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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Steve Clifford said he isnt one to back down from challenges. That might make him a good fit for Charlotte. The Bobcats are a long way from being a legitimate NBA playoff contender. The team introduced Clifford as their new head coach at a press conference Wednesday. Clifford becomes the Bobcats sixth different coach since the 2006-07 season and inherits a team that went a combined 28-120 over the past two seasons, by far the worst record in the NBA. "Steve has worked quite a few years in this league and we feel very positive with that with our young competitive core that he is the right fit for us," said Rod Higgins, Bobcats president of basketball operations. Clifford said after meeting with Higgins and general manager Rich Cho last week he feels confident they share the same vision for the Bobcats. "When I met with them I left here thinking that the three of us could work very effectively together," Clifford said. His core players includes no big-time NBA stars, but rather young and developing players like four-year NBA veteran Gerald Henderson, second-year veterans Kemba Walker and Bismack Biyombo and last years rookie Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. That may have scared some coaches away, but not Clifford. He called that foursome "above average competitors," and said thats exactly what he wants from his players. "I think every coach in basketball has his own priorities in terms of judging players, but for me it starts with competitiveness and then skill level, in particular shooting," Clifford said. "Coach (Bill) Parcells once said he wanted guys who are competitive on their own without the aid of coaches and in this league when youre playing four and five nights a week there arent many times you can address the group and have some magic word to get them to play hard. "You either have the right kind of guys or you dont. When you have young guys who are naturally competitive you have the opportunity to build the kind of culture that you want." Clifford said there will be an emphasis on improving the teams defence, pointing out that the top six teams in overall defence this season all reached the quarterfinals of the NBA playoffs. "Any good coach has a clear and definitive vision of how they want their team to play and practice -- and I have that," Clifford said. "I have seen what the right amount of work and the right amount of communication can do for a team.... Yes, I am inexperienced (as a head coach), but Im confident and I know how I want to do it." Clifford comes to Charlotte after spending last season as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers. Prior to that he spent five seasons (2007-12) working as an assistant under Stan Van Gundy in Orlando. He was also as an assistant coach under Jeff Van Gundy with the Houston Rockets for four years and was an assistant with the New York Knicks for three seasons. This is his first NBA head coaching job. Jeff Van Gundy, who now works as a NBA television analyst, believes Clifford is up to the task of building the Bobcats into a competitive team. The Bobcats have only been the playoffs once and have never won a post-season game. "Steve is the type of guy who can coach young teams that are rebuilding, teams on the verge of the playoffs and experienced teams, I really believe that," Jeff Van Gundy said. "I think he has great people skills and hes a quality basketball coach." The Bobcats made the move to hire Clifford one day before he was slated for a second interview with the Milwaukee Bucks for their coaching vacancy. Clifford replaces Mike Dunlap, who was fired after just one season. "Anytime you make the tough decision to change you want, if at all possible, to address some of the things that you didnt get from your prior" coach, Higgins said. "We felt very good with making the change with Steve to adhere to some of the issues we might have had here, whether its on the court, in the locker room or trying to compete every night. ... I think were getting close to becoming a very good team."DeForest Buckner Super Bowl Jersey . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. C. J. Beathard Super Bowl Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. https://www.49ersrookiestore.com/49ers-Ronnie-Lott-Jersey/ . Artturi Lehkonen, Joni Nikko and Ville Leskinen had the other goals for Finland (1-0) while Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots. Tim Robin Johnsgard had the lone goal for Norway (0-2). Frank Gore Super Bowl Jersey . Uniteds eighth defeat of a wretched campaign means Liverpool, which currently occupies the fourth and final Champions League place, could go nine points clear of its fierce rival by beating West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. Charlie Adam scored both of Stokes goals at Britannia Stadium either side of Robin van Persies equalizer, with a miserable day for seventh-place United capped by first-half injuries to centre halves Jonny Evans and Phil Jones that forced them off. Mike Person Super Bowl Jersey .Y. - General manager Billy King says the Brooklyn Nets are looking to add a big man and confirmed the team worked out centre Jason Collins, who would become the first openly gay active NBA player if signed.SPARTA, Ky. -- Kentucky Speedway President Mark Simendinger hopes the tracks new pavement smooths the transition to another race with a new NASCAR downforce package.Resurfacing the 1.5 mile tri-oval was nearly done when the sanctioning body announced new rules in May to reduce downforce and side force and create more side-by-side racing. It follows last years changes here that helped produce one of the seasons most competitive races, won by Kyle Busch on his way to his first Sprint Cup championship.That was pretty impressive considering drivers had to sort things out during the race after rain washed out practice. The weather for last months two-day test was more cooperative, and the challenge in Saturday nights 400-mile headliner is finding the right formula on a reconfigured track with fewer bumps in the road.You wont leave with a headache, and thats the best part about it, points leader and 2014 Cup champion Kevin Harvick quipped during last months test.Banking in turns 1 and 2 was increased from 14 degrees to 17 degrees with track width on that end reduced by 18 feet. Turns 3 and 4 remain at 14 degrees, which Simendinger hopes will create a unique look during the tripleheader weekend that includes a 225-mile Camping World Truck Series race and Friday nights Xfinity Series 300-miler.Simendinger also notes that Kentuckys famous bumps arent totally gone, just smoother with new asphalt and drainage improvements. Figure in NASCAR rule changes to the rear spoiler, rear deck fin and front splitter, and the track president wouldnt be shocked by anything on Saturday night.Its going to be interesting, Simendinger said. Weve really been on this track, putting rubber down as much as we can to widen out the race groove. If we dont do that, theyre going to be more inclined just to follow a single groove until they can get it widened out. If were able to get it to where theyll be racinng side by side, then we go to the Xfinity race and all those laps will be very, very helpful so that by the time we get to the Sprint Cup race, (drivers) should have a high degree of confidence.ddddddddddddFew drivers enter more confident than Busch and Brad Keselowski. Each has won twice in five starts here and combined to lead 362 laps while winning the past two races.Keselowski is buoyed by last weekends victory at Daytona that has him 14 points behind Harvick in second place. Busch is 73 points back in sixth after running second at Daytona and is tied with Keselowski with a series-best three wins.Keselowski lamented Kentuckys reduction of the teeth-rattling bumps in the frontstretch but welcomed the differences between ends. The start of Thursdays first Cup practice suggested there will be growing pains, as the right rear of his No. 2 Ford got sideways and kissed the outside wall entering Turn 3 but escaped major damage.Whenever there are those discrepancies, I think thats when you see mistakes and when you see strengths and weaknesses that vary from car to car and driver to driver, the 2012 champion said before practice. I think thats a really good thing for our sport, so Im interested to see how thats going to play out this weekend.Busch was planning another three-race weekend at Kentucky that figures to provide plenty of time to get used to the changes. The tracks most successful driver speaks volumes about his adaptability on the old surface, and hes eager to see if he can be as good with the improvements.Hopefully I hope I can figure it out again and be a little bit better than some of these other guys, Busch said last month. Overall, it still has some character to it with some bumps down the front straightway. ... They did a decent job. ' ' '