Only a year ago, Brampton, Ontarios Anthony Bennett was making a splash in the NCAA at UNLV, averaging 16.1 points per game, 8.1 rebounds, shooting .533 per cent from the field and .375 per cent from the three-point line with a good mix of power and range. The 68" freshman was drawing comparisons to former alum and Naismith Player of the Year Larry Johnson, and was considered a cant-miss NBA lottery pick. Today, two months into his rookie NBA season after being selected first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2013 Draft, ESPNs NBA Insider Chad Ford says "hes looking like the worst #1 draft pick of the last twenty years." Bennetts season averages of 2.5 points and 2.1 rebounds per game, shooting .275 per cent from the field, .556 per cent from the free throw line and .148 per cent from behind the arc in 10.5 minutes per game do little to contravene Fords claim. Bennetts agent and former AAU coach Mike George feels the media criticism is making a bigger story than necessary and is tinged with bias. "Obviously hes the #1 pick so theres a lot of pressure in that regard," George says. "I also think the fact that hes Canadian [means] a lot of the American media are not telling both sides of the story." Yet, Ford was also the biggest champion of the now since forgotten, Serbian 7-footer Darko Milicic, who in 2002 was drafted behind LeBron James and ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. So how did Bennett go from stud to dud? Last January, he developed a torn left rotator cuff which he played through, until the Runnin Rebels were eliminated from the NCAA tournament in March. After declaring for the draft, he had shoulder surgery in May and wasnt cleared for basketball activity until September, missing all of Summer League. He finally was able to participate in Clevelands training camp, with a focus of getting back into game shape, working on his conditioning and losing weight. The other side of the story that George refers to - the unfair media criticism - is that the Cavaliers strategy was always to ease Bennett in. Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, who covers the team, agrees. "They actually are kind of stacked at power forward," she says. "So bringing him along slowly, on what they anticipated was going to be a playoff team, was definitely part of the plan. I know that they are a little sensitive to criticism of him, compared to some of the other players. They say if he played as many minutes as some of these other players, his stats would be better. Im not sure I am totally in agreement on that." But minutes are hard to come by for a rookie on an underperforming 11-21 squad searching for wins. Sending him down to the D-League isnt an option that the Cavaliers are entertaining, so is their master plan working? "For the past two months, hes been going two-a-days and getting himself back in shape," George says. "Thats why hes cut his weight down to 243 right now, and you see the difference between his play today and the start of the season. He looks different on the floor, hes running better, and playing with more confidence." Schmitt Boyer offers a more measured assessment. "Its very, very incremental," she says. "Hell do little things that coaches see and will point out to him when they are going through game footage. But I do think hes catching on and getting a little better, although theyve set the bar pretty low. I sense that his confidence is actually getting better. Even if it might not be totally showing up in his stats, theyre showing more confidence in him." That confidence, coupled with opportunity, may be the shift Bennett needs, as he has lost 17 pounds since training camp. The Cavaliers have indefinitely suspended centre Andrew Bynum, freeing up minutes in the frontcourt and have ended the small forward experiment, moving him back to his natural slot in the power forward position. "Is he starting off slower than a number 1 pick should?" Schmitt Boyer asks. "Yes, and Im not trying to soften what hes doing in any means. A couple years ago, people were really down on Tristan Thompson and now Im not sure he wouldnt be the second pick in that draft. Its a little quick to determine him the worst number one pick in twenty years. He may well be a bust, I just dont think its fair to say that after two months in the NBA." The end result of Bennetts rookie campaign lies somewhere in between. He wont go down as the worst pick in the last twenty years, yet is hard pressed to live up to the standard of a number one draft pick. Make no mistake, no one will pencil him in for the All-Rookie team just yet, but chances are high Bennett will prove that Ford may have been suffering from a case of premature proclamation. Chicago Bears Riley Ridley Jersey . The thinking at the time was Clowney could have already been promised he would be selected first overall by the Houston Texans, therefore negating any need to meet with any other teams. The plot took another twist this week. Cheap Chicago Bears Jerseys Online .TV Series: Duck Dynasty. http://www.bearscheap.com/90m-cheap-davi...rsey-bears.html. 22 because of a bruised foot and have added forward Sean Collins to the roster on emergency recall from Springfield of the AHL. Authentic Chicago Bears Jerseys . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Darcy Kuemper, Minnesota (5): He was calm, poised, and looked comfortable all game. Custom Bears Jerseys . The team said Saturday that the 36-year-old Robidas is expected to miss four to six months, jeopardizing his return this season. He was injured when he slid hard into the boards in the second period of a 2-1 shootout loss to Chicago on Friday.ANAHEIM, Calif. -- A day after Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf took a slap shot to the head, the Ducks had already found the lighter side of a potentially disastrous playoff injury. "Luckily, hes married, has a couple of kids," Anaheim defenceman Ben Lovejoy said. "Hes not trying to impress anybody with his face." Coach Bruce Boudreau was more succinct: "I didnt want to look at him," he said. Nobody in either dressing room was surprised Thursday to learn Getzlaf plans to play against the Dallas Stars in Game 2 on Friday night despite that huge cut on his face. Getzlaf was hit by Tyler Seguins shot in the final minute of the Ducks 4-3 victory over Dallas on Wednesday night in the series opener, but the puck apparently broke no bones -- which means itll be almost impossible to keep Getzlaf off the ice. "Thats why he is who he is," Boudreau said. "Thats why hes won two gold medals and a Stanley Cup and hes not 30. He learned from the Scotty Niedermayers and the Chris Prongers that were here before him, too. Hes a battler and a gamer. It wont look too pretty, but hes going to be playing." Getzlaf was the NHLs second-leading scorer this season with 87 points, having a spectacular offensive season while doing more of the Ducks defensive dirty work than ever before. His two-way game was on display in the opener, and Anaheim followed his lead to hold off the Stars despite blowing most of a four-goal lead. The Ducks know theyve got to maintain their focus on that dirty work to take control of the series before heading to Dallas. Anaheim had a spectacular first half of Game 1 before slipping late in the second period. "Youd like to put your foot on their throat, but they showed they can score some goals when they have to," Anaheim defenceman Cam Fowler said. "Theyve got momentum going into Game 2." Five more things to examine when the Ducks return against Dallas: FILM WORK: Dallas coach Lindy Ruff held the longest film session of the season on Thursday, but mostly focused on what the Stars did well in the series opener. With capptain Jamie Benn leading a long list of Stars making their post-season debuts, Ruff wants to keep his teams morale high after an early setback.dddddddddddd "Its my job to get them in the right place, and they werent in quite the right place yesterday," Ruff said. BELESKEYS WOES: Getzlaf isnt the only top-line Ducks forward nursing an injury. Matt Beleskey might not play in Game 2 after leaving the opener in the third period. Beleskey said he has been struggling for weeks with an undisclosed lower-body injury thats been "all over the place" in its severity. He plans to evaluate himself Friday morning before deciding whether to try. Beleskey is easier to replace in the Ducks lineup than Getzlaf, but the energetic forward would be missed. HEAVY LOAD: The Ducks used their speed and passing abilities to carve up the Stars depleted defence for numerous scoring chances, particularly early. With Brenden Dillon still sidelined by an undisclosed injury, the Stars leaned heavily on defencemen Trevor Daley (who played 26:14) and Alex Goligoski (a whopping 28:39) to keep the Ducks at bay. Goligoski, who didnt skate Thursday, was encouraged by the way Dallas finished. "I dont think (Anaheim) had too many shifts where they were buzzing down there (in the Dallas end)," he said. DUCKY DEBUT: Rookie goalie Frederik Andersen stopped 32 shots to win his NHL playoff debut, and Boudreau indicated the 6-foot-4 Dane is likely to start again in Game 2 over veteran Jonas Hiller. Andersen has impressed his teammates with his preternatural calm all season long. "Its almost like hes got no heartbeat," Corey Perry said. "He just goes out, finds the puck and stops it." MOMENTUM SHIFT?: Even though Anaheim has the chance to take its first two-game lead in a playoff series since 2009, both teams believe Dallas is starting Game 2 with no disadvantage. "I think were back on an even playing field, even though were up 1-0," Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano said. "The way they finished the game, it feels like were even." 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