Arabic » Welsh rugby, which is really nice to hear.

DALLAS -- Ricky Rubio hasnt given up on the idea of Minnesota making the playoffs. The case is a little easier to make after the Timberwolves avoided what would have been a disastrous loss in Dallas. Rubio had a triple-double, Kevin Love scored the last of his 35 points with the go-ahead basket late in overtime, and the Timberwolves hung on for a 123-122 victory over the Mavericks on Wednesday night after blowing several leads. Minnesota broke a six-game stretch of alternating wins and losses with a second straight victory to move two games over .500 for the first time since Nov. 23. The Timberwolves (34-32) are still 5 1/2 games behind Dallas and Memphis for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with 16 games to go. But at least they didnt lose after squandering a 22-point lead in the first half and a 13-point edge with 7 minutes to go. "It was a big game against a tough team who is fighting for the playoffs, too," said Rubio, who had 22 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds for his third career triple-double. "We want to try to catch up to them." Dirk Nowitzki scored 27 for Dallas and put the Mavericks ahead with a fadeaway over Love with 33 seconds left in overtime before Love scored on a jump hook with 17 seconds to go. Nowitzki missed on another try over Love in the final seconds as the Mavericks saw a three-game winning streak end and missed a chance to move a season-high 15 games over .500. "This is a tough one," said Nowitzki, who had his second straight tough shooting night at 11 of 27. "This feels like a playoff loss. It really does. I dont even know what to say." Monta Ellis scored the last 12 Dallas points of regulation on a three-point play and three consecutive 3-pointers, the last one giving the Mavericks their first lead since early in the first quarter at 113-111. Rubio answered with a pair of free throws for the tie with 50 seconds left. Nowitzki missed a 3-pointer to finish his 0-for-5 shooting in the fourth quarter, but Kevin Martin missed from just inside the arc and Robbie Hummel missed from just outside it for Minnesota. Dallas Devin Harris was short on a mid-court heave at the buzzer in regulation. "We knew they were going to go on a run," said Love, who was 11 of 20 from the field and 11 of 14 from the line. "We will take the win, whether it is in regulation or overtime." Nowitzki hit his first shot of overtime from the baseline and added a 3-pointer for a 120-115 lead, but the Timberwolves went back in front by a point on a reverse layup from Rubio and four free throws from Love. All five Minnesota starters were in double figures. Martin scored 19, Corey Brewer had 11 of his 13 points during Minnesotas fast start in the first quarter and Gorgui Dieng had 10 points and 11 rebounds. Former Dallas guard J.J. Barea had 15 points. Ellis finished with 22 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter and overtime. Shawn Marion had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Sam Dalembert had 14 boards. Early in the game, the Dallas defence didnt look anything like a unit that had held consecutive teams to less than 40-per cent shooting. Minnesota was at 69 per cent after Dieng hit a hook shot to give the Timberwolves their biggest lead at 50-28 early in the second quarter. The Mavericks had six of their 16 turnovers in the first quarter, and several led to breakaway baskets for Brewer. "They were aggressive. We were sloppy," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "The first quarter was really the biggest factor in the game." The Mavericks forced four straight misses to spark a 24-5 run that got them back in the game. Nowitzki opened the spurt with a jumper, and Jae Crowder finished it with a dunk after a steal by Jose Calderon to make it 55-52. NOTES: Rubio had seven assists in the first quarter, one more than Dallas as a team. Minnesota had 12 for the quarter. ... Ellis was called for a technical after getting his fourth foul in the third quarter. Referee Monty McCutchen screamed at Ellis that he had been warned four times as Ellis walked to the Dallas bench. Wholeasale Eagles Jerseys . In the late match, Shinji Okazaki scored two goals to pace Mainz to a 3-2 victory at Werder Bremen. Goals from Milan Badelj, Maximilian Beister and Hakan Calhanoglu ended Hamburgs two-match losing run and kept Hannover winless in seven games. Authentic Philadelphia Eagles Jerseys . Off-Season Game Plan looks at the Capitals possible summer plans, with the understanding that its tough to plot a direction without a general manager or head coach around which to set those expectations. http://www.cheapeaglesjerseysauthentic.com/ . Left-handed reliever Boone Logan agreed to a $16.5 million, three-year contract on Friday, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. Cheap Philadelphia Eagles Jerseys .com) - Eric Fehrs goal 42 seconds into overtime lifted the Washington Capitals to a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over Columbus, halting the Blue Jackets seven-game win streak. Eagles Jerseys China .com) - Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer were among the third-round winners Friday at the French Open.Wales captain Sam Warburton says playing a three-Test series against the All Blacks in New Zealand, live on Sky Sports, is an amazing opportunity. Warburton, providing he recovers in time from a shoulder injury, will return to the scene of arguably his most painful rugby experience next Saturday.When the Wales skipper last played at Eden Park in Auckland - a 2011 World Cup semi-final against France - he was sent off midway through the first-half as Les Bleus went on to triumph 9-8. Since then, though, Warburton has led the British and Irish Lions on tour to Australia, while Wales have won two more Six Nations titles and reached a World Cup quarter-final, and he is relishing world rugbys greatest challenge.With his country without a victory over New Zealand away from home in seven attempts, Warburton said: I am never, ever going to go into a game not believing we are going to win it. I cant wait for it.Its an amazing opportunity for us, three games. You have to have a really positive mindset to go out there, which is half the battle in professional sport. Warburton suffered a miserable sending off the last time he played in Auckland We obviously know that New Zealand are massive favourites. They have been the worlds best team for a long time now, and they will be the best team we have played against probably in the last three or four years.The feeling of victory, then, is what motivates you because it would make it that much greater an achievement. So its really motivating to go out there and try to get a win against the best side in the world. Its an amazing rugby country. The people are fantastic, and they are all pretty fond of Welsh rugby, which is really nice to hear. They all seem to enjoy the brand of rugby that we try to play, so probably anywhere other than Wales that I play rugby, New Zealand has been my favourite place.The All Blacks play their first Test matchh next weekend since claiming a second successive World Cup triumph last autumn, and they go into battle without the likes of retired record-breaking captain Richie McCaw, plus France-based trio Dan Carter, Maa Nonu and Conrad Smith.dddddddddddd Warren Gatland was reletaively satisfied despite their 27-13 defeat by England But Warburton added: They might lose experience, but they will never lose talent. I have been watching the guys in Super Rugby, and their teams have been doing extremely well, playing some great rugby.They will have a plan in place and guys coming in, and they will be extremely strong, as ever. Dont get me wrong, the experienced players will be missed, but the ones they have coming through is scary, their strength in depth. Also See: No All Blacks weaknesses - Gatland Gatland looks at Georgia Lydiate out for three months World Cup Home World Cup fixtures Sky Sports RWC Podcast Pundits ' ' '