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06	August 2018

Toffoli started more than

TORONTO - With his teammates primed to go their separate ways after Wednesdays game, many of them playing like it in the first half, DeMar DeRozan took one final opportunity to validate his upcoming trip to New Orleans. For the better part of the opening 24 minutes, the Raptors played like a team that was ready to start its long weekend one day early by succumbing to a popular pre All-Star break pitfall; the letdown game. "I think both teams were on vacation before the game started," Dwane Casey said of his teams flat start, hitting just one of 12 field goals at the outset of a crucial meeting with the Hawks and trailing by eight early, until DeRozan sparked the Raptors slumbering offence. Were the Raptors looking ahead to some much needed time off? "I wouldnt say that necessarily, we probably thought they (were)" replied DeRozan, who scored 14 of his game-high 31 points in the first seven minutes of the third quarter, spearheading a lopsided second half and leading Toronto to a 104-83 win over Atlanta. "We picked it up," he continued. "We understood they were going to come out play hard because we are neck-and-neck in the race in the conference. We understood how much this game meant." The Raptors overtook Atlanta for third place in the Eastern Conference standings last month and the Hawks have been knocking on the door ever since. With the victory, Toronto handed the Hawks - who now hold the fifth seed - their fifth straight loss and padded their own cushion over fourth-place Chicago going into this weekends All-Star festivities. At 28-24, the Raptors sit atop their division at the break for the second time in franchise history and first since they won the Atlantic in the 2006-07 season. "It means a lot to be where were at right now," DeRozan said, "but it really dont mean nothing unless we keep it up. Weve got to keep it growing, we cant be comfortable with it because teams in our division (are) definitely still coming." Leading by one at intermission, the Raptors outscored the struggling Hawks 59-39 in the second half, holding them to 30 per cent shooting and forcing eight turnovers while committing just one themselves. DeRozan made seven of his 10 field goal attempts, and all four of his free throws, in the half. Most importantly the Raptors executed their game plan defensively, rotating and closing out hard, limiting one of the better three-point shooting teams in the league to four treys on 20 attempts from beyond the arch. "We had to make sure we were there and the way the game started I (didnt) think we got the memo before the game," Casey said. "We continued to grind it, stuck with the game plan, guys stuck together and grinded it out." It wasnt their most ascetically pleasing victory but its one that fell right into the Raptors wheelhouse, one that played into the identity and personality Casey has urged his team to carry into the seasons unofficial second half. "Like I told our guys," he said, "the second half is going to be a grind. Its not going to be pretty (but) we dont want it to be pretty. Its going to be hard and everybody has to be committed in the locker room." The break comes at a perfect time for the Raptors. Although they go into it with confidence having won two straight, both at home - overall theyve won 10 of 12 at the Air Canada Centre - many of them could use the rest and relaxation time. For the second straight game Amir Johnson was a spectator - fashioning a personalized Raptors jersey on the back of his vest as he watched from the bench - still nursing a sore right ankle. Hell have over 10 days of rest before the team reconvenes in Washington for Tuesdays game against the Wizards. For the rest of the team this five-day layoff is an opportunity to heal various aches and pains that accumulate over a long season and refocus heading into the stretch run. "Me personally I need the rest," said Kyle Lowry, who had another double-double - 16 points and 13 assists - on Wednesday. "I know everybody needs the rest. You get to mentally relax and physically relax also and its always important to take care of your body at this time (of year). You rarely get a five-day stretch in the season so (we have to) take advantage of it." Wilt Chamberlain Jersey . LOUIS -- The St. Jordan Bell Jersey . With one week left in the regular season, Cornish - voted The Toughest Player To Bring Down - is a leading candidate for the CFLs Most Outstanding Player award. He has rushed for 1,799 yards and could break Willie Burdens club record for rushing yards in a single season with a 98-yard performance against the B. http://www.nbawarriorsauthority.com/customized-c-4/. That little deal worked out in a big way for the Mavericks. Nowitzki had 21 points Tuesday night to pass Oscar Robertson for 10th on the NBAs career scoring list, leading the Mavs to a 95-83 victory over the Utah Jazz. Chris Mullin Jersey . -- Caris LeVert had 14 points and a career-high 11 rebounds for his first career double-double, and No. Omri Casspi Jersey . Osasunas Alvaro Cejudo drove the ball onto the crossbar in the fifth minute and his team squandered several long-range strikes before he was denied one-on-one by goalkeeper Jaime Jimenez in the 50th.The Boston Bruins got a huge overtime goal from an unlikely source, and the Anaheim Ducks got on the board against the Los Angeles Kings. Notes on Fraser, Murray, Vanek, Carter, Vatanen, Andersen and more. FRASER THE OT HERO FOR BRUINS The Montreal Canadiens had an opportunity to take a 3-1 series lead against the favoured Boston Bruins with Game Four headed to overtime scoreless. Then, Bruins rookie LW Matt Fraser knocked a loose puck into the net to give the Bruins a 1-0 win, tying the series at two games apiece. Fraser, a 24-year-old winger called up to replace demoted winger Justin Florek, had three goals and five points in 27 career NHL games, but has been an effective scorer in the AHL, scoring 90 goals in 179 AHL games over the past three seasons. Fraser, who was acquired from Dallas as part of the Tyler Seguin trade, joined Carl Soderberg and Loui Eriksson on a Bruins third line that dominated play, the trio on the ice for more than 70% of 5-on-5 shot attempts, led by Fraser at 74.1%. Canadiens D P.K. Subban played 22:52, the first time under 26 minutes in this series, yet 1:19 into overtime, when Fraser scored, the Habs had the pairing of Douglas Murray and Mike Weaver on defence and that should have been an indication of trouble. That pairing was obliterated in terms of puck possession, on the ice for four shot attempts for and 20 against. Francis Bouillon wasnt great for Montreal, but hes been more effective than Murray, who has been on ice for 12 shot attempts for and 42 against (22.2 Corsi%) in two games. While were pointing out troubling signs for the Canadiens, RW Thomas Vanek didnt have a single shot attempted in 16:09 of ice time. The only other Canadiens to get zero shot attempts were Daniel Briere, who played a game-low 8:02, and Weaver. Montreals leader in shot attempts was captain Brian Gionta, with eight. Bostons leader, in terms of shot attempts, was D Dougie Hamilton, who had eight in 23:28, his second-highest ice time of the playoffs. If the Canadiens are going to pull off this series upset, they are really going to have to earn it. The series is even even though the Bruins have held the lead for less than four minutes in four games. Thats not to say that tthe Bruins havent been the better team -- theyve controlled more of the play -- but this series was there for the taking and now its a best-of-three with two games in Boston.dddddddddddd DUCKS GET ON THE BOARD The Anaheim Ducks got a late second-period goal from Teemu Selanne, then needed a late third-period marker from Ben Lovejoy to ultimately give them a 3-2 lead in Game Three against the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings now lead the series two games to one. The Kings held a possession edge throughout the game, particularly taking advantage against the Ducks line of Mathieu Perreault, Patrick Maroon and Teemu Selanne, a trio that was on the ice for 22.2% or less of 5-on-5 shot attempts. At the same time, Maroon set up Anaheims first goal, on the power play and, as noted, Selanne scored a crucial go-ahead goal. Anaheim was forced to turn to G Jonas Hiller for the last 9:58 of the third period, as starter Frederik Andersen left with a lower-body injury. Andersen had stopped 22 of 23 shots when he got hurt. Jeff Carter led the Kings with a goal and an assist, four shots on goal and seven shot attempts, though Carter and linemates Tanner Pearson and Tyler Toffoli started more than 80% of their shifts in the offensive zone, so they were tilted in that direction. For the Ducks, it was Ryan Getzlaf, who had an assist, four shots and seven attempts. The Ducks inserted D Sami Vatanen into the lineup, playing the Finnish rookie 20:19; only Francois Beauchemin played more among Anaheim defencemen. Theres a reasonable argument to be made that, although undersized, Vatanen should already be handling regular minutes on the Ducks blueline, rather than toiling in the minors waiting for a call-up when the team is in trouble. After dropping the first two games of the series at home, the Ducks desperately needed to get a positive result in Game Three. It wasnt easy, and they lost their starting goaltender in the process, but their win makes the Freeway Series much more interesting heading towards Game Four. 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. Cheap Jerseys Store Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Camo China NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Store Cheap Authentic Jerseys Youth NFL Jerseys Cheap ' ' '