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n Mark Fraser made his Edmonton debut after being ...

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n Mark Fraser made his Edmonton debut after being acquired from Toronto for two pros

Started by lili, 2016/02/05 03:44AM
Latest post: 2016/02/05 03:44AM, Views: 99, Posts: 1
n Mark Fraser made his Edmonton debut after being acquired from Toront...
#1   2016/02/05 03:44AM
lili
After a long summer of off-court activity and speculation the Raptors finally got back to work on Monday night, opening the preseason with a 97-89 win over the new-look Celtics. An impressive showing in some regard, the Raptors victory was filled with the rust you would expect after a long layoff and the addition of several new players to coach Dwane Caseys roster. Rudy Gay and newcomer Tyler Hansbrough led all scorers with 17 apiece for the Raptors, who turned the ball over 26 times leading to 26 Celtics points. Toronto overcame its miscues thanks in large part to efficient offensive production and a complete defensive effort, on par with what Casey has preached throughout the early portion of training camp. The Raptors shot 52 per cent from the field, holding Boston to 40 per cent and out-rebounding them 46-26. DeMar DeRozan chipped in with 13 points while sophomores Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas scored 12 and 10 respectively. The Celtics began a new era, debuting with seven new players and a new head coach following a franchise-altering offseason. Without future hall of famers Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett - who were traded to the Nets this summer - as well as the injured Rajon Rondo, coach Brad Stevens team looked a lot different than the perennial contending club Toronto is used to seeing at the TD Garden. Gerald Wallace, who was acquired in the deal with Brooklyn, paced the new-look Celtics with 16 points and second-year forward Jared Sullinger added 14 off the bench. Toronto-native Kelly Olynyk, the 13th pick in this summers draft, scored 4 points playing 19 minutes in his first NBA game. Starters picking up where they left off Although Casey will use the preseason to experiment with his rotation, he opted to start game one with the group that finished last season atop his depth chart. Made up of DeRozan, Gay, Valanciunas, Kyle Lowry and Amir Johnson, the starting unit wasted no time reestablishing themselves on Monday, taking an early 14-2 lead and holding the Celtics to 2-of-11 shooting in the opening minutes. Apart from the expected preseason rust - resulting in 16 combined turnovers on the night and at least three from each starter - that group looked every bit as promising as they did at the tail end of last season. Anchored by the always-steady Johnson and a bigger, stronger Valanciunas, they set the tone defensively and forced the young Celtics to settle for long, contested jumpers. Offensively they were efficient, shooting a combined 22-for-37 (59 per cent) from the field. Although Gay and DeRozan shot just 1-for-6 from three-point range, an area of emphasis for them this season (its worth noting, two of DeRozans three attempts came at the end of the shot clock), the wing tandem was an effective 52 per cent from the floor. DeRozan continued to show improved awareness in the post while Gay recovered from some questionable shot selection in the first quarter to hit 4-of-5 shots in the second frame. Casey has stated that he would like to see a more consistent defensive effort from Gay this season. So far so good in that regard as the Raptors forward held Jeff Green to just six points on 2-of-7 shooting. Each starter played 13-16 minutes in the first half but ceded playing time to the second unit late in the game, as expected. Valanciunas plays big before fouling out In a concerted effort to establish Valanciunas in the low post, the sophomore centre was involved in each of the teams first four possessions, resulting in three quick field goals - two dunks and a nifty hook shot over Brandon Bass. That fourth possession was whistled dead after Valanciunas was called for the offensive foul, going over the back of former Raptor Kris Humphries. This was the first of six fouls for the 21-year-old, who fouled out with 3:41 left to play. Valanciunas was featured in the post throughout the evening and was impressive on both ends of the floor but continues to play out of control at times, culminating in his early exit. Casey and the coaching staff have been working with Valanciunas on his balance and his footwork to ensure he utilizes his added strength the right way. Valanciunas finished with a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 5-for-7 in 27 minutes of action. Second unit, a work in progress Understandably, the second unit - consisting of many new faces - was less in sync than the more familiar starting group. Casey went 11 deep in the first 11 minutes, 12 deep on the night, experimenting with different combinations and getting a sense of where his new players fit in. With the starters on the bench, Torontos reserves coughed up leads in both the second quarter and early in the fourth as they struggled to initiate the offence and slow Boston down on the break. With back-up point guard D.J. Augustin struggling in his Raptors debut (four points, 0-for-5 shooting), the offence lacked cohesion. Newcomer Austin Daye (four points, 1-of-5) also looked lost at times. Again, getting the new players acclimated and filling out the rotation is what the exhibition season is about. Hansbrough, Ross lead reserves Hansbough did not disappoint in his Raptors debut, living up to his reputation as the teams newest work horse (or instigator, depending on your perspective). In 21 minutes off the bench, the former Pacer was all over the floor. He got to the free-throw line (knocking down seven of eight attempts), grabbed nine boards - six on the offensive glass - and even baited Sullinger into a double technical. A Casey player through and through, Hansbrough should be the first big off the bench this season and its not hard to see him logging a career high in minutes played, assuming good health. Meanwhile, in 25 minutes Ross was also a standout off Torontos bench. The sophomore guard played with the confidence, consistent effort and efficiency that was seldom seen in his rookie year. Ross was active and attentive defensively - grabbing four steals - and made an effort to put the ball on the floor and get into the lane. Ross, like Hansbrough, should be a big part of the second unit this season and could be the top offensive option for that group assuming he takes the next step in his second year. Up Next The Raptors return to Toronto where theyll continue their training camp and host the Minnesota Timberwolves for a preseason tilt at the Air Canada Centre on Wednesday. TSN Radio 1050 Toronto has the game at 7pm ET. D... Seidenberg Jersey . The team said Saturday that Lopez was hurt during its 121-120 overtime loss at Philadelphia on Friday. The Nets said they would issue another update next week after consultation with their doctors. Do... Hamilton Flames Jersey . Peter Holland and Brad Staubitz were sent to Toronto on Saturday as the Maple Leafs traded defenceman Jesse Blacker and draft picks to the Anaheim Ducks. http... .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. [url=http://www.nhljerseysofficial.net/Colorado-Avalanche-Reto-Berra-Jersey/]Ret... Berra Jersey .C. at the helm of the top team in the Eastern Conference. His tenure as the GM in Vancouver was all too brief. Though he led the Canucks to what was then a franchise record-shattering campaign in just his second season, Nonis was gone and replaced one year later. Phil Esposito Bruins Jersey . -- In one brief spurt, Brazil turned a close game into a rout and proved again it will be a strong World Cup favourite. BOSTON -- David Krejci scored a second-period power-play goal and Chad Johnson made 22 saves for his second career shutout and the Boston Bruins earned a 4-0 victory over the last-place Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. Krejcis 12th goal of the season at 2:06 of the second period was enough for the Bruins to win for the sixth time in their past eight games and maintain the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. Dougie Hamilton, Carl Soderberg and Torey Krug scored in the third for Boston. Jarome Iginla and Zdeno Chara each had two assists. Johnson started in place of Tuukka Rask, who was pulled during Thursdays loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Edmonton goalie Ben Scrivens was coming off a scintillating performance against San Jose on Wednesday, when he set the NHL regular-season record for saves in a regulation shutout with 59 during the Oilers 3-0 win over the Sharks. Scrivens made 37 saves on Saturday. He kept them in the game again Saturday, but Edmonton had its three-game winning streak end. Acquired from Los Angeles on Jan. 15, Scrivens stopped all nine shots he faced in the first. But just 26 seconds into the second period, with the Oilers breaking out of their zone, Scrivens was penalized for tripping Brad Marchand just ouutside the crease, setting up Bostons third power play of the game.dddddddddddd Scrivens scrambled from side to side midway through the man advantage, denying a pair of doorstep rebounds, but his shutout run ended at 126 minutes, 41 seconds when Krejcis shot from above the right circle was deflected into the net by Edmontons Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Hamilton netted his sixth of the season at 6:43 of the third when he scooped up his own rebound behind the net and swiftly slipped it past Scrivens right leg. Soderberg added his eighth of the season at 13:05 on a wrister that sailed over Scrivens glove, and Krugs 12th of the season came on a power play with 4:18 to play off an assist from Chara. NOTES: Veteran defenceman Mark Fraser made his Edmonton debut after being acquired from Toronto for two prospects Friday. ... The Bruins won their 12th straight against the Oilers, their longest active stretch versus any opponent. Bostons last loss came on Oct. 17, 2000. ... Captain Andrew Ference, who signed with the Oilers as a free agent during the off-season, made his return to Boston after spending seven seasons with the Bruins, helping the team win the 2011 Stanley Cup. Ference received a standing ovation when shown on the scoreboard during a first-period timeout. cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap nfl jerseys Ray Ban Outlet Michael Kors Outlet Michael Kors Sale Cheap Michael Kors ' ' '


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