minutes after Jarrod Kenny was sidelined early with a groin injury.I thought Damo was outstanding there, Gleeson said.We had

SALT LAKE CITY -- Dennis Lindsey and Quin Snyder are doing their best to temper expectations, but recent moves to improve the Utah Jazz say plenty.The organization has been working toward this moment for more than half a decade. It drafted Gordon Hayward in 2010 and traded for Derrick Favors months later. Lindsey was hired as general manager in 2012, and he hired Snyder as coach in 2014. The first-time general manager then slowly built a young, talented roster and allowed it to grow.This offseason, Lindsey added veterans Joe Johnson, George Hill and Boris Diaw with an eye on reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2012.The time to reap the rewards of all that patience is now.Our goal is to make the playoffs, Hill said at Jazz media day Monday. Anything less is not a good season for us.Lindsey and Snyder werent quite that direct, but Lindsey has been adamant in the past about not adding pieces at the expense of internal development. The difference now is the Jazz have the core they need.Both Hayward and Favors are six-year veterans and borderline All-Stars. Center Rudy Gobert is healthy and one of the top defensive centers in the league. Dante Exum, fifth-overall pick in the 2014, is back after missing all of last season with an ACL tear. Rodney Hood enters his third season after averaging 14.5 points in 2015-16.The next step is a playoff berth after finishing a game behind eighth-seeded Houston in the Western Conference with a 40-42 record.Just in the playoffs, just out of the playoffs, I dont think it would have changed this offseason much, Lindsey said. We wanted to get experience, size, skill, physicality, shooting, passing. We were able to do so. Its very complementary to our younger veterans that have been here for a while.It was a natural step. I dont think we were skipping steps by any means.The front office may downplay expectations, but this is the simplest situation the Jazz have faced in years. No more waiting on young players to develop, and no more searching for an identity. Defense is the foundation, and some quality players are going to have to fight for their minutes.The fundamental approach that you have toward playing the game doesnt change, Snyder said. If that enthusiasm, comfort, fear, whatever emotional baggage you bring into a season that impacts your emotional state, that has to be supplanted by hunger, hard work, unselfishness, passion.Sometimes that enthusiasm is really good. Oftentimes its great. But that doesnt necessarily mean its channeled the right way. Youve heard people be too excited or too emotional. What that means to me is you just lost a little bit of focus on the things you need to do to be successful. We know what those things are. We just have to hold on to them and work toward them.Hayward and Favors have been in the Jazz program long enough to stick closely to the teams message, but this is a pivotal year for both. Hayward will likely opt out of his contract after 2016-17 for a much bigger deal. The 26-year old has repeatedly said hes not looking to leave, but Hayward is entering the prime of his career and wants to win.Favors has two seasons left on his deal and could sign an extension, but also wants to consistently play in the postseason.We have a lot of expectations of ourselves, Hayward said. For us, though, we dont want to get ahead of ourselves at all. We havent accomplished anything as a group yet.I think we hopefully play with a chip on our shoulder. Were starting to turn the corner as an organization.Favors tried to avoid saying playoffs when listing his expectations, saying the team hopefully improves and reaches its goals. He laughed when pressed to specify that goal.Just to win games, Favors said. Every teams goal is to get in the playoffs. Obviously, thats what we want to do. Thats what were going to try to do. Baratas Nike Roshe Cortez NM SP Blanco/Varsity Rojas/Game Royal .J. Ellis hit two-run homers and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-0 Saturday night. Nike Cortez Ultra Moire Blanco/Azul/Varsity Rojas . Despite dominating possession, Schalke needed an own goal from Nicolas Hoefler for the breakthrough a minute before the interval. The Freiburg midfielder misjudged Jefferson Farfans corner and bundled the ball into his own net. http://www.siyaguna.com/air-zoom-pegasus-34.html . The No. 1-ranked Nadal tweaked his back warming up for the Australian Open final, which he lost almost four weeks ago in a major upset against Stanislas Wawrinka. His first stop after the layoff is the clay in Rio as he tests the back and tries to stay healthy for the French Open in three months. Nike Cortez Ultra Moire Summit Blanco/Negro .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Nike Cortez Ultra Moire Obsidian/Blanco . - Derek Wolfe says hes finally healthy after suffering a seizure in November that doctors now believe was related to the spinal cord injury he suffered in the preseason. Defending champions Perth Wildcats have survived yet another late scare, posting a fourth-straight NBL win with a nailbiting 72-69 triumph over Melbourne United.The Wildcats (4-1) led by 12 points halfway through the final quarter of Sundays clash in Melbourne but United (3-2) quickly clawed back the deficit before their home fans at Hisense Arena.With less than a minute on the clock, Melbourne double-teamed Wildcats star Casey Prather and his pass was intercepted by Nate Tomlinson, who had a clear path to the basket.Another turnover and another Tomlinson layup cut the margin back to three points and United managed to secure a defensive stop.But with the seconds counting down, Cedric Jackson shot an airball to deny United a chance at overtime.It was a familiar tale for the Wildcats, who have almost thrown away each of their wins this season with poor showings in the final quarter.Prather was quiet by his standards but stepped up when it mattered for the Wildcats, making aggressive plays at the death to finish with 16 points.Captain Damian Martin put on a defensive masterclass, the 186cm point guard pulling down 13 rebounds to go with his five assists, while Matthew Knight chipped in 14 points and nine boards.Melbourne led at the first two breaks as power forward Majok Majok (12 points, five rebounds) imposed himself on the glass.With star shooting guaard Chris Goulding missing with an ankle injury, United were able to spread the scoring load but Majok was their only scorer to reach double figures.ddddddddddddUnited were again let down by poor three-point shooting, draining just 20 per cent of their shots from beyond the arc compared to Perths 38 percent.Wildcats coach Trevor Gleeson lauded the work of captain Martin, who played for 34 minutes after Jarrod Kenny was sidelined early with a groin injury.I thought Damo was outstanding there, Gleeson said.We had Jarrod Kenny go down in the first five minutes so we didnt have a backup point guard. For him to step up to get 13 rebounds when we really needed that, that just shows you leadership out there.He got a good crack in the jaw (in) the first 30 seconds of the third. Hes tough. Hell play hurt and he did that today.Melbourne coach Dean Demopoulos said his sides offence had appeared rushed which had hurt their chances of making shots.Maybe Perth had something to do with that. Im sure they did to some degree but I think some of it was self-inflicted, he said.Were missing a bunch and have continually missed a bunch. Well see how it goes. Hopefully it gets better but if not, weve got to learn how to win without that element. ' ' '