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SAN ANTONIO - As members of the media waited outside the visitors locker room at AT&T Center, Dwane Casey addressed his players behind closed doors, a standard post-game procedure, win or lose. After Mondays hard-fought loss, the wait seemed longer than usual. Getting set to go their separate ways for a short Christmas break, the Raptors coach credited his team for their effort on a seemingly impossible three-game road trip, urging them to build on that success when they get back to work at the end of the week. "It was a good trip," Casey said after their 112-99 loss to the Spurs capped off a 2-1 stretch in four days, highlighted by impressive wins in Dallas and Oklahoma City. "I told the guys it was a good start. Were just getting started to where we want to go." Playing in the second night of a back-to-back and coming off their most physically and mentally taxing victory of the campaign - a 104-98 win over the league-best Thunder Sunday - the Raptors simply ran out of gas in San Antonio, facing an unforgiving terror of a team. "We missed some good looks, some of it was fatigue, some of it was legs, some of it was their good defence getting into us," Casey said. "We knew that coming in, that it was going to be a battle. "And thats our next step, to be mentally tough, to fight through fatigue, to fight through back-to-backs and try to do the same things we did [Sunday] night." The final score is not indicative of how closely matched this game turned out to be. In fact, the 13-point margin of victory was San Antonios largest lead of the contest. Although the home team maintained control for most of the night, the Raptors kept pace and refused to roll over or look ahead to their upcoming two-day vacation. "We are a team that has to be scrappy," Amir Johnson acknowledged, scoring just seven points and grabbing eight rebounds in a match-up with future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan. "Against teams like [the Spurs] we have to play with the physicality just like we did in Dallas and OKC. We have to be the team that pushes the tempo. We cant relax and thats what we have been doing these past couple of weeks. We fight but unfortunately we came up short tonight." Although Duncan had a quiet nine points and 12 boards, the other two-thirds of San Antonios vintage big three controlled the tempo of the game. Tony Parker led all scorers with 26 to go along with eight assists, while Manu Ginobili added 18 points of the Spurs bench. San Antonios second unit - one of the best in the association - contributed 52 points, giving the Spurs 48-minutes worth of high-level production. The Raptors couldnt keep up. The Spurs out-rebounded Toronto by 10 and grabbed 16 offensive boards. They held a 16-point advantage in the paint, dished out 27 assists and recorded a season-high 24 second chance points. "Its always tough playing in a back-to-back, especially against two of the best teams in the West," said DeMar DeRozan. "We understood that coming in but we were in the game. They hit a couple big time threes that pushed the lead up for them and made it tough for us to keep it within arms length but we fought." DeRozan - who had already face a pair of tough wing defenders in Shawn Marion and Thabo Sefolosha on the trip - struggled against Kawhi Leonard, scoring 13 points on 5-of-16 shooting. "He had a rough night but Kawhi Leonard is one of the top defenders in the league," Casey said of DeRozan. "They were double-teaming him in his post-ups so they werent going to let him go." Terrence Ross was the beneficiary of the added attention paid to DeRozan. The Raptors sophomore made 10 of 16 attempts for 23 points, while Kyle Lowry also scored 23 and recorded a team-best nine assists. Although a 2-1 record on this trip is nothing to scoff at - its two wins more than most expected them to get - Caseys message has been received and his team is striving for more. "I wish we would have got that last win," Johnson insisted. "The two wins is great but it would have been nice to finish with one more. "We cant settle," he continued. "We played some tough teams (on the trip) and that is definitely a confidence boost but we want to keep going and keep the focus we have over this break. We are definitely not happy. We just have to keep working." The Raptors players and coaches will be excused for two days to spend Christmas with their family and friends before reconvening in New York City for practice on Boxing Day. "Its coming at a great time," admitted DeRozan, who is among the league leaders in minutes played and could use the rest. "[It] just gives us a chance to refresh our minds and our bodies and understand what lies ahead after this Christmas break." DeRozan and Johnson are each spending their time off in Toronto with their daughters, both of whom will be celebrating their first Christmas. http://www.freeflyknitsuomi.com/ruskea-adidas-supe...41826.h tml . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. http://www.freeflyknitsuomi.com/nike-air-max-invig...2-017.h tml . The 28-year-old from Calgary matched his career best after missing just one shot in his two rounds of shooting in the mens 10-kilometre sprint competition. Smith finished in 23 minutes 15. http://www.freeflyknitsuomi.com/roshe-one-kengat.html . The Olympic champion curler and TSN curling analyst immediately went online to look at the Halls long list of honoured members. Thats when the enormity of the honour sunk in. Nike Free Flyknit Suomi .C. -- Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Bobcats got off to a fast start, and the Sacramento Kings were never quite able to catch up. http://www.freeflyknitsuomi.com/nike-free-4-0-flyk...engat.h tml . -- Jacksonville wide receiver Cecil Shorts will likely be a game-time decision whether hell play Sunday in the Jaguars home game against the San Diego Chargers. BARCELONA, Spain -- Cristiano Ronaldo scored a double and set up another goal for Real Madrid in a 4-1 comeback win over Getafe on Sunday in the Spanish league, as new teammate Gareth Bale couldnt make his home debut after injuring his leg before the match. Bale was dropped from Madrids starting lineup minutes before the match after the clubs medical staff examined his left thigh during warm-ups at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. The club said it was for "precaution" and that he would undergo tests Monday. Things only got worse for Madrids disappointed fans when Getafe forward Angel Lafita opened the scoring in the fifth minute. But Pepe scored from a rebound in the 19th before Ronaldo converted a penalty in the 33rd, set up Francisco "Isco" Alarcon in the 59th, and added another goal in injury time after Getafe had been reduced to 10 men. "Overall we played a good game. We were unlucky to start a goal behind, but I think our reaction was good," said Madrids first-year Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti. "Sometimes we play too far back in defence, but piano piano we are improving." Madrid remained undefeated through five rounds and is in third place in the standings, two points behind Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. Villarreal also stayed unbeaten in its return to Spains top flight after drawing 0-0 at Celta Vigo. The same lack of finishing touch condemned Real Betis to a 0-0 finish against visiting Granada, leaving both teams with one win. Valencia enjoyed a much-needed 3-1 victory at home over Sevilla, breaking a four-game losing streak that included a 3-0 defeat to Swansea in the Europa League on Thursday. Brazilian forward Jonas scored twice for Valencia, netting in the 32nd and then again in the 73rd after Kevin Gameiro had levelled for Sevilla in the 52nd. Substitute Victor Ruiz headed in Valencias last goal in the 82nd and sparked the same Mestalla crowd that had protested after the Swansea loss into chants of "Yes! Thats the way!" Valencia president Amadeo Salva said after the match that new coach Miroslav Djukic will finish out the season "no matter what happens." The result left Unai Emerys Sevilla winless and in last place.dddddddddddd Ronaldos 208th and 209th career goals for Madrid in 205 games moved him ahead of Hugo Sanchez as the clubs fifth all-time leading scorer. Raul Gonzalez holds the record with 323 goals. Ronaldo has scored seven goals in his last four games in all competitions for Madrid. If losing Bale for what was supposed to be his highly-anticipated first game in front of Madrids fans wasnt a big enough blow, Carlo Ancelottis side soon fell behind to their modest crosstown rivals. After Ronaldo had squandered back-to-back scoring chances, the Portugal forward lost the ball and Getafe struck when Lafitas resulting shot took a deflection off Pepe before landing in the net. But Ronaldo helped Madrid level when he drew a save from goalkeeper Miguel Moya, with the rebound falling for Pepe to tap in. Ronaldo put Madrid in front by driving a low spot kick just inside the post after Getafes Miguel "Michel" Marcos blocked his free kick with his arm inside the area. Ronaldos quickly taken free kick left Isco alone in the area to curl in his fourth goal in the league play. "It didnt matter that Bale wasnt there, Isco took his place," said Getafe coach Luis Garcia. "All their players are good. With Madrid you cant talk about them missing players." Getafe played the final five minutes with 10 men after Michel was sent off with a direct red card for fouling Jese Rodriguez with only Moya to beat. Ronaldo, who had clipped the post in the 79th, got his well-earned brace when he used a brazen back-heeled shot with his right boot to redirect Sami Khediras cross into the net. Madrid paid Tottenham a world-record 100 million euros ($132 million) for Bale at the close of the summer transfer market. Ancelotti said Bales injury didnt appear to be serious. "(Bale) wasnt comfortable or calm. I preferred to prevent any problems," said Ancelotti. "He isnt happy because he was very excited to play in the Bernabeu." The next chance Madrids fans will have to see Bale at home will be next Saturday against Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital derby. 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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