Regeln » champions the year before

NEW YORK -- Nerlens Noel is coming off a major knee injury. Alex Len is in a walking boot. One of them could be the No. 1 pick tonight in an NBA draft that appears short on stardom, and neither looks ready to get his career off to a running start. Coverage begins with the NBA Draft Preview on TSN2, tonight at 7pm et/4pm pt followed by the Draft at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. Follow pick-by-pick updates on TSN.ca. "This draft is really unpredictable, a lot of guys with injuries and you dont have any, like, LeBron James," Len said Wednesday. "So its going to be interesting." Ten years after James climbed on stage to start a draft that goes down as one of the best in recent memory, the No. 1 pick again belongs to Cleveland. The Cavaliers wont find anyone who can play like James on the court -- if they keep the pick -- and even the climbing the stage part will be a challenge for the big men who opened their college seasons against each other and are competing again now. Noel tore the ACL in his left knee on Feb. 12, ending his lone season at Kentucky. The 6-foot-11 freshman led the nation in shot blocking and his conference in rebounding, but hasnt been able to show the Cavaliers if his offensive game has grown. The only basketball work he did during his visit to Cleveland was shooting some free throws. Perhaps the pants he wore with his sports jacket and orange tie were just too tight, but Noel was walking gingerly as he exited a hotel ballroom after meeting with the media Wednesday. "I wanted to do more. Unfortunately I got hurt, but I mean I definitely felt right before I got injured I was really coming along as a player and just really coming into my own during that part of the season," Noel said. "But like I said, unfortunately I got hurt, so I wasnt able to show as much as I wanted to." Nor has Len, but that hasnt stopped the 7-1 centre from the Ukraine who spent two seasons at Maryland from climbing into the mix at No. 1. His left foot started bothering him around February, and he found out after the season that it was a stress fracture. He was aware he was projected as a top-10 pick before the draft combine, but may go much higher even though his visits to teams have consisted of nothing more than interviews. He no longer needs crutches but will be in the boot for perhaps two more weeks. So, with all these injury questions, what about playing it safe and picking a healthy guy? "I mean, probably a lot of people wish it could be that easy," Kansas guard Ben McLemore said. "But its a process for the teams, theyve got to see whats available and what they really need. And like I said, this draft is up in the air and nobody knows whats going to happen, whos going to get drafted in which order." Orlando has the No. 2 pick, followed by Washington, Charlotte and Phoenix. McLemore, Indianas Victor Oladipo, Georgetown forward Otto Porter and national player of the year Trey Burke of Michigan are among the other players who will hear their names called early at Barclays Center by NBA Commissioner David Stern in his final draft. Torontos Anthony Bennett, a 6-foot-7 forward coming off his freshman year at UNLV, is seen as a possible pick anywhere from No. 3 to No. 6. The highest Canadian selected in the NBA draft was Tristan Thompson, who was taken fourth overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011. Its a class that wont draw any comparisons to the one that James led, which featured future Miami Heat teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, along with NBA scoring champion Carmelo Anthony among the first five picks. Brooklyn Nets general manager Billy King said a number of teams are trying to trade out of the draft and acquire extra picks for next year, which is expected to be a stronger class. But he doesnt know if there will be enough teams interested in being trade partners to get those deals done. "There are good players in this draft, but right now, there are not impact players. What I mean by that is that theres no one you look at in this draft that within two years will be an All-Star, say like Kyrie Irving was, players like that," said Minnesota Timberwolves president Flip Saunders, referring to the guard Cleveland took with the No. 1 pick in 2011. "And so in order for you to move up and dilute your talent pool and your roster, youve got to get an impact-type player, and I just dont believe ... theres good players, probably pretty good players in this league, but are they going to be that impact player whos going to be an All-Star or future Hall of Famer? Thats what you dont see. And sometimes thats something you dont see for two or three years in a row." McLemore has in some ways been hurt by healthy, since by being able to work out hes given teams something to nitpick. Noel and Len have been largely free of criticism while sitting on the sideline. Instead, Len is hoping his first impression of the season is one that holds up, when he had a career-high 23 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks against Noel in Marylands loss to Kentucky, right in the building where they will be Thursday. "I did well against him. So, its not up to me, its up to teams," Len said of a team choosing between the two. Neither player said he knows what the Cavs will do. There has been speculation they are open to dealing the pick, something teams rarely consider in a year with a clear-cut No. 1. Noel said he had gotten no sense from the Cavs that they had concern about his knee, which could keep him off the court until early in the regular season. And in a draft full of questions, he believes selecting him is the right answer. "Im a good teammate, I definitely love to work," Noel said. "I want to get better. I want to be great, I want to reach my potential, be the best player I can be. I definitely do countless hours in the gym and Im definitely working to get there." Cheap Air Max 97 Wholesale . This weeks topics include his take on the Kevin Pillar incident, All-Star snubs, the firing of Padres general manager Josh Byrnes and more. Cheap Nike Air Max Outlet . The Major League Soccer teams were scheduled to play on Saturday night, but their game was rescheduled after Stu Tudor was hit during a pregame storm. The 54-year-old lieutenant in the Columbus Fire Department is in critical condition in the intensive care unit of the Ohio State Medical Center. http://www.fakeairmaxukoutlet.com/best-m...s-cheap-uk.html. -- Houstons All-Star tandem of James Harden and Dwight Howard refused to let the Rockets give in to fatigue. Fake Air Max 270 Uk .Steamboat Ski Resort contends Steamboat Springs, Colorado has long been known as Ski Town, U.S.A., and claims in a new lawsuit that Salt Lake tourism officials violated their trademark when they rolled out the Ski City marketing campaign last month. Nike Air Max 270 Cheap Uk . Goldeyes third baseman Ryan Pineda drove in three runs and the pitching staff didnt allow an earned run, as Winnipeg downed Kansas City 6-3 in American Association exhibition action at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas.Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois insists his scary bloodshot eye is by no means hampering his performances. The Belgium number one sat on the bench for his countrys 1-1 friendly draw with the Netherlands on Wednesday after recovering from an illness that made him burst a blood vessel in his left eye.Courtois is expected to feature in their World Cup Qualifier against Estonia on Sunday and has described all the gory details of his Halloween ordeal exclusively to Sky Sports News HQ. After the Manchester United game I came home and got sick, he said. Courtois says he wants to win the Premier League title with Chelsea I had to vomit a few times and you force yourself, and it was just a vein that popped in my eye.It looks scary. It was the Halloween period so then it was okay but now its not going away. They said 10 days and its already been two and a half weeks but it doesnt affect me in the game. Courtois believs Chelsea can win the league if they avoid the complacency that affected them last season Some pictures look worse than it is.dddddddddddd. Theres nothing to do about it.Courtois has kept seven successive clean sheets for Chelsea and Belgium, failing to concede since the defeat to Liverpool in September, which has helped propel the Blues into the Premier League top four.His manager at Stamford Bridge, Antonio Conte, has recently played down talk of his side being in title contention but Courtois hopes they can be there or thereabouts come May.We could be title contenders but after last season we have to be careful about everything, he said. Courtois has been in superb form for Chelsea this season We cannot relax because maybe last year we went too easy into the season because we were champions the year before. We have to keep the focus, ambition and hunger to win and, if we keep that, then maybe in May we can lift that trophy.The clean sheets are nice but, apart from against Leicester and Manchester United, I didnt have too much work to do. Thats part of the teamwork. If you defend well you keep clean sheets and thats whats happening with Belgium and Chelsea. Also See: Kompany, Dembele out for Belgium Martinez: No Kompany injury Belgium held by Netherlands Sky Live: Sunday qualifiers ' ' '