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TORONTO - With just over seven seconds left on the clock and Fridays game hanging in the balance, a sellout Air Canada Centre crowd rose to their feet, holding their breath in anticipation. Theyve been holding their breath for six years now, but finally they can exhale. As Celtics forward Jared Sullinger forced up a wild, off-balance runner, the building erupted. It was official. The Raptors are heading back to the post-season. "We made it," shouted Amir Johnson repeatedly as the media filtered into Torontos locker room. "Its a satisfying, kind of overwhelming feeling," he described, following his teams 105-103 victory over Boston, officially snapping the Raptor five-year playoff drought. "Its been six years since this team, this organization made it to the playoffs. This team has worked so hard. We deserved it. Weve been playing our butts off, playing through injuries. Weve had our ups and downs." "Weve made it." Not lost on the team was the fact that they stole a game, their 41st victory of the season, that probably shouldnt have come down to the final possession. Down by four with under three minutes to play, it looked like the Raptors would have to hope for a New York Knicks loss later in the evening or wait until Sunday to punch their ticket to the playoffs. Theyve been resilient all year, so why wouldnt they be now? First DeMar DeRozan drained a fadeaway jumper, then Johnson hit the game-winning put-back layup. "It was fitting," Dwane Casey said. DeRozan and Johnson, the teams longest tenured players, were responsible for Torontos final four points. For them, this moment was a little sweeter. "It means a lot, honestly, man," said DeRozan, the Raptors fifth-year guard, who will make his post-season debut next month. "Especially for me and Amir and what weve been through here with the tough seasons, through the ups and downs and the struggles. We stuck with it." The only player in the building that could give a firsthand account of the Raptors last playoff experience - a five-game, first round defeat at the hands of the Orlando Magic in 2007-08 - was Celtics forward Kris Humphries. Only four other players from that team are currently on an NBA roster, but DeRozan and Johnson – who arrived the year after – have both been in Toronto long enough to appreciate what a night like this means to the franchise, the city and the Raptors long-suffering fan base. "It was all worth it," said DeRozan. "These fans stuck behind us every single day and theyre going to continue to do so. Thats the reason why we work extremely hard. Our fans definitely push us." Of course, it was just a formality. It was inevitable, only a matter of time. Toronto wasnt going to go winless in its remaining games, just like the Knicks were not going to run the table the rest of the way. Still, they have refused to count their chickens before they hatched and for that you can credit the humility and focus of their head coach. Moments after the win, a loud chorus of applause could be heard from outside the teams locker room. Finally, they could celebrate, albeit behind closed doors. Even Casey, who wouldnt pat himself on the back and likely never will, found a way to indulge in what the evening represented. "Were excited about it," he admitted. "My hat is off to all the guys whove come through here," said Casey, crediting MLSE chairman Larry Tanenbaum as well as former general manager Bryan Colangelo for their contributions to the process. "To DeMar DeRozan [and] Amir Johnson, who have been through it all and for the fans, the fans for understanding and being patient. I know they didnt see the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but its a process. You dont build Rome overnight in this league. Is very difficult to do. You talk about rebuilding, its a hard gig." The Raptors have surpassed every rational expectation, going 35-19 since the trade of Rudy Gay in early December. Its been a season of firsts for a franchise on the cusp of its 20th birthday, a franchise many pundits wrote off for dead after selling off its highest-paid player. "Everybody who writes something on a piece of paper isnt always right, thats how I look at it," said DeRozan, the first-time All-Star. Hes right. He and his team have proven a lot of people wrong. As the Celtics made their run, cutting their deficit - once 14 - down and ultimately taking the lead, DeRozan came through yet again. With Kyle Lowry slowed by an ankle injury he sustained in the first half, DeRozan picked him up and scored 24 of his game-high 30 points in the final 24 minutes. 16 of his 27 career 30-point games have come this season. With 10 games remaining and their spot in the pos-tseason locked up, the team can shift its attention to seeding but most importantly, going into the playoffs healthy and with momentum. "We cant be satisfied," Casey repeated, with his team moving into soul possession of the third seed following the Chicago Bulls loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. "We still want to continue on and weve still got to get better." Lowrys injury scare With three minutes to go in the second quarter, Lowry limped to the locker room after turning his right ankle while back-pedaling to get back on defence. After being examined by the medical staff, the Raptor point guard and most important player was able to return, starting the second half with his ankle taped up. As per usual, Lowry shrugged off whatever pain he was in after the win. "Im a little sore, but Im fine," he said after scoring nine points in 33 minutes. "Im okay. Good to go." Revenge of the second unit Naturally, Casey was frustrated with his under-performing bench after they were outscored 51-7 in Boston on Wednesday. "I challenged them before the game," said the Raptors coach. "I got on them about their productivity or lack thereof in the Boston game. I challenged them. I said, Look, guys want playing time, when the opportunity comes, youve got to do something, whether its defence, knocking somebody down, taking a charge, whatever. And they came through." Greivis Vasquez, who scored all seven of the benchs points on Wednesday, led the teams reserves with 15, but Chuck Hayes and John Salmons were also productive on both ends of the floor. Combined, the three former Kings - along with Tyler Hansbrough, who logged five minutes - totalled 28 points on the night. Patterson nearing a return Although he missed his 12th straight game, Patrick Patterson has been making progress and appears to be on the verge of returning from his right elbow injury. Although the Raptors havent had much practice time to get Patterson back up to speed - a concern Casey expressed before Fridays game - the Raptors forward has been able to participate in smaller, three-on-three scrimmages since being cleared for contact earlier this week. "[His] conditioning is probably going to be step behind a little bit," Casey acknowledged. "Its not going to be where he was before stepping away, so thats going to be expected. Thats why now we need to kind of get him back in rhythm and with the lack of practice time its going to have to be in a game situation." Patterson could be back in uniform this weekend in Florida, as the Raptors begin a back-to-back set with the Magic on Sunday before visiting the Heat Monday evening. The stat With their 41st win of the season, the Raptors secured a .500 record for the sixth time in franchise history and first since 2007-08, the last year they qualified for the playoffs. The quote "My grandmother called," Johnson told the media after his team clinched a spot in the playoffs. "She said that she was proud." Gavin Escobar Jersey . LOUIS -- Duke forward Jabari Parker has won the Wayman Tisdale Award, presented by the U. Dez Bryant Womens Jersey . The 25-year-old Japanese star has officially been posted by his club team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles. http://www.cowboysproshop.us.com/Womens-Deion-Sanders-Authen tic-Jersey/ . LOUIS -- Duke forward Jabari Parker has won the Wayman Tisdale Award, presented by the U. DeMarco Murray Cowboys Jersey . A stick in the gut prevented him from getting off a clean drive, but it earned him the first penalty shot of his career. He converted, and Patrice Bergeron also scored a short-handed goal on Thursday night as the Bruins opened the defence of their Eastern Conference championship with a 3-1 victory over the Lightning. Larry Allen Cowboys Jersey ." The announcement from Rutgers President Robert Barchi, who said there was a "miscommunication" about the speeches, is the latest development in a strange saga surrounding the May 18 ceremony. The New Jersey university initially announced that former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would give the keynote address, and school officials maintained that she would not be "disinvited" as some students and faculty protested her selection, including holding a sit-in last week. Gronk returns to a big role, Douglas steps out of the shadows, Vick is on his way back, RGIII running strong, Rivers doesnt miss, Lacy leads the way, Luck shines in the spotlight and more in Scott Cullens 50 Points on NFL Week Seven. 1. Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski (8 REC, 114 YDS, 17 targets) returned to action, and not a moment too soon, given the state of the Patriots passing game and while his numbers were good, getting targeted a career-high 17 times in his first game of the season was probably not the most optimal approach for the New England offence. 2. Falcons QB Matt Ryan (20-for-26, 273 YDS, 3 TD) put up good numbers even though he was without injured wide receivers Roddy White and Julio Jones. That created an opportunity for WR Harry Douglas (7 REC, 149 YDS, 1 TD, 7 targets) to step up and he sure did that. 3. Eagles QB Nick Foles (11-for-29, 80 YDS) struggled against Dallas, then got hurt. In came Matt Barkley (11-for-20, 129 YDS, 0 TD, 3 INT) who isnt yet ready for primetime, so its no surprise that Michael Vick is returning as the starting quarterback next week. 4. Washington QB Robert Griffin III (18-for-29, 298 YDS, 2 TD, 1 INT; 84 YDS, 11 carries) had a big game against Chicago. Theres surely more health risk when Griffin runs, but hes been successful, rushing 20 times for 161 yards in the last two weeks. 5. Chargers QB Philip Rivers (22-for-26, 285 YDS, 1 TD) is killing it week after week. His accuracy, a league-best 73.9% completion rate, is notably better than his previous career-high (66.0%). 6. Now that hes healthy, Packers RB Eddie Lacy (108 YDS, 1 TD, 27 touches) is churning out yards just as the Packers hoped, giving them a power running game to both complement their passing game and take over when the aerial assault isnt working. 7. Colts QB Andrew Luck (21-for-38, 229 YDS, 3 TD; 29 YDS, 1 TD, 4 carries) came up big in marquee game. It was the second time in his career that Luck has accounted for four touchdowns in a game. 8. Bears QB Jay Cutler (3-for-8, 28 YDS) suffered a groin injury against Washington and it will keep him out of action for the next four weeks, leaving Josh McCown (14-for-20, 204 YDS, 1 TD; 33 YDS, 4 carries) as the Bears starter. Given McCowns spotty track record -- hes thrown for 300 yards four times in 33 career starts and has 38 touchdowns and 44 interceptions in the NFL -- that makes wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery, as well as tight end Martellus Bennett, less appealing than they would be with Cutler at quarterback. 9. Bengals QB Andy Dalton (24-for-34, 372 YDS, 3 TD) had a huge game at Detroit, connecting with WR A.J. Green (6 REC, 155 YDS, 1 TD, 8 targets). It was the second straight week in which Green had 100 yards receiving while also catching all six passes thrown in his direction. 10. Lions QB Matt Stafford (28-for-51, 357 YDS, 3 TD) tried to match Dalton, but came up just short. WR Calvin Johnson (9 REC, 155 YDS, 2 TD, 15 targets) performed much better than he did in Week Six, when he first returned to the lineup after a knee injury. 11. Titans QB Jake Locker (25-for-41, 326 YDS, 2 TD, 1 INT; 29 YDS, 3 carries) made a quick return to the Titans lineup and was productive in a losing effort. WR Kendall Wright (9 REC, 98 YDS, 12 targets) certainly benefitted from having Locker running the offence. 12. Washington TE Jordan Reed (9 REC, 134 YDS, 1 TD, 9 targets) took a big step forward. He had nine catches for 108 yards in the previous two games -- decent production -- before busting out against the Bears. 13. Broncos WR Eric Decker (8 REC, 150 YDS, 1 TD, 13 targets) has been incredibly productive, even as the third-ranked receiver on his team. Decker ranks 11th in fantasy points per game (10.9), while Wes Welker (12.7) is third and Demaryius Thomas (12.6) is sixth. 14. Eagles WR Riley Cooper (6 REC, 88 YDS, 7 targets) played a bigger role in the offence for the second straight week. WR Jason Avant (3 REC, 32 YDS, 12 targets) was actually the most-targeted Eagles receiver, but he wasnt terribly efficient. It will be interesting to see if Cooper can continue to be productive with Vick back under centre. 15. Buccaneers RB Doug Martin (54 YDS, 12 touches) struggled against Atlanta before suffering a shoulder injury that is likely to keep him out indefinitely -- at least a few weeks, but potentially for the rest of the season. Mike James (53 YDS, 17 touches) saw the most action in relief, but he had a total of five touches in his career before that performance, so Brian Leonard and recently-added Bobby Rainey could also be in the mix for carries in Martins absence. 16. While the running game might be a mess, at least Buccaneers WR Vincent Jackson (10 REC, 138 YDS, 2 TD, 22 targets) is salvaging his value, as apparently the only receiver to catch QB Mike Glennons eye. Jackson ranks second in the league with 77 targets after he was targeted 36 times in the last two weeks. 17. With Green Bay missing receivers Randall Cobb and James Jones, Packers WR Jarrett Boykin (8 REC, 103 YDS, 1 TD, 10 targets) stepped into the starting lineup and produced like he should have been a starter all along. 18. Packers TE Jermichael Finley (5 REC, 72 YDS, 1 TD) had a strong game, but suffered a spinal cord contusion, an injury that could keep him out long-term. Andrew Quarless moves up the depth chart in Finleys absence. 19. Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles (123 YDS, 1 TD, 24 touches) remains the top back in fantasy, with 898 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns. 20. With questions at quarterback, the Bears will need RB Matt Forte (109 YDS, 3 TD, 18 touches) even more. Forte has been remarkably consistent, gaining at least 90 yards in every game this season. 21. Chargers RB Ryan Mathews (110 YDS, 1 TD, 21 carries) has been rejuvenated, going over 100 yards the last couple weeks. Danny Woodhead (76 YDS, 1 TD, 13 touches) remains one of the best non-starting backs in the league. 22. Falcons RB Jacquizz Rodgers (62 YDS, 2 TD, 16 touches) had a reasonably productive day, especially with the pair of touchdowns, but couldnt get loose in the running game, gaining 16 yards on eight carries. Its the second straight game in which Rodgers has scored two touchdowns, adding value to otherwise mediocre yardage totals. 23. Lions RB Reggie Bush (94 YDS, 23 touches) got his touches, but wasnt as productive against the Bengals. Bush still ranks fifth with 731 yards from scrimmage. 24. Bills RB Fred Jackson (85 YDS, 1 TD, 15 touches) suffered what appeared to be a serious knee injury, yet somehow returned to action and had another productive day, which stood in stark contrast to C.J. Spiller (7 YDS, 9 touches), a fantasy first-rounder who has gained a total of 398 yards from scrimmage, just ahead of the Saints Pierre Thomas. 25. Washington RB Alfred Morris (95 YDS, 19 carries) had a reasonably productive day, but lost out on a monster fantasy performance because Roy Helu Jr. (41 YDS, 3 TD, 11 carries) got the red zone work. Helu hasp layed a bigger role, with double-digit touches in each of the last three games. 26. 49ers RB Frank Gore (104 YDS, 2 TD, 26 touches) is probably a little under-appreciaated, having gaind 637 yards from scrimmage with five touchdowns.dddddddddddd In standard fantasy formats, thats good enough to ranks seventh at the position. 27. Texans RB Arian Foster (11 YDS, 4 carries) suffered a hamstring injury at Kansas City, a poor follow-up to his season-high 198 yards from scrimmage the week before. Ben Tate (55 YDS, 17 touches) handled the bulk of the rushing with Foster out, but Tate is seeing his average come down steadily after a strong start. Over the last three games, Tate has 90 yards on 32 carries (2.8 ypc). 28. Steelers RB LeVeon Bell (99 YDS, 20 touches) had a solid game against Baltimore, providing some reason for optimism going forward. 29. Cowboys RB Joseph Randle (93 YDS, 22 touches) was reasonably productive, starting in place of an injured DeMarco Murray. Of course, the only rushing touchdown was a one-yard plunge by Philip Tanner, who had two carries total against the Eagles, so Randle lost out on that potential value booster, but such is the fickleness of goalline carries. 30. Dolphins RB Daniel Thomas (58 YDS, 13 touches) had the edge over Lamar Miller (47 YDS, 10 touches) in the Miami running back battle. It was Thomas most yardage in a game since Nov. 25, 2012. Mabye not enough to take the job from Miller, but enough to limit the appeal of Miller since hes not clearly the number one back. At least not clearly enough. 31. Patriots RB Stevan Ridley (53 YDS, 1 TD, 13 touches) didnt exactly build on his Week Six breakthrough, but his touchdown at least made for a relatively productive day against the Jets. 32. Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams (59 YDS, 16 touches) lost some touches, including standard goalline carries, to Mike Tolbert (36 YDS, 1 TD, 13 carries). Williams has been productive this year, gaining 547 yards from scrimmage, but he has zero touchdowns and Jonathan Stewart is back at practice. Stewart isnt expected to play this week, but will be back soon and that will cut into Williams value even more. 33. Jets RB Chris Ivory (104 YDS, 34 carries) took the ball and ran with it against New England, leaving Bilal Powell (6 YDS, 3 carries) to a spectators role. Thats a much heavier workload tha Ivory has handled before and isnt likely to continue but Powell has been the only threat in the Jets backfield this season, so Ivorys emergence makes it look like a backfield with split duties is more of a reality than it has been at any point this year. 34. Colts RB Donald Brown (65 YDS, 14 touches) continues to split carries with Trent Richardson (37 YDS, 1 fumble, 14 carries) in the Colts backfield. 35. Titans RB Chris Johnson (110 YDS, 1 TD, 13 touches) took a break from committing fantasy murder to bust loose for a productive game. His 13 touches was a season low, but his 66-yard TD reception in the fourth quarter against San Francisco salvaged an otherwise unremarkable day. 36. Vikings RB Adrian Peterson (56 yards, 15 touches) had his least productive day since Christmas Eve, 2011. 37. Jets WR Jeremy Kerley (8 REC, 97 YDS, 1 TD, 10 targets) was the preferred choice for Jets QB Geno Smith (17-for-33, 233 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT) against a New England secondary that was missing its best cornerback, Aqib Talib. 38. Even with Miles Austin playing the last couple weeks, its looking like second-year Cowboys WR Terrance Williams (6 REC, 71 YDS, 1 TD, 7 targets) is usurping Austin as the No. 2 receiver. 39. As for Bears receivers, Alshon Jeffery (4 REC, 105 YDS, 7 targets) and Brandon Marshall (6 REC, 75 YDS, 10 targets) had decent days against Washington, but as long as Josh McCown is involved, beware. 40. Patriots QB Tom Brady (22-for-46, 228 YDS, 0 TD, 1 INT) was held under 230 yards passing for the fourth time in seven games in Sundays loss to the Jets and hes passed for one touchdown in the last three games. 41. Colts WR Reggie Wayne (5 REC, 50 YDS, 8 targets) suffered a torn ACL and is out for the season. Darrius Heyward-Bey (4 REC, 44 YDS, 1 TD, 7 targets; 30 YDS, 1 carry) will have a more prominent role going forward, but T.Y. Hilton becomes the primary option in the Colts passing game. 42. Rams QB Sam Bradford (21-for-30, 255 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT) suffered a torn ACL against Carolina, ending his season. The Rams offence was already shaky, but with Kellen Clemens at the helm, it could be trouble. If looking for a second-team receiver who could make the jump with a new starting quarterback, consider Brian Quick, a big target who has nine catches for 196 yards this season. 43. If anyone in the Rams offence is going to have value, it may as well be RB Zak Stacy (87 YDS, 1 TD, 21 touches) has gained at least 75 yards in three straight games. 44. Chargers rookie WR Keenan Allen (3 REC, 67 YDS, 6 targets) was just coming into his own, but didnt have a huge day against Jacksonville. Like many receivers facing the Jaguars, their services arent required as much once a team gets out to a sizeable lead. 45. Jacksonvilles trio of wideouts: Cecil Shorts (8 REC, 80 YDS, 13 targets), Justin Blackmon (6 REC, 58 YDS, 9 targets) and Mike Brown (5 REC, 120 YDS, 8 targets) had productive days against San Diego as QB Chad Henne (23-for-36, 318 YDS, 1 INT) had his second straight 300-yard passing game. Of course, Henne hasnt thrown a touchdown in either of those games, so the yardage is pretty much empty calories. 46. Browns QB Brandon Weeden (17-for-42, 149 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT) had the kind of game that might have been feared/expected. Weedens limitations could translate into limitations for WR Josh Gordon and TE Jordan Cameron, both of whom have shown very positive signs this season. 47. Vikings QB Josh Freeman (20-for-53, 190 YDS, 1 INT) was a mess in his first start, but did have 19 targets to wideouts Greg Jennings and Jerome Simpson, so he wasnt shy about trying to go down the field. He just wasnt effective. 48. Bills DE Mario Williams added a couple more sacks, giving him 10 on the season. Thats 10 in seven games, on pace for 23 in a full 16-game regular season. 49. Bengals OLB Vontaze Burfict (13 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 PD) was undrafted after a tumultuous college career at Arizona State, but now leads the NFL with 77 tackles in his second season. 50. Other defenders with productive days: Cowboys MLB Sean Lee (11 tackles, 1 INT, 1 TFL); Eagles MLB DeMeco Ryans (9 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT); Buccaneers OLB Lavonte David (10 tackles, 3 TFL), Lions MLB Stephen Tulloch (12 tackles, 1 TFL); Dolphins S Reshad Jones (10 tackles, 1 sack); Patriots DE Chandler Jones (11 tackles, 2 sacks); Patriots DT Chris Jones (10 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 TFL); Bears CB Charles Tillman (8 tackles, 1 INT, 1 PD); Rams MLB James Laurinaitis (11 tackles, 1 sack), Jaguars MLB Paul Posluszny (14 tackles), Browns S T.J. Ward (11 tackles, 1 TFL); Packers OLB Jamari Lattimore (12 tackles, 1 sack, 1 PD), Packers ILB A.J. Hawk (12 tackles); Chiefs OLB Tamba Hali (6 tackles, 2.5 sacks), Steelers ILB Lawrence Timmons (17 tackles) Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. ' ' '
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| Beitrag vom 11.12.2014 - 08:19 |
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