MINNEAPOLIS -- Everything about Nikola Pekovic is big. Big muscles. Big scowl. Big tattoos. Now he has a contract to match. In giving the 27-year-old Pekovic a five-year deal that could be worth more than $60 million with incentives, the Timberwolves are bucking a trend that has started to take over the NBA. While so many other teams are starting to play small ball, the Wolves are going big. Theyve decided to jump on Pekovics broad shoulders and see how far the Montenegrin centre can carry them in a league that is getting smaller and smaller by the day. "A lot of people have asked me about centres in this league and whats happened is theyre almost a dinosaur," Timberwolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders said Friday. "Many teams have gone to stretch-type playing and theyve done that because they dont have the ability to have somebody that they can put down on the block that has the ability to score on the block on a consistent basis. Thats something that Pek can do. With Peks physicality and along with Kevin Love we feel like we have two power players that can really be forces around the basket." The Miami Heat have won two straight titles with undersized Chris Bosh playing the bulk of the minutes at centre. Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman often used 6-foot-6 Chuck Hayes at centre when he coached the Houston Rockets. The Boston Celtics stayed relevant in large part thanks to Kevin Garnetts willingness to move from power forward to centre. In Pekovic, Saunders sees an opportunity to create mismatches against teams that try to go small against them, to punish them in the paint and pound them on the glass with the burly big man and Love, perhaps the leagues best rebounder. "I know the league is getting smaller and many teams in the (centre) position are playing guys from (power forward) ... So Im just happy to be here and be maybe one of the few old-fashioned centres who are going to play in the low post," Pekovic said. "Im just going to keep being that." Saunders called Pekovic one of the top two or three low-post centres in the game, and the numbers would support that. In his third season, he averaged 16.3 points and 8.8 rebounds and shot 52 per cent from the floor while shooting an impressive 74.4 per cent on free throws. Tim Duncan was named All-NBA first team centre during an incredible season for the San Antonio Spurs last year, but his career is entering the twilight phase. That may leave Marc Gasol from Memphis and Houstons Dwight Howard, who isnt as polished in the post but remains a tremendous force, as the other players who could be above Pekovic in the centre pecking order from an offensive standpoint. And despite the trend to go small, three of the four teams in the conference finals last season -- Indiana, San Antonio and Memphis -- had a huge presence in the post. In Minnesota he will team with Love and Ricky Rubio to form the core of what many consider to be an up-and-coming franchise. The Wolves havent made the playoffs since 2004. But if they can stay healthy -- Pekovic has missed 39 games in the last two seasons due to injury and Love only played 18 last year -- they believe that dubious skid will come to an end this year. Pekovic said his goal is to play in all 82 games during the regular season and Saunders said the team is looking at some of its training practices to try and reduce the wear and tear on a players body. Saunders believes Pekovic has trained too much at times and spent too much time in the weight room and that a more efficient program could help him. "I think there has to be a meeting of the minds of getting all people together and really getting a good plan and good format that players are doing the right thing and theyre not over-training parts of their body," Saunders said. Negotiations with Pekovics agent Jeff Schwartz dragged on for about a month and a half before Saunders added the fifth year on Tuesday to get the deal done. All of a sudden, Pekovic had gone from an unknown big man who appeared lost at times during his rookie season to a $60 million centerpiece of a franchises quest for redemption. "My agent asked me when we closed the deal, he asked me how do you feel," Pekovic said. "I said I still dont know. I still feel like unbelievable. I came like three years ago and I was basically not even a backup centre, nothing. I was kind of fighting for my position. ... I know that I was really fighting and pushing for this. Im really happy that all this happened." He also made it clear to Schwartz from the day the market opened on July 1 that he wanted to remain in Minnesota. While many other players have left smaller markets for more glamorous locales, Pekovic has warmed to Minnesotas icy climate and feels at home while fishing on one of the states 10,000 lakes. "People asked me, where do you want to live," Pekovic said. "I dont want to go to a bigger city. I just like it here. I like everything. I know its a little cold in the winter but you just get used (to it.). Its my fourth year here. Im basically a Minneapolis guy." ------ Tom Nelson . Isner, ranked No. 14, won his eighth career singles title and took the title in New Zealand for the second time after his victory in 2010. The match was similar to Isners quarterfinal victory over fifth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber which went to three sets, all tiebreaks and contained no breaks of serve. Paul Kittredge . Carey Price didnt, but he still came out on top against one of his rivals for the No. 1 job at the Sochi Games. The Anahim Lake, B.C., native was stellar in making 39 saves in his home province and Lars Eller got credit for a bizarre short-handed winner as the Canadiens defeated the Canucks 4-1. https://www.cheapnfljerseyschina.co/don-shy-jersey-for-sale/ . Oaklands loss to Seattle clinched the ALs best record for the Red Sox with one day to spare in the regular season. "I think everybody was kind of watching," catcher David Ross said. "Demp (Ryan Dempster) came out before he went to the bullpen and was just yelling that they lost. Antonio Smith . Rousey will put her perfect 8-0 record and hardware on the line against another undefeated fighter, 7-0 Sara McMann in the main event of UFC 170, which will be held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas Nevada on February 22nd. Doug Winslow . The formidable trio of Canadian receivers -- individually known as Chris Getzlaf, Rob Bagg and Andy Fantuz -- will share the field at Mosaic Stadium one more time on Sunday. ASHBURN, Va. -- Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman continues to be puzzled why hes become such a fascination for other players. But hes also aware of whos doing the talking. On Wednesday, it was New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz. On Thursday, Norman returned serve, without taking a direct shot.When youre at the top of your profession, someone is always trying to grab at you just because theyre not at the top of your profession, Norman said. You just have to extend down your arm and hand them an olive branch.The Redskins dont play the Giants until Week 3, but the momentum for that game started building the minute he signed with Washington in April because of his on-field battle with Giants wideout Odell Beckham Jr. in December.Cruz took a jab at Norman for not spending much time on Pittsburghs Antonio Brown on Monday night.Especially if he calls himself -- I dont call him this, he calls himself the best corner in the league -- then you have to go cover the best receivers on the other team, Cruz told reporters. Going in, I thought he was going to follow AB all over the place, but he didnt. So it is what it is. He made his choice.For Norman, its yet another player making yet another comment on his game. It happens often, and he became a bbig topic again this week after the Redskins decided not to have him isolated on Brown.ddddddddddddCrazy thing is, I guess if you say something, you get yourself on TV -- cause Im always on, Norman said. Add up the number of people who are saying something against me, compared to how many I say something to them, youll see the vast number of people. Wow.Norman said hes focused on Dallas, whom the Redskins host Sunday.Not somebody elses team that were not even playing this week, Norman said. Im sure they need to worry about their matchups. Lets keep it that way. Its like, Wow. You take it with a grain of salt.The buildup for Normans meeting vs. Beckham and the Giants will intensify next week. It became a minor topic in their locker room Thursday because of Wednesdays comments.Redskins receiver DeSean Jackson, for one, enjoys it.I love it, Jackson said. Let the people say what they want to say, get riled up. Were going to have to see them in two weeks. Whatever Vic feels he has to say, thats his opinion. He still has to go on the field and play against Josh so whatever you say, get ready to back it up when we come play yall. ' ' '
