Niz | Puni Prikaz

wff0605 · 12-05-2015, 08:52 AM

CHICAGO -- Kyle Lowry believes the Toronto Raptors are built to withstand stretches like this. Thats because theyre a little deeper. Lowry scored 16 points, Jonas Valanciunas added 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Toronto beat the Chicago Bulls 99-77 Saturday night. DeMar DeRozan scored 15 and Amir Johnson added 14 points and eight rebounds to help the Raptors earn their second win in as many nights after dropping six of seven. "Weve got the bodies," Lowry said. "Were a deeper team." Theyre a different team, too, with Rudy Gay now in Sacramento after a seven-player trade this week. They got rid of someone who was averaging 18 points but shooting a career-low 38.8 per cent. Theyve won three of four without him, and they made it look rather easy against Chicago. "Nothing to do with Rudy personally, just the fit," coach Dwane Casey said. "Rudy is a talented player, the fit is a different thing." The Raptors led by 16 early in the third, and pulled away in the fourth after the gap dwindled to four, sending the Bulls to their 10th loss in 13 games. Luol Deng led Chicago with 17 points and Mike Dunleavy Jr. scored 14. Joakim Noah added 10 points and 12 rebounds, while Jimmy Butler scored 11. But it was another difficult night for the Bulls. They shot just 36 per cent and were 6 of 18 on 3-pointers. They were also missing Kirk Hinrich, who sat out with back stiffness. "Losing (stinks), theres no question about it," Noah said. "But it also shows true colours, whos willing to keep fighting through the adversity or whos just going to say, You know what, I want no part of this. Im just going to take bad shots and just not care at all about making winning plays, playing defence, things like that." The Raptors led 51-41 at the half after Lowry nailed a 20-foot jumper and open 3-pointer in the closing seconds, and they scored the first six of the third quarter, with the Bulls turning it over twice and missing four shots Johnsons jumper made it 57-41 three minutes into the quarter, but Bulls started to chip away. Marquis Teague banked in a 3 in the closing minute of the third to make it 73-66, and D.J. Augustin hit one early in the fourth to make it a four-point game. But a jumper by DeRozan, a layup by Tyler Hansbrough and two free throws by Greivis Vasquez quickly got it back up to 79-69. It hasnt been an easy stretch for either team. The Bulls saw their championship visions get crushed when they lost Derrick Rose to another knee injury. Just about every other key player has been banged up, too. "I think a lot of it is us having guys in and out," Deng said, referring to the Bulls struggles on offence. "Were not getting as much practice time with guys." But Noah didnt want to go down that route. "No excuses," he said. "I know that were capable of a lot better than that. We cant get frustrated. Our effort has to be a lot better to play winning basketball. But its going to come." The Raptors seem to be coming together after experiencing some upheaval the past week. They acquired point guard Vasquez and forwards Patrick Patterson, John Salmons and Chuck Hayes along with financial flexibility after the season in the deal that sent Gay to Sacramento. They also waived Augustin, who was signed by Chicago. "Its gone well," Patterson said. "We want to come in with the right mentality and attitude. What we bring individually we want to incorporate in the system. I think weve done that. Moving the ball, sharing the ball, making the extra pass, averaging high assists every night, that causes everybody to have fun. No one is being selfish. "Thatll make everybody want to play tougher than before." NOTES: Casey said Augustin could fill a need for Chicago, something he was unable to do in Toronto. "We had a gluttony," he said. "Kyle Lowry was getting a lot of minutes." Signed as a free agent in July, he appeared in 10 games this year with the Raptors and averaged 2.1 points and 1.0 assists for Toronto. ... Hinrich missed his first game this season. Damion Lowe Sounders Jersey . Galatasaray said in a statement on its website Monday that Mancini signed a three-year contract and will be paid 3.5 million euros for the upcoming season, with his salary upped to 4. Victor Mansaray Jersey . The FA rejected Wilsheres appeal that the length of his punishment was "clearly excessive" and said Thursday his suspension begins with immediate effect. He will miss league matches against Chelsea on Monday and West Ham on Dec. http://www.seattlesoundersteamshop.com/A...rs-Jersey/ . The judges scored it 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 for Jones (19-1). It was the champions closest call. Despite the loss, it was a remarkable show by the confident Swedish challenger, who had the best of the early rounds and then hung on in the fourth and fifth. Tyrone Mears Sounders Jersey . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases. Andreas Ivanschitz Sounders Jersey . - Oakland Raiders running back Rashad Jennings was speaking to a group of local high school students earlier this week when the conversation turned to the importance of being prepared when opportunities in life arise.SEATTLE -- Catcher John Buck and the Mariners have finalized a $1 million, one-year contract, giving Seattle another veteran option behind the plate. The agreement was struck earlier this week and announced Thursday. He can earn $3 million in performance bonuses, with half based on games started and half on plate appearances. The 33-year-old hit .215 with 15 homers and 60 RBIs in 101 games last year for the New York Mets, who traded him to Pittsburgh on Aug.dddddddddddd 27. He batted .292 with two RBIs in nine games for the Pirates. Buck hit 63 homers over the last four seasons, fifth-most among catchers. Before joining the Mets, he played for Miami, Toronto and Kansas City. With the Mariners, hell be in the mix with Jesus Sucre and Humberto Quintero to back up Mike Zunino. Seattle designated outfielder Carlos Peguero for assignment to clear a spot on its 40-man roster. cheap nfl jerseys cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap nfl jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '