outside criticism of his maturity and commitment.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte Bobcats are turning into a difficult team to beat down the stretch, particularly at home. The Bobcats extended their home winning streak to eight games Friday night with a 105-93 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, continuing to inch closer to clinching their second playoff appearance in franchise history. "To me, to become a really good team, you have to win at home," Bobcats coach Steve Clifford. Theyre doing that. The Bobcats, currently the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, came in averaging 103.9 points and shooting 47 per cent in their last seven homes games. They shot 48 per cent against the Timberwolves. Al Jefferson had 25 points and 16 rebounds to set a single-season franchise record with his 20th 20-point, 10-rebound game of the season and the Bobcats held Kevin Love scoreless in the second half. "They brought me here to be a double-double guy, a 20-10 guy, and Im just living up to my contract," said Jefferson, who inked a three-year, $40.5 million deal this past off-season. Gary Neal, benched Wednesday for an "internal team matter," returned and provided a huge lift off the bench with 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting. He said his comfort level is improving since being acquired from the Milwaukee Bucks just before the NBA trade deadline. "Ive never been traded in the middle of the season before, so that has been tough," Neal said. "That is what I can bring to the team is scoring, but you also want to fit in. You dont want to come in with the second team and think that you can shoot all of the shots. It was a feeling-out process and so far I have done a good job." Kevin Martin had 19 points to lead Minnesota. Love had 18 points in the first half, but was 0 for 7 from the floor in the second half against Josh McRoberts and improving rookie Cody Zeller. It didnt help that Timberwolves centre Nikola Pekovic left late in the third quarter with a sore right ankle. He missed most of February with an ankle issue. "I was particularly tired and it was just a tough game from the start," Love said. "They were hitting a lot shots. They kept making shots and we didnt get any stops. ... I dont think I scored in the second half. It was a tough night for everybody." Said McRoberts: "(Love) is going to hit all seven of those shots tomorrow even if he faces the same defence. When youre that good, as a defence you just try to make it tough for him to get to a spot he wants to get to." The Bobcats entered the night with the seventh-best record in the Eastern Conference and three games below .500. Charlotte led by as many as 18 in the second half and the Timberwolves were never able to get the lead under double-digits after the break. Jefferson, the only player in the Eastern Conference averaging more than 20 points and 10 rebounds per game this season, continued his torrid pace with his 25th 20-point game in the last 28 outings. The 6-foot-10 centre only had eight points in a 119-92 loss at Minnesota on Jan. 10. But he had 12 at the break and helped the Bobcats extend their lead to 18 in the third quarter with an old-fashioned three-point play on an up-and-under scoop shot that drew a foul. He was 12 of 26 from the field. The Timberwolves came in looking for their first four-game road win streak in five years, but instead fell back to .500 on the season and six games behind Dallas in the race for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Bobcats broke up a tie game by outscoring the Timberwolves 32-20 in the second quarter behind 16 first half points from Neal, who was 5 of 7 from the field with a pair of 3-pointers. Charlotte shot 54 per cent in the first half, including 5 of 8 from beyond the 3-point arc. "The start of the second quarter just killed us," Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman said. "They didnt miss many shots. I thought defence was our problem. Second half, it was an even game but we were too far down." The Bobcats (32-34) have won five of six and are trying to catch the Washington Wizards for sixth place in the East. The way things stand now, that would be the difference between playing the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors in the first round of the playoffs. NOTES: Clifford said before the game he doesnt expect centre Brandon Haywood back this season. Haywood has been out all season with a stress fracture in his left foot that hasnt quite healed. He said the Bobcats will look to sign another centre soon. ... Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 10 points and nine rebounds for the Bobcats. ... Zeller provided a boost off the bench for Charlotte with 10 points and eight rebounds. 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Air Max 1 Wholesale Cheap . - Josh Sterk scored twice to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 7-1 rout of the Ottawa 67s in Mondays Ontario Hockey League action.CLEVELAND - Johnny Footballs days as a backup are over this season.Hes getting his chance to start.Rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel will make his first NFL start Sunday against Cincinnati, replacing the slumping Brian Hoyer as Cleveland tries to pump life into its sagging playoff hopes.After moving up in Mays draft to get him and waiting seven months as he learned and watched from the sideline, the Browns are finally setting one of college footballs most captivating players loose with three games left in the season.Browns coach Mike Pettine made the expected switch on Tuesday after meeting with his staff and general manager Ray Farmer, then informing both quarterbacks. Many Browns fans have wanted the change for weeks as they watched Hoyer fumble away his dream job.Pettine said in a statement that the switch isnt about Hoyer or Manziel, but about the Browns.We are trying to get the offence to perform at a higher level, he said. Johnny has worked very hard to earn this opportunity and it will be very important for every member of the offence to elevate their play for us to obtain our desired result.Manziels debut start will come in Clevelands final home game, against a Bengals team Hoyer beat on Nov. 6. Manziel will try to show the Browns he can be the franchise quarterback theyve coveted for two decades.Manziel is the Browns 21st starting quarterback since 1999.Ive tried to spend my entire season learning what it takes to become a pro and its been great to watch Brian because he knows what it takes, Manziel said. Ive prepared every week to be ready to help the team however possible and my focus has been on improving every day.Even before Manziel was told hell start, the possibility sparked some controversy with Bengals coach Marvin Lewis calling the 6-footer a midget during a radio interview Monday night. Lewis later apologized, but the jab stirred the Ohio rivalry.The Browns really had no choice but to turn to Manziel. Hoyer has been awful in his last four games, throwing just one touchdown pass and eight interceptions.dddddddddddd It hasnt been all Hoyers fault as teammates have dropped passes and run pass routes incorrectly, but Cleveland needs a spark and Manziel changed games in college with his legs and right arm.Pettine considered the switch a week ago but stuck with Hoyer, who has gone 10-6 as Clevelands starter. Hoyer had two interceptions Sunday as the Indianapolis Colts rallied from a 14-point deficit in the third quarter to win. Hoyer and the Browns offence picked up only three first downs in the second half.Manziels promotion could signal the end of Hoyers time with the Browns. A Cleveland-area kid who grew up attending Browns games with his dad, Hoyer, who battled back from a season-ending knee injury in 2013, is in the final year of his contract. With Manziel around, its likely Hoyer will have to sign elsewhere to remain an NFL starter.Although I am disappointed by coachs decision, I respect him and his choice and will be there to support Johnny, Hoyer said. As always, I will do whatever I can to help this team win.The No. 22 overall pick in this years draft, the popular and polarizing Manziel has been on the field just 18 plays this season. He came off the bench two weeks ago in the fourth quarter at Buffalo, completed 5 of 8 passes and scored on a 10-yard touchdown run.Manziel won the Heisman Trophy at Texas A&M, where his ability to improvise made him a star and earned him his Johnny Football nickname.The Browns are hoping he can perform some of that magic on Sundays.Manziel couldnt beat out Hoyer during training camp and the 22-year-olds off-the-field behaviour, which included weekend trips to Las Vegas, led to outside criticism of his maturity and commitment. The Browns held off on playing him until they felt he was ready, and now Pettine has put the teams season in Manziels hands.Johnny better be good.___AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '