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TORONTO - The Raptors and Nets dont like each other, even after one playoff game that has been made abundantly clear. If youre looking to trace back that animosity, start with Torontos one-point victory at Barclays Center in late January. There was a playoff-type buzz in the building that night. DeMar DeRozan sat out with an ankle injury, Kyle Lowry and Paul Pierce both turned in playoff-type performances. There were 18 lead changes, nine ties and three technical fouls - on Lowry, Piece and Kevin Garnett - later, the Raptors stole the game, literally, as Patrick Patterson picked off a Deron Williams pass and hit the winner. "This is a team we could see in the playoffs," uttered multiple voices in both locker rooms and at that point we knew, somehow, some way it was bound to become a reality. Terrence Ross continued to foreshadow a couple days later, listing the Nets as a preferred playoff opponent. Andray Blatche was not amused. Meanwhile, the Nets also had Toronto on their wish list as they rested players and lost games to maximize the odds of this matchup coming to fruition. The Raptors were not amused, at least they shouldnt have been. Then the war of words started. "[Expletive] Brooklyn," yelled Raptors president, general manager and hype man Masai Ujiri as he addressed thousands of fans outside the Air Canada Centre prior to Saturdays Game 1. Reluctantly, he delivered a halftime apology, more for the choice of phrasing than the message itself. Hes not alone in that sentiment. "That should represent how we all feel," Dwane Casey said after his team fell victim to the veteran savvy of Brooklyn in the series opener. "I feel the same way and Ive got his back," added Greivis Vasquez. "We dont like any of them either. Thats how we all feel. All of us." Nets coach Jason Kidd said he didnt know who the Raptors GM was and on Sunday the barbs continued to fly. "Im shocked that Bryan Colangelo would say that," Pierce said to the New York Post, informed of what the opposing GM had to say the day before. Reminded that Ujiri replaced Colangelo in the Raptors front office last summer, as if he were somehow unaware, Pierce responded, "I dont know what youre talking about." Theres genuine hostility here. Its not manufactured, though the media has helped fan the flames. "Raptors vs. Dinosaurs," read the Toronto Sun cover on game day, poking fun at the age of Pierce and Garnett. "Dont F*** With Bklyn," the New York Daily News shot back 24 hours later. This has the makings of a competitive, heated series, but rivalry? "I dont think its a rivalry at all," Kyle Lowry said following a Sunday afternoon practice session outside of the Raptors gym on the third level of the ACC. Hes right. Neither team will call this a rivalry and neither should. Territorially, the Nets and the Knicks are natural adversaries, while the Nets - especially with former Celtics Pierce and Garnett on board - have their sites set on throwing down with the Heat, who they defeated four times this season. The Raptors? They dont have a rival. Thats the unfortunate reality of qualifying for the playoffs six times in 19 seasons. For the bulk of their existence, and especially during a recent five-year postseason layoff, theyve been their own worst enemy. "I dont know," said Casey, "rivalry?" "I think the whole Atlantic Divisions a rivalry, the Eastern Conference. We havent got to the spot yet where we can say, Hey, theyre a rival. New Jerseys been to the Finals before, we havent. A lot of teams in our division have been there, where were trying to get to. Weve got to earn that." Thats their focus right now, as it should be. Earning it. The Raptors lost Game 1, not because of Ujiri, not because of anything that was said or done off the floor. They lost because they were outplayed by a team that was not fazed by the moment, by their surroundings. The ACC was electric on Saturday and the sellout crowd did their part, and then some. The building looked and sounded like the "living hell" that Ujiri has called for over and over again. Chants of "Nets suck" and "KG sucks" rang down from the stands throughout the afternoon. Is Toronto a basketball town? It sure seemed like it for three hours but one thing is for certain, its a sports city and as such, it craves that rivalry. It still boos Vince Carter, it still shows up to jeer the Knicks, a former playoff foe from the Raptors "glory days". It would like nothing more than to believe that Brooklyn is the enemy, and for at least three more games they will be. Then what? It depends on what happens here. Rivalries are made in the playoffs and a long, emotional, drawn-out series, almost regardless of the result, would go a long way in prolonging the underlying hatred between these two clubs. For now its being put to the side, at least in the Raptors locker room, where bouncing back and evening the series is now a top priority. Aside from a brief quip to lead off his media scrum - "I promise you I wont have any profanity" - Casey wanted no part in discussing Ujiris controversial speech from the day before. Neither did his players. A war of words may not lose them this series, but it wont win it either. On Sunday the message was clear; a little less conversation, a little more action, please. "This is about basketball," said the Raptors coach. "All that stuff has happened." "All the other stuff, what was said, its about basketball. Its about screening. Its about finishing plays. Its about executing defensively. I dont want to get off on another tangent." cheap nfl jerseys china wholesale .Y. -- Serena and Venus Williams are not part of the Fed Cup roster submitted by U. cheap nfl jerseys China . Arenado left the game in the second inning after fracturing his left middle finger on a head-first slide into second base. Michael Cuddyer hit a home run for Colorado. Ramiro Pena, who replaced third baseman Chris Johnson in the third inning, led off the eighth with a double to the centerfield wall off Adam Ottavino (0-1). http://www.cheapnfljerseyschina.com/.J. Burnett attempts to bounce back from his first loss of the season this afternoon when the New York Yankees continue their three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. cheap nfl jerseys Free Shipping . Parker scored 32 points and the San Antonio led by as many as 31 on its way to a 119-96 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, closing out a stressful first-round series Sunday in seven games. cheap nfl jerseys . The leagues competition committee met Monday, two days after a controversial goal in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final that involved contact on Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, and discussed making more situations subject to review.EDMONTON -- The Edmonton Eskimos can lock up a home playoff date Friday by knocking off the Saskatchewan Roughriders -- but they know its a contest that will be won in the first quarter. Take the game to the Riders from the opening whistle and its likely game over. Let them hang around and they may decide to fight hard to win one last time for their beloved retiring coach, Ken Miller. You can see the game on TSN, TSN.ca, and TSN Mobile TV beginning at 8:30pm et/5:30pm pt, and you can chat with your fellow fans on our Game Night blog. "Its imperative we come out with a good start and jump on these guys early," Eskimo linebacker Rod Davis said after practice Thursday. "I have been in that situation once, and we know that those guys bags are packed. They dont really want to play. Theyre thinking about being healthy and going off home." On paper the final game of the regular season at Commonwealth Stadium is a ridiculous mismatch. The 10-7 Eskimos can take first place and a first round playoff bye with a win and a Montreal victory over the B.C. Lions on Saturday. Saskatchewan is 5-12 and out of the playoffs. They have a slew of injuries to key players like quarterback Darian Durant, linebacker Barrin Simpson and receiver Andy Fantuz. Theyre 0-9 against the West Division and havent completed a pass for touchdown in six and a half games. Edmonton has the leagues stingiest defence (22 points a game), versus Saskatchewans leagues worst offence (19 points per contest). In the previous two games, Edmonton beat up on Saskatchewan by combined score of 59-29. The Eskimos biggest concern is themselves. Theyre a young team that has turned over half the roster from last seasons non-playoff finish. Theyre also a team that got the yips last week when it had a chance to lock up first place with a win over the Lions. Instead, they missed tackles, blew assignments and found themselves in a first quarter 14-point hole they couldnt dig out of.dddddddddddd Battering ram running back Jerome Messam ran up just 17 yards on nine carries. They lost 29-22 to set up a three-way tie in the West with B.C. and the Calgary Stampeders. Quarterback Ricky Ray said theres no such thing as a good loss, but it was better to get the nerves out of the way early. "Sometimes getting a loss out of the way helps you get refocused and heading in the right direction," said Ray. "Were a pretty loose team generally. Thats what you want to see from week to week. But when it gets to game time, weve still got to have that looseness. We cant all of a sudden get tight. "Guys are starting to understand you just go out there and do your thing." Messam said they must establish the run game early, put the Riders defence on its heels and maybe sap its will to compete. "Those guys are going to be playing hard for their coach. They want to send him off with a win. Its going to be big for us to come out and shut the door early," said Messam. Messam has a personal goal to shoot for as well. He sits third overall in the CFL with 981 yards and six touchdowns and is just 19 yards short of 1,000 for the year. The Eskimos havent hosted a home playoff game since 2004 and havent been the home team for the Western final since 2003. The Riders are playing for pride and for Miller, who led the team to the Grey Cup as 10 -- losing both times -- and has already announced he is retiring after Fridays game. He started the year as vice-president of football operations but returned to the sideline in August after coach Greg Marshall was fired following a 1-7 start. Notes: Edmonton offensive lineman Greg Wojt is out for Friday after reinjuring his ankle against B.C. ... Defensive end Greg Peach is a game-time decision. Cheap Jerseys nfl jerseys cheap authentic wholesale jerseys jerseys from china authentic Cheap Jerseys wholesale stitched jerseys ' ' ' |
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