so mention Peter Manley, who so nearly produced the greatest

SALT LAKE CITY -- Even with many key players missing large swaths of games because of injuries, the Utah Jazz were able to stay on a winning track. Now that some of those players are starting to get healthy again, the Jazz could take the step forward everyone expected before the season began.Gordon Hayward returned Saturday after a one-game absence and led Utah to a 104-84 victory over the Sacramento Kings. Now the Jazz have more good news: Derrick Favors is expected to be back in the lineup Thursday when Utah plays host to the Oklahoma City Thunder.Favors, who missed the past 13 games because of a bone contusion on his left knee, is expected to play limited minutes against Oklahoma City. He has appeared in 11 games this season, and he is averaging 10.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.0 block per contest.His return should further strengthen one of the NBAs top defensive teams. Utah (15-10) showed why it earned such a lofty status during the fourth quarter against the Kings. The Jazz held Sacramento to just eight points on 3-of-22 shooting over the final 12 minutes. That effort helped Utah overcome a season-high 22 turnovers that led to 36 points for the Kings.We guarded, said Hayward, who notched his 10th consecutive 20-point game, finishing with 26. They got nothing easy. It seemed like a lot of the shots were contested. Thats just what happened. Then we were able to get the ball up the court and they werent set. We got some good looks. People knocked down timely threes.Finding a way to contain Russell Westbrook will offer one of the toughest defensive challenges Utah has faced this season. Westbrook is playing at a MVP level this season while serving as Oklahoma Citys primary offensive option following Kevin Durants departure over the summer.Through 25 games, Westbrook is averaging 30.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.8 assists. If he can stay on his current pace for an entire season, he would be the first NBA player to average a triple-double since Oscar Robertson did it in the 1961-62 season.Westbrook has 12 triple-doubles so far this season -- including one stretch of seven in a row. He became the first player to notch seven consecutive triple-doubles since Michael Jordan did it in the 1988-89 season.For Westbrook, his sole goal is all about doing whatever is necessary to help his team get better and reach a championship level.I think thats what made those players so great -- Magic, MJ, Oscar, Westbrook told USA Today. They did it by winning some championships (and) by also helping the guys around them. Thats what I want to do.Oklahoma City (15-10) lost two of its past three after reeling off six straight wins. The Thunder fell 114-95 at Portland on Tuesday night in the first leg of a back-to-back road trip. Oklahoma City shot only 38 percent from the field and committed 20 turnovers.The Thunders second-leading scorer, Victor Oladipo, did not play Tuesday after spraining his wrist against the Boston Celtics two nights earlier. Oladipo is averaging 16.1 points through 24 games.Oklahoma City swept the season series with Utah a year ago, winning all four games. Joe Francis Jersey Retro . Jay Feely kicked a 41-yard field goal in overtime, and the Cardinals edged the Tennessee Titans 37-34 in overtime after blowing a 17-point lead late in the fourth quarter. Bill Kirchiro Jersey Retro . Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC failed to make the postseason while Montreal Impact fell at the first hurdle losing heavily to Houston Dynamo in the Eastern Conference Knockout Round. https://www.cheapjerseyslines.com/les-dodson-jersey-retro/ .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward James Neal on injured reserve Tuesday. Kevin Wyatt Jersey Retro . Barcelona also left injured defenders Carles Puyol, Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba out of its squad for the trip to Glasgow. That means that Marc Bartra will probably start again in the centre of the defence alongside Gerard Pique. Taylor Decker Jersey Retro .4 million title. Ryan Riess emerged with the title after a session in which he started behind, but used expert skill to gather the chips to his side amid the unpredictability of no-limit Texas Hold em. Riess put his final opponent Jay Farber all-in with an Ace-King.After Adrian Lewis hit a Premier League nine-darter, Rod Studd recalls how Freddie Flintoff was caught up in the mayhem of Michael van Gerwens perfect leg. Lewis completed the first nine-darter of the competition in last weeks win against James Wade and the eight remaining players return to action this Thursday night, live on Sky Sports. World No 1 Van Gerwen has a number of nine-darters to his name, but Studd has picked out a perfect leg at the World Matchplay, with special guest Freddie Flintoff supplying his own unique commentary. Michael Van Gerwen v Steve Beaton, 2012 World Matchplay last 16 Andrew Flintoff is an avid follower of darts You have to remember that Michael van Gerwen was very much in the doldrums at this stage of his career. Before he became the new Van Gerwen, he was still floundering a bit, struggling. This nine-darter served as a catalyst for what came afterwards. He went on to win the World Grand Prix and then all those titles and remarkable feats would follow.The great Andrew Freddie Flintoff had joined the irrepressible John Gwynne and Rod Harrington in the commentary box. Freddie has always been a fan of the arrows and obviously fancied a trip to Blackpool. I thought Freddie was going to spontaneously combust as double 12 went in. Rodd Studd When asked if he fancied a spell as a guest commentator, Freddie jumped at the chance and became progressively energetic as Van Gerwen produced his 40 seconds of magic. I thought Freddie was going to spontaneously combust as double 12 went in. The commentary added to the entertainment with Freddie saying: Its a nine-dart finish, its the first I have seen in the commentary box. John Gwynne is on his feet and Rod Harrington has wet himself!That thankfully did not happen, but it was a magical moment, and kick-started Michaels rise to greatness. John Part v Mark Webster, 2011 World Matchplay first round. John Part gave a glimpse of his class against Mark Webster Partys nine-darter is his only one on television and he still treasures it.dddddddddddd Im sure John wont mind me saying, but he was playing like an absolute drain at the time, trailing 7-3 and averaging in the high 80s.Sid Waddell quite rightly kept saying out of nowhere as Part had not shown any inkling that he was going to do this. Tell me Im not having seaside dreams is the superb line that followed the last dart. Sky Live: PL Darts Michael van Gerwen will play twice in the Premier League as the battle for a top four spot continues And Manleys near miss... Peter Manley was inches away from an extraordinary nine-darter Ive got to also mention Peter Manley, who so nearly produced the greatest nine-darter ever in the 1999 World Matchplay final against Rod Harrington. No-one had hit a live televised nine-darter at that time. The Holy Grail was still being sought for and would not appear until Phil Taylor found it in 2002.One-dart Manley, that masterful showman, went for treble 18 and blocked the bed, so with 90 remaining he hit double 20 only to wire the bull. The agony as he sinks to his knees was a sight to behold. And Rod Harrington almost shoved Peter out of the way in his urgency to return to the oche! Watch all of the Premier League matches on Thursday night, starting at 7pm on Sky Sports 2.By purchasing a Sky Sports Day Pass for £6.99 or Sky Sports Week Pass for £10.99, you can enjoy access to all seven Sky Sports channels and watch on a TV with a NOW TV Box or on a range of devices. Also See: Sky Live: PL Darts Taylor tired of theme tune Sky Bets darts odds On Sky TV ' ' '