FIVE QUICK HOOPS THOUGHTS: 1. Fake Adidas NHL Jerseys . FLIP SAUNDERS (Timberwolves): Im not the least bit surprised that he appointed himself as head coach after his search concluded. The president had the most successful run of any coach in franchise history and is a good fit at this stage. The fact that hes got lots of power in the organization will help him in the locker room because players will know that the buck stops with him. That always helps a coach. 2. NBA FINALS FORMAT: I love the fact that the NBA has gone with the 2-2-1-1-1 traditional format. Im a huge believer that the finalist that had the better regular season deserves to be able to host that critical Game 5. This was a smart move to get in line with the demands of the fans and most coaches and executives. 3. NBA REFEREES: You can say what you want about officials and I have a tendency to mildly voice my opinion from time to time (haha) about them, but on the whole they do a terrific job and the playoffs are really difficult to call. I really like what the league has done this year with trying to keep officiating crews together during the Pplayoffs. Im a fan of consistency and, the more a crew works together, the more cohesive they become. It helps a great deal and it not only makes sense, but its smart. 4. ABC ANNOUNCERS: I absolutely love listening to Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson and Doris Burke. Insightful, prepared, enthusiastic and entertaining - a really enjoyable listen that enhances the experience of watching the game and helps promote the sport. Just like the Spurs and Heat on the floor, this is the best game broadcast team in hoops. Theres a nice balance of opinion and strategy brought each telecast. For me, a joy to listen to. 5. RASHARD LEWIS (Heat): Lewis dropped 14 points in Game #2 and its nice having veteran experience on the floor. His perimeter shot-making ability is critical and he gives them better size to deal with the Spurs penetration and post-ups in the paint. Hes got a ton of big game experience and it showed in a huge win for Miami. LeBron was brilliant, yet you must have unsung heroes to help complement the stars. This is a guy on many nights this season was a DNP or barely played. Lewis is a true pro whos ready when called upon. Wholesale NHL Jerseys Authentic . At 11:06 of the first period, Neal struck Marchand with his knee when Marchand was down on the ice. Marchand remained in the game. Neal was assessed a kneeing penalty for his hit on Marchand. Stitched NHL Jerseys . Trailing by a goal after 20 minutes of play, Joe Pavelski responded with three goals and an assist as the Sharks snapped a two-game losing skid with a 5-2 victory over the struggling Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. http://www.cheapnhlcustomjerseys.com/ . PETERSBURG, Fla.PHILADELPHIA -- Despite all the changes made in the front office and behind the bench, Ryan Kesler was not satisfied with the Vancouver Canucks path. He still wanted out. "It just seemed like the direction they were going didnt fit what I thought my career was going to be," Kesler said. "At the end of the day I want to win a championship and I want to win it now, and four years is a little too long for me." Not wanting the situation to "fester" like the Roberto Luongo saga did under his predecessor, general manager Jim Benning sought a quick resolution to that problem. He found it Friday by trading Kesler and a 2015 third-round pick to the Anaheim Ducks for centre Nick Bonino, defenceman Luca Sbisa and the 24th and 85th picks in this weekends NHL draft. "He just felt he needed a fresh start and quite frankly we dont want somebody that doesnt want to be here," Benning said Friday afternoon before the draft began. "Were going to acquire high-quality people that are going to come in here and want to work hard for one another, so we didnt give it much thought." Kesler, who turns 30 in August, asked for a trade during what he called a "painful" regular season full of losing that ended without a playoff appearance and ultimately cost GM Mike Gillis and coach John Tortorella their jobs. He met with Benning after the season and reiterated that he wanted to go somewhere he could win. But the Livonia, Mich., native wouldnt go anywhere. His full no-trade clause allowed him to dictate his destination, and the only two teams hed approve a trade to were the Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks. Benning said the Canucks asked Kesler and agent Kurt Overhardt about expanding that list, but to no avail. Chicago was "in it right until the end," according to Benning, but it was important to him to get a potential No. 2 centre and a player who could grow into a top-four defenceman. He hopes he has that in the 26-year-old Bonino and 24-year-old Sbisa. Bonino had 49 points this past season -- some of that thanks to playing with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry -- while Kesler had 43. Sbisa missed time with a torn tendon in his hand but has been considered a top prospect since before he was traded to Anaheim from the Philadelphia Flyers for Chris Pronger at the 2009 draft. "Getting Bonino was an important piece ... (for) being able to replace his goal production for our team next year," Benning said. "Getting Luca, he gives us some physical play from the back end. Hes strong. He plays like a heavy game and I think in our division his heaviness is going to come in handy for our group." When Benning wrapped up the Kesler trade Friday afternoon, he was just getting started making moves. The Canuccks traded defenceman Jason Garrison to the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 50th pick in the draft and then flipped the 85th pick acquired from the Ducks to the New York Rangers for grinder Derek Dorsett. NHL Jerseys From China. Trading Garrison brings salary-cap relief in the form of $4.6 million over the next four seasons. Acquiring Dorsett means some familiarity, as he played under Desjardins with the WHLs Medicine Hat Tigers. Despite the bevy of moves, Benning refused to call the Canucks approach a "rebuild." "We acquired players that we thought are going to have an impact on us winning next year," he said. "If it was going to be a rebuild then maybe we wouldnt have tried to fight so hard to get players that can come in and help our team win next year." If Kesler believed the Canucks, under the new direction of president Trevor Linden, Benning and coach Willie Desjardins, were going to win next year, he most likely wouldnt have asked to be traded. The 2003 first-round pick had played his entire career with the Canucks, all 655 games worth. But on his post-trade conference call, Kesler made it clear he wouldnt have been happy sticking around. "The fact that theyre in a rebuild and are looking to get younger and are years away from being a contender, I think it was just time for me to move on and win and hopefully take home a championship," Kesler said. Keslers fond memories of Vancouver included getting drafted, scoring his first goal (with an assist from Linden) and going to the Stanley Cup final in 2011. But much has changed since then, and the Canucks are a team in transition. The Ducks, on the other hand, consider themselves Cup contenders now after losing to the eventual-champion Los Angeles Kings in seven games in the Western Conference semifinals. But something had to be done to make that next step. "We knew we needed (a centre to play) behind Ryan Getzlaf," Anaheim GM Bob Murray said. "This is a huge move for our hockey team. Were better today than we were yesterday." Even though Murray was insistent from the beginning of negotiations that the Ducks were not willing to part with the No. 10 pick Friday night, the Canucks built toward being a better team down the line by getting a first-round pick at 24 and stockpiling with others. Vancouver took Calgary Hitmen winger Jake Virtanen, an Abbotsford, B.C., native and Canucks fan through childhood, with the sixth pick. Shoulder surgery will keep Virtanen from being able to take contact until at least the fall, but this was another move designed for the long-term future. In the short term, Kesler gets an opportunity to play behind Getzlaf for a contender, while the Canucks get to move on. "I didnt want this to linger," Benning said. ' ' '