MINNEAPOLIS -- The Los Angeles Clippers will be looking to extend the best start in franchise history when they travel for the second game of a back-to-back in Minnesota on Saturday night. Cheap Saucony Sneakers .The Timberwolves are just hoping to build some momentum in this young season.Los Angeles survived a 110-108 victory in Oklahoma City on Friday night, pushing their record to an NBA-best 8-1. In the process, the Clippers posted a win against the only team to beat them this season.This is one of those games that you can lose your trust in, Clippers coach Doc Rivers said after the contest. (Andre) Roberson was making threes, (Damontis) Sabonis was making threes and were telling our guys to stay and clog the paint. And they are looking at me, like, Why? We did it and it worked out for us. This is one of those games that you could have lost trust easily in what we were doing and we didnt.At the end of the day, we won the game, so I think it actually probably gives me more equity to try more stuff.The Clippers are building plenty of equity this season. Los Angeles has won five games in a row, including road games at Oklahoma City and San Antonio.Minnesota enters the season with high hopes with new coach Tom Thibodeau after more than a decade of losing. But the young squad is still looking to find its rhythm, particularly on the defensive end.Timberwolves opponents are shooting .469 from the field this year, the second-highest mark in the NBA. Minnesota has allowed 104.0 points per game. Establishing a defensive presence was a big part of Thibodeaus arrival.The Timberwolves (2-5) allowed 107 points on the road to Orlando in their last game, but managed a 123-107 victory to snap a three-game losing streak.There is a small difference between winning and losing, Thibodeau said after Wednesday nights game. You take a hard look at the mental mistakes. The biggest thing is eliminating all of the ways you beat yourself first.A possible return from point guard Ricky Rubio could help fix the defensive inefficiencies. Rubio has missed the last five games with a sprained right elbow, but he returned to practice Friday. If he feels good after the workout, Rubio could return this weekend as Minnesota plays a home back-to-back.As long as he feels pretty good tomorrow, Thibodeau said Friday. Just the way he can push the ball, his decision-making, team defense, hes all over the place.Defense hasnt been an issue for Los Angeles. Returning nearly the same squad as last season, the Clippers allow a league-low 90.4 points per game.The Clippers had won three games in a row by more than 20 points before Fridays two-point victory. The game came down to the end, only assured when Russell Westbrooks 3-pointer missed the mark in the final seconds.Yeah, a big-time trust game for us, Chris Paul said after the game. Cheap Saucony Shoes . 31, the CFL club announced Monday. The team also has yet to decide on the future of Doug Berry, who began the season as a consultant to the head coach but took over the offensive co-ordinators duties in July. Saucony Sneakers On Sale . MORITZ, Switzerland -- Fog prevented downhill racers from getting their Olympic dress rehearsal. http://www.sauconycheap.com/ . One game after a miserable showing in Oklahoma City, Gay tied a career high with 41 points and the Sacramento Kings cruised to a 114-97 victory at the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.Adrian Lewis nine-darter stole the show but the Premier Leagues top four all showed their immense quality on Thursday in Belfast. REPORT: Lewis trumps Wade Nine-darters, epic draw, and two Barney games Michael van Gerwen drew with Gary Anderson meaning the victorious Phil Taylor remains top of the shop, but it wasnt a successful night for everyone.What did we learn in Belfast? Finally a nine-darter! But do we need more?Lewis nine-dart leg during his victory over James Wade was the Premier Leagues first in four years, a remarkable streak that has finally been broken. Somehow, the worlds finest throwers had conspired to starve us of the perfect leg dating back to 2012 when Simon Whitlock achieved darts grandest finish against Andy Hamilton. Adrian Lewis ended a four-year drought Poor old Wayne Mardle, our Sky Sports expert, has been predicting a nine-darter every week for four years without any joy but he was right to continue backing the boys. Lewis and co have always proved they have the ability to score a nine-darter but had bizarrely saved their best efforts for other tournaments - Anderson, in January, nailed a perfect leg at the World Championship against Jelle Klaasen.Lewis, after Thursdays success against Wade, revealed he had already hit a nine-darter in the practice room. Van Gerwen did the same over the weekend at a Tour event. The quality has never been higher, so hopefully Lewis has broken down a barrier to more frequent nine-dart finishes.Who is currently the worlds best player?Van Gerwen and Anderson thundered the dartboard in a scintillating 6-6 draw that took just 16 minutes, creating such a whirlwind of arrows that the Belfast crowd were briefly silenced into a state of shock. Nobody deserved to lose this high-quality encounter, especially after Anderson sensationally fended off an attempted break of throw with a 119 checkout. Reaction from Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson At that moment, it was difficult to decide if world No 1 Van Gerwen was a better player than defending Premier League and World Championship winner Anderson. Locked at the pinnacle of the sport, their feverish back-and-forth rivalry means debate will rage about the superior player regardless of Van Gerwens current place atop the PDC rankings.Of course, the elephant is the room is Taylor. Sitting pretty with a four-point lead at the top of the league, Taylor has quietly gone about his business amid questions of whether he still has another major title in his locker. Try telling The Power that Van Gerwen or Anderrson is the worlds best player…Barneys play-off hopes are overPrior to Thursday, Mardle speculated: If [Raymond van Barneveld] can nick four points, hes back in the mix. Discount Saucony Sneakers. Hes got a lifeline. If he doesnt get all four points, hes out of it. The leg that may have ended Barneys season... The Dutch legend is five points off the play-off spots, having already played a game extra than fourth-placed Anderson. There are four more weeks before the play-offs at Londons O2 Arena so mathematically Van Barneveld can still stage a turnaround but, realistically, his fate is largely in his rivals hands.He put up a decent battle in Belfast, but a late comeback couldnt prevent defeat to Taylor. From there, even a win against Robert Thornton couldnt raise a smile. Barney is seventh in the Premier League and it looks very likely his season will end in Rotterdam, in his home country of the Netherlands, on May 12.The Thorn is still pricklyThornton, in all likelihood, is going through the motions with the remaining weeks of the Premier League. Sitting at the bottom of the table, he never truly harboured any play-off hopes and would have just been delighted to escape elimination on Judgement Night. Robert Thornton earned his best win of the season Yet the freedom has resulted in Thorntons best performances of the season, and a 7-2 win against Peter Wright on Thursday is his finest result to date. He followed it up with defeat to Van Barneveld that forced him to spend another week in eighth place, but suddenly Thornton has become a tricky customer for the seven players that look down on him.The battle for fourthTaylor is currently top of the Premier League with 20 points, and Van Gerwen trails him on 16. Lewis is third with 15, and Anderson is a point behind in fourth. But dangerously, Wade is only one point off the pace and Snakebite Wright has 11. James Wade is firmly in the play-off hunt Taylor and Van Gerwen seem assured of their play-off spots as part of the top four, but the rest is up for grabs. Even reigning champion Anderson is by no means assured of maintaining his defence, despite a hearty 6-6 draw with Van Gerwen.Six of the eight remaining players have realistic ambitions of getting to The O2, so its all to play for…Watch Premier League Darts next Thursday from Birmingham, live on Sky Sports 2 HD at 7pm. Also See: Fixtures/Results On Sky TV Prem Table Darts betting ' ' '