Neues » four touchdowns in 16 games

MINNEAPOLIS - Less than 15 minutes after the final buzzer sounded, Kyle Lowry, originally surprised to learn he had recorded his fifth career triple-double and second of the season, lamented his recent shooting slump. Minnesota Wild Jerseys . "Lately my shot has been off," said Lowry, fresh off a 20-point, 12-rebound, 11-assist performance in the Raptors 111-104 victory over the Timberwolves. "Ive been in a crazy slump for me. Imma find my way out of it." Demanding the best from himself and his team has become the norm for a player that led Toronto in more ways than one on Sunday. Lowry shot just 5-of-13 from the field but it didnt seem to matter much because he did almost everything else. The Raptors point guard knocked down nine of his 10 free throws, netted a couple of steals, found teammates for big shots throughout the evening and helped change the game with his rebounding. As a team, it was their hot shooting that kept the Raptors afloat in the first half, even leading by one at intermission. However, that lead seemed unsustainable at the rate in which Minnesota dominated the trenches. Late in the third quarter, as Lowry wrestled the ball from Nikola Pekovic - a ferocious rebounder with 80 pounds and nearly a foot on the Raptors guard - to give his team another possession, it was clear the momentum had swung. "He did a good job of getting in there, penetrating, finding people," Dwane Casey said of Lowry. "We needed all of his rebounds, especially with the way they crash the boards. He just had an all-around game." After giving up 10 offensive rebounds in the first half - it was the 12th time theyve surrendered at least 10 offensive boards in the last 17 games - the Raptors allowed just six in the seconds half, doubling Minnesotas efforts on the boards, 28-14. Lowry, who had nine rebounds in the final 24 minutes, and his nose for the ball seemed to rub off and inspire his teammates. "Its crazy," DeMar DeRozan said of Lowrys effort. "We all look at one another and realize, what can I do to help him out?" "Just seeing him going there, sometimes he comes out of nowhere and you see him snatch a ball out of a bigs hand, or coming over the top like he has a 42-inch vertical or something. Thats just Kyle, man. Hes hungry for the ball every time the ball goes up." His passion, like his tenacity, has been contagious and his backcourt partner appears to have caught the bug. With just over a minute to go and the shot clock ticking down, up seven, DeRozan took a pass from Lowry. Situated in the left corner, with the Wolves Corey Brewer in his face, he drained the dagger, a three-pointer to put the Raptors up 10. On his way to the Raptors huddle, Minnesota having just called a timeout, a fired-up DeRozan turned to the Wolves bench and shouted a couple of R-rated words that did not sit well with coach Rick Adelman. "They got a little hyped when they made a couple of buckets," said DeRozan, who finished with 25 points. "I kind of got it from Greivis (Vasquez). When he hits a big shot, he always shows off a little bit. Its the competitive level thats in all of us when you hit a big shot." "I like the passion," Casey added. "I think all of our guys are playing with passion, we have to channel it and get it going in the right direction, at the other team. I do like that." It was a rare showing of on-court emotion for the quiet all-star guard but something weve seen a lot more of over the last few weeks. Lowry, who is known for wearing his heart on his sleeve, approves. "When youre an all-star, youre growing up, your true self starts to come out a little bit," he said of his teammate. "Hes a quiet guy but when youre winning and youre a leader, youve got to do it." Listed at a generous 6-feet, Lowry is averaging just under five rebounds per game, good for fourth among NBA point guards, behind only Russell Westbrook, Michael Carter-Williams and Rajon Rondo. Lowry is shooting just 32 per cent from the field, 29 per cent from three-point range - down from 39 per cent on the season - over his last eight games. Its barely affected his overall value to the team and it certainly hasnt hurt the bottom line. Toronto has won six of those eight games and nine of its last 11 contests, surpassing last seasons win total with its 35th victory on Sunday. Without sixth-man Patrick Patterson in the lineup - the Raptors learned he will miss at least 7-10 days with a ligament injury in his right elbow before the game - Steve Novak and Chuck Hayes stepped in and filled that role seamlessly. Hayes strength and on-the-ball defence came in handy against all-star forward Kevin Love - who just missed out on a triple-double, with 26 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists - and Novak knocked down five of his six shots from beyond the arch, contributing 15 points in 19 minutes off the bench. As a team, the Raptors shot 14-of-24 from long distance, with Terrence Ross hitting three of four attempts and DeRozan, as well as Vasquez each drilling a couple threes. The victory was Torontos 18th in its previous 19 meetings with the Wolves, sweeping the season-series for the eighth time in the last 10 years. Now nine games above the .500 mark for the first time this season, the Raptors will travel to Brooklyn to face the Nets - who sit four games back for top spot in the Atlantic Division - in the second night of a back-to-back, for both teams, on Monday. Jared Spurgeon Jersey . Kadri was dressed in a green jersey at Thursdays practice and skated as an extra forward on the teams fourth line as the Leafs. Ryan Suter Jersey . Geovany Soto had an RBI for the Cubs. Carlos Silva gave up one run on three hits over six innings to pick up the win. Josh Willingham drove in the lone run for the Nationals, who had just four hits. http://www.authenticwildpro.com/Mikko-koivu-wild-jersey/ . Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills crossed off a draft need by acquiring running back Bryce Brown in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday. The teams swapped seventh-round picks in this years, with the Eagles moving up five spots to land the 224th selection. The Bills also gave up a conditional draft pick -- either a fourth-rounder next year or a third-round selection in 2016. In landing Brown, the Bills filled a need for depth without having to address it in the draft. Hell serve in a backup role behind co-starters Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller. The Eagles, by comparison, had what coach Chip Kelly called "a logjam" at running back. Brown was also regarded as expendable in Philadelphia because his side-to-side running style didnt fit Kellys offence. Kelly and Bills director of player personnel Jim Monos both said the trade had been in the works for the past month. Brown has 190 carries for 878 yards and six touchdowns in 32 games in two seasons with the Eagles. He overcame fumbling issues during his rookie season to finish with 564 yards rushing and four touchdowns in 16 games, including four starts. Brown sset the Eagles single-game rookie rushing record in his first start, when he had 178 yards and two scores against Carolina on Nov. Eric Staal Jersey. 26, 2012. He followed that up a week later with 169 yards rushing and two scores at Dallas. In Buffalo, Brown joins an offence that ranked second in yards rushing last season. "Yeah, I was definitely surprised," Brown said. "But I think its a great opportunity for me to come in and be able to contribute any way that I can. Im excited about the journey. And I cant wait to get started." This was the latest in a series of trades the Bills have made over the past month. On Friday, Buffalo dealt receiver Stevie Johnson to San Francisco. Johnson became the odd-man out in a crowded group of receivers after the Bills opened the draft by trading up five spots to select Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins with the No. 4 pick. Last month, Buffalo gave up a sixth-round draft pick to acquire receiver Mike Williams in a trade with Tampa Bay. On Friday, the Bills swapped second-round draft picks and picked up an additional fifth-round pick (153rd overall) in a trade with St. Louis. ' ' '