After a stellar 14-2 start, the Los Angeles Clippers have come back down to earth.The Clippers have won just four of their past nine games, facing injuries and the usual bumps of an 82-game season as they prepare to visit the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night.The Clippers are not in dire straits by any means. They are as dangerous as ever. Even with Blake Griffin out Saturday, Chris Paul poured in 20 assists and had no turnovers in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans.Getting Griffin back in the lineup Monday, Los Angeles held on for a 121-120 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. It was a game where the Clippers showed off the potential and the devastating offense that ran through the league early in the season.But it also showed some of their flaws too -- the defensive lapses and the stagnation of the offense that sometimes slows the team down.The Clippers are back on the winning track, but things are not quite right still.It was a win. I didnt think we played great, but Ill take the win, Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers told the Orange County Register following Mondays win.The Clippers still rank in the top five in both offensive and defensive rating. That typically means the team is among the very best in the league.Since Thanksgiving, though, the Clippers have been much more middle of the road -- ninth in offensive rating and 16th in defensive rating. The certainly explains some of the slippage and the missteps the team has made in the last few weeks.L.A. is hoping the three-game road trip to the East Coast -- all against losing teams in the Southeast Division -- can help the team keep moving back in the right direction and back toward contention.The Clippers opponent Wednesday is doing some soul-searching of its own.The Magic entered last week with the third best defense in the league by defensive rating. This came as they won three of the first four games in a five-game road trip.The defense slipped last week, though. Orlando played four games in five nights to complete an eight-games-in-12-days stretch and struggled defensively. The Magic fell to 12th in the league in a matter of a week, giving up 100 points in all four games. It was the first time they had allowed 100 points in consecutive games since mid-November.Thats the biggest thing in the last four games, Orlando coach Frank Vogel said. We let our guard down for whatever reason on the defensive end. We have to return to form. Its got to happen a lot mentally rather than having three hard days of practice. Theres still not a lot of practice time. We have to get that end of the floor performing at a higher level.The Magic did not quite get their defense under control and back to an elite level in a 131-120 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.But, with just a three-point lead entering the fourth quarter, the Magic allowed just 24 points in the final 12 minutes to get some breathing room and protect their lead.For them, it will take more than a quarter of strong defense to hold off the star-powered Clippers as the Magic still seek some consistency and return to form.Ryan Borucki Blue Jays Jersey .Y. -- Injured Buffalo Sabres forward Marcus Foligno did not practice with the team Monday and head coach Ron Rolston said its unlikely hell play in Wednesdays season opener in Detroit. Tim Mayza Jersey . During the athletes parade, the 23-strong Ukrainian team was represented by a lone flagbearer in an apparent protest at the presence of Russian troops in Ukraines Crimean peninsula. https://www.cheapbluejays.com/2126h-sean-reid-foley-jersey-blue-jays.html . Argentina winger Ezequiel Lavezzi and France midfielder Blaise Matuidi scored, with star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic setting up both despite having a poor game by his high standards. Forward Eduardo gave Ajaccio the lead in the sixth minute after being set up by right winger Benjamin Andre, and the Corsican side looked comfortable in the first half, with the lively Johan Cavalli causing problems with his probing runs from midfield. Derek Law Jersey . "I was fortunate to play many years at this level with a great organization and unbelievable teammates," said Hejduk in a statement. Vernon Wells Jersey . -- The Missouri Tigers might not have a roster full of superstars.FORT WORTH, Texas --?TCU?coach Gary Patterson has a deadline in mind for deciding his quarterback battle between Kenny Hill and Foster Sawyer.Patterson said Wednesday during TCUs preseason media day hell name his starter around 10 days before the Horned Frogs season opener against?South Dakota State.If its before then, because it becomes very obvious who it is, then itll be before then, Patterson said. You have to name a guy about nine or 10 days out. You cant go any later than that.Patterson said his coaching staff traditionally breaks from fall camp and shifts its attention to the first game plan on the Wednesday before the seasons opening week, which would be Aug. 24. That gives Hill and Sawyer three weeks to prove who is the better candidate to replace former Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year Trevone Boykin.Hill, a?Texas A&M?transfer who sat out last season, was named the Big 12s preseason Newcomer of the Year by conference media last month. But TCU coaches have not named him the front-runner.You just go in and try to get better every day, Hill said. Im just trying to play the best I can and be consistent, thats the biggest thing. Be consistent from day to day and just keep growing as a player every day.Sawyer, a sophomore who started one game last season, is entering his third year in the program and says he and Hill will support each other no matter who emerges as the starter.I just focus on the team and the task at hand, and thats to win championships, Sawyer said.TCU co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Sonny Cumbie said the battle between Hill and Sawyer is 50-50 in his mind, andd closer than many might think.dddddddddddd.Both of them are really motivated, Cumbie said. This summer, you could tell theres a difference in how they approached the weight room and throwing. Foster is bigger, throws the ball really well, moves around well. Kenny is a little more elusive but is still accurate, gets the ball out of his hand quickly.Patterson said he knows that no matter who wins the starting job, the Horned Frogs will need both passers to be ready to lead the offense. Nine out of 10 Big 12 teams dealt with injuries at the quarterback position last season. The lone exception,?Iowa State, benched its starter at midseason.You watch everybody in the league, you cant just have one quarterback and win a championship around this place, Patterson said. Nobody was able to do that last year.Patterson has said TCUs battle will be decided by how each QB performs in scrimmage situations this month. Co-offensive coordinator Doug Meacham said he is confident his players are comfortable being led by either passer. Both quarterbacks have shown they can lead. Itll come down to which one is more efficient.We judge a quarterback -- Ive said it once, and Ill say it 100 times -- does he make everybody else better when he steps on the field? Patterson said. Does the offense move better? Doesnt have to be the best athlete. Has to be the guy that makes everybody else go.Whoever makes everybody else go will be the guy that will start it all off. And hopefully well have two of them. ' ' '
