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od **douhua2233** » úte 25. zář 2018 8:02:10

Someone is going to gamble on Michael Porter Jr.

He insists it’ll pay off.

There is an element of danger involved with every NBA draft pick Johnny Unitas Jersey , in that nothing is guaranteed. There isn’t a player that epitomizes the risk versus reward thinking in this draft more than Porter Jr., who could get taken as high as No. 2 by Sacramento or go several picks lower because of uncertainty surrounding his health.

Back problems that necessitated surgery limited his lone college season to three games at Missouri, and a scheduled Friday workout was called off because of hip spasms. There’s still a chance he will do a workout before draft night and teams have gotten access to new medical information that would seem to suggest he’s ready for the NBA – but still, skepticism may be understandable.

”I’m feeling great,” Porter Jr. said.

Find out Thursday night which team believes him the most.

He’s 6-foot-10 and is usually categorized as a power forward, though in an NBA that’s now largely positionless Porter Jr. could wear a lot of hats. He’s already shown a complete skillset – passing, dribbling, shooting – that would translate to playing basically anywhere except center. He weighed 211 pounds last month at the Draft Combine, meaning there’s still plenty of room on his frame to add strength.

His college highlights are basically nonexistent: Porter Jr. scored 30 points in 53 minutes of action with the Tigers. Porter Jr.’s reputation is largely built on what he did as a high schooler when he was considered the best prospect in the country, and there was a workout earlier this month arranged by agent Mark Bartelstein earlier this month where he got rave reviews.

”He showed that he’s alive and well and moving,” said Memphis general manager Chris Wallace, whose team has the No. 4 pick – and has been linked to Porter Jr. by many prognosticators. ”I would say (he) passed that first test.”

Alive Zach Miller Jersey , well and moving would seem to be the absolute basic prerequisites for a team to be satisfied about when preparing to use a lottery pick on someone, but Porter Jr. vows that whichever team grabs him won’t be disappointed.

”I just feel like in today’s game, there’s guys that can do anything on the floor,” Porter Jr. said. ”And that’s how I kind of view myself.”

Porter Jr. played two minutes in his college debut in November, then underwent back surgery – a microdiscectomy of the L3 and L4 spinal discs – about a week and a half later. He returned for an SEC Tournament game against Georgia, then put up 16 points and 10 rebounds in Missouri’s loss to Florida State in the NCAA Tournament.

The injury went back to Porter Jr.’s sophomore year of high school, when he got hurt while getting hit on a dunk attempt.

”He’s a very versatile player,” former Georgia coach Mark Fox said. ”And I’m thankful that the kid’s gotten healthy because he was a terrific talent. … He’ll be a top-five selection. I remember watching him in high school, and he’s as complete of a player as there was at that level.”

That’s what Porter Jr. wants NBA teams to remember before making their selection.

He believes he’s the best player. But with every indication that Deandre Ayton will go No. 1 to Phoenix, the intrigue starts at No. 2 and Porter is surely getting a real long look from the franchises that have the other top-10 spots, those being in order Sacramento, Atlanta http://www.dallascowboysteamonline.com/tyron-smith-jersey , Memphis, Dallas, Orlando, Chicago, Cleveland, New York and Philadelphia.

”It’s about getting in the right situation,” Porter Jr. said. ”I don’t need to go No. 1. I don’t feel like I have an ego that makes me want to go No. 1. I just want the right situation for me.”

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LOS ANGELES — Two things Clayton Kershaw clearly hates: Being on the disabled list and having pitch restrictions while on the mound.

The Los Angeles Dodgers‘ left-hander might be done with both when he takes the mound Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Kershaw will be making his third start since coming off the disabled list for his most recent back injury and has been trending in a positive direction.

What Kershaw would like to see is more of the offense the Dodgers showed in Monday’s series opener, when the club scored 17 runs on 21 hits in an easy victory.

Tasked with slowing that offense at Dodger Stadium, while matching Kershaw pitch for pitch, will be Pirates right-hander Ian Nova.

If Kershaw is almost all the way back on top after an injury, Nova is there already. In four starts since coming off the DL because of a sprained right finger, Nova is 2-0 with a 1.75 ERA.

Kershaw is only this far along in his return from the DL because the Dodgers pulled a last-minute switch on June 23 Da'Ron Payne Jersey , and had him pitch in New York against the Mets instead of with Triple-A Oklahoma City on a rehab outing.

Kershaw threw 55 pitches against the Mets, giving up two runs on five hits over three innings. On June 28 against the Chicago Cubs, Kershaw was back at it, throwing 68 pitches while giving up one run on four hits over five innings.

A natural progression would have Kershaw at about 80 pitches on Tuesday, but Kershaw has a way of getting more out of himself when the situation requires it.

“I’ve proven that I’m healthy,” Kershaw told reporters after his most recent start. “So now, next time out I’m sure the restriction should hopefully be pretty close to off. (I will) get ready and just try to beat an opponent.”

Nova has thrown between 86 and 94 pitches in his four starts since coming off the DL and has given up one or no runs in three of those outings. The one where he did not was on Wednesday at New York. But he did hold the Mets to three runs over six innings, keeping the Pirates close enough to put together a ninth-inning rally for a victory.

That victory was part of a Pirates run where they won four of six games and took series at New York and San Diego. Sure there was a five-game losing streak before that, but going back even further, the Pirates had won four of five.

So even though they were roughed up by the Dodgers on Monday, the Pirates have learned the value of resiliency.

“We’re well aware of what we need to improve upon,” manager Clint Hurdle said Walter Payton Jersey , according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “We’re well aware of our monthly progress and then some of our monthly challenges. Love the fact that the game brings attention to specific areas, daily, weekly, monthly, and then I love to watch how some guys are able to fight and battle and work through it.”

Up next is a challenge against Kershaw, who is 2-3 with a 3.18 ERA in 11 career starts against Pittsburgh. The Pirates are one of two National League teams Kershaw has a losing record against in the regular season, along with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Nova knows his way around the Dodgers, going 1-0 with a 2.31 ERA in two starts, one in each of the previous two seasons.

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