Transfermarkt » but not broken. "I think every single game

For the first time in a long time, the Toronto Raptors dont own sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference, but theyll try to reclaim it Sunday night when they visit the Phoenix Suns. Thanks to a two-game losing streak, coupled with outstanding play from the Atlanta Hawks, the Raptors arent in first. Theyve dropped two straight for the second time this season and first time since late November. When the Hawks bested the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, they opened a one-game lead atop the Eastern Conference standings. After an overtime loss to the Trail Blazers on Tuesday, the Raptors were rolled by the Golden State Warriors, 126-105, on Friday. The 126 points allowed were the most by Toronto this season in a non-overtime game. Toronto trailed by as many as 23 in the second half, but pulled within 110-101 after Lou Williams knocked down a pair of jumpers with five minutes remaining. Golden State, though, answered with 14 straight points to put the game away. Greivis Vasquez supplied 25 points, seven assists and five boards off the bench, Kyle Lowry provided 22 points, eight assists and five rebounds and Amir Johnson recorded 12 points and 10 boards for the Raptors, who have dropped three of their last five games. They shot the ball extremely well, said Lowry. Their small ball really got to us tonight. Sundays game ends a six-game road trip for the Raptors, who will try to even their record on this sojourn. They will play six straight in Toronto upon their return and should get All-Star DeMar DeRozan back soon after a groin injury. The Suns snapped a two-game slide with a 16-point home victory Friday night over the Philadelphia 76ers. Markieff Morris and Gerald Green both scored 21 points and the Suns overcame a halftime deficit to rally past the 76ers, 112-96. Eric Bledsoe tallied 17 points and eight assists and Goran Dragic had 10 points and a season-high 10 boards for Phoenix, which returned home following a four-game road trip that ended with a 137-134 overtime loss in Oklahoma City on New Years Eve. The Suns have swept the season series with Philly each of the past two seasons, winning the four games by a combined 67 points. Late in the fourth quarter, with the game well in hand, the Suns became the first team in NBA history to play a pair of brothers on the court at the same time, as Zoran Dragic joined his brother Goran in a lineup that also included the Morris twins, Markieff and Marcus. It feels awesome to make NBA history with two sets of brothers on the same team playing together, said Goran Dragic. Im just happy that he got an opportunity to play well in those two minutes. The Raptors beat the Suns in Toronto this season to snap a two-game series losing streak. The Suns are 16-4 in their last 20 versus the Raptors, including an 8-2 mark in Phoenix. Cheap Nike Free Wholesale .C. -- Kurt Busch put his chances at "70 per cent" at running the Indianapolis 500 this year because of recent developments that have pushed a potential program along. Cheap Nike Free Australia Sale . The Bulls seem to be getting along fine without him. D.J. Augustin scored 27 points in a start for Kirk Hinrich and Taj Gibson matched a career high with 26 filling in for Carlos Boozer as the Bulls improved to 7-2 since trading the popular Deng with a 98-87 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. http://www.cheapnikefreeaustralia.com/. Algeria led 3-0 at halftime, but withstood a stronger South Korean second half performance to claim its first World Cup win since 1982 and move into second place in Group H with one match left to play. Defeat for South Korea means it must now beat already-qualified Belgium to stand a chance of progressing to the knockout stages. Nike Free Australia Outlet . 3. Trevor Ariza left them talkin about 40. Ariza made eight 3-pointers and scored a career-high 40 points to help the Washington Wizards win their sixth straight game, 122-103 over Philadelphia on Saturday night. Wholesale Nike Free Australia . -- Chad Labelle scored the winner 17:36 into the third period to give Medicine Hat a 2-1 victory over the Swift Current Broncos on Sunday and lift the Tigers into the second round of the Western Hockey League playoffs.TORONTO – Since the electric days of his first training camp with the Maple Leafs in the fall of 2009, Nazem Kadri has been a lightning rod in the city of Toronto, a constant source of attention in times both good and bad. "I learned that the first year I came here, not to pay attention to many people outside the dressing room," the 23-year-old said on a noisy Friday afternoon. "All those blogs, newspapers and people saying what they want to say, they have their own opinion, but at the end of the day Im not hearing it." Kadri is trudging through the longest slump of what is, in reality, a brief NHL career. Though he remains on pace for a respectable 19 goals and 47 points, he has just one goal in the past 16 games and a quiet 14 points since the start of November – a stretch of 31 games. "I think its been decent," said Kadri of his season so far, which has him sitting fourth in team scoring with 27 points. "[But] I know I can bring a lot better. Obviously, everyone expects a lot more, which is a little flattering to say the least, because people believe in you and understand that you can give more to the team. No one expects more than I expect from myself." In midst of those struggles is bubbling trade speculation, which Toronto general manager Dave Nonis addressed in an interview with TSN Radio on Thursday. "Theres a lot of interest in Nazem Kadri," said Nonis. "Would we be willing to trade him? Yes, wed be willing to trade him. But theres a big difference between willing to and trying to." Kadri, for one, has no interest in a potential move. "Itd be terrible," Kadri said of a possible trade. "I dont see it happening and I dont want it to happen. This is my home, this is where I want to be and til otherwise Im going to give them everything I have." Though his career seems like its spanned ages in Toronto, Kadri is still just 23 and midway through only his second NHL season. The point is, hes young with plenty of opportunity and time for growth and development ahead. Patience is a virtue often lost, however, on youthful talent in this city. A first round selection of the organization in 2002, Alex Steen, for example, was dealt to St. Louis as a 24-year-old, gradually evolving into one of the games better two-way forwards with the Blues. Nonis has pledged an unwillingness to repeat such mistakes, firm in his stance that young talent only be moved if something was similar was gained in return. Unlike last season, when Kadri totaled a blistering 44 points in 48 games, thee London, Ontario native has suffered through an extended rough patch, facing more difficult competition in light of injuries – including a 12-game stretch as the teams no.dddddddddddd 1 centre – while regressing statistically with some of the luck that made his first full campaign in the NHL so alluring. And unlike October, when he totaled 13 points in 14 games, Kadri and the teams second power-play unit have been unproductive. In fact, he has just one power-play point in the past 19 games. "With him, its back to basics and I thought that he played better [recently], but hasnt had the offensive output," coach Randy Carlyle said of Kadri. "Its up to Nazzie to put his nose to the grindstone, to do the little things, get involved physically, move the puck, keep it simple, and make plays when hes inside the blueline – deep enough that we dont have to risk the turnover." "It just seems like pucks are hitting skates or goalies are just getting a piece of it and theyre hanging on the goal-lines, hitting posts – Ive had the whole nine yards over the past couple weeks," said Kadri, who last scored in New York on Dec. 23. "Hopefully, my lucks going to change because it can only get better from here." His line, which includes Joffrey Lupul and Mason Raymond, has been quiet and kept in in tow. Lupul has gone pointless in 12 of the past 18 games, while Raymond has a mere two goals in 21 outings. "[The] past few games weve been sniffing," said Kadri, confidence dinged but not broken. "I think every single game were up to four, five, six, sometimes seven scoring chances a game – A-plus scoring chances – so its only a matter of time before those pucks start finding the back of the net and we get that confidence and swagger back." It was only last season, albeit in the American League, that Kadri endured similar struggles with the Marlies. He scored just twice in the first 18 games (with the NHL locked out) and was scratched by then-head coach Dallas Eakins in early November. Outside noise was then, like it is presently, loud and sometimes lacking in the realities that come with the development of a young player. Kadri, who emerged from that spell with 10 points in four games, is well schooled to taking it all in stride. "Its not like Im going home, turning on the radio to listen to what everyone has to say because at the end of the day it doesnt really matter," he said. "Ive got to worry about myself and what I can contribute to the team." ' ' '