Valverde to catch a group of early breakaway riders on the

SALT LAKE CITY -- Life during Gordon Haywards absence may not be too difficult for the Utah Jazz to handle after all. Behind the inspired play of veteran point guard George Hill, the Jazz are proving to be a tough customer even while Hayward continues to heal from a broken finger.Hill is enjoying the finest start to a season during his nine-year NBA career. Through five games, he is averaging a team-best 21.4 points while shooting 54.8 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from 3-point range. Hill has been a steadying influence for Utahs offense, providing energy on critical baskets and timely assists.Im glad my teammates have confidence in me in controlling the tempo out there and trying to make plays, Hill said, after scoring a season-high 25 points to lead the Jazz to a 97-81 victory over Dallas on Wednesday night. Numbers or not, I just want to win.When the Jazz (3-2) acquired Hill in a trade with Indiana over the summer, it gave them a legitimate floor general at point guard -- something that Utah has sorely lacked in recent seasons. He has done everything the team hoped he could do -- and more -- since the trade.Handling the scoring load just comes with the territory of Hill showing Utah that the team made a wise decisionWe had a high opinion of George, thats why we traded for him, Utah coach Quin Snyder said. Thats the essence of who he is. Hes just going to do is asked of him and what he thinks that he needs to do to help us win games. Thats what hes done.San Antonio needs no introduction to how dangerous Hill can be on the court. He spent his first three years in the league with the Spurs, averaging 9.9 points and 2.4 assists in 231 games.Hill caused all sorts of trouble for San Antonio on Tuesday, scoring 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting and dishing out seven assists to lead the Jazz to a 106-91 victory. It marked Utahs first road victory over the Spurs since 2010. It also was the teams first victory over San Antonio since a 90-81 defeat in Salt Lake City on Feb. 23, 2015.The Spurs had no answer for the energy he generated and spread throughout the rest of the Jazz roster.They were aggressive the entire 48 minutes and we were in and out in that regard and it cost us, Spurs coach Greg Popovich said.The Spurs (4-1) will be shorthanded in their quest to avenge their only loss this season. Tony Parker and Danny Green will not play on Friday night. Parker is out with a sore right knee and Green is sidelined with a left quad strain.Their absence means Kawhi Leonard will have to deliver a big performance again for San Antonio. Leonard has led the team in scoring all five games this season and totaled 30 points against Utah. The 6th-year forward is averaging 28.4 points per game, which ranks 7th among NBA players this season.Leonard has increased his scoring average each of the previous five seasons. He also saw significant improvements in his field-goal percentage, free-throw percentage and 3-point field-goal percentage last season.San Antonio swept the season series with Utah a year ago, winning all four games between the two team by an average margin of 21 points. Vapormax Wholesale . PETERSBURG, Fla. Fake Off White Vapormax For Sale .com) - The Montreal Canadiens embark on their first road trip of the season as they head out west to battle the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. http://www.cheapvapormaxtrainers.com/ . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. Nike Vapormax Plus Wholesale . Nathan MacKinnon, Jamie McGinn and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who won despite being outshot 38-23. MacKinnons goal, also on the power play, came with just over a minute remaining. Nike Vapormax Outlet . Instead of dwelling on the negative, Oates focused on what was good about the clubs recent play. It worked. ARCALIS, Andorra -- Diminished by a fever and still reeling from crashes on the opening two days of the race, two-time champion Alberto Contador pulled out of the Tour de France during the toughest Pyrenean stage Sunday.Slightly more than 60 miles from the end of Stage 9 from the Spanish town of Vielha to the ski resort of Arcalis in Andorra, the 33-year-old Spaniard stopped at the side of the road, hopped off his bike and got into the passenger seat of his team car.I could not keep going, Contador later said at his team hotel. This morning I had a fever. And I did not feel good since I crashed on the first day.Contador crashed in each of the opening stages -- damaging his right shoulder, elbow and hip -- and had already lost time on the other overall favorites.He was in 20th position at the end of Saturdays eighth stage, 3 minutes, 12 seconds behind leader Chris Froome, who said Contadors departure from the race was a big loss for the Tour de France.We are not going to have to chase his attacks 100 kilometers out anymore, Froome said. Its one of the less things for us to worry about, but its maybe a shame of the race.During Sundays stage, Contador dropped back to his team car four times before finally withdrawing.He had started the stage in a bright fashion, attacking alongside fellow Spaniard Alejandro Valverde to catch a group of early breakaway riders on the first climb.ddddddddddddBut Contador could not continue his effort and was quickly brought back by the pack before he pulled out in the Port del Canto climb. He handed his bike to a mechanic and waved to TV cameras as he exited the race that made him famous.The withdrawal occurred on Contadors home roads near the town of Vilamur in Spain.Its bad news for me, said Tinkoff team owner Oleg Tinkov, who is planning to leave the sport. It was my last try to win the Tour de France. But who knows, maybe Ill come back in a few years.Contador, who won cyclings showpiece race in 2007 and 2009, had made the Tour de France his main goal of the season, skipping the Giro to focus on the Tour.If he recovers, Contador is still expected to compete in the road race at the Rio Olympics next month.I will undergo tests to find out what is going wrong, he said.Contador was stripped of the 2010 Tour title and suspended for two years after testing positive for the banned steroid clenbuterol in the final week of the race.He was among the three prerace favorites this year alongside defending champion Froome and Colombian climber Nairo Quintana. ' ' '