2070 Beiträge - Forenlegende
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TORONTO -- For the second straight night, Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry stated his case as an NBA all-star. But even after pouring in a game-high 33 points in a convincing win over the Orlando Magic, Lowry was managing expectations ahead of Thursdays announcement of the reserves for next months game. "I would be very honoured. It would be a great individual accomplishment," Lowry said when asked if the NBA coaches decision mattered to him. "But at the end of the day, its just another day for me." Even though many would argue Lowry deserves a spot in New Orleans, hes widely expected to be snubbed, a victim of a perceived abrasive personality rather than anything to do with his play. His play spoke volumes again Wednesday. Lowry had 11 assists to go with his 33 points in the Raptors 98-83 win before 17,694 fans at Air Canada Centre. It was Lowrys second consecutive 30-plus point performance -- a career first. The feat is even more impressive because its come in the absence of injured DeMar DeRozan, another potential all-star. "Hes stepped it up," Toronto head coach Dwane Casey said of Lowry, who hit all five of his three-point attempts in the first quarter as the Raptors built a 33-20 lead and led all the way. "I keep my fingers crossed that the coaches voted him in because he deserves it," Casey said. "I feel like both guys (Lowry and DeRozan) deserve it, because right now hes one of the best point guards in the league." Lowry, who had 31 points in a win over the Nets in Brooklyn on Monday, set the tone for the night by opening the scoring with a 26-foot jump shot 58 seconds into the game to make it 3-0. The Raptors led from there, winning their second straight game and fourth in five. "Were just getting better and were grinding it out every day," Lowry said. Amir Johnson added 22 points and 11 rebounds while Jonas Valanciunas, the second-year centre picked earlier Wednesday to suit up in the Rising Stars Challenge at the all-star weekend in New Orleans next month, added 14 points and 15 rebounds for the Raptors. The win moved Toronto (24-21) three games above .500 for the first time this season. The Raptors, who lead the NBAs Atlantic Division by three games over Brooklyn, were 16-29 after 45 games last season on their way to missing the playoffs for a fifth straight year. "We are hungry and we want to win every game we play," said Johnson, who sat in front of his locker after the game with each foot in a bucket of ice nursing an ankle he rolled. "Nobody has an agenda on this team, everybody is sharing the ball." Johnson said it would be "awesome" for Lowry to get his first career all-star nod. "Hes become our all-star and one of the main reasons why we have been so successful winning these games," Johnson said. Facing the NBAs worst road team, the Raptors jumped on Orlando from the start. Led by Lowry, Toronto matched a club record from November 2009 with eight three-pointers in a quarter in the first, and hit 11 of their first 12 shots of the night from beyond the arc. A stretch of nine straight was the first time the team made that many consecutively since February 2005 against the Los Angeles Lakers. "We made shots. We spaced the floor well," Lowry said. The Raptors led by as many as 19 points. Orlando (12-35) cut the lead to eight points with 7:20 to go in the third quarter but thats as close as they got on the way to losing their 10th consecutive road game. The Raptors now head out West on a tough, five-game road trip starting Friday in Denver. Nike Air Max 1 Heren Geel . -- Mike Smith never saw his first NHL goal go in. Nike Air Max 1 Heren wit . -- Its been a long road back for Sean Bergenheim. http://www.nikelunarflyknit.nl/nike-heren-air-max-...zwart.h tml . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. nike air max 1 heren netherlands . LOUIS -- Attorneys for the St. Nike Air Max 1 Heren Zwart . LOUIS -- Heading into the final stretch of the season, the issues for the Chicago Bears banged-up defence only seem to be getting worse. MILWAUKEE -- The Cincinnati Reds offence had a tough time against Kyle Lohse on Friday night. The Brewers starter retired 23 consecutive batters at one point and finished with a four-hitter, and Carlos Gomez went 3 for 4 with 5 RBIs, lifting the Brewers to a 5-1 win. The Reds wild-card lead dropped to 4 1/2 games over the surging Washington Nationals, who have won seven straight games. Ryan Ludwick lost a ball in the lights that went for a key double, and two of Gomezs singles were bloop hits. The Reds struggled against Lohse, but had some hard-hit balls hit directly to infielders. "We hit the ball, actually, better than they did," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. Gomez had a two-run single in the first, an RBI single in the third and a two-RBI single in the seventh to account for all of Milwaukees runs. The Brewers centre fielder was coming off a tough road trip, batting .150, and had hit only .116 against the Reds this season coming into the game. "I guess that was his night when things like that happen over and over," Baker said. "But we didnt help ourselves on the defensive side of the ball and with walks." There was not a lot of luck involved in Lohses fine performance. Cincinnati had three consecutive singles to open the second, but then had 23 batters in a row retired before Jay Bruce walked with two outs in the ninth. "Pitching a game like this as a spoiler -- it feels good," Lohse said. "Youve got to look at it as your playoff situation. "These guys are more than likely going to be in the playoffs," he said. "Were not going to knock them out or anything. But to be able to go out there and pitch against a playoff-calibre team, it makes you feel good. That lineup can swing it quite a bit." The Reds have dropped three of four. "We made some hard outs, but youve got to give him a little bit of credit," Ludwick said. "He missed a lot of bats tonight. He had a lot of balls off the end of the bat." Lohse (10-9) started the season 1-6 after missing most of spring training, signing with the Brewers as a free agent on March 25.dddddddddddd Since the slow start, he has gone 9-3. After allowing three consecutive singles to open the second, Lohse recorded an out on Devin Mesoracos RBI fielders choice grounder to third. "He had a little trouble there in the second, but he really threw the ball well all game and even got better the later we got in the game," Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said. Lohse, who went 30-11 for St. Louis over two seasons in 2011-12, walked one and struck out five. He rebounded from a poor outing in his last start, where he allowed seven runs in five innings in an 8-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Sept. 6. Reds starter Mat Latos (14-6) allowed five runs -- the most he has given up since the All-Star break -- and seven hits and three walks while striking out four in 6 2/3 innings. "Its just one of those days where you just have to hit the reset button and go after them again the next time you go out," Latos said. Norichika Aoki led off the first with a four-pitch walk. One out later, Ludwick appeared to lose sight of Jonathan Lucroys sharp liner to left field, and it went by him to the wall for a double. Aramis Ramirez was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Gomez hit a bloop single to right, scoring Aoki and Lucroy to make it 2-0. Ludwick, Jack Hannahan and Zack Cozart had consecutive singles to open the second, and Mesoraco grounded into a fielders choice to third that scored Ludwick. Latos hit a sacrifice bunt to move Mesoraco to second, but Shin-Soo Choo struck out to end the inning. The Reds were retired in order in each inning until Bruces walk in the ninth. Milwaukee loaded the bases in the seventh, and Gomez hit a two-run single off reliever J.J. Hoover to make it 5-1. Notes: Gomez also had five RBIs on July 12, 2009, while with Minnesota against the Chicago White Sox. ... Ramirez was removed after the first inning after being hit by a pitch from Latos. The team said he suffered a contusion on his left wrist and was day to day. Cheap China Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China China NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China ' ' '
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