://www.officialbluejaysgearshop.com/Blue-Jays-Dave-Winfield-Kids-Jersey/ . Thats not a comment on the suspension that banished the Portland Winterhawks general manager and coach from his Western Hockey League teams bench for most of the 2012-13 season. Devon Travis Jersey . Only three players drafted by NHL clubs were included on the Czech selection camp roster on Wednesday. Those players were Dallas Stars 2012 first-rounder Radek Faksa, Winnipeg Jets 2013 fourth-rounder Jan Kostalek and Phoenix Coyotes 2012 seventh-rounder Marek Langhamer. Paul Molitor Jersey . Most important, perhaps, it went off without a hitch. Organizers poked a little fun at the now-infamous opening ceremony gaffe that saw only four out of five snowflakes open up into rings, leaving the Olympics logo one ring short. GUANGZHOU, China -- Steph Curry had arrived at a university here to tutor the citys 30 best 16- to 20-year-old basketball players. He was about 30 minutes in when he couldnt avoid it anymore.The crowd outside of roughly 1,000 students were cheering CURRY! CURRY! CURRY! so loudly that Curry himself could hear it through the metal doors and thick concrete. In the corner of his eye, on the bottom of the gym floor, he noticed a view that led to the outside. Faces and phones were crammed up against metal bars just to get a glimpse.After a quick chat with this team and security, Curry sprung through the doors and waved to the crowd. For 30 seconds, he gave them what they wanted. A personal thank you for coming out, a memory of a lifetime for the students.I was in the gym and you could see these concrete cutouts and I could hear voices, Curry said. But didnt really know how crazy it was until I went out there.That was the stuff you see in movies.Curry, of course, isnt the first NBA player to go to China. Nike has sent players every summer since Michael Jordan first went in 2004, and LeBron James appearance next week will mark his 12th annual visit.But after spending a day with Curry on his Under Armour marketing tour, it also was clear something was a bit different about Currys connection with his fans.Start with the obvious. At 6-foot-3, 191 pounds, Curry is not built like a superhero or cartoon figure. He looks more like an everyday person than most NBA stars who visit the country.Players such as Yao Ming (7-foot-6, 310 pounds) and LeBron (6-foot-8, 250 pounds) are celebrated, but their body frames make it harder to relate to the dream of one day being like them.Im sure that has a little bit to do [with my appeal], but thats something I cant control, Curry said. Thats how I was made. I just try to play and be myself.Its that Everyman perception that has captivated hundreds of wannabe Currys, who maniacally try to emulate the MVPs famous dribbling drill. Although James puts on a worthy show and Jordan and Bryant? delighted fans in their day, not everyone can dunk. Most everyone, however, can practice and eventually master a dribbling drill.In Guangzhou, the citys top 30 players were invited to Currys clinic at a local university. And the first order of business? Doing that drill with Curry. As the crowd cheered, the local host screamed Wow! into the microphone.The way it started was me just literally getting ready for a game, Curry said. I didnt do it for entertainment value. Curry saiid he feels no pressure when hes doing it before games, but there was pressure in China because this is like the one hour they get to see it.dddddddddddd If I mess up, then that will be their lasting memory.The second part of the Everyman Curry show? The shooting. Fans clamored for Currys signature 3-pointers and gasped when he hit five half-court shots.If theres one strike against Curry right now its that he has won only one NBA title. All else being equal, titles are more important to marketability in China than anywhere else in the world. Its a major reason why Jordan (six titles), Bryant (five) and James (three) hold the status that they do. But with Kevin Durant joining the Golden State Warriors, Curry is favored to pick up a second ring. But perhaps the true mark of legitimacy within the country is that Under Armour is finally being ripped off. A Chinese company called Uncle Martian, with a clear resemblance to Under Armours interlocking logo, has announced itself in China. Under Armour is litigating.After all, Curry is big business in China. Sales of Curry shoes and merchandise alone makes up 10 percent of all revenue for Under Armour in China. Its pretty special to come over here for a week, share my passion for the game and the journey weve been on and grow it, Curry said.That growth is essential because Under Armour has a lot of catching up to do in China. Revenues in China this year are expected to be $180 million -- Nikes entire business is 6.5 times larger than Under Armours and 21 times larger in China alone -- but up from just $7.4 million in 2013, the year they signed Curry after Nike declined to match its offer.Curry said he traveled to China for a second time because hes competitive off the court, too.Although he hasnt publicly bashed Nike for not matching Under Armours deal in 2013, its well known that UA CEO Kevin Plank loves that he took Curry away from the competitor that he despises. That Currys business for the 2015-16 season hit $200 million is that much more sweeter.Its certainly in Currys best interest to do all he can and grow sales, thanks to his contracts royalty structure. Although his exact deal has not been made public, a source with knowledge of the contract confirmed that its similar to deals James and Durant have with Nike. That means Curry will make more from Under Armour than he will from his NBA team this season. ' ' '