Former Raptors big man Andrea Bargnani faces his former teammates tonight when the New York Knicks host Toronto at Madison Square Garden tonight. Bargnani was selected first overall by the Raptors in the 2006 NBA Draft and played seven seasons with Toronto before he was traded to the Knicks in the offseason. You can watch the game on TSN2 at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. The Raptors are in the midst of playing eight of 10 games on the road and will wrap up a four-game trek tonight. They had won two in a row and four of five games until a 112-99 loss against the San Antonio Spurs. Kyle Lowry and Terrence Ross scored 23 points apiece, while DeMar DeRozan added 13 points and seven boards. "Theyre a really good team," Lowry said of the Spurs. "Their players are hall-of-famers, they have a hall-of-fame coach." Lowry has scored 20-plus points in three straight games. Toronto has a 7-7 mark as the guest and its next 11 games will be against Eastern Conference foes. It has won four of five on the road. The banged-up New York Knicks can make up some ground in the weak Atlantic Division when they begin a home-and-home set against Raptors tonight. The Knicks are just three games behind the division-leading Raptors with a woeful 9-19 mark and head coach Mike Woodson is looking forward to the possibility of moving up in the Atlantic. "Were sitting here at three games out, and in our last 12 were 6-6, so we are playing a little bit better basketball based on all the injuries that weve had," Woodson said Thursday. "But tomorrows game is an important game because they (Raptors) sit at the top of the division." Woodson is hoping to have star Carmelo Anthony, the second-leading scorer in the league with 26.3 points per game, in uniform versus Toronto. Anthony is nursing an ankle injury and is day-to-day, according to Woodson. Woodson said Thursday he will see where Anthony is at treatment wise and go from there. "If he says hes ready to go, then well put him in uniform and play him," Woodson noted. Anthony, who suffered the injury in the third quarter of Mondays win against the Orlando Magic. missed a 123-94 drubbing at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder on Christmas Day. Amare Stoudemire led the Knicks with 22 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 21 points and J.R. Smith tallied 20 for New York, which lost every quarter and gave up 67 points to Kevin Durant (29), Russell Westbrook (14) and Serge Ibaka (24). Knicks point guard Raymond Felton did not play due to a right groin strain and is expected miss Fridays game. Forward Metta World Peace (knee) is questionable versus the Raptors. New York is 4-11 at MSG this season. The Raptors and Knicks split four games last season and the past 16 meetings between the teams. Jay Bruce Reds Jersey . 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EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Lakers signed Kobe Bryant to a two-year contract extension Monday, securing the fourth-leading scorer in NBA history into his 20th season with the franchise. Bryant hasnt played this season while recovering from surgery on his torn Achilles tendon in April, but the Lakers didnt wait to renew their commitment to the five-time NBA champion before he got anywhere close to the free-agent market next summer. Bryant inked the deal with owner Jim Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak at his side in agent Rob Pelinkas office moments before the Lakers left for an East Coast road trip. Bryant, Buss and Kupchak all had repeatedly stated Bryant wouldnt leave his only NBA home. The 35-year-old guard quickly tweeted a picture of his signature with the hashtag: Laker4Life. "This is a very happy day for Lakers fans and for the Lakers organization," Kupchak said in a statement. "Weve said all along that our priority and hope was to have Kobe finish his career as a Laker, and this should ensure that that happens." Bryant has spent more than half of his life playing for the Lakers, and if he fulfills his new contract, he will break John Stocktons record of 19 seasons with one NBA franchise. But Kobes legacy in L.A. already is secure: No less than Magic Johnson and Jerry West have declared Bryant the franchises greatest player, given his fistful of championship rings and his consistent brilliance while scoring more points than anybody in a Lakers uniform. Although Bryant is taking a pay cut from his $30.45 million salary this season, Kobe and the Lakers didnt exactly agree to a hometown discount, either. ESPN reported the deal is worth $48.5 million, keeping Kobe among the NBAs highest-paid players. Some fans grumbled online that the contract will limit the Lakers flexibility in the free-agent market next summer, clouding their starry-eyed dreams of signing Carmelo Anthony or LeBron James. Other fans approved the payout as a reward for an iconic player who still ranked among the NBAs most dangerous scorers before his injury. Bryant and 39-year-old point guard Steve Nash are the only players signed to significant contracts for next season with the Lakers, who have been anticipating a major roster restructuring in 2014 ever since Dwight Howard fled town in July. Even if the Lakers waived the oft-injured Nash under a special provision limitinng his salary cap hit, Bryant would eat up roughly a third of their room under the projected cap before anybody else joins him next season.dddddddddddd Bryant returned to practice earlier this month, and his return to the court seems imminent, although he isnt rushing back from perhaps the most significant injury of his career. Bryant said last week that he could adjust his game and contribute something to the Lakers right now, but he wants to make a full return when he finally steps on the court for his 18th NBA season. "Its definitely something where youre kind of champing at the bit a little bit, but weve come so far," Bryant said after practice last week. "I want to make sure, we all do, when you step out there youre ready to go the long haul, and (the injury) isnt something that continues on." Coach Mike DAntoni has said Bryant can return whenever Kobe says hes ready. The Lakers are surviving in his absence, improving to 7-7 on Sunday night by beating Sacramento for their third straight victory. "Ive been extremely proud of the way weve competed," Bryant said. The contract is another milestone in Bryants remarkable career. He was a 17-year-old high schooler when the Lakers acquired him after the Charlotte Hornets chose him in the first round of the 1996 draft, and Lakers fans watched as he evolved into one of the most dominant scorers in NBA history, dazzling fans with his offensive inventiveness and drawing critics for his ball-dominating style of play. Bryant won three championships with Shaquille ONeal from 2000-02 and added two more with Pau Gasol in 2009 and 2010, winning the NBA finals MVP award after each of those titles. He won his only NBA MVP award in 2008 and his scoring titles in 2006 and 2007, also earning 15 selections to the All-Star game -- with four MVP awards from the showcase -- and two Olympic gold medals with the U.S. national team. Bryant hasnt given up hope of adding a sixth championship ring to his trophy case, even while the Lakers struggle to keep up with the NBAs best teams. With his immediate future secure, Bryant can focus on getting back to full strength on his injured leg. "Its always a much greater appreciation for it," Bryant said of his imminent return. "You understand the mortality that comes with being on that doorstep. Theres always a sense of enjoyment when you come back." cheap custom jerseys wholesale jerseys store cheap jerseys Cheap Jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '