x Scherzer and goes toe-to-toe with him for six strong innings. I don

CHICAGO -- There will be a familiar voice heard loud and clear Tuesday night at the United Center, booming out instructions and bellowing about calls.It belongs to Tom Thibodeau, the intensely driven coach who used to coach the Chicago Bulls (13-10) and now calls the shots for the Minnesota Timberwolves (6-18).Thibodeau, who went 255-139 in five seasons with Chicago, will face his former team for the first time as an NBA coach since the Bulls fired him in May 2015. There are only four Bulls players left who played for Thibodeau in Chicago, but they know exactly what to expect.Playing against Thibodeaus teams usually means physical play and intense defense, despite the Timberwolves looking to end a four-game losing streak.He used to tell us in the locker room, You got to hate those guys, you got to stick it to them, Bulls forward Taj Gibson told the Chicago Tribune. So, I know hes going to come in here and have those young guys ready and waiting. Its kind of a nerve-wracking feeling because you know that guy knows everything about you. He knows all your moves. Its going to be a good prep.Thibodeaus bark, however, is worse than the Timberwolves bite thus far. Theyre 12 games below the .500 mark, are 2-8 in their past 10 games and have struggled converting fourth-quarter leads into wins.Such was the case Sunday in a 116-108 loss to the Golden State Warriors at Target Center. The Warriors trailed by 10 points heading into the fourth, but outscored Minnesota 38-20 in the quarter for the win.It cant be good for Thibodeaus blood pressure, but he claims thats not the case. He was asked recently how he is handling all the losses, and he didnt hesitate to answer.Great, Thibodeau told the Minneapolis Star-Triibune. You have to be consistent. Sometimes things go your way, sometimes they dont. But every day, put everything you have into it and thats all you can do. Im good. Ive got a great group of guys. As long as theyre working hard, playing for each other, putting everything they have into each and every day, Im fine.He preached those same lessons to the Bulls for five seasons. Many of them stuck and remain with his former players. Jimmy Butler, Chicagos leading scorer, is one of them.Butler said Thibodeaus insistence on working hard at both ends of the floor was vital to his rise from being a late first-round pick to one of the NBAs best all-around players. Thibodeau was hard on guys like Gibson and Butler, but theyre both now major components in Chicagos lineup.I got better from it, Butler told CSN Chicago. The numbers speak for themselves. Im very grateful he coached me for my first four years and the relationship we still have that we built upon over the (past) summer (with USA Basketball), that will forever be my guy. We went through the trenches together, along with my former teammates. I got love and respect for everybody.The Bulls recalled guard R.J. Hunter from the Windy City Bulls of the D-League on Monday. Minnesota reserve forward Nemanja Bjelica has missed the past two games with a sore ankle. Sagaba Konate Raptors Jersey . Kuznetsov, who was selected by the Capitals in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, has been playing for his hometown team Chelyabinsk Traktor of the KHL. Devin Robinson Jersey . -- Teemu Selanne scored the first goal of his 22nd NHL season, and the Anaheim Ducks extended the best start in franchise history with their fifth straight victory, 3-2 over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. https://www.raptorsrookiesshop.com/Vince-Carter-City-Edition-Jersey/ . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . Lucas Nogueira Raptors Jersey . Despite the cost, effort and an improved steroid test, its possible that very few -- if any -- positives will be detected, Dr. Richard Budgett told The Associated Press in an interview. "We just dont know what the results from Torino will be," Budgett said. Delon Wright Raptors Jersey . 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. WASHINGTON -- Ryan Schimpf extended San Diegos franchise-record run of games with a home run with a second-inning blast off Washingtons Max Scherzer on Saturday.It was all the Padres would get against the Nationals.Pinch-hitter Stephen Drews game-ending RBI triple off reliever Kevin Quackenbush in the ninth gave Washington a 3-2 victory.Anthony Rendon opened the bottom off the ninth with a single off Quackenbush (6-4). Drew entered with one out and drove a pitch off the center-field scoreboard, and Rendon raced around the bases for the winning run.Both of those hits were hanging breaking balls in the middle of the plate, Padres manager Andy Green said. Stephen put a good swing on it. He hadnt been on the field in six or seven days and comes out and has a great at-bat for them and wins the game. Obviously, Quack wasnt trying to put the pitch right there, but it was there and he took advantage of it.Jonathan Papelbon (2-2) allowed a leadoff double in the ninth before retiring three straight batters. San Diego left runners in scoring position in each of the last two innings.San Diego, which has dropped five of six on its road trip, seized a 2-0 lead when Schimpf homered off Scherzer in his first at-bat.His fastballs good, so I just tried to get geared up to get a good pitch to drive, Schimpf said.It was San Diegos 21st consecutive game with a home run, the longest for any NL team since Atlanta went deep 23 games in a row in 2006. The Padres previous record was 14, sset in 1998.ddddddddddddStarter Edwin Jackson allowed two runs and six hits over six innings.He gave us an opportunity to win the baseball game, Green said. Hes going up against Max Scherzer and goes toe-to-toe with him for six strong innings. I dont think you can ask for much more.Travis Jankowski tripled with two outs in the eighth, but Nationals reliever Shawn Kelley ended the threat by striking out Wil Myers. Matt Kemp doubled to lead off the ninth but was eventually stranded there when pinch-hitter Brett Wallace popped out.ROOKIE RECORDSchimpfs home run was his eighth of the season, all of them this month. He is only the second Padre rookie ever to hit eight home runs in a calendar month; Jedd Gyorko also did it in August 2013.TRAINERS ROOMPadres: RHP Tyson Ross (right shoulder inflammation), out since Opening Day, recently threw from 250 feet. His arm feels really good, Padres manager Andy Green said. Its still just taking time.UP NEXTPadres: LHP Christian Friedrich (4-6, 4.55) lost his fourth straight decision in his previous start, allowing four runs -- three earned -- over 5 1/3 innings during a 10-2 setback at St. Louis on Monday.Nationals: RHP Lucas Giolito (0-0, 4.70), Washingtons top prospect, will be recalled from Triple-A Syracuse for Sundays start. The 22-year-old was demoted on July 8 following his first two ML starts. ' ' '