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FIVE QUICK HOOPS THOUGHTS 1. Kostas Antetokounmpo Jersey . TIM HARDAWAY, JR (Knicks): Picked 24th by New Yorks former GM, Glen Grunwald (honestly, what is owner James Dolan thinking firing him?) is a gem. Saw him on Friday night vs. the Raptors. I was very impressed with him. Hes got nice shooting mechanics and plays with great energy and awareness. Played for a terrific college coach at Michigan (John Beilein) who is one of the best in the business at teaching offensive fundamentals and obviously his dad, Tim, Sr. was a wonderful player. He really jumped out at me. Hell be playing for a winning team and will have to earn every minute he gets which is a good thing - it will make him a better pro in the long run. If first impressions matter he made a positive one, thats for sure. 2. GREG ODEN (Heat): Practiced for the first time 5-on-5 on Sunday and got through it okay. Fingers crossed hes able to practice/play consistently. Frustrating start to his NBA career with a rash of injuries. The positive is that the Heat need him in a secondary capacity and hell be brought along slowly and eased in. In addition, hell be held accountable by coach Erik Spoelstra, president Pat Riley and a team with good internal leadership - you had better be in shape, do your work and be professional or else. Its an environment that is conducive to a gradual step in the right direction for him if he can stay healthy. 3. NIKOLA PEKOVIC (Timberwolves): Man this guy is a beast. What a load to move in the lane. Felt bad for the Raptors big men watching them try to battle with him last week. When he gets to his spot on the floor - good luck moving him. Hes developed into a nice player and when you look around the league there will be nights that hell have his way in the lane with smaller/weaker bigs in the paint. He has no back down and is a relentless rebounder and improving offensive feature for coach Rick Adelman. 4. DEMAR DEROZAN (Raptors): I have been impressed with him and his approach from the start of Training Camp. Definitely stronger and seems to know what works for him and playing the game at an efficient pace. Ive always respected his mature approach. He loves the game and works at his craft diligently. Hes playing with a greater degree of toughness in the lane and attacking his opponent and working harder to draw fouls and get to the free throw line. Obviously, the Raptors have played only four preseason games so the sample size is very small but he is on the right track. Stay on it and keep improving. People talk a lot about his three-point shooting needing to improve. I totally agree. Lets be real though. Hell never be confused even at his best with Ray Allen. Hes a slasher with great explosiveness and increased strength whose biggest positive is getting to the rim. Play to your strengths - be who you are. 5. ANDREW WIGGINS (University of Kansas): Got my Sports Illustrated in the mailbox and see him on the cover. The hype is ratcheting up even further. What expectations and pressure on this young man. Happy that hes getting the PR and its an exciting time for the growth of Canadian basketball yet I always worry when too much is thrown at a young player. Thrilled for him yet the attention unnerves me. Most times it creates distractions that they cant live up to. Im hopeful that he has the emotional maturity/makeup to handle all of this. I wish he could ease into this a bit more. With the accelerated pace of development of players these days its hard for a player to experience the much needed growing pains that shape your character and improve you as a player. Easy does it is not the mode anymore and it can crush a guy. Based upon what Ive seen he looks like a guy that will get through it all just fine. Kostas Antetokounmpo Mavericks Jersey . They probably ruined Tim Duncans hopes of a career change, though. Duncan wants to be a point guard, coach Gregg Popovich revealed Saturday, a wish that wont be granted. Jason Kidd Mavericks Jersey . Formula One Teams Association secretary general Oliver Weingarten says the organization collapsed over unpaid subscription fees and a failure to strike an agreement for 2014 with all 11 teams.MILWAUKEE - Kendall Marshall and the rest of the Milwaukee Bucks reserves were too much for the Miami HeatMarshall came off the bench and tied his career-high with 20 points on 7 of 8 from the floor, including three big 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Miami Heat 109-85 on Friday night.In beating Miami for the second time this season, the Bucks bench outscored the Heats bench 60-18, which was led by Khris Middletons 14 points, Jerryd Bayless 12 and Jared Dudleys eight.Milwaukees starters helped out, too, as the team snapped a three-game losing streak. Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo each had 14 points and Brandon Knight added 13.We played well, Marshall said. We have to find a way to do that for 48 minutes consistently. Thats what the great teams do in this league and thats what were striving to be.Marshall took over for Knight who picked up his fourth foul early in the fourth.Again tonight, when Knight gets in trouble, Kendall steps right in and helps us find a way to win, Bucks coach Jason Kidd said.Dwyane Wade matched his season-high with 28 points, but scored only seven in the second half. Chris Bosh had 13 of his 21 points in the first two quarters as the Heat opened their five-game road trip with a third straight loss.The Heat was without starters Norris Cole and Luol Deng and reserve Chris Anderson. Milwaukee was missing Ersan Ilysova (broken nose) and John Henson (sprained left foot).The Bucks started the fourth with a nine-point lead and pushed it to 89-72 on the first of Marshalls 3-pointers with 8:04 left to play. Milwaukee kept up its attack and capitalized on the Heats inability to score.Offensively, we couldnt score the basketball, Wade said. You got to put the ball in the basket to win games, and we went for a long time without scoring.Miami, which shot 44 per cent from the field, missed its first five sshots and didnt score from the floor until Mario Chalmers 3-pointer at 7:26. Dwight Powell Jersey. By then, it was too late as Marshall and the Bucks pulled away for the win and their biggest margin of victory this season.It really starts on the defensive end, Marshall said. We were able to get stops and get out in transition. That makes the offence a lot easier.Milwaukee had 15 of its 24 fast break points in the first half to Miamis four of six.Heat coach Erik Spolestra said it was too early to make changes in the lineup.Right now, I cant say if there will be any adjustments, he said. I have to get into the film and look at everything. Well go from there.___TIP-INSThe Heat: Wade has scored at least 20 points for eight consecutive games, his longest such streak since going 13 straight from Feb. 23 to March 17 in 2013. . Forward Josh McRoberts made his second consecutive start this season while Norris Cole missed his second straight.The Bucks: Parker scored 12 points going 6 of 9 from the field in the first half. . Through the third quarter, the Bucks had 22 fast-break points to the Heats four. . Thinking he might be without all his big men, coach Jason Kidd said, Well play all the point guards, if we have to. Well play all the Smurfs.UP NEXTMiami plays at Memphis on Sunday.Milwaukee is at Dallas on Sunday.WADE MAKES HUGE ASSISTWade provided a gift of $195,000 over three years to Marquette Universitys Ralph C. Hartman Literacy and Learning Center on Friday afternoon. The gift through his Wades World Foundation helps launch the Dwyane Wade Live to Dream summer reading program in order to shrink the areas literacy gap among inner-city children. Wade attended Marquette from 2000 to 2003.BATTLE OF THE BOARDSMilwaukee grabbed 45 rebounds to Miamis 20, the fewest by any NBA team this season, and held the Heat to three offensive boards, an opponent season low. ' ' '