2012 » more night in the spotlight, one more roar from the crowd. Its b

Williams technical director Pat Symonds suspects Formula Ones new-look cars are on course for a lap time improvement of four seconds per lap at high-downforce circuits next year.F1s new regulations will see wider cars with wider wings and wider tyres in 2017, with the aim of increasing cornering speeds and lowering lap times. The hope is that the faster cars will create more excitement for fans, with FIA simulations earlier this year indicating a four- to five-second reduction in lap time.Although Symonds may be inclined to play down the lap time improvement so as not to give Williams 2017 development level away, he expects the final result will be in the lower range of the FIA estimate at high-downforce circuits such as Barcelona, and much less at low-downforce tracks like Monza.The performance is getting more like the mid-2000 cars but not really there, he said. You remember the target was five seconds a lap quicker, well Im not sure we will achieve that.Weve got this big unknown of the tyres, of course, we really dont know where we are there. But making some sensible assumptions with the tyres I think were going to see more like the four-second mark.A place like Barcelona where this type of car will be quite performant, I think it will be a bit more than that but some places like Monza for example, where actually youll be taking a lot of downforce off because youve inherently got a bit more drag from the wider tyres, I dont think well see much difference in lap time at a track like that. Or nowhere near that amount.Asked if drivers could struggle with the extra physical demands of driving the 2017 cars, Symonds said he is not expecting any more of a challenge than drivers had in the mid-2000s.Theyve driven cars like this before, its like what we had in in 2004/5, around then. To give you an example of a sort of typical 200km/h corner, its probably going to go up by 30 or 35 km/h, which adds a G to it. Yeah, its going to be a bit more physical but its not mindblowing I dont think.Wholesale NMD R1 . Durant finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds, Jackson matched his career high with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting and Lamb scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, lifting the Thunder to a 94-88 win over San Antonio and snapping the Spurs 11-game winning streak. Ultra Boost Australia . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases. http://www.nmdaustraliasale.com/ . Westbrook has missed 27 games since having a procedure on Dec. 27 to deal with swelling in his injured right knee — the third operation on the knee in nine months. NMD CS2 Australia . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt. Winchester, who was not penalized for the hit, appeared to make contact with Kellys head early in the first period of Thursdays game in Boston. Ultra Boost Australia Online . Giroud, who wasnt in the starting lineup for two matches after allegations about his private life and a decline in form, scored twice in the first half. Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half.SAN ANTONIO -- David Robinson was 37 years old when he rode off into the NBA sunset with a fresh Lawrence OBrien trophy under his arm and his legacy as the greatest player in San Antonio Spurs history firmly intact. Its been 10 years since Robinson left his team in the hands of Tim Duncan and a couple of precocious and unpredictable young guards named Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. Now its Duncans legacy that is being debated as the Spurs battle the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. "I was fortunate to end my last game on a win. Id love to see that for Tim," Robinson said. "I dont know if this will be his last year. If they win it this time, theres nothing to say they cant win it again next year." Duncan turned 37 in April, but thats where the similarities end. Everyone knew "The Admiral" was on his last legs back in 2003. Robinson, who scored 71 points in a game in 1994 to lock up the scoring title with 29.8 points per game, averaged just 8.5 points and 26.2 minutes in his final season. But he was able to deliver one last forceful performance -- 13 points, 17 rebounds, 6-for-8 shooting -- to close out the Nets in Game 6. Duncan is still motoring right along. He averaged 17.9 points and 9.9 rebounds this season to earn first-team All-NBA honours for the 10th time. "Hes aging gracefully," Robinson said. "Hes playing amazing basketball. Hes phenomenal." The two became friends when Duncan was drafted No. 1 overall in 1997. Duncan would tease Robinson about getting old, and now its the 47-year-old Robinson who sees his younger friend dealing with those same issues. "Ive not been so small as to come back at him," Robinson said with a chuckle. "When he came in, every once in a while Id have to warm up a little longer than him and hed tell me how much of an old man I was. Id have to go ice my knees down and jump in the hot tub. Hes experiencing some of those growing pains." When Duncan worked out for the Spurs before being taken No. 1 overall, Robinson famously told then-owner Red McCombs: "Hes already better than me." So began the plans for succession, which arent always met with open arms by aging stars. But Robinson had yet to win a title during his brilliant career, and Duncan helped deliver the first one in 1999 against the New York Knicks. That made it a lot easier for Robinson to swallow his pride and let the Spurs become Duncans team. "Its not tough when you want to win," Robinson said. "You realize what your limitations are. When Tim came in and we started working out together, it was clear to me this guy could score and he was going to be a great player. So it would have been stupid for me to say, No, I want to keep leading the team in scoring. "Who cares? As long as we win, thats all that matters." Duncan had 20 points and 14 rebounds in San Antonios Game 1 win in Miami, but the younger Spurs like Danny Green, Gary Neal and Kawhi Leonard played bigger roles in blowing out the Heat in Game 3 to put championship No. 5 within reach. "He sees his limitations starting to come up and says, Hey, Tony can carry this team just as well," Robinson said. "We give him good suppport, were still going to win and we all get the credit.dddddddddddd So I think we just have smart players. Theres only one agenda on this team, and its been that way for 20 years." Duncan learned from Robinson about sacrificing personal numbers for the greater good, which is why the leadership transition from him to point guard Tony Parker has been so seamless. Its also one of the main reasons he was able to get back to the finals 14 years after his first appearance. "I dont know that there was a point where we actually said, Im stepping aside and this is your team or whatever else," Duncan said of taking over for Robinson. "There was kind of an evolution of my game and his game. It is happening the same way now with Tony and Manu. I dont think Ive stepped aside or anything else. Our roles have just changed. And were all comfortable with that, as long as were working toward the same goal." Robinson was the one who started that all, and there still remains a special place in San Antonios heart for the 10-time All-Star and member of the original Dream Team. But time can dim anyones star, even one as bright as the Admirals. When he walked into Wheatley Middle School on Wednesday for an NBA Cares event to dedicate a new learning and play centre, Robinson took a seat and waited for his introduction. Emcee Ahmad Rashad listed his many accomplishments -- the Hall of Famer and the face of the franchise for 14 seasons -- and Robinson received a warm ovation from the children who sat cross-legged a few feet in front of him. Then came Danny Green, the no-name role player in his fourth year who was cut twice but had just exploded for 27 points the previous night. The place went bananas, a thunderous ovation for the man of the hour. "Most of these kids dont even know who I am," Robinson said with a hearty chuckle and a wide smile after reading a book to them. "Its great. Its been a lot of fun. Even to be just a small part of it right now is pretty cool for me." Theres no bitterness in his voice. No yearning for one more night in the spotlight, one more roar from the crowd. Its been 10 years since Robinson retired after winning his second championship with the Spurs. A full decade since he last laced up the shoes professionally and went to battle in the paint with 20,000 fans screaming his name and 14 teammates looking to him to make the big play in the big moment. "I miss the locker room," Robinson said. "Thats where you make such good friends, and the competing from day to day is a lot of fun. But I like raising my kids. Ive had my fun. That was great. And I enjoy now being a part of it the way I am." Somehow, some way, the same three kids -- Duncan, Parker, Ginobili -- Robinson left to carry the torch are still together. Still winning. Still Spurs. Theyve won two titles without Robinson, who showed them all how to be pros. "Theyre about the last ones I recognize on this team," he said. "Its great. You see the new generations coming now. Obviously Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard playing phenomenal basketball. Gary Neals doing a great job. Tonys still a young guy. Theyve got all the pieces to keep it moving." ' ' '