Die Anpflanzler [DA] » avoided an injury when he

BROOKLYN - There are more than a few self-inflicted ways to explain the Raptors Game 3 loss, a contest they deserved to lose, but when it was all said and done the conversation surrounded a familiar quandary. How much did a series of questionable late-game calls derail Torontos comeback bid? "I mean, is that something new," Patrick Patterson asked rhetorically on the heels of Fridays 102-98 loss to Brooklyn, giving the Nets a 2-1 series advantage. Its not the first time hes made this point. Its not the first time hes had to. "In regards to calls not going our way or us feeling a certain way about referees, it has been taking place all year long," he continued. "For us to think it is going to change in the playoffs, we are fooling ourselves." The Raptors were making one final push, flirting with what would have been another unlikely comeback - which has become something of a specialty - when a couple of poor calls shifted the attention from their wretched play to the men in grey. They were down by as many as 15 points midway through the fourth quarter as they began to chip away at their well-earned deficit. Patterson hit a triple, his first of two during the run, DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry both converted three-point plays. A disappointing Barclays Center crowd went from apathetic to pathetic in a hurry and before long, the Nets lead was down to four. Surprised by the comeback? "No," Patterson exclaimed. "We have done that all year long." That they have. Unfortunately, procrastination is a dangerous thing, especially in this league, especially at this time of the year. More often than not it renders you vulnerable to the elements. With 47 seconds remaining, Greivis Vasquez was whistled for a foul, one he and his team vehemently disagreed with. Moments later he was slapped with a subsequent technical foul, a rare late-game penalty - especially in the playoffs - for the fairly pedestrian protest that took place. "I wasnt really cursing or anything like that," Vasquez told reporters after the game. "I was just saying he pushed me off a little bit and they called a tech. Thats just the way it is." "I cant remember one [being called at that point of game]," DeRozan added. "Its tough, especially during that time." From that point on five fouls were called, three on the Nets, two on Toronto, one of which was intentional. The officials had put their stamp on the game. "Lets let the game be dictated by [the players]," urged Dwane Casey, who is frequently tight-lipped after his team gets jobbed by the officials, a disturbingly consistent occurrence. This night was no different. Casey began his post-game address by using whatever voice he had left to apologize for his warn out vocal cords. "Again, I like my money but Ive got to go back and look at the tape," he said, pleading the fifth. "I had a different view of [those calls] than [the officials] did." The Raptors coach was barely audible but his face said it all. This is a topic hes grown tired of dodging. "I dont want to talk about the referees," said Vasquez, another Raptor who would rather not write a cheque to the league office Saturday morning. "The referees are going to go to sleep fine, Im not going to go to sleep because we lost." "That wasnt really dictating the game or anything like that. Cant blame it on the referees. Were not going to make excuses. It was just a play and I got a tech. Its part of the game." Therein lies the unfortunate reality. The officials didnt do them any favours, they rarely do, but the Raptors can and should only look inwards. Following a hot start, carrying over from Tuesdays spirited fourth-quarter run, they were outplayed, outmuscled and outworked for the bulk of the evening. The Nets outscored Toronto 58-43 in the second and third quarters, shooting 58 per cent and holding a 20-point advantage in the paint during that stretch. Brooklyn was the aggressor on both ends of the floor and naturally that physical style of play favoured the home team. "They picked up their defence, they were a lot more aggressive," said DeRozan, who led the Raptors with his second straight 30-point outing. "Weve just got to continue to play through the hits, be more aggressive in games. Weve just got to be more conscious of doing that." Thats playoff basketball for you and no one does it better than a veteran, battle-tested team like the Nets. Want proof? See Lowry, as he hobbles out of the visitors dressing room, taking most of the boroughs ice along with him. "Hes been in a 15-round bout," Casey said of Lowry, who tweaked his right knee injury late in the first quarter, limiting him throughout the game, and needed one stitch to close up a cut - still bleeding after the game - on his lower lip. "Its part of the playoffs, man," he said. "Im happy, Im excited to be icing up at this time [of year]." Any doubt hell be in the lineup when the Nets host Game 4 on Sunday? "Is that a trick question," Lowry asked. Hell be ready to go and his team will need him. Theyll need Amir Johnson - seven points in 28 minutes Friday - to be better. Theyll need something, anything from Terrence Ross, who was held to five points, struggling in his third straight playoff contest. Theyll need to move the ball, protect it and engineer a more efficient and cohesive offence. Most of all theyll need their defence, theyll need to match Brooklyns physicality. "Its 2-1," Vasquez pointed out. "[Theres] no need to panic at all. This Sunday is going to be a must-win for us. We cant go home [down] 3-1." Air Max Nz Cheap .Y. - For once, Clayton Kershaw was glad to see a long shutout streak end. Cheap Air Max Nz Online . Hargreaves began his career in 2008 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and has played with the Edmonton Eskimos and last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. http://www.cheapairmaxnz.com/ . - Connor Brown and Dane Fox both scored in regulation and in the shootout, as the Erie Otters extended their win streak to 10 games by defeating the London Knights 4-3 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Cheap Air Max Nz Shoes . - PGA Tour rookie Tony Finau shot a 9-under 63 at Del Monte and had a two-stroke lead over Billy Andrade and Lee Janzen of the Champions Tour after Thursdays opening round of the Callaway Pebble Beach Invitational. Cheap Air Max Nz Free Shipping . Gerald Green and Miles Plumlee? Green had bounced around the NBA when he wasnt playing overseas. The Pacers gave up on Plumlee after just one season. Now Green and Plumlee are key cogs in the Suns surprising breakout season. ATLANTA -- The Braves big bear is healthy. That was bad news for Colorados Franklin Morales. After sitting out most of the week with an illness, Evan Gattis homered twice to support Julio Teherans six scoreless innings and Atlanta beat the Rockies 7-0 on Sunday. Gattis was given the nickname "El Oso Blanco" -- Spanish for "The White Bear" -- as a rookie in 2013, when he hit 21 homers. He is on pace for a bigger year as he has replaced Brian McCann as the teams primary catcher. Gattis (6 foot 4, 260 pounds) drove in three runs with the two homers, giving him 10. "Hes a big, strong boy," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. Justin Upton and Chris Johnson added two-run homers for the NL East-leading Braves, who have won six of eight. Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki left the game in the eighth inning. He appeared to limp slightly while walking slowly off the field, accompanied by a trainer. He said he avoided an injury when he hit his left foot on his backswing. "I think Im all right," Tulowitzki said. Gattis missed four games with viral symptoms. He returned with no hits and a walk in Saturdays 3-1 loss to the Rockies before hitting a homer in the second and a two-run shot in the fourth off Franklin Morales (3-4) on Sunday. "Ive got my strength back -- or lucky," Gattis said. Teheran (4-3) began the day fourth in the NL in ERA. He lowered his average from 1.92 to 1.77 with six scoreless innings. He had seven strikeouts while allowing only four hits. It was the second straight dominant win for Teheran, who was coming off his second shutout of the season, a 5-0 win over Milwaukee on Tuesday. After throwing a career-high 128 pitches against the Brewers, Gonzalez limited the right-hander to 93 pitches on Sunday. "That worked out great," Gonzalez said. "We want these guys for 35 starts, and he understood right away. Weve got to keep an eye on these guys. We want them for the long haul." Anthony Vavaro pitched two perfect innings and Luis Avilan recorded the final three outs to complete the combined four-hitter.dddddddddddd. Morales lasted only 4 2-3 innings, giving up five runs and three walks and five hits, including three homers. Johnson added to the lead with his two-run homer off Nick Masset in the eighth. "This Atlanta club hits the ball in the seats," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "Thats what they do. "A couple of balls got elevated and they hit them out." Gattis hit his first homer off Morales with one out in the second, a towering shot that sent centre fielder Charlie Blackmon crashing into the wall near the 400-foot mark. Upton walked with one out in the fourth before Gattis lined his second homer of the day about 12 rows deep into the left-field seats. Left fielder Carlos Gonzalez took one step to his right before standing and watching the homer quickly reach the seats. "I tried to use both sides of the plate, but sometimes I missed my spots and thats why I got hit," Morales said. Teheran didnt look sharp early. Blackmon and Michael Cuddyer had back-to-back singles to open the game before Teheran recovered with three straight outs. In the second, a single by Charlie Culberson and fielding error by second baseman Tyler Pastornicky on D.J. LeMahieus grounder put runners on first and second with one out. Following a sacrifice by Morales, Teheran escaped the inning when shortstop Andrelton Simmons charged a grounder by Blackmon, who was out on a close play at first. NOTES: The three homers allowed by Morales set a season high. ... Josh Rutledge replaced Tulowitzki at shortstop. ... ... Gonzalez said Pastornicky and Ramiro Pena are not in a strict platoon at second base. Gonzalez said Dan Uggla would start "whenever we feel we can get a good matchup." ... The Braves open a two-game series against the Red Sox on Monday when RHP Ervin Santana faces Boston RHP Clay Buchholz. ... The Rockies move to Philadelphia, where RHP Jhoulys Chacin will face RHP Kyle Kendrick on Monday. 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