CHARLOTTE, N. Oakland Athletics Pro Shop .C. -- The Charlotte Bobcats are turning into a difficult team to beat down the stretch, particularly at home. The Bobcats extended their home winning streak to eight games Friday night with a 105-93 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, continuing to inch closer to clinching their second playoff appearance in franchise history. "To me, to become a really good team, you have to win at home," Bobcats coach Steve Clifford. Theyre doing that. The Bobcats, currently the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, came in averaging 103.9 points and shooting 47 per cent in their last seven homes games. They shot 48 per cent against the Timberwolves. Al Jefferson had 25 points and 16 rebounds to set a single-season franchise record with his 20th 20-point, 10-rebound game of the season and the Bobcats held Kevin Love scoreless in the second half. "They brought me here to be a double-double guy, a 20-10 guy, and Im just living up to my contract," said Jefferson, who inked a three-year, $40.5 million deal this past off-season. Gary Neal, benched Wednesday for an "internal team matter," returned and provided a huge lift off the bench with 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting. He said his comfort level is improving since being acquired from the Milwaukee Bucks just before the NBA trade deadline. "Ive never been traded in the middle of the season before, so that has been tough," Neal said. "That is what I can bring to the team is scoring, but you also want to fit in. You dont want to come in with the second team and think that you can shoot all of the shots. It was a feeling-out process and so far I have done a good job." Kevin Martin had 19 points to lead Minnesota. Love had 18 points in the first half, but was 0 for 7 from the floor in the second half against Josh McRoberts and improving rookie Cody Zeller. It didnt help that Timberwolves centre Nikola Pekovic left late in the third quarter with a sore right ankle. He missed most of February with an ankle issue. "I was particularly tired and it was just a tough game from the start," Love said. "They were hitting a lot shots. They kept making shots and we didnt get any stops. ... I dont think I scored in the second half. It was a tough night for everybody." Said McRoberts: "(Love) is going to hit all seven of those shots tomorrow even if he faces the same defence. When youre that good, as a defence you just try to make it tough for him to get to a spot he wants to get to." The Bobcats entered the night with the seventh-best record in the Eastern Conference and three games below .500. Charlotte led by as many as 18 in the second half and the Timberwolves were never able to get the lead under double-digits after the break. Jefferson, the only player in the Eastern Conference averaging more than 20 points and 10 rebounds per game this season, continued his torrid pace with his 25th 20-point game in the last 28 outings. The 6-foot-10 centre only had eight points in a 119-92 loss at Minnesota on Jan. 10. But he had 12 at the break and helped the Bobcats extend their lead to 18 in the third quarter with an old-fashioned three-point play on an up-and-under scoop shot that drew a foul. He was 12 of 26 from the field. The Timberwolves came in looking for their first four-game road win streak in five years, but instead fell back to .500 on the season and six games behind Dallas in the race for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Bobcats broke up a tie game by outscoring the Timberwolves 32-20 in the second quarter behind 16 first half points from Neal, who was 5 of 7 from the field with a pair of 3-pointers. Charlotte shot 54 per cent in the first half, including 5 of 8 from beyond the 3-point arc. "The start of the second quarter just killed us," Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman said. "They didnt miss many shots. I thought defence was our problem. Second half, it was an even game but we were too far down." The Bobcats (32-34) have won five of six and are trying to catch the Washington Wizards for sixth place in the East. The way things stand now, that would be the difference between playing the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors in the first round of the playoffs. NOTES: Clifford said before the game he doesnt expect centre Brandon Haywood back this season. Haywood has been out all season with a stress fracture in his left foot that hasnt quite healed. He said the Bobcats will look to sign another centre soon. ... Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 10 points and nine rebounds for the Bobcats. ... Zeller provided a boost off the bench for Charlotte with 10 points and eight rebounds. Charlottes bench outscored Minnesotas 47-32. Athletics Jerseys 2020 . A better question yet may be this: How many times has the same player been involved in both? Morneau hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning and helped the Colorado Rockies turn the third triple play in team history as they beat the San Diego Padres 8-6 on Sunday. Athletics Jerseys China . After losing a shutout bid in the dying seconds of Sundays win over the Colorado Avalanche, Luongo would not be denied against the punchless Oilers and is now just one back of Patrick Roy for 14th on the all-time list. https://www.cheapathleticsonline.com/115m-chris-bassitt-jersey-athletics.html . The league announced Thursday that Tom Higgins is leaving that post effective immediately.BALTIMORE -- The Orioles activated first baseman Chris Davis from the 15-day disabled list Sunday, a move that would have generated more enthusiasm in the Baltimore clubhouse if catcher Matt Wieters didnt take his place on the DL with a right elbow strain. After spending the minimum time on the disabled list with a strained muscle near his left ribcage, Davis was in the starting lineup for Sundays game against the Houston Astros. Wieters had an MRI on his elbow Monday and visited Dr. James Andrews, who prescribed he rest his arm. Wieters served as designated hitter this week, but the Orioles decided it would be a good idea to shut him down for a while. "I think to get the best opportunity for this to heal properly we need to let it quiet down completely," manager Buck Showalter said. "Youre getting treatment all day then its, Hold on a second to take some swings in the cage. I got to get ready for the game." Showalter added: "Originally, they felt the best case scenario was a two- or three-week period where he wasnt throwing. I think this gives us the best opportunity for this thing to manage itself." Wieters is batting .308 with five homers and 18 RBIs, but he has thrown out only one of 12 would-be base stealers. "Its not like some acute pain. Its just that he knows its not like it should be to catch at the major league levvel," Showalter said. Custom Oakland Athletics Jerseys. "A lot of catchers would die to be able to make the throws Matt has made so far this year." Davis led the majors last year with 53 home runs and 138 RBIs. This season he has two homers and 13 RBIs in 22 games. He went on the DL on April 27, retroactive to April 26, after being pulled from a game against Kansas City. His rehabilitation assignment lasted only one game -- a 1 for 4 outing Saturday night for Class A Bowie. "Hes doing some things now he wasnt able to do that three or four day period he was trying to play through it," Showalter said. "That was good to hear from him." Steve Pearce performed well at first base and at the plate, but Davis lobbied to return Sunday and got his wish. "Steve Pearce is no stranger to success," Davis said. "Hes been big for us the last couple of years and hes done a great job. But Im tired of seeing him hit home runs." Astros manager Bo Porter was hoping Davis might remain on the DL at least another day, through the end the three-game series that concluded Sunday. "I thought he was going to stay down in Bowie," Porter joked. "We might just walk him four times. No, hes a good player. But you make quality pitches you have a good chance of getting him out. Im sure theyre excited to have him back." ' ' '