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CHARLOTTE, N. Jalen Lecque Jersey .C. -- Steve Clifford said he isnt one to back down from challenges. That might make him a good fit for Charlotte. The Bobcats are a long way from being a legitimate NBA playoff contender. The team introduced Clifford as their new head coach at a press conference Wednesday. Clifford becomes the Bobcats sixth different coach since the 2006-07 season and inherits a team that went a combined 28-120 over the past two seasons, by far the worst record in the NBA. "Steve has worked quite a few years in this league and we feel very positive with that with our young competitive core that he is the right fit for us," said Rod Higgins, Bobcats president of basketball operations. Clifford said after meeting with Higgins and general manager Rich Cho last week he feels confident they share the same vision for the Bobcats. "When I met with them I left here thinking that the three of us could work very effectively together," Clifford said. His core players includes no big-time NBA stars, but rather young and developing players like four-year NBA veteran Gerald Henderson, second-year veterans Kemba Walker and Bismack Biyombo and last years rookie Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. That may have scared some coaches away, but not Clifford. He called that foursome "above average competitors," and said thats exactly what he wants from his players. "I think every coach in basketball has his own priorities in terms of judging players, but for me it starts with competitiveness and then skill level, in particular shooting," Clifford said. "Coach (Bill) Parcells once said he wanted guys who are competitive on their own without the aid of coaches and in this league when youre playing four and five nights a week there arent many times you can address the group and have some magic word to get them to play hard. "You either have the right kind of guys or you dont. When you have young guys who are naturally competitive you have the opportunity to build the kind of culture that you want." Clifford said there will be an emphasis on improving the teams defence, pointing out that the top six teams in overall defence this season all reached the quarterfinals of the NBA playoffs. "Any good coach has a clear and definitive vision of how they want their team to play and practice -- and I have that," Clifford said. "I have seen what the right amount of work and the right amount of communication can do for a team.... Yes, I am inexperienced (as a head coach), but Im confident and I know how I want to do it." Clifford comes to Charlotte after spending last season as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers. Prior to that he spent five seasons (2007-12) working as an assistant under Stan Van Gundy in Orlando. He was also as an assistant coach under Jeff Van Gundy with the Houston Rockets for four years and was an assistant with the New York Knicks for three seasons. This is his first NBA head coaching job. Jeff Van Gundy, who now works as a NBA television analyst, believes Clifford is up to the task of building the Bobcats into a competitive team. The Bobcats have only been the playoffs once and have never won a post-season game. "Steve is the type of guy who can coach young teams that are rebuilding, teams on the verge of the playoffs and experienced teams, I really believe that," Jeff Van Gundy said. "I think he has great people skills and hes a quality basketball coach." The Bobcats made the move to hire Clifford one day before he was slated for a second interview with the Milwaukee Bucks for their coaching vacancy. Clifford replaces Mike Dunlap, who was fired after just one season. "Anytime you make the tough decision to change you want, if at all possible, to address some of the things that you didnt get from your prior" coach, Higgins said. "We felt very good with making the change with Steve to adhere to some of the issues we might have had here, whether its on the court, in the locker room or trying to compete every night. ... I think were getting close to becoming a very good team." Leandro Barbosa Suns Jersey . The defence is doing its part, too. Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and the guys on the other side made sure that was enough, sending the Saints to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. Kelly Oubre Jr. Suns Jersey . Jason Zucker and Matt Cooke also scored for Minnesota, which has won five of six. Kuemper made five saves in the first, nine in the second, and nine in the third. The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side. https://www.thesunslockerroom.com/Ray-Sp...Edition-Jersey/ .Y. - Rob Manfred was promoted Monday to Major League Baseballs chief operating officer, which may make him a candidate to succeed Bud Selig as commissioner.FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- When Fort Waynes John Konchar stole the final inbounds pass Tuesday night, he did the first thing that came to mind -- tossed the ball into the air to run out the clock.The ensuing celebration was something nobody outside the Mastodons locker room anticipated.Konchar made a tiebreaking free throw with 1:19 left in overtime, DeAngelo Stewart scored his only points on the last two foul shots of the game, and Konchars steal secured the biggest victory in school history: Fort Wayne 71, No. 3 Indiana 68.Stunning.It was special watching these guys during our timeouts and you could see their hearts pouring out of their eyes to go and attack the game, said Jon Coffman, the coach at Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne.His team toppled Indiana with grit -- and pulled off the biggest shocker in college basketball so far this young season.Fort Wayne (3-2) trailed for just 90 seconds against an in-state power and won despite making only two baskets over the final 14? minutes.The Mastodons, who moved from Division II to Division I in 2001-02, had lost all nine previous games against ranked foes and hadnt even played a Top 25 opponent in almost four years.None of those things mattered Tuesday when they walked into Memorial Coliseum and saw their home court surrounded by a sea of Indiana cream-and-crimson attire.Coffman thanked Indiana coach Tom Crean for even playing a mid-major program on the road.And Crean said he knew before the game his team was going to learn a lesson -- one way or another.Did it ever.Indiana held Fort Wayne top scorer Mo Evans to nine points, but Konchar finished with 15 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and that one steal. Bryson Scott, the former Purdue player, had 18 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and three steals for his hometown team.And despite getting 18 points and 12 rebounds from center Thomas Bryant and 16 points from Robert Johnson, that still wasnt enough for the Hoosiers (3-1).They just absolutely came out and put us on our heels from the beginning, Crean said. We were not as locked into the personnel and the block outs as we needed to be. If we make our free throws, its a differentt result. Charles Barkley Suns Jersey. But we didnt and they earned it.The Hoosiers forced overtime by closing regulation on a 13-3 spurt to make it 65-all.But after each team opened overtime with a 3-pointer, the Hoosiers didnt score again, and the Mastodons made three free throws to win it.Right now, I cant even describe how Im feeling. Im overwhelmed, Scott said, seemingly speaking for the whole Fort Wayne contingent. I knew we had the talent to do it. I knew we had the ability to do it.BIG PICTUREIndiana: The Hoosiers flopped in their first true road game. The offense looked stagnant and they spent nearly the whole night playing catch-up. Now theyll have to wait and see how much this loss hurts them in the rankings.Fort Wayne: Mastodons fans rushed the court after the upset. The preseason Summit League favorites have a chance to build on this momentum and gain more confidence to win big games.SECOND HOMEOfficially, the Hoosiers traveled nearly 200 miles to play a home game. Indiana sold more tickets to the game and played its customary pregame video on the board above midcourt. But the schools first appearance in Fort Wayne since beating Notre Dame in 1967 wound up leaving Indiana 7-2 all-time in the city.FEELING ILLOne problem for the Hoosiers was they played short-handed. Crean started forward OG Anunoby even though he wasnt feeling well. Anunoby played just 13 minutes because Crean quickly realized that one of his best players just couldnt fight through the illness.THEY SAID ITFort Wayne: I wish he (Konchar) would shoot more. Could you put that in the paper, John shoot more? Coffman said.Indiana: We needed to make the next pass (on drives), and we didnt do that, and frankly Im embarrassed by that. Thats not how we play, Crean said.UP NEXTIndiana: Hosts Mississippi Valley State on Sunday. After this loss, the Hoosiers need to find a way to rebound.Fort Wayne: Hosts Mississippi Valley State on Saturday. The Mastodons are hoping to build off the momentum from this win in their third straight home game. ' ' '