FIVE QUICK HOOPS THOUGHTS 1. Wade Miley Jersey . LEBRON JAMES (Heat): Totally agree with his stance to take a little family vacation and get away from the noise and reflect on what his next step should be in his career. Also allows Heat president Pat Riley to assess his roster and the prospects for improving his club. Im sure the two will have another in-depth conversation when he returns to set the stage for the next Decision. As we all know, too often were so busy that we dont take enough time to truly size up where were at in our lives and careers and get swept up in the busy nature of our daily existence. James has lots to think about. Five Finals appearances with the Cavs and Heat and two NBA titles. Not a bad run so far. The next step will be a huge one to say the least. 2. SAM MITCHELL (TWolves): Hired as an assistant coach by his longtime coach when he played there, Flip Saunders. Great move by Saunders. Love this hire for their team. Sam will have his back and do a terrific job for him. Sidney Lowe is another top notch hire for Saunders. Flip is a terrific coach, yet isnt the most domineering personality and needs strong assistants to "put out fires" on occasion. Mitchell and Lowe are excellent and both have head coaching experience, which really helps. Obviously, mixed emotions on my part - had a lot of fun working with Sam the past few years at TSN and in the years he was the Raptors head coach. Will miss him yet Im thrilled for him - hes an outstanding coach and leader and Im happy for his sake that hes back where he wants to be - on the sidelines. 3. KAWHI LEONARD (Spurs): MVP of the NBA Finals getting lots of attention in the past few days and deservedly so. Hes got an outstanding future ahead of him and by all accounts is a big time worker who is very coachable. Those are wonderful traits to have. No surprise coming from a Spur. They do a really nice job sizing up guys and their character. Hes in the right environment to grow considerably as a player in the years to come. Moments like these usually cause a player to take that next step and give them a true sense of what they can accomplish. Sometimes as a coach, you see it in them and they dont. I think he realizes now what he can/cant do and will develop further. Id sure love to have his future. 4. LIONEL HOLLINS: Only the Cavs and Lakers still have head coaching openings and well see if hes lucky enough to get one of them. If not, there are rumours that folks would like him to serve as an assistant coach. Im sure this is a tough time for him after doing such a great job in Memphis to still not be able to land a head coaching job. Very humbling business for such a proud man to deal with this. Hell get through it. I have no doubt that somewhere down the road a very smart GM will give him another chance that he both deserves and will thrive in. 5. NBA DRAFT and FREE AGENCY: I laugh so much this time of year with all of the lies and misinformation that both agents and teams put out there to steer folks in the wrong direction. Id love for someone to track what ends up being fact and fiction in the next 15-17 days. I assure you most of what we hear and read ends up being planted nonsense and other times its some media members thoughts and opinions that end up taking on a life of its own and becoming fact until it ends up being pure speculation. Fun time of year. Yordan Alvarez Astros Jersey . Stevenson scored the first three goals of the game in the first period for Regina (35-22-6), which has won eight of its last 10 games. Patrick DAmico added two for the Pats, Braden Christoffer had a single and Morgan Klimchuk chipped in a goal and four assists. Cionel Perez Astros Jersey .Balotelli uploaded on Instagram a picture of the video-game character Super Mario, with whom the Italy international shares a nickname, with text around the image including jumps like a black man and grabs coins like a Jew. https://www.cheapastros.com/2213o-zack-greinke-jersey-astros.html . Solomon Elimimian did not make the trip with the team after suffering what appeared to be a right leg injury in the teams regular season finale against the Calgary Stampeders. MIAMI -- Jordan Pacheco and the Colorado Rockies finally broke out the bats. Pacheco had three hits and drove in a run for the Rockies, who beat the Miami Marlins 6-5 on Wednesday night. Charlie Blackmon and Michael Cuddyer each had two hits for Colorado as all eight position players in the starting lineup recorded at least one hit. "I think we were saving them," Pacheco said of the hits. "We faced two tough guys (Jose Fernandez and Nathan Eovaldi) at the beginning of the series and its bound to happen with this lineup. We have a bunch of guys who can hit." Rockies two-time All-Star outfielder Carlos Gonzalez left the game in the bottom of the sixth inning as a precaution due to dizziness, which began during the game without a particular incident. "Hes OK, he wasnt feeling too good and was a little dizzy," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "I think hes fine, but he wasnt feeling too good." Giancarlo Stanton homered and drove in two three for the Marlins, who trailed 6-1 in the sixth. "Thats the difference from last year," Stanton said. "That happened frequently, a sense of looking to tomorrow, we already lost. Its good to keep going every game to the last out." The Marlins trailed 6-4 in the bottom of the ninth with LaTroy Hawkins on the mound. Hawkins allowed a leadoff single to Adeiny Hechavarria and walked Derek Dietrich with two outs bringing Stanton to the plate. "You never want to see him walking to the plate to win the game, hes a dangerous hitter, its well-documented," Weiss said. "It was very uncomfortable with Stanton at the plate." Stanton nearly ended the game when he hit a long foul ball down the left field line, which would have won the game if it had stayed fair. "(The pitch) was in so I wasnt worried that it was going to be fair," Pacheco said. "Ive heard that sound before, I heard it a couple innings prior to that, but it worked out for us." Stanton said: "I should have got it a little deeper. It landed a lot further (foul) than when it went past the pole. It was pretty close." Two pitches later Stanton delivered an RBI single on a full-count pitch scoring Hechavarria and pulling Miami within a run. Garrett Jones popped out to third base to end the game with Hawkins eearning the save. Garrett Stubbs Jersey. . "Hawk grinded through the inning and got it done," Weiss said. Jordan Lyles (1-0) won his debut with the Rockies after being acquired in an off-season trade with the Houston Astros for Dexter Fowler. Lyles allowed four runs and five hits in five innings while striking out five and walking one. "It was stressful, Hawk got his work in tonight, but our first win maybe we can get it going tomorrow and have a good homestand," Lyles said. "Hopefully were heading in the right direction and put those first two games behind us." Colorado led 6-1 heading into the sixth inning before Stanton cut the deficit to 6-3 with a two-run home run to right field off Lyles. "Everyone knows not to go away, I wanted to show him away one time and I shouldnt have," Lyles said. "Hes a strong guy." Reliever Adam Ottovinos wild pitch brought Miami 6-4 later in the sixth. Henderson Alvarez (0-1) pitched a no-hitter on the final day of the 2013 season against the Detroit Tigers, but struggled in his 2014 debut. Alvarez allowed five consecutive hits in the first inning including a RBI double by Gonzalez and run-scoring singles by Justin Morneau and Pacheco giving the Rockies a 3-0 lead. The Rockies stretched their lead to 6-1 in the fourth sparked by two errors and a wild pitch by Alvarez, which scored a run. Kevin Slowey relieved Alvarez and immediately walked in a run. Cuddyer also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. "We gave them some extra outs and that probably was the difference in the game," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. Alvarez allowed six runs -- three earned -- and seven hits in three innings. "What got me in trouble was leaving the ball up," Alvarez said. Slowey struck out five in four scoreless innings. NOTES: Gold Glove Award winner Nolan Arenado flashed his ability at third base in the fifth inning when he barehanded a slow-roller and threw out Hechavarria at first base. . Miamis first replay challenge of the season was upheld when Redmond question a play at second base in the top of the fourth. . Marlins 3B Ed Lucas had left hand surgery on Wednesday and is expected to be out four to six weeks. . Miami RHP Jacob Turner will face Colorado LHP Franklin Morales on Thursday in the series finale. ' ' '