TORONTO -- The Toronto Raptors tip-off the 2016-17 season Wednesday night when they host the Detroit Pistons.The Raptors enter the season following their most successful campaign in franchise history. Last year, Toronto set a club record for wins (56), won their third straight Atlantic Division title and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in team history.Last year is last year. Every year is a new year, Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. Weve got to come out, scratch, execute, have the same mentality that weve got to be the hardest working team on the court that night to win. If we come out and just try to show our press clippings on the floor, its not going to work.Weve got to have that hard-work mentality and that hard hat mentality to be successful in the Eastern Conference.Toronto returns 11 players from last years team, including All-Stars DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry.Detroit starts the season without starting point guard Reggie Jackson, who will miss at least the first month because of tendonitis in his left knee.The Pistons ended a six-year playoff drought last season, finishing with a 44-38 record good for eighth in the Eastern Conference. They were swept by the eventual champion Cleveland Cavaliers in four games in the first round.Detroit, in its second season under Stan Van Gundy, finished 15th out of 30 in points scored per possession and 13th in points allowed per possession.In order to continue improving, general manager Jeff Bower went out and added to his clubs depth in the offseason giving 27-year-old power forward Jon Leuer a four-year deal in free agency, signed Boban Marjanovic away from the San Antonio Spurs via an offer sheet and added veteran point guard Ish Smith.To me what you dont want to do is have a ceiling on this group, Van Gundy told the Oakland Press. I look at it and say I have great respect out there for the other teams, I think the East has gotten better again. ... I get it, all but at the same time I look at it and say, Why not us? Why not?If were willing to do what it takes, and people take a step forward and we commit more defensively, why not us. Why does there have to be a ceiling on us. Why cant we be that team, contenders. I think the guys have high expectations.On Monday, the Pistons made a move to bolster its lineup claiming guard Beno Udrih off waivers from the Miami Heat and released guard Ray McCallum. Udrih is a 12-year veteran who averages 8.5 points and 3.4 assists in his career.The 6-foot-4 Slovenian played for the Heat and Memphis Grizzlies last season, averaging 4.7 points and 2.6 assists. Authentic Nick Markakis Jersey . PAUL, Minn. Authentic Tom Glavine Jersey . Patrice Bergeron and Daniel Paille scored 20 seconds apart a few minutes after Stamkos was taken off the ice on a stretcher with a broken right leg, and the Bruins beat the Lightning 3-0 on Monday afternoon. http://www.cheapbravesjerseys.us/ . -- The St. Johns IceCaps weathered a wild first period with the help of goaltender Jussi Olkinuora, before finding offensive inroads in the second. Cheap Atlanta Braves Gear . -- Jaye Marie Green shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday to increase her lead to five strokes after the second round of the LPGA Tours qualifying tournament. Authentic Julio Teheran Jersey .05 million next season unless Graham and the Saints subsequently agree on a long-term deal. The designation was released Monday after the deadline passed for NFL teams to use franchise or transition tags on players becoming free agents. The Black College Football Hall of Fame has established the Deacon Jones Trophy, which will be awarded yearly to the most outstanding player at a historically black college or university.The winner will be announced Feb. 25 in Atlanta.The Black College Football Hall of Fame was founded by former NFL quarterbacks Doug Williams and James Harris. In May, it was announced the BCFHOF will make a permanent home at the Hall of Fame Village in Cantton, Ohio, where the Pro Football Hall of Fame is located.ddddddddddddA watch list of 52 players from all levels of college football for the Deacon Jones Trophy was also announced.Jones played at Mississippi Valley State in the Southwestern Athletic Conference before going on to a Hall of Fame career in the NFL. Cheap Jerseys Online Wholesale NFL Womens Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China China NFL Hoodies Stitched NFL Jerseys Discount NFL Jerseys Wholesale NFL Camo Jerseys ' ' '