TORONTO - The Raptors and Nets dont like each other, even after one playoff game that has been made abundantly clear. [url=http:

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TORONTO - The Raptors and Nets dont like each other, even after one playoff game that has been made abundantly clear. Jerry Rice Jersey . 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." Ronnie Lott Jersey .C. - Blair Jones scored the eventual winner in the third period as the Abbotsford Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Oil Barons 3-2 in American Hockey League action on Friday. San Francisco 49ers Jerseys China . At quarterback, all agree that Andy Dalton has been a wonderful surprise, but to truly progress he has to play his best in the playoffs. The two losses in the wildcard rounds keep the evaluation on Dalton open -- just like it did for Peyton Manning many years ago and Matt Ryan until last year. http://www.cheap49ersjerseysauthentic.com/ .ca presents its latest weekly power rankings for the 2013-14 Barclays Premier League season.DENVER - Peyton Mannings touchdown streak is over, and he couldnt care less.I dont need to break or set another record, the five-time MVP said after watching his streak of 51 games with a touchdown throw end Sunday three shy of Drew Brees NFL record. It was important to get a win.The Broncos beat Buffalo 24-17 behind C.J. Andersons three touchdown runs and a swarming defence that made up for Denvers three turnovers with three takeaways of its own.Manning hadnt been held without a TD toss since Nov. 14, 2010, for Indy against Cincinnati.Thats 1,485 days.C.J. did a good job down there in the red zone, getting in there on those runs, Manning said of Andersons scores of 6, 1 and 3 yards. Those are hard-earned runs down there. It was good to improve our red zone (efficiency) after settling for five short field goals in a win at Kansas City.We didnt score many touchdowns last week and that was the difference tonight, being able to score touchdowns in the red zone as opposed to settling for field goals.The Broncos (10-3) won their third straight game since downshifting their high-octane offence from a pass-oriented attack to a run-heavy approach.I hope fans will still keep coming to the games, deadpanned Manning, who finished 14 of 20 for 173 yards with two interceptions.With Julius Thomas out again, Demaryius Thomas hobbled and Emmanuel Sanders pin-balling through the secondary all afternoon, Wes Welker awakened from a season-long slumber to lead the Broncos with six catches for 82 yards.This was not the game for the receivers to have a lot of big numbers, Manning said, but Wes play helped us get this victory.Former Broncos QB Kyle Orton had a day like Manning usually does: 38 of 57 for 355 yards. He led the Bills (7-6) on two long desperation TD drives in the fourth quarter after theyd fallen behind 21-3. His 38 completions tied a team record and his 58 attempts is a franchise high.Not good enough to beat a good football team, said Orton, who was sacked four times.Other takeaways from Denvers grind-it-out win:UNDERHANDED FIST BUMP? After Anderson bulled in for his second TD, the Broncos celebrated. So did the refs. Moments after Andersonss 1-yard score, line judge John Hussey and umpire Carl Paganelli fist bumped after making what turned out to be the correct call. Tom Rathman Jersey. Bills safety Aaron Williams wasnt amused. After the game, he linked the video of the officials reaction to a tweet critical of the officials.The NFL had no problem with the gesture: It was an acknowledgment of good mechanics between the two officials involved in making the call, NFL spokesman Michael Signora said.SACKLESS BILLS: The Bills still lead the league with 48 sacks but they didnt add to that total Sunday as they went without a sack for the first time since Sept. 22, 2013, against the Jets.You have to give it to the big boys up front, said Anderson, praising his O-line that was pilloried last month.WONDERFUL WATKINS: With 127 yards on seven catches, Sammy Watkins became the first Bills rookie with four 100-yard games in a season.Every week I try to be that guy to change the game and make plays, Watkins said. I had great catches. But ultimately we didnt win the game and thats the ultimate goal.MAGNIFICENT MARSHALL: When last years top tackler, Danny Trevathan, returns from IR this week, hell join a linebacker corps thats done just fine without him.His sub, Brandon Marshall, leads the team with 107 tackles and on Sunday had a team-high nine stops to go with three pass breakups and his first career interception.MCMANUS BACK: One week after replacing him with veteran Connor Barth, the Broncos brought back kicker Brandon McManus as a kickoff specialist and he had four touchbacks in five kickoffs. Marcus Thigpen brought the other one out from 8 yards deep in the end zone and only reached the 19.Its good to still be in the locker room, continue to learn, McManus said. In practice, Ill still be working on my field goals. Ive got such a strong leg I kind of have some variables in my field goal steps that I know I can change. And obviously I didnt want to do that in the middle of the season. So, now I can work on it and still help the team however I can.For now, thats by kicking the ball out of the back of the end zone.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Cheap Jerseys China NFL Jerseys Cheap NBA Jerseys Wholesale NHL Jerseys Wholesale MLB Jerseys Cheap Soccer Jerseys China Wholesale NCAA Jerseys Wholesale Football Jerseys Wholesale Basketball Jerseys Wholesale Baseball Jerseys ' ' '