Huskies will have a lot to contend with defensively.Conversely, c

MIAMI -- Mario Chalmers phone has been ringing for the last few weeks, the calls coming from teams curious about how his recovery is progressing.Hes about to have a concrete answer.Chalmers is on target to be cleared for full basketball activity this week, eight months after rupturing his right Achilles tendon. He thinks he could be on an NBA floor again by early December.Right now, I can pretty much do everything, Chalmers said. Ive been on the court the last two, three months just working on getting back. Im back to sprinting, running and jumping.Hes always been supremely confident in his game. That hasnt changed.Never will, either, Chalmers said.The 30-year-old was a starter on Miamis title teams in 2012 and 2013 -- among active players, only Tony Parker has also been a starting point guard on multiple championship squads. Miami went to the NBA Finals in four straight seasons when Chalmers was with Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh, but the 2014 title series still causes Chalmers some angst.My last performance in the Finals, thats the one thing I do want to change if I ever get the opportunity again, Chalmers said. Thats the one thing that really sticks out in my mind.So hell look to sign with a title contender.Chalmers knows itll be a prove-yourself deal for the rest of this season, and that hell almost certainly be asked to serve in a backup role. Hes fine with that, saying a chance is all he needs right now.Ive been to four Finals, Chalmers said. Theres a lot I can share. And whatever nervousness I have coming back, its all going to be gone as soon as that first shot goes in.---HARDENS STREAKJames Harden is having a November to remember.In six games so far this month, the Houston guard is averaging 30.3 points, 14.2 assists and 8.5 rebounds. Hes got triple-doubles in his last two games, something only Elvin Hayes has done in Rockets history. And according to the Elias Sports Bureau, Harden is the first NBA player with at least 24 points and 12 assists in six straight games.Houston plays Philadelphia on Monday. Last season in two games against the 76ers, Harden averaged 39.5 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.---VIDEO OFFNBA teams have the option this season of reviewing video in real-time on their benches during games.It doesnt seem to be widely utilized yet.San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich says he has no interest, and Sacramento coach Dave Joerger is among the many still wondering what the best way is to add real-time access to their in-game routines. Teams have been able to use video on the bench for the past few seasons, provided it was uploaded first. This real-time option, the NBA said, was in the interest of streamlining.I havent wanted to do it just to do it, Utah coach Quin Snyder said. I want it to be productive.The Jazz load their players up with tons of film around games. If a player wants more, Snyder will accommodate.If one guy wants to do it, Id be ready to do it tomorrow, Snyder said.---THE WEEK AHEADSome games to note this week:Orlando at Indiana, Monday: Magic coach Frank Vogel gets to reunite with his former club, one that has sputtered early.Toronto at Cleveland, Tuesday: The Cavs held DeMar DeRozan to 32 points on Oct. 28, his second-lowest output this season.Houston at Oklahoma City, Wednesday: James Harden vs. Russell Westbrook. You dont need any more reason to watch.San Antonio at L.A. Lakers, Friday: The Lakers have wins over the Hawks, Warriors and Rockets. Heres another proving ground.Golden State at Milwaukee, Saturday: The Warriors went to Milwaukee 24-0 last season, and left 24-1. Guessing they remember.---STAT OF THE WEEKStephen Curry, Golden State: During his NBA-record spree of 3-pointers last Monday, he missed as many shots from inside the paint (four) as he did from beyond the arc. Curry finished with 46 points, shooting 13 of 17 from beyond the arc. Kansas City Royals Store . 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. Custom Kansas City Royals Jerseys . Thats not a comment on the suspension that banished the Portland Winterhawks general manager and coach from his Western Hockey League teams bench for most of the 2012-13 season. https://www.cheaproyals.com/ . Robredo, ranked No. 16, bounced back from an upset loss to Leonardo Mayer in the second round of the Royal Guard Open in Chile last week to down Carreno Busta in 1 hour, 25 minutes. On a day filled mostly with qualifying matches, fifth-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain also entered the second with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia, while Guido Pella of Argentina defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-4 to advance. Cheap Royals Jerseys . Datsyuk will miss Tuesdays game against New Jersey and could be sidelined longer, while Cleary will likely miss at least the next three games. Its been an injury-plagued season for Datsyuk, who has suited up for just 39 games. Kansas City Royals Gear . Robredo, ranked No. 16, bounced back from an upset loss to Leonardo Mayer in the second round of the Royal Guard Open in Chile last week to down Carreno Busta in 1 hour, 25 minutes. On a day filled mostly with qualifying matches, fifth-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain also entered the second with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia, while Guido Pella of Argentina defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-4 to advance. Two weeks ago, after UConns first exhibition game, coach Geno Auriemma made an observation that seems particularly relevant now.I looked out there one time, he said then, and thought, Were really small relative to where weve been and some of the teams were going to be playing. The Huskies won their season opener Monday at Florida State, but it went down to the wire, 78-76. And the Seminoles really didnt throw that much size at the Huskies. The only player over 6 feet, 1 inch who got significant playing time was 6-3 center Chatrice White, who had six points and one rebound in 19 minutes.It will be a different story Thursday as No. 2 Baylor visits No. 3 Connecticut (ESPN3, 7:30 p.m. ET) at Gampel Pavilion. The Lady Bears have two sophomores, 6-7 Kalani Brown and 6-4 Beatrice Mompremier, who might pose quite a challenge for the Huskies.Especially considering what UConn doesnt have anymore: three of the best, most reliable defenders you could ask for in post players Breanna Stewart and Morgan Tuck and guard Moriah Jefferson. All were exceptional in UConns system and in making big plays individually.But these are the kinds of tests that Auriemma anticipated would be important learning experiences for the Huskies. For that matter, its the same for Baylor, which has a lot of talent at varying experience levels.Senior Nina Davis, at 5-11, has been Baylors rock for her career, but her role was altered last season a bit by the teams increased size. That could be the case even more this season, in particular as Brown and Mompremier continue to evolve as offensive threats. Brown averaged 9.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game off the bench last season, while Mompremier was at 7.2 PPG and 6.1 RPG.Its early, but Brown has been sensational in her first two games this season, with 24 points and nine rebounds against Houston Baptist, followed by 25 and 19 against No. 9 UCLA. If the first performance was tempered a bit coming against a thoroughly overmatched opponent, that couldnt be said for the second.ddddddddddddThe Huskies have a history, of course, of providing wake-up calls to players riding high and looking unstoppable. No doubt, Baylor coach Kim Mulkey will prepare her team for that. However, its unrealistic to think UConn can be quite the crushing force defensively right now that it has been the past few years.That doesnt mean the Huskies arent going to be very good on that end of the court, improving as the season goes along. Because you know they will. But with their 76-game winning streak on the line against a team that has threats at every spot on the floor -- we need to mention Baylor starting guards Alexis Jones, Alexis Prince and Kristy Wallace, too -- the Huskies will have a lot to contend with defensively.Conversely, can they make it difficult for Baylors defense? Yes, especially considering we might be seeing 6-1 sophomore forward Napheesa Collier blossoming before our eyes as the new go-to scorer and leader. Again, not trying to put too much on one game, but the way she played against Florida State -- 28 points, eight rebounds, three assists and four blocks in 39 minutes -- was quite a statement.UConn has a 3-2 series advantage over Baylor, with all five games having been played from 2010 to 2014. The last time they faced off, Jan. 13, 2014, the Huskies ended the Lady Bears 69-game home winning streak.This is the first time Baylor has played in Storrs, Connecticut, with the Lady Bears previous road games against the Huskies coming in Hartford. Will another streak, this one UConns, end on Thursday? Or will the Huskies show theyre evolving even faster than expected without their superstar trio of Stewart-Tuck-Jefferson?Its a great game to have so early in the season for both teams and for womens basketball fans in general. ' ' '