Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant. Dwyane Wade and Kevin Durant. Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah.Players synonymous with their cities and their franchises are now gone in a summer of upheaval the NBA has rarely seen before, and the teams left behind begin their searches for new identities after saying the hardest of goodbyes.You never wouldve been able to convince me a couple years back that Wade wouldnt finish his career in Miami or Durant would have moved on in his prime from that great Oklahoma City team, or Rose after his MVP year, four years later hes not in Chicago anymore, ABC analyst Jeff Van Gundy said. It just shows you. Its a hard league. Its hard to keep your group together. And when it is able to stay together, stay relevant, stay competitive, youre very, very fortunate.Count the San Antonio Spurs among the chosen few. Duncan fell in their lap when the Spurs won the draft lottery in 1997, and coach Gregg Popovich has long credited that bit of luck for the franchises unprecedented run of success.Five championships, two MVPs for Duncan, the most enduring success story in American sports.Leadership can come from many different areas, but when your best player is the best leader, its amazing how everybody else falls in line, said Timberwolves GM Scott Layden, who was an assistant GM with the Spurs for the previous four seasons. The other thing is how hes done it with such humility and modesty. Not looking for any attention and accolades. Its more of what is good for the team. ... Both on and off the court, he set the tone day-in and day-out.Bryant beat Duncan out of the door by a couple of months, ending 20 colorful seasons with the Lakers with a 60-point outburst in his final game. The consistency wasnt the same as Duncans, but the Lakers captured five titles as well during Bryants time and vaulted back into the leagues hierarchy.Wade left the Heat for his hometown Bulls after 13 brilliant seasons and is perhaps the biggest sports hero in Miami history, having delivered three championships to South Beach and serving as an ambassador for the glitzy city by the bay.Moments like this, it sucks, Wade said on Saturday after taking a two-year, $47 million deal from the Bulls over Miamis offer of two years and $40 million. The business side of the sport, sometimes it just sucks. Thats what were dealing with.Durant stunned the NBA by leaving his beloved Oklahoma City for the juggernaut in Golden State, ending a nine-year love affair between the low-key superstar and a city he and Russell Westbrook put on the basketball map.Kevin was a part of the renaissance, Oklahoma City mayor Mick Cornett told ESPN last week. This city has come so far, so fast, probably further, faster than any city in American history. Kevin was right there along with us. Theres a slight sense of panic.And finally, the Bulls traded Rose, a former MVP and one of the citys favorite sons, to the New York Knicks. Noah followed his friend to the Big Apple in free agency, meaning two of the players who embodied the franchises grit and determination are now elsewhere.The departures came under different circumstances and by different means, but they have served to upend the NBA. Player movement is one of the leagues hallmarks, but Dwyane Wade in a Bulls jersey?All players see their careers end eventually. But Kobe and Timmy in the same summer?Injuries to Rose and Noah no doubt forced Chicagos hand. But both of the proud fighters wearing blue and orange?It will take some getting used to for everyone involved, and it stands to have a major impact on the playoff chases in both conferences.Duncan may not have been the force of nature he was for the Spurs in his earlier days, and he may have passed the torch to Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge last season. But his loss in the locker room, and in the paint, will be hard for the Spurs to overcome.With Leonard, Aldridge, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and now Pau Gasol in the fold, the Spurs should still be able to hang near the top of the Western Conference. Without No. 21 in the middle to keep things calm, it wont be easy.I think it goes way beyond the championships and the winning, said Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer, a longtime Spurs assistant. I think the culture that really, hes kind of the pillar its been built around. It is almost impossible to quantify.In some ways, things have only gotten easier for the Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers, who have met in the NBA Finals the last two seasons.Durants move to Golden State gutted the Warriors chief rival in the West and assembled perhaps the most potent starting lineup in league history in the Bay Area.Wades move to Chicago weakened a challenger to LeBron in the East.Maybe the only question left to answer going into next season is not who will be there in the end, but how each of these proud franchises will handle their new beginnings. Basketball Jerseys . Darren Helm scored on Detroits sixth attempt in the shootout and then Jonas Gustavsson stopped Andrew Shaws shot, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. Soccer Jerseys . Any real chance at payback wont come until the playoff. Still, Pittsburgh knows its taut 3-2 win over the Bruins on Wednesday night is a pretty good place to start laying the groundwork. "They are a very good defensive team," Penguins forward Brandon Sutter said. http://www.cheapnfljerseyschinasupply.net/ . The giant slalom world champion slipped during her first run in the morning, landing on her back and then twisting forward before getting her leg caught in the protective material on the side of the slope. NCAA Jerseys Wholesale Free Shipping Cheap Jerseys Supply . But now that hes in the NHL, the Calgary Flames centre showed big improvement in that department by scoring the winner in the eighth round of a 5-4 shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- In a story Sept. 11 about North Carolinas game against Illinois, The Associated Press misspelled the last name of North Carolinas quarterback on some references. It is Mitch Trubisky, not Trupisky.A corrected version of the story is below:Trubisky leads North Carolina past Illinois, 48-23Tar Heels ride Trubiskys big night to 48-23 win at IllinoisBy DAVID MERCERAssociated PressCHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Nursing an eight-point lead with just over 12 minutes left Saturday, North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky heaved the ball deep toward Ryan Switzer but instead connected with the back of an Illinois defensive back.No problem, as it turned out. The ball bounced high and came down in the hands of Tar Heel tight end Jake Bargas for a first down that set up a touchdown that gave North Carolina a 38-23 lead.Sometimes, its just your night, and Saturday was Trubiskys.The junior quarterback threw for 265 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more scores Saturday to lead the Tar Heels to a 48-23 win at Illinois.We took what the defense gave us, Trubisky said. We were just rolling; whoever was open was making plays. Our o-line did a good job all night. We just kept attacking the areas they were giving us on the field.Trubisky was coming off a workmanlike performance a week earlier against Georgia that wasnt enough to deliver a win.On Saturday, he was 19-24 passing and didnt throw an interception. And he carried the ball nine times for 42 yards.He played well tonight, he took care of the football, North Carolina coach Larry Fedora said. He ran the ball effectively and I thought he was into it, sharp, focused and tough and thats what I expect from him.Early on, Trubisky had to lead the Tar Heels (1-1) from behind.Illinois (1-1) went up 7-0 on the opening drive on a 65-yard KeShawn VAugh touchdown run while North Carolinas offense started slow.Trubisky jump-started the attack, rushing for two short touchdowns by the end of the first quarter and giving UNC a 17-14 lead it never gave up.The Tar Heels held Illinois quarterback Wes Lunt to 127 yards and two touchdowns on 17-35 passing.Illinois also struggled with penalties. They were flagged 13 times for 99 yards.First-year Illinois coach Lovie Smith called the game a learning experience for his team, but had no explanation for the penalties.If you have a penalty, how do you explain it? Dont do it, he said. Sometimes you have to see whatt they do to your team.dddddddddddd Winning teams dont do it.A year ago North Carolina easily handled Illinois at home, winning 48-14 and beginning a run that took the Tar Heels to the ACC title game and a bowl game.THE TAKEAWAYNORTH CAROLINA: Trubisky looked like a quarterback who can take North Carolina places, and while he was sacked twice his line otherwise protected him against an Illinois defensive line that punished Murray State in its opener. But before a late 62-yard touchdown when the game was all but decided, North Carolina struggled to get tailback Elijah Hood going. Aside from that TD he finished with 26 yards on 14 carries. UNC will need him when ACC play starts Sept. 24.ILLINOIS: A week after a 52-3 win over Murray State gave the beginning of Smiths tenure a feel-good start, the new Illinois coach has a much better idea of what he needs to fix. The Illini ran the ball well at times and the defense limited the Tar Heels run game. But 13 penalties cost Illinois 99 yards. And North Carolinas speed exposed Illinois secondary.LUNT IN CHECKLunt credited the North Carolina defense for shutting off his receivers for much of the night, calling the Tar Heel secondary the strength of their defense. Just seven of Lunts 17 completions went to Illinois wideouts.INJURY REPORTThe game was potentially costly for Illinois. Starting left guard Gabe Megginson had to be helped off the field in the fourth quarter with a leg injury and a Tar Heel defender fell over the back of his legs. And backup safety Caleb Day had to be helped off the field late I the second quarter after injuring his left leg. He did not return. The Illini also played without starting punter Ryan Frain, who Smith said was injured in a biking accident. It was not clear when Frain will return.UP NEXTNORTH CAROLINA: The Tar Heels will finally see their home field on Saturday, playing their first game at Kenan Memorial Stadium this season, against James Madison. James Madison opened season with an 80-7 win over Morehead State.ILLINOIS: Illinois will play its third straight home game, hosting Western Michigan on Saturday. The Broncos will come to Champaign having already upset Northwestern.---Follow David Mercer on Twitter: (at)davidmercerAPAssociated Press college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org Authentic Nike Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Tennessee Titans Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Washington Redskins Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Arizona Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Denver Broncos Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Green Bay Packers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Los Angeles Chargers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike New England Patriots Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Oakland Raiders Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Seattle Seahawks Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Carolina Panthers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Cleveland Browns Jerseys Cheap Cheap Throwback Baseball Arizona Diamondbacks Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Atlanta Braves Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Baltimore Orioles Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Boston Red Sox Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Chicago Cubs Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Chicago White Sox Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Cincinnati Reds Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Cleveland Indians Jerseys ' ' '