LOS ANGELES -- Another chapter of storylines unfolds when the Los Angeles Lakers tip off their 2016-17 campaign Wednesday night.Last season, it was Kobe Bryants final year that grabbed the headlines, punctuated by a 60-point performance in his last game and a rare Lakers win.This time its Luke Walton stepping into the spotlight as he begins his first season as coach when the Lakers face the Houston Rockets at Staples Center in the season opener for both clubs.Walton replaces Byron Scott, who was dismissed after a franchise-worst 17-65 run last season. While Scott was known as a taskmaster and clashed with players, Walton brings a laid-back approach that the Lakers believe suits his young club well.I like leading by love, Walton said, according to the L.A. Times. But I had hippie parents so thats to be expected. Its the way I was raised.Walton, formerly the top assistant at Golden State under Steve Kerr, rose as a hot coaching property last season by guiding the Warriors to a 39-4 mark and winning an NBA-record 24 in a row to open the season as interim coach during Kerrs absence for health reasons.Walton already was on the radar of up-and-coming assistants destined for NBA coaching jobs, but that successful stretch expedited his elevation.Obviously, the Lakers job has major challenges. Walton will attempt to mix a crop of young talent (DAngelo Russell, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr. and rookie No. 2 pick Brandon Ingram) and blend it with a core of veterans (Lou Williams, Luol Deng, Jose Calderon, Timofey Mozgov and Nick Young).Theres no better guy to lead a franchise and teach a franchise from a youthful perspective that he brings to the game with maturity and knowledge, Phoenix Suns coach Earl Watson told the Orange County Register recently. He sees the game on a different level. Theres so many levels at this game. Theres so many games within a game. Few can see it with substance the way that he does.Mike DAntoni will return for the first time as a head coach since he quit the Lakers job after the 2013-14 season because the club refused to extend him a long-term deal.James Harden, the NBAs second-leading scorer at 29 points per game last season, leads a Rockets team that will play for the first time in three campaigns without center Dwight Howard, who bolted to Atlanta as a free agent.I think everybody is excited, everybodys ready to get going. Weve had a good preseason, said DAntoni, whose club finished 5-2 in exhibitions. Weve got still a lot of growth thats got to going on and weve got to get a lot better, but I think were at a reasonably good point.The Rockets will play without guard Patrick Beverly, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Tuesday. Beverly is expected to miss at least three weeks.We have to have a couple of guys (who) are going to step up without Pat, DAntoni said.In addition to Harden, Trevor Ariza, Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon and Nene are among those players expected to carry to the load. NFL Jerseys Outlet . "Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference. Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys . Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. http://www.cheapnfljerseysbywholesale.com/ . General manager Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch on Friday that he wants to see Gaboriks contributions go beyond the scoresheet before considering a long-term deal for the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent. Cheap China Jerseys . -- The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played to a 0-0 tie Saturday night that left the top of the Western Conference standings unchanged. Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping .com) - Following a late-game loss to the reigning NBA champs, the Toronto Raptors will look to sustain their recent high-level play as they travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers. COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- No. 20 Texas A&Ms first-year offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone likened his work with quarterback Trevor Knight in their debuts with the Aggies to a first date.There were some things that went well in Texas A&Ms 31-24 overtime win against UCLA. But there are also plenty of ways the pair will improve as they get to know each other better.Dont think he was satisfied or we were satisfied, Mazzone said. We are still a work in progress. For him and me. Thats first time he has to learn how I am as play-caller and I have to learn his play ... try to figure each other out and play to each others strengths.On Saturday, the pair will get another chance to work together when the Aggies, who jumped in the poll this week after being unranked in preseason, host FCS Prairie View in the first meeting between two schools just 50 miles apart. The Panthers opened the season by rallying twice to beat Texas Southern 29-25.Knight threw for 239 yards and a touchdown and ran for two more scores in his first game at A&M after transferring from Oklahoma as a graduate student. Coach Kevin Sumlin was impressed with the 22-year-olds poise throughout the game and particularly in overtime when he ran for the winning touchdown.Knight is looking to clean up some things this week and do more for the Aggies.We know that we can play a whole lot better, he said. So thats our focus this week. Attack the week and make ourselves better.Though Knight is a veteran who had appeared in 24 games for the Sooners before coming to Texas A&M, he admitted that getting his first game with the Aggies out of the way was a relief. He feels much more comfortable having been in a game with his new teammates and believes the jitters he had in the season opener will be gone on Saturday.He believes the way the team performed to win in overtime will help the Aggies as competition gets tougher.I think we are closer because of last Saturday, Knight said. Knowing that if we stick together were going to be OK.Some things to know about the Prairie View-Texas A&M game:CLOSING GAMES OUTThe Aggies led by 15 points in the fourth quarter onn Saturday before allowing UCLA to rally to tie it and send it to overtime.dddddddddddd Its a letdown that concerns Sumlin as Texas A&M prepares for the start of SEC play against Auburn next weekend.We have to close out games. Finish games, Sumlin said. Have to get more out of our backup guys in critical games like that. Got to find more guys to keep guys fresher in certain positions. Got to do some things offensively to help ourselves.GARRETT GETS GOINGDefensive end Myles Garrett, who is projected to be a top-five pick in the NFL draft if he leaves school after this season, picked up where he left off last season. He was in UCLA quarterback Josh Rosens face all day and finished with a sack, 1 1/2 tackles for losses and two quarterback hurries. He led the SEC with 12 1/2 sacks last season.NOILS RETURNWide receiver Speedy Noil will return this week after sitting out the opener as the second game of a two-game suspension he received before A&Ms bowl game last season for an unspecified violation of rules. Sumlin said Noil earned a starting spot in camp and is looking forward to his return.It was best fall camp hes had, Sumlin said. For him its consistency in his actions. Has as much talent as anybody ... worked really, really diligently in the offseason to understand his positon.Noil had 44 catches for 559 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman in 2014 and added 645 yards on 27 kick returns that season. He was slowed by injuries and two separate suspensions last season and finished with just 226 yards receiving.RUNNING GAME SHINESTexas A&M finished with 203 yards rushing on Saturday behind a running game led by freshman Trayveon Williams and Oklahoma transfer Keith Ford. Williams ran 15 times for 94 yards and Ford had 14 carries for 65 yards in his first game after sitting out a season following his transfer. Sumlin said James White, who had just two carries in the opener, will also see plenty of action this season, leaving the team with plenty of options at the position. cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '