The 2016-17 NBA season is still very young, but both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets are already dealing with injuries.Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio was sidelined Tuesday against Memphis with an elbow injury, giving way to rookie Kris Dunn. Minnesota was able to withstand Rubios absence in a rout of the Grizzlies.The Nuggets, meanwhile, have been decimated by injury at shooting guard. Gary Harris wont play Thursday against Minnesota due to a groin injury, and an ankle injury will keep guard Will Barton on the bench in Minneapolis. Barton had been Denvers leading scorer in the early going, averaging 18 points per game.Despite two days off, Denvers lineup still wont be all too healthy when the 1-2 Nuggets face the 1-2 Timberwolves.We need everybody, Nuggets coach Mike Malone told the Denver Post. Gary Harris out, Will Barton is out now, Darrell Arthur is out. Thats one of the things about having a deep team. Everybodys got to be ready to play.Arthur, a 6-foot-9 forward, has yet to play this season due to a knee injury but practiced in advance of Thursdays contest. Denver will need to get healthy in a hurry in order to have enough fresh bodies to compete against a Wolves squad far less banged up.Rubio has been the only injury of note for Minnesota through three games. The veteran point guard went down late in the Timberwolves road loss to Sacramento and has since been ruled out indefinitely with a sprained right elbow.In stepped Dunn, the fifth overall pick from Providence, for his first NBA start. Dunn notched 10 points and added six assists and five steals in 29 minutes of action.Its not college or high school where I was the main focus, Dunn said after Tuesdays win. Theres other players. I like distributing the ball. I like when my teammates are scoring, because it helps everybody out.Minnesota secured its first win by finally holding onto a double-digit lead, thanks in large part to a 31-point effort from guard Zach LaVine. The Wolves led by 15 or more in each of their first two games but lost both road contests.After leading by as much as 40 on Tuesday, Minnesota made sure the Grizzlies never had a chance. Memphis was playing without two of its top players, but the Wolves kept the throttle down regardless.Denver enters Thursdays matchup after two straight losses by three points or less. The Nuggets lost by two at home to Portland before a three-point road loss against Toronto.In order to leave Minneapolis with a win, several players will have to step up for Denver in the absence of the Nuggets injured guards. One player who should see extended minutes is Jamal Murray, the rookie from Kentucky who has yet to hit a field goal for Denver.Its a good opportunity for me to get used to this team and be on the court, Murray told the Denver Post. Its going to be good.Johnny Bucyk Jersey . -- Five former Kansas City Chiefs players who were on the team between 1987 and 1993 filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming the team hid and even lied about the risks of head injuries during that time period when there was no collective bargaining agreement in place in the NFL. Jake DeBrusk Jersey . Aaron Harrison scored a 22 points for Kentucky (6-1), which has won four in a row following a Nov. 12 loss to current No. 1 Michigan State. Julius Randle overcame a scoreless first half and added his sixth double-double in as many games with 14 points and 10 rebounds. http://www.thebostonbruinshockey.com/jaromir-jagr-hockey-jersey/ .R. Smith realized how easily basketball can be taken from him, and he wasnt going to take his place in the NBA for granted anymore. Brandon Carlo Jersey . -- Al Jefferson found a groove just in time for the Charlotte Bobcats. Cam Neely Jersey . I cant pinpoint a date, but I do remember a player from my youth. Brian Downing was with the Chicago White Sox at a time when I listened to every game I possibly could on the radio. That particular season the late great Harry Caray was calling the White Sox games.In soccer, the Dutch called it Total Football. Kevin Sheedy broke Essendons premiership drought in 1984 with the concept and Alastair Clarkson made it a feature of the Hawthorn three-peat era.Now partly through the necessity of an injury-riddled season, Western Bulldogs are making player versatility a hallmark of the campaign to break their 62-year AFL premiership drought.From the moment coach Luke Beveridge arrived at the Bulldogs from Hawthorn, he preached the need for players to have more than one string to their bow.Ruckman Jordan Roughead, for example, can also play as a key defender or as a marking forward.It has been particularly useful this season, with the Bulldogs repeatedly changing their line-up to cope with the run of injuries.You have to be able to play more than one position, Roughead said.Across the board, we have a list thats pretty strong in that area.It has been crucial to us - regardless of the injuries, wed have been looking to play in that vein.Jake Stringer can play in the midfield as well as a forward, while Marcus Bontempelli is a dangerous resting forward when not wreaking havoc at the stoppages.Liam Picken used to be a tagger - he has been a star for the Dogs in this finals series as a marking forward.The Dutch refined Totaal Football on the way to making the 1974 World Cup final.ddddddddddddA decade later, Sheedy famously made sweeping changes to his side during the 84 grand final.Essendon roared back in the last quarter to beat Hawthorn for their first flag since 1965.Over the last three seasons, star Hawthorn players Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell and Shaun Burgoyne have alternated between the midfield and half-back with devastating effect.Tactics aside, the Bulldogs are riding an emotional wave heading into Saturdays preliminary final against the Giants.This is the first time since 1961 that they have won consecutive finals in the same year.Its a great feeling. We have to keep the ball rolling and take it as far as we can, Roughead said.The Bulldogs big man added he needed the weekend to recover after Friday nights emotional semi-final win over Hawthorn.The really positive energy and excitement in the room straight afterwards gets you on a big emotional high, he said.Then you head home, you come down and you crash - youre pretty knackered.The Saturday and Sunday was a good time to refresh, that was the best thing about playing on Friday night. ' ' '
