(SportsNetwork. Cheap Air Max Wholesale .com) - The Atlanta Braves won their first National League East title since 2005 thanks in large part to their strong play at home. They hope to keep that home cooking going on Thursday when they begin the best-of-five National League Division Series versus the Los Angeles Dodgers at Turner Field. Atlantas ballpark was a house of horrors for visiting clubs this season, as the Braves compiled a major league best 56-25 (.691) mark there and were 25-10 in Dixie since late July. Wire-to-wire leaders in the division, Atlanta is back in the postseason for the third time in the last four years. A 14-game winning streak and a 20-4 stretch from late July through August propelled the Braves, but they seemed to take their foot of the pedal late and lost 13 of the last 24 games to close out the regular season. "At the end of the day, youve got to win ballgames," Braves outfielder Justin Upton said. "That is what the playoffs are all about. Everybody is 0-0. They have to win as many games as you do. Thats just the way it is. No matter who it is, we have to beat the team that is in front of us." The Braves released their roster on Wednesday and a familiar face was left off, as the team opted to sit second baseman Dan Uggla, who hit an atrocious .179 despite 22 home runs. Elliot Johnson is expected to start at second on Thursday. Getting the call for Atlanta in Game 1 will be righty Kris Medlen, one of four Braves pitchers who recorded 10 or more wins in the regular season. Medlen again finished his season strong and was named the NLs Pitcher of the Month for September for the second year in a row. He went 4-0 in five starts during the month and ended the year 15-12 with a 3.11 ERA. "Everything is magnified, one little mistake is a lot bigger in these kinds of situations," said Medlen, who lost the Braves wild card game in 2012. "You just have to try to not get too ahead of yourself and live in the moment. Its an unbelievable experience and it was a lot of fun last year. Even though we didnt come out on top, it was just a great experience and I dont expect anything different this time around, other than a win." Medlen went 1-0 in two starts against the Dodgers in the regular season and is 3-0 with a 1.23 earned run average in eight career matchups (3 starts) with them. Los Angeles, meanwhile, found itself 9 1/2 games back in the NL West on June 22 and seemed to be close to firing manager Don Mattingly. However, the team rattled off 42 wins in 50 games and claimed its 12th division title since 1969. Atlanta lost seven players to season-ending injuries this season, but the Dodgers have some concerns of their own. Outfielder Matt Kemp is done for the year with a ankle injury, while Andre Ethier has not played since Sept. 13 because of an ankle issue of his own. "If you dont have Andre and you dont have Matt, youre not as good as you could be," Mattingly said. "But were still good enough to win." The Dodgers are good enough to win if Adrian Gonzalez, young Cuban phenom Yasiel Puig and Hanley Ramirez stay consistent at the plate. Gonzalez led the Dodgers in batting average (.293), hits (171), home runs (22), runs batted in (100) and reached the 100-RBI mark for the sixth time in his career. Puig busted out on the scene by hitting four home runs in his first five games, a club record, and was named NL Player of the Month and NL Rookie of the Month for June. All eyes will be on Puig now that Kemp is gone for a Dodgers club that was sixth in the majors with a .264 average. Ramirez struggled to stay healthy this season and appears to be ready for the stretch run. Ramirez had a lower back issue and batted .345 with 20 homers and 57 RBI in 86 games. Dodgers left-handed ace Clayton Kershaw will get the ball in Game 1 after a terrific season that will likely net him another NL Cy Young Award. Kershaw led the major leagues with a minuscule 1.83 ERA and was 6-2 with a 1.61 ERA in his last nine starts and finished 16-9 with an NL-best 232 strikeouts. Kershaw posted his fourth consecutive season with 200 or more strikeouts, and allowed a .195 batting average -- .202 to right-handed hitters and .165 to left-handed hitters. "Hes definitely at the top of his craft," said Upton. "Hes one of those guys, you can tell when you see him out before games, when hes not pitching, hes preparing, so you know hes one of those guys that when he steps on the mound, hes prepared. You just have to be prepared to go at him, too." Like Atlanta the Dodgers stumbled to the finish line, going 12-15 in September. Since the advent of the wild card in 1995, only three times has a team with a losing record in the final month of the season won the World Series: the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals (12-17), the 00 New York Yankees (13-17) and the 1997 Florida Marlins (12-15). Atlanta won five of its seven matchups with the Dodgers this season. However, these teams havent met in the postseason since the Braves swept the NLDS back in 1996. Cheap Air Max Ireland . -- LeGarrette Blount made one last big splash into a soggy end zone. Air Max Free Shipping . According to a report from ESPN, the veteran safety has signed another one-year deal with the team Raiders, the team that drafted him, and who he returned to last year after a long stint with the Green Bay Packers. http://www.airmaxireland.com/ . The shortstop still grieves, but it will be nights like the one Segura had in a 5-2 victory Monday over the Cincinnati Reds that will provide some distraction.(SportsNetwork.com) - The point guard and quarterback share interesting similarities in an otherwise opposite world of sports. A point guard in basketball is often referred to as the quarterback or floor general of the hardwood. They take instructions and facilitate them among teammates with the end result a productive combination. Point guards and quarterbacks are responsible for orchestrating a winning formula in their respective sports, and the most common job requirement for each position is getting the ball into a playmakers hands. The NFL is going through another golden age of quarterbacks with Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Andrew Luck and a solid tier No. 2 of signal callers right behind. Its up for debate if this generation of QBs exceeds the days of Dan Marino, Joe Montana, John Elway and Warren Moon. Point guards are prosperous in the NBA and the Rajon Rondo trade piques the interest of those who deliberate over the best in basketball. Below is an unofficial, and opinionated, list of the top 10 point guards: 10. Darren Collison (Sacramento Kings) - Collison is in his first season with the Kings and is hoping to find a permanent home after stints with the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks the previous two seasons. He leads the Kings with 6.1 assists per game and is dealing with a team under new supervision with the recent firing of Mike Malone. DeMarcus Cousins is back from an illness, so Collisons job will be easier. Rudy Gay is at his disposal under Tyrone Corbins philosophy. 9. Rajon Rondo (Dallas Mavericks) - Rumored to be on the trading block for a few years, Rondo was finally shipped out of Beantown to the successful surroundings of Dallas. Not known anymore as a high-powered scorer, Rondo does possess the knack for distributing the ball. An ACL tear with Rondo may have hampered Bostons bargaining power, but the deal was done and now he has four scorers to work with in Nowitzki, Ellis, Chandler and Parsons. Rondos a solid defender and rebounder with an NBA-high 10.8 assists per game, and is joining the highest-scoring team in the league. 8. Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies) - Conley is loving the opportunity he has playing with the Grizzlies. Hes got Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol down low and is also a scorer himself with a career-high 17.6 points per game, which is second on the team. Conley doesnt slouch on defense either for Memphis, one of the top defensive units in the association. 7. Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers) - Irving no longer has to carry the Cleveland torch through futility because LeBron James and Kevin Love are here to make it all better. Irving does like to get his share of shots, however, and is arguably the top scoring PG in the game. Irving has scored 20 or more points on 14 occasions this season and has dished out five or more assists in each of the past seven games. He has the dream job for now with LBJ and Love. 6. Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors) - He may resemble Bad Boy label rapper Mase, but Lowry can mix it up with anyone on the floor. Lowry was looked upon to carry the Raptors and keep them even-keeled when star guard DeMar DeRozan went down with a severe groin injury. Lowry knows how to get everyone involved and learned that at a young age. The former Villanova standout has handed out 10 or more assists five times in December and leads the team with 36 steals. Toronto is already the best in the East and Lowry deserves the credit. 5. Ty Lawson (Denver Nuggets) - A scrappy, compact ball of fire, Lawson lets the Nuggets breathe where the air doesnt come easy. Lawson, who has posted a double-double in 10 of his last 13 games, is averaging 15.4 points, a career- high 10.6 assists and 1.50 steals in almost 38 minutes a night. Lawson and Washington Wizards guard John Wall are tied for second in assists with 10.6. Lawsonn is Denvers MVP so far and if Kenneth Faried can pick up his game, maybe the Nuggets can make a run for the playoffs. Cheap Air Max Sale. Lawson leads the NBA in drives to the basket, posting 15.0 ppg in that scenario, and has handed out nine or more assists over the past 18 games. He has 16 games with 10-plus assists this season. 4. Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) - One of the smoothest point guards in the better of the two conferences, Lillard is young and still has room to grow. For how difficult that may be to realize, Lillard is second on the team with 20.8 points and first in assists (6.2) and steals (1.5). Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge are making sweet music in Rip City and the dangerous tandem is about to begin a difficult stretch of games. Portlands mettle will be tested during the stretch and Lillard will be up for the challenge. Lillard is known for his 3-point prowess, another weapon the Blazers have utilized. Only four players in NBA history have more points and assists in their first two seasons (Robertson, Archibald, Iverson, James). 3a Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) - Curry was the impetus for Golden States franchise-record 16-game winning streak and some credit should deservedly be directed toward Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Marreese Speights. Curry leads all starting point guards with 23.9 points and has handed out 7.6 assists. The sharpshooting Curry has the Warriors off to a 21-3 start, the best in franchise history. Golden State has no issues playing on the road as evidenced by a 13-2 record. Thompson said about a week ago the Warriors are good without Curry, but great with him. 3b Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder) - Westbrook is a dynamic scorer and facilitator, and suffered a scare early this season with a hand injury. Hes back and doing what he does best: run the floor, speed past defenders and stuff the stat sheet. Westbrook and the Thunder are beginning to click, but the quick guard may have to deal without Kevin Durant again after the reigning NBA MVP sustained an ankle injury in the most recent game. OKC is 8-4 with Westbrook in the lineup and he has scored at least 20 points 11 times. KD, Westbrook, Reggie Jackson and Serge Ibaka should capture a fifth or sixth seed in the playoffs unless health becomes an issue again. 2. John Wall (Washington Wizards) - This is supposed to be the year the Wizards overthrow the Miami Heat in both the Southeast Division and Eastern Conference. Toronto, Atlanta and Cleveland may have something to say about that in the East. Wall leads the Wizards in points (17.8), assists (10.6) and steals (2.2), and just matched a career-high with 17 assists in a win over Minnesota. Wall has handed out 10-plus assists eight times in the past nine games and has stepped it up in home defense, posting 18.7 points, 11.5 assists and 5.1 rebounds at the Verizon Center. Wall, Bradley Beal and Marcin Gortat are primed to make a big run if all goes well. 1. Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers) - Whats not to like about CP3? Nothing. The guy can do it all: pass the rock, score the rock and land clients an affordable State Farm Insurance rate. Of course the latter was a reference to the companys popular insurance ads, but Paul is ensuring the success rate of the Los Angeles Clippers for years to come. Its quite elementary for Paul, who has it easy with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan to loft the ball to. Jamal Crawford providing a lift off the bench helps, too. Paul is a strong defender with 1.9 steals per game to go along with 9.7 assists, and is the cream of the NBA crop of point guards. Honorable mention - Tony Parker, Derrick Rose, Jeff Teague, Deron Williams, Kemba Walker, Ricky Rubio, Brandon Jennings, Trey Burke, Mario Chalmers, Eric Bledsoe. Note: Injuries to Rose and Rubio have altered this list significantly. 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