A week from tonight, the lockout-shortened regular season comes to an end. . Heres a few quick thoughts on four players and one head coach who are having a positive impact on their teams. 1. Tony Allen (Grizzlies) - Bigger names on the Griz that do more for you offensively but come playoff time, hell be a huge key for Lionel Hollins. In the playoffs, you must have a terrific perimeter defender and he gets after it. Exceptional strength, quickness, smarts and toughness. You must have a guy who can quiet down an opposing star. Hes their best chance at doing that. Good team and hes an unsung reason why. 2. Roy Hibbert (Pacers) -Restricted free agent at seasons end and he will be a guy folks keep an eye on. Has improved his consistency and overall game. The speed/quickness of the NBA game was too much for him early on; hes figured out how to be an effective pro. Heady and cerebral player who passes well out of the post. Rebounds and blocks shots. Offence is improving. The former Raptors draft pick is one of the many bright spots on a good playoff-bound team. 3. Gordon Hayward (Jazz) - I wasnt convinced when he left Butler early and have remained skeptical. Of late, hes coming on. Tougher than he looks and a pretty good finisher. Solid athlete with decent quicks and creativity. Grasping the pro game and scoring in clutch moments. Shoots it and gets his game off effectively with the dribble. Developing nicely. Jazz are a surprise team in the West. Kudos to coach Ty Corbin (class act) and GM Kevin OConnor (one of the best and most underrated GMs in the league) for once again putting together another winning product in small-market Salt Lake City. 4. Randy Wittman (Wizards) - They cleared out the immature guys (Nick Young/Javalle McGee) and put lazy Mr. Blatche on conditioning hiatus and turned the team over to up-and-comer John Wall and regained the direction/spirit you need to be successful. Wittman has held guys accountable and it shows. Theyre improved and, even in losing efforts, you can see there is a plan and discipline finally in place. Wittman has found the right approach with this group. Not sure what Wittman or GM Ernie Grunfelds future is but theyve at least gotten things cleaned about a bit in a once-toxic atmosphere. 5. ERIC GORDON (Hornets) - Another restricted free agent on July 1. Expect someone to throw a big offer sheet his way. In spite of being injured parts of each of his four years, hes shown enough when he has played to create major interest and hope that hell be more durable as he matures. Talented scorer who has improved in his overall feel for the game and the dynamics of 5-on-5 halfcourt game. Scouts I chat with think the next 5-7 years for him (if he stays healthy) can be highly productive and hes worth taking a major run at. The Hornets better be prepared to swallow hard and match a big offer. [url=http://www.shopnflonline.net/Black-Friday-Chicago-Bears-Tom-Waddle-Jersey-C... Waddle Cyber Monday Jersey .J. Green, the Bengals first-round draft choice, has agreed to terms on a four-year contract and should be on hand Friday, when Cincinnati opens training camp in Kentucky. . Anderson (3-4) allowed three hits, fanned four and walked three, needing just 105 pitches to complete his outing. Brett did a heck of a job. He located well, had a decent fastball. All the guys in the lineup had a hit and thats encouraging, Athletics manager Bob Geren said about his clubs victory. [url=http://www.shopnflonline.net/Black-Friday-Arizona-Cardinals-Thomas-Keiser-J... . "That was a good character win for us," said Battalion forward Brandon Robinson. "Matej (Machovsky) has been great for us all year." Philip Lane scored twice and Robinson chipped in with a goal of his own for Brampton (15-10-4). [url=http://www.shopnflonline.net/Black-Friday-Baltimore-Ravens-Michael-Huff-Jer... Huff Cyber Monday Jersey . Trailing by six points with three minutes to play, a botched punt by Toronto kicker Grant Shaw would give Edmonton great field position and lead to a 21-yard touchdown catch by Fred Stamps as the Eskimos came from behind to continue their torrid start to the season, defeating the visiting Argonauts 26-25 on Friday. . -- There were no smiles of accomplishment in the Trail Blazers locker-room on Tuesday night. BIRMINGHAM, England -- Steven Gerrards penalty sealed a second-half turnaround by Liverpool in a 2-1 win over relegation-threatened Aston Villa on Sunday, boosting his teams hopes of playing in Europe next season. Villa, which is now third from bottom with seven games to play, took a halftime lead thanks to Belgium striker Christian Bentekes 14th goal of the campaign but Jordan Henderson started Liverpools comeback with an equalizer in the 47th minute. Luis Suarez then tumbled in the area under a challenge from Nathan Baker 13 minutes later and Gerrard converted the spot-kick into the bottom corner to keep Liverpool five points behind fifth-place Arsenal, which occupies the final European position. The Reds will require an almost-perfect end to the season, and for a few of the teams above it to slip up, to qualify for either the Champions League or Europa League next season. "Sometimes you can let the season fizzle out but we dont want to do that," said Gerrard, who needed an injection in his heel to make the starting line-up before scoring his 98th Premier League goal. "We want to see if we can nick fifth or sixth in the table." The nature of this comeback showed once again that Liverpool, under Brendan Rodgers, is a side on the up after its slow start to the season. This was its fourth win in the past five league games. "We upped the tempo after the break and we were excellent," Rodgers said. "It is a terrific win for us . Our quality was there for all to see." Gerrard needed to produce a flying header to clear Bentekes header off Liverpools line in the 65th minute to preserve the lead. Rodgers hailed the 32-year-old England captain and said the club will be offering him a new contract. "He is just a real inspirational man. A top, top player, whose hunger and desire for Liverpool to succeed is incredible," Rodgers said. &quuot;I cant speak highly enough of him. [url=http://www.shopnflonline.net/Black-Friday-Green-Bay-Packers-Don-Barclay-Jer... Barclay Cyber Monday Jersey. As a guy coming from the outside who has watched him all my life, to actually work with the man is a huge pleasure and privilege. "Can Gerrard play on into his late 30s? Absolutely, no question." The visitors had trouble in the first half coping with Benteke, who enhanced his reputation as one of the signings of the off-season by giving Liverpools defence a torrid time and capping it with a well-taken goal in the 31st. Gabriel Agbonlahor cushioned a long ball over the top with his right thigh into the path of his strike partner, who volleyed low past Pepe Reina for his ninth goal in 11 league games. Agbonlahor earlier had a great chance saved from point-blank range by Reina but Liverpool was always dangerous at the other end, with goalkeeper Brad Guzan twice denying Suarez. The cutting edge arrived immediately after the break, with Philippe Coutinho finding the sprinting Henderson with a defence-splitting pass and the midfielder finished into the corner. Coutinho has now scored or assisted in all six of his appearances since joining from Inter Milan in January. Liverpool was rampant over the next 15 minutes, Coutinho shooting wide when clean through and Glen Johnson hitting the post with a deflected shot before Suarez was brought down by a clumsy sliding tackle from Baker. Guzan dived the right way for Gerrards low penalty but couldnt keep it out. "I was glad to get on the score-sheet with the penalty but the header at the other end probably won us the game," Gerrard said. Wigans 1-0 victory against Norwich on Saturday dropped Villa into the relegation zone on goal difference. "We are playing well enough to win and I certainly have the belief that we will be fine," Villa manager Paul Lambert said. "We had chances and we didnt look like a team down there at the bottom." ' ' '