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MINNEAPOLIS - It can be easy to forget the electricity that crackled through Target Center every time Ricky Rubio walked to the scorers table to check in during his rookie season with Minnesota.That was way back in 2011, a lifetime in the NBA. The flashy Spaniard was a game-changer that first season, breathing new life into a downtrodden franchise and had the lowly Timberwolves nearing a playoff berth when he went down with a major knee injury in early March.Three years after his debut, essentially two years after his left knee was surgically repaired and three days before the deadline to extend his rookie contract, Rubio feels like hes as close as hes ever been to recapturing that old magic.If you look at the stats, Im not a big guy to put up a lot of numbers, Rubio told The Associated Press on Tuesday before boarding a plane to Memphis for Wednesdays season opener. I think what I do is change the game. I can do it from defence. I can do it with a couple steals. I can do it by getting the ball to a player who is hot. ... Winning games — thats what I want to do.Thats what he did as a rookie. His long-scrutinized shooting has never been worse than it was that first season (35.7 per cent), but he found numerous other ways to impact the game.With his hair flopping and the ball zipping to open teammates, a team that had won just 32 games combined over the previous two seasons and had not made the playoffs for seven straight years was 21-19 and nearing the eighth seed when Minnesota hosted the Lakers on March 9.I was coming from a winning team and coming here, knowing they only won like 17 or 15 games the season before, it was kind of shocking. But I was trying to bring everything I learned during my years overseas in Europe and try to change the mentality, he said.That night, Rubio tore two knee ligaments in the closing moments of the close loss, and the Wolves season quickly swirled down the drain. Kevin Love was injured as well and the team would only win five more games.Rubio returned to play in 57 games in the next season and all 82 last year, but he wasnt the same player. He shot 36 per cent in 2012-13 and 38 per cent last season. Critics point to those numbers as reason for the Wolves to be cautious in signing him to a big-money extension.The whole season last year was trying to get back that feeling, Rubio said. I was feeling 100 per cent healthy, but you never know when youre healthy 100 per cent. I think this summer I could finally workout on my body, could make a couple steps forward. I felt pretty good in the (FIBA) World Cup. My quickness was 100 per cent back.In six preseason games this year, Rubio averaged 11.3 points in 22.5 minutes and shot 43.5 per cent from the field, but only 20 per cent on 3s. He also averaged 4.8 free throw attempts while showing more aggressiveness.Coach Flip Saunders said Rubios new-found mentality is a product of a different system that puts the ball in his hands more and gives him more responsibility for where the shots come from. That, coupled with Loves departure for Cleveland, has given Rubio more freedom to call his own number than in the past.Hes shown good leadership, Saunders said. I like the fact that hes a willing learner. I like the fact that he works hard. Like all young players, they all have things they have to work on. But he works at his deficiencies. Hes extremely competitive and he wants to win.If the Timberwolves are going to avoid taking a huge step back after trading Love, Rubio is going to have to lead the way. Youngsters Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine and Anthony Bennett arent ready for that responsibility and have yet to show they can make a difference in a regular-season game.Rubio did that once before, and he can feel it coming again.A lot of people put us in the 15th seed in the Western Conference, Rubio said. If they believe that, Im not agreeing with that and were going to show everybody.___Follow Jon Krawczynski on Twitter: http://twitter.com/APKrawczynski Cheap Authentic Jordans From China . The Toronto Blue Jays general manager made a series of bold moves that reshaped the club ahead of what would turn out to be a disastrous 2013 campaign. Wholesale Authentic Jordans .Morse gets a $1 million signing bonus and salaries of $7 million next season and $8 million in 2016 under the agreement announced Wednesday. http://www.cheapjordansusa.com/. Barnard, 28, was 1-0 with a 0.53 ERA in three appearances, including two starts, with San Angel o this season. He struck out 19 batters and walked just one in 17 innings pitched. He has previous American Association experience with the Lincoln Saltdogs, El Paso Diablos and Amarillo Sox. Cheap Jordans Usa . The Raptors have to get through the pesky New York Knicks Wednesday at Madison Square Garden and can lock up the third spot in the Eastern Conference with a win or a Chicago loss in Charlotte. Cheap Jordans From China . Others describe it as taking the parrot for a walk. TORONTO -- The Toronto Maple Leafs stood pat Wednesday, deciding that the cost to make a move on trade deadline day was too much. "We would have been hurting ourselves long-term and we werent prepared to do that," Dave Nonis, Torontos senior vice-president and general manager, told reporters. Nonis, who said he made plenty of calls to test the waters, said the asking prices were high and the talent on offer limited. The sense he got was there might be more movement come the summer. "There wasnt a lot available in general," he said. "I think deals that changed the look of your team seemed to happen at the draft." Nonis acknowledged that his team had been up and down, putting the onus on the Leafs to return to their winning ways before the Olympic break. "If we do, we should be fine. And if we dont, then were going to have some difficulties," he said. "But its not a bad team. I think weve got a good core group. Were very young still." Nonis said he did get trade inquiries, pointing to younger players like rookie defenceman Morgan Rielly -- who turns 20 on Sunday. "Morgan Riellys easy to move today. But it doesnt makes sense to us." He said the team could have got some "pretty good high picks" for some of its players facing unrestricted free agency this summer. One of thoose is forward Dave Bolland, who is recovering from a tendon injury.dddddddddddd There is no time frame on his return, with Nonis saying some movement was still causing him discomfort. "Its going to take however long it takes. Im hopeful and confident that hell be back this year," said Nonis. Bolland had surgery after being checked into the board by Zack Kassian in a 4-0 loss in Vancouver on Nov. 2. Asked about taking on other teams unrestricted free agents via trade, Nonis said either the price was too high or he felt the Leafs already had comparable players. "Why pay a price for nothing? Asked how close the Leafs were to being a Stanley Cup contender, Nonis said the salary cap has changed the NHL landscape so that anyone who gets into the post-season has a chance to win it all. "Are there favourites? No question, Would I put ourselves in as a favourite? No. But I think you saw in the last year we were pretty close to moving on." Toronto, which took Boston to seven games in the first round of last seasons playoffs, was 32-23-8 going into Wednesday nights game in New York against the Rangers. Other Leafs who are eligible to become unrestricted free agents after the season are forwards Nikolai Kulemin, Jay McClement, Mason Raymond and Troy Bodie, and defenceman Paul Ranger. ' ' '