Off Topic » Lowry scored on a hook shot with 44 seconds

TORONTO - Torontos Kyle Lowry had spent big chunks of Sundays game on the bench, part of the coaching and medical staffs plan to manage the minutes of their battered and bruised team leader. Unleashed in the fourth quarter, Lowry scored seven of his 25 points in the games final minute to lift the Raptors to a 96-86 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. After three horrible quarters, the Raptors outscored the Hawks 36-15 in the final 12 minutes to seal the victory. "Weve got a group of guys who are resilient, we want to win games, weve got a goal in mind," Lowry said. "Its fun to win games and when youve found the recipe to win in the fourth, you have to stick with it." Lowry also had four assists and four steals in just 27 minutes. With the Raptors poised to make their first playoff appearance in six years, the team is being careful with his playing time. "Hes had a lot of minutes," said coach Dwane Casey. "Its hard believe me, as a coach and for him as a competitor, it looks like were going at each other but we both understand the situation. If its close I may close my eyes and forget time, but we have to watch his minutes." DeMar DeRozan added 21 points Sunday, while Jonas Valanciunas finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds, and Greivis Vasquez chipped in with 12 points for the Raptors (39-30). Lowry, who has struggled with a groin injury in the past, wouldnt say if anything specific is sore. "My full body has aches and pains right now," he said. "I dont think any player in the NBA right now feels 100 per cent. Its that time of year where everybody has knicks and knacks and bruises." DeMarre Carroll and Paul Millsap scored 17 points apiece to top the Hawks (31-37), while Jeff Teague added 16. Coming off a an energetic 119-118 loss in double overtime two nights earlier to Oklahoma City, the Atlantic Division-leading Raptors looked like a different team Sunday through three quarters of sloppy passes, horrible shooting and lackadaisical defence. One highlight on an afternoon that had almost none: the return of The Raptor mascot, who missed over five months after rupturing an Achilles tendon during training camp. Casey passed Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment boss Tim Leiweke in the hallway after the game, and told him it was like "pulling teeth, it was like going to the dentists office that first half." "Weve got to be pros like I told our players, whether its five oclock in the morning, midnight, two oclock, weve got to get ourselves going," Casey said. "With season ticket-holders paying big money to watch us play, we came out and gave them a bad performance in the first half." Casey gave his players an earful at halftime. "Aw man, he came in here yelling," DeRozan said. "Once Casey yells, youve got to do your job or youll hear him yelling after the game. We understood ... we were still in the game and we were playing terrible that first half." The Hawks, who are clinging to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, led by as many as 14 points in the first half and were up by 71-60 heading into the fourth quarter. Finally showing some life, the Raptors chipped away at the difference and when Johnson tipped in his own miss with 5:18 left to play, it tied the game 79-79. Lowry scored on a hook shot with 44 seconds left to give the Raptors a five-point lead and some precious breathing room, then he stole the ball off an inbounds pass and scored again to help put the game away. There was a scary moment late in the game when workhorse Amir Johnson went down in a heap clutching his left knee after Shelvin Mack had fallen awkwardly on it. "You dont know if its a soccer move (embellishment) or what," Casey said. "He had my heart in my throat there for a little bit." Lowry called Johnson the teams "heart and soul." "So when that happened it kind of scared us a little bit," Lowry said. "Oh yeah, Im still scared when he falls. But hes a great player, he gives it all, and it makes everybody else give it their all too." Added DeRozan: "Ive seen Amir get hit by a Mack truck and get back up. One thing about Amir, hell play through anything and everything, but he kind of scared me tonight. When he grabbed at the knee, I kind of cussed at him a little to make sure he was alright." Johnson, who was limping in the locker-room after the game, said the initial pain was bad, but he was able to walk it off. The Raptors had lost to the Hawks earlier in the week, dropping a 118-113 decision in overtime in Atlanta on Tuesday. "We just lost focus," Millsap said on the Hawks inability to close out Sundays game. "Lost focus and they hit a few shots. We dropped our heads a little bit but we have to be more mentally tough." Toronto got off to a poor start Sunday, turning over the ball seven times in the opening quarter. The Raptors shot just 28 per cent while allowing the Hawks to shoot 56 per cent. Atlanta went up by 11 before leading 25-16 to end the quarter. A three-pointer by Millsap gave the Hawks a 14-point lead midway through the second. But the Raptors closed the quarter with a 16-9 run that included a monstrous dunk by Terrence Ross and went into the locker-room at halftime trailing 49-42. The Raptors carried that momentum into the third, cutting the Hawks lead to two points on a hook shot by Valanciunas, but abruptly went cold again. Atlanta took an 11-point advantage into the final 12 minutes. Notes: The Raptors are in Cleveland to face the Cavaliers on Tuesday, then meet the Celtics in Boston on Wednesday before returning home to host Boston on Friday. ... New Toronto FC goalkeeper Julio Cesar and Hockey Hall of Famer Darryl Sittler were at the game. College Jerseys Cheap .55 million euros (US$18.6 million) to Spanish tax authorities on Monday to cover any potential irregularities in its signing of Neymar, all the while maintaining its innocence of the fraud charges levied against it. Authentic NFL Jerseys Cheap . The punch happened in the fourth quarter of Milwaukees 116-102 loss to the Kings on Wednesday when the two players became entangled while battling for rebounding position. http://www.collegejerseyswholesale.com/ . This weeks Raptors Report puts a bow on Gays brief, 10-month tenure in Toronto and ponders how his absence will affect the teams offence. Are they a better team without him? In addition to acquiring some valuable cap flexibility, what impact will the four incoming players have this season and beyond? Click here for the Dec. Stitched College Jerseys . Hamilton signed offensive linemen Mike Filer, Joel Reinders, Landon Rice and Carson Rockhill. Wholesale Jerseys Cheap . According to USA Today the Finns have tapped forwards Jarkko Immonen and Sakari Salminen to replace injured forwards Mikko Koivu and Valtteri Filppula at the Sochi Games.BEIJING -- Four-time world champion and six-time national champion Randy Ferbey was inducted into the World Curling Hall of Fame on Tuesday. Joining him in this years class were Switzerlands Patrick Huerlimann and Norways Eigil Ramsfjell. The announcement was made at the world mens curling championship at Capital Indoor Stadium in China. "We are delighted to announce that Randy Ferbey, Patrick Huerlimann and Eigil Ramsfjell are being inducted into the World Curling Hall of Fame," said World Curling Federation president Kate Caithness. "All of these athletes have been ambassadors of our game, both on and off the ice. "Their dedication to our sport has inspired generations of curlers the world over and this honour recognizes their achievements." Ferbey won world titles in 1989, 2002, 2003, 2005 and was a silver medallist in 1988. He won national titles in each of those years and in 2001. Ferbey, 54, will be honoured at next years world championship in Halifax. "This came out of nowhere for me -- Im blown away to be honest," said Ferbey. "Im really appreciative to the Canadian Curling Association for their support, as well as to the World Curling Federation. I never played the game to earn accolades like this. "I always considered it a team game and I really want to share this with all the great teammates I had over the years. I could not have done it without them." Huerlimann won Olympic gold at the 1998 Nagano Games. He won world silver in 1989 and bronze in 1996 and 1999. He also guided Switzerland to a silver medal at the 2003 world playdowns. Huerlimann was a WCF executive board member for seven years and served as vice-president from 2010 through 2012. "This great news came out of the blue," he said. "I am delighted to be inducted into the Hall of Fame and very thankful to the World Curling Federation. For the past 40 years, curling has been a major part of my life on and off the ice. "Curling means so much to me and I am truly honoured with this nomination and to be part of the great ones of ouur much loved game.dddddddddddd." Ramsfjell, from Norway, played in 15 world championships and won gold in 1979, 1984 and 1988. He took silver in 1978 and 1980 and won bronze on four occasions (1983, 1987, 1989 and 1991). Ramsfjell won the gold medal when curling was a demonstration sport at the 1988 Calgary Olympics and earned bronze at the Nagano Games 10 years later. "My curling career has given me many highlights and I have been grateful for every one of those experiences," he said. "However, this recognition is truly outstanding. I am deeply honoured to be joining some of the greats of previous generations and must thank the Norwegian Curling Association for nominating me and the World Curling Federation for inducting me into the Hall of Fame." Ferbey won his first two national titles as a third for Pat Ryans team. His next four Brier wins came as skip of the "Ferbey Four" rink, which included Dave Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer and Marcel Rocque. Ferbey, who threw third rocks for that team, shares the record for most Brier wins as a skip (four) with Ernie Richardson and Kevin Martin. "Randys achievements on the ice over the years speak for themselves," said CCA chief executive officer Greg Stremlaw. "Equally important, Randy was always accessible to our great curling fans, and made a lot of friends for the sport with his outgoing nature. "The Canadian Curling Association is thrilled to see him recognized with induction into the World Curling Hall of Fame." Last year, Canadas Ron Northcott and Don Duguid were the inductees. Prior to 2012, the WCF awarded the World Curling Freytag Award. It was named after the late Elmer Freytag of the U.S. Curling Association, who was a founding member of the International Curling Federation (now the WCF). Previous Freytag honourees from Canada include Ray Kingsmith (2011), Sandra Schmirler (2009), Shirley Morash (2001), Richardson (2000), Colin Campbell (1990), Bob Picken (1987), Don McLeod (1985), Mabel Deware (1983), Doug Maxwell (1981) and Ken Watson (1978). ' ' '