Hawthorn midfielder Isaac Smith insists his AFL side are still sitting pretty as they prepare for the business end of a tilt at history.The Hawks face Geelong in a qualifying final at the MCG next Friday as they seek to win a fourth consecutive premiership.It is a feat that has only been achieved once in the VFL/AFL, by Collingwood in 1927-30.Hawthorn have been far from convincing in their past four games - losses to Melbourne and West Coast, an easy win over North Melbourne and a one-point triumph over Collingwood.But the dramatic victory at the MCG on Sunday ensured the Hawks would finish in the top four and that achievement shouldnt be sneered at.Youre always in a good spot to have a crack at it when youre top four. You get the second chance, Smith said.Were in as good a spot as anyone in the top four.A finals series is completely different .. the seasons over, you regroup and just try to get things done.Weve just got to bring our A game. We probably didnt bring that against Collingwood.Hawthorn have won three of their past four finals against Geelong, including the 2008 grand final.The two rivals have produced some memorable matches in recent years and Smith predicted more of the same in week one of the finals.They were pretty good on Saturday. They won by 100 points. Were going to have a challenge on our hands but thats finals, the three-time premiership winner said.We go into every game confident we can win.Itll be good fun. It should be a massive crowd at the G.The Cats are coming off a seven-match winning streak, having crushed Melbourne by 111 points in the final round of the season.Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson acknowledged his side will need to lift if theyre to defeat Geelong.They were pretty impressive .. if the two sides play to the form that they did this weekend then its going to be pretty hard to knock off the Cats, Clarkson said.But its a different weekend, different game .. well have to play a bit better (to win).Collingwood fell one goal short of a victory that would have consigned Hawthorn to an elimination final against Western Bulldogs.The Magpies booted four consecutive goals on Sunday to hit the front with a tick under three minutes remaining.Im not too sure (what went wrong) .. it wasnt good to watch, Smith said.Theyve got a pretty good midfield group that just took the game on ... it was just good to win.Mitch Garver Twins Jersey . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . 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NBA officials ruled the court unplayable in the Bucks final exhibition game on Oct. 25 because players were slipping, and the game was cancelled midway through the first period.HOUSTON -- Andrew Driver and Giles Barnes scored to help the Houston Dynamo beat English Premier League club Stoke City 2-0 on Wednesday night in an exhibition game. Driver opened the scoring in the 11th minute, sending a free kick from 25 yards out right of the middle inside the far post. "It was a big game for the club," Driver said. "Obviously, with a team like Stoke, it is nice to score in a game like that. Its nice to get a win and a goal, but I would rather get that on the weekend (against Chicago in MLS play)." Barnes scored in the 88th minute, taking a pass from Corey Ashe in the left box and sending a shot along the end line from outside the left goalkeepers box and inside the near post. "We created some really good chances in the first half," Houston head coach Dominic Kinnear said. "I thought we defended well. Then it was a bit of a possession game for them, and we were kind of dropping deeper and deeper and had some good possession as well. Giles had a good individual play for the second goal." Stoke City was playing its first game under new manager Mark Hughes. Stoke City will play FC Dallas on Saturday night, and end its three-game tour against the Philadelphia Union on Tuesday night. "From our point of view, this is exactly what we need at this stage of the season and our preparation," Hughes said. "t;I thought for long periods we showed decent control of the football without really having a cutting edge.dddddddddddd"We didnt create enough in the final third. We didnt really retain the ball as well as we hope to do in the future, but for a first game, first test, I thought this was exactly what we needed." Stoke City defender Geoff Cameron, who spent 4 1/2 years in Houston before he moved on to the EPL with Stoke City, said the first game under Hughes was a good opportunity to get back on the field. "Its obviously a preseason game, so we are just rolling with it," said Cameron, a U.S. national team member. "Its a new system, so we are just trying to get the ball down and play. Obviously, everyone was a bit fatigued playing in the heat, but I thought it was a good show." Cam Weaver had a line drive from the right box in the 23rd minute stopped with a leg save by Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic. Jason Johnson let one go from inside the upper box in the 33rd minute, but Begovic made a diving save to keep it 1-0. Kenwyne Jones had Stoke Citys best opportunity in the 64th minute, but Houston goalkeeper Tyler Deric made a diving save on Jones shot from outside the upper box. Barnes nearly upped the lead to 2-0 in the 69th minute, but his right-footed one-timer from 10 yards out on the right box just missed the far post. ' ' '