MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota is the NBAs youngest team, averaging 23.6 years of age, yet the youthful Timberwolves entered the season with the hope of finally breaking the franchises long playoff drought.The Wolves, however, arent jelling quickly under new coach Tom Thibodeau, and a Tuesday home loss to the Charlotte Hornets didnt sit well. They will try to turn it around Thursday when they play host to the Philadelphia 76ers.Minnesota (3-7) had won two of three games before Tuesday, and the offenses performance was among the best in the league. Then the Hornets pulled away with a big second half to beat Minnesota, leaving the Timberwolves development as a postgame topic.We could use youth as an excuse forever; your opponent doesnt care that youre young, Thibodeau said. Weve got guys whove been in the league for a while now, were making mistakes that never should be made -- from fouling jump shooters, reckless passes, turnovers -- its all decision-making.The 76ers (2-9) know youthful mistakes, too. Philadelphia, the fourth-youngest team in the league, opened the season with seven straight losses. On Wednesday, the 76ers won for the second time in four games as they held onto a big lead at home to beat the Washington Wizards 109-102.Philadelphia coach Brett Brown said there was just a poise level that was fantastic.The 76ers shot 54.5 percent and had 30 assists (on 42 field goals), both season highs.Just resilient, forward Richaun Holmes said. Just determined to do anything we had to do to get a win, and we are able to stick it out to the end against a tough Washington team. Were getting better.Holmes knocked down a 3-pointer in the final minutes to help finish off the Wizards on Wednesday. Jahlil Okafor scored a season-high 19 points before fouling out. Philadelphia rested rookie center Joel Embiid, its leading scorer and rebounder who missed the past two seasons following a pair of foot surgeries.Embiid is expected to play Thursday. Brown will have both of his young centers at his disposal. Okafor is expected to play and be limited to 16 to 20 minutes.It was my teammates talking to me, Coach Brown challenging me before the game to attack, be aggressive, make good decisions; and it really benefited me, Okafor said.Embiids absence for the home game before leaving for a road trip caught some by surprise.Its just the rhythm that the medical staff has put him on, Brown said. And I think you look back -- back-to-back-type games and those types of things, with the time in between, they felt like ... if we had a choice, this game was going to be it. So I follow the marching orders of smarter people than myself.Embiid will be needed on the road at Minnesota. The 76ers have lost 20 straight games on the road, equaling the second-longest road slump in team history.Okafor should match up occasionally with Minnesotas Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns was drafted No. 1 overall by Minnesota last year, with Okafor picked third by Philadelphia. Towns has lived up to the top-draft status and is averaging 22 points and eight rebounds per game this season.However, Towns took Tuesdays loss to Charlotte particularly tough.I just have to play better, Towns said. All these losses, they fall on me. Its something Ive got to control. Its something that Ive got to be able to help us as much as possible. Third quarter, Im just not doing enough for us, and Ive got to do better.Minnesota is the leagues top-scoring team in the first quarter but the worst in the third period. The Timberwolves were outscored 36-17 in the third by the Hornets.Thibodeau was asked if Tuesdays loss was a step back for his young team.Its the commitment to improve and to learn, to not repeat the same mistakes over and over again, Thibodeau said. A big part of learning is trial and error, so when you go through something and it doesnt work, you should learn from it; the second time around, it shouldnt be the same way. That has to change. That has to change, and it has to change fast.Cheap Jordans For Sale Wholesale . Badenhop was 2-3 with a 3.47 ERA in 63 relief appearances for Milwaukee this season. He is 18-20 in his career with three saves and a 3. Cheap Jordan Wholesale Free Shipping . Coach Tom Thibodeau says the former MVP will probably start travelling with the team in the next few weeks. Rose tore the meniscus in his right knee at Portland in November and was ruled out for the remainder of the season by the Bulls. http://www.cheapjordanfromchina.com/ . The native of Mont-Tremblant, Que., captured a World Cup downhill event Saturday, his second this year and fifth career victory on the circuit. Wholesale Retro Jordans China .com) - Manchester City midfielder David Silva is expected to miss the next four weeks because of a calf problem. Cheap Retro Jordans For Sale . Clarkson had been dealing with an elbow injury in early January and will be out of action for at least one week. He has three goals and five assists through 36 games with the Leafs this season.PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (7-9)OPEN CAMP: July 25, PhiladelphiaLAST YEAR: Chip Kelly was fired before final game and team missed playoffs for second straight year. Sam Bradford showed enough in second half to get two-year contract extension, but Eagles traded slew of picks to move up to No. 2 overall to select Carson Wentz. Defensive lineman Fletcher Cox developed into top player and received huge contract. New coach Doug Pederson brings familiarity back to organization; he played behind Donovan McNabb for Andy Reid and was assistant under Reid in Philly and Kansas City.IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: QBs Wentz and Chase Daniel, CB Leodis McElvin and Ron Brooks, G Brandon Brooks, S Rodney McLeod, WR Rueben Randle, OL Stefan Wisniewski,IMPORTANT LOSSES: RB DeMarco Murray, LB DeMeco Ryans, CB Byron Maxwell, LB Kiko Alonsoo.ddddddddddddCAMP NEEDS: Determine starters at wide receiver, left guard, two of three cornerback spots, kicker. Get acclimated to Pedersons offense and new defense under Jim Schwartz. Build chemistry with new faces on both sides of ball. Keep Bradford healthy. Have Wentz adjust to NFL.EXPECTATIONS: Rebuilding is more realistic than playoff push, but theres no dominant team in NFC East, so cant you rule out contention. Giving Bradford $22 million guaranteed on two-year deal means management didnt want to disregard this season. Defense has potential for success under Schwartz but there could be some growing pains.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '