01-20-2020, 06:33 AM
BROOKLYN, N.Y. - A whopping 59 turnovers in three post-season games. Thereve been times the Toronto Raptors playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets has resembled a kick-ball tournament, with balls bouncing wildly off feet. The Nets lead the best-of-seven playoff series 2-1 heading into Sundays Game 4 at Barclays Center, and the Raptors know they desperately need to clean up their act to avoid heading back to Toronto trailing 3-1. You can catch the game live NOW on TSN and TSN GO with pre-game coverage. TSN.cas coverage includes live streaming of the fan festivities at Maple Leaf Square during the game, in-game highlights and live streaming of the post-game news conferences. "If we can get it down to 13, 12, somewhere in that area we are happy with that," said Raptors coach Dwane Casey. "Some of the no-look passes, passes where we think our teammates are going to be, are things we can correct. "You are not going to turn some of our guys into Magic Johnson overnight but we can make better decisions of things we control in our turnovers." Giveaways have been a theme of all three games, and each time, the Raptors have come away vowing to do a better job of protecting the ball. Yet the kick balls and the crazy passes continue. They coughed it up 19 times in Game 1, 21 times in Game 2, and 19 times in Friday nights Game 3, a 102-98 loss. The Raptors practised at Pace University on Saturday, just across the bridge from Brooklyn. It was a long morning of making adjustments on both the offensive and defensive end, said Casey, ahead of Game 4. The Raptors are looking for their first playoff victory on the road since a win over Philadelphia way back in 2001. At least for part of the practice, Casey addressed turnovers. He said aggression has something to do with it — players are getting bumped and giving up the ball. He spoke of working on players "dispositions," which goes for both their aggression in holding onto the ball, and playing with aggression period. The Raptors were manhandled by the Nets for the better part of four quarters Friday, finally fighting back late in the game to come within a point. But disposition isnt an easy thing to coach with just a day or two between easy games. "Well, you have to appeal to the guys pride, their ego and intelligence and we have some intelligent players on this team," the coach said. "Again, its playoff basketball. If you cant get a disposition in the right order at this time of year, this is what we play for. "Our franchise hasnt been there for a while so if we cant get excited now about being tough, physical and fighting through the screens, not complaining about it but fighting through the screens and not letting them hold you and getting to your spot, all those things are disposition plays." DeMar DeRozan and Jonas Valanciunas have been Torontos best two players this series, but theyve also turned the ball over more than anyone. Valanciunas has turned it over 13 times, one more than DeRozan. The Nets have turned the ball over 31 times combined over the three games, and the discrepancy in giveaways is the one glaring statistic in a series that is otherwise so even. The Raptors have outscored the Nets by just a single point — 678-677 — in the seven meetings between these two teams this season. "Man weve just got to be strong with the ball," said Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry. "Theyre definitely physical when we drive the lane but weve got to be a little bit stronger. Its playoff time. Weve got to be stronger with the ball when were driving." Casey said the previous night that Lowry looked like hed been through a "15-round bout," and the gritty point guard looked similarly the worse for wear Saturday morning. Parked on a bench before addressing the media, the teams medical staff inspected his right knee and his busted lip that required a stitch to close Friday night. Lowrys knee was sore from a knee-on-knee collision. "Im going to get treatment around the clock to get healthy. Ice, stim (muscle stimulator). . . weve got a great training staff. We did some work this morning, well do some work when I get back. Get to as close to 100 per cent as possible right now," Lowry said. "Right now its very sore but I have no doubt that Im going to play." DeRozan — who scored 30 points on Friday to become the first player in Raptors history to record 30-plus points in back-to-back playoff games — likes the quick turnaround between games. "I cant wait to play (Sunday)," the Raptors all-star said. "Honestly, get back out there and get a game." "(One day between games) is a lot better," DeRozan added. "I think we could use that to our advantage too, with the quick turnaround. Just come out with high energy knowing we need to get at least one game in their place before we go back home." While the Raptors expected a hostile crowd in Brooklyns Barclays Center — especially after GM Masai Ujiris now famous F-bomb when mentioning the city — it was a pretty docile crowd that awaited them Friday. "It felt like another game to me, like a regular-season game," DeRozan said. "When you talk about atmosphere, honestly, it didnt have nothing on Toronto at all. Thats just our fans though, so it was a lot different. Playing out there felt like another game. I felt comfortable out there. We just have to clean up some things." The Raptors have to hope for better from starters Terrence Ross and Amir Johnson. Ross, who scored 51 points in a game earlier this season to tie Vince Carters franchise record, has struggled mightily. He has yet to score anywhere near double figures, finishing with five points on Friday. Johnson, while given the tough assignment of guarding perennial all-star Paul Pierce, has been hit or miss. He had seven points and four rebounds on Friday. Their teammates continue to be supportive of the two who were key in the Raptors getting to the playoffs this season. "Hes still the same Terrence," DeRozan said, when asked about how Ross fared in practice Saturday. "We all understand everybodys not going to have their best nights. We all understand that. Our job is to keep everybodys confidence high. "Amir, Terrence, they understand whats at stake in this next game and theyre going to definitely come through for us." Wholesale NFL Jerseys . The 10-year deal the league and players agreed to that ended the 2011 lockout gave either side the right to opt out after six years. With the league projecting financial growth, there has been speculation that players will take that option in three years, especially since a new national TV contract will be in place by then. Wholesale Jerseys . - No matter the lineup or location, the San Antonio Spurs are rolling through the NBA again this spring, just the way they have for most of the last two decades. https://www.wholesalejerseysaaa.com/. Serves hit by her surgically repaired shoulder often missed the mark, resulting in 12 double-faults. Cheap Jerseys From China . Scotlands Greg Laidlaw made one of two penalty kicks and all three conversions, and Stuart Hogg added a try in the second half. "The most important thing to come out of the game is that we did not get scored against," Laidlaw said. Wholesale Jerseys China . Roy says he will know more about Duchenes potential playing status Sunday. Duchene has been out since damaging the MCL in his left knee when he ran into a teammate against San Jose on March 29. Hes been skating on his own all week, before joining the team Saturday hours before a pivotal game in a series tied at 2.ARLINGTON, Va. - Eric Fehr always wanted to win the Stanley Cup. Thats what he dreamt of when playing hockey on the pond on his familys farm in Winkler, Man.Fehr didnt wonder what it would be like to play outdoors in the NHL. That changed early in his professional career.When the games started coming out and you started watching them, you definitely thought, This is pretty cool, this is something Id like to be a part of, Fehr said.Fehr, who will play in his second Winter Classic on Thursday when he and the Washington Capitals host the Chicago Blackhawks, is part of outdoor hockey lore because of his role in the 2011 game in Pittsburgh. Fehr scored two goals including the winner in that game to help the Capitals beat the Penguins.He had the performance we all wanted to have, forward Brooks Laich said. He had the game we all wanted to have.Fehr scored on a wrap-around after Marc-Andre Fleury gave the puck away. Then he had the winner on a breakaway.It was one of his career highlights.Regular-season highlight maybe, Fehr said. At the end of the day its still a regular-season game. Obviously it was a bit of a bigger stage but at the end of the day it was just two goals.Those two goals of his 80 in the NHL with the Capitals and Winnipeg Jets are the ones most people remember about Fehr. In the rain at Heinz Field, the 2003 first-round pick, who has battled shoulder problems for years, had something of a coming-out party.It definitely put him on the map for some people that didnt necessarily know Fehrsie before, defenceman Karl Alzner said. Its a tough act to follow, but if anyone can do it, I would put money oon him to battle hard for it.dddddddddddd.Fehr thanked the bad ice for evening the playing field that night.It was a different game, he said. It wasnt a game like most.Sun is in the forecast for Thursdays game at Nationals Park, so the 29-year-old forward isnt promising an encore performance.Were going to let everybody else get in there and get some goals and Im going to try to fly under the radar, Fehr said.Fehr has two goals in his past three games, so maybe he shouldnt count himself out. Twice a 50-goal scorer with the Western Hockey Leagues Brandon Wheat Kings and twice a 20-goal scorer for the AHLs Hershey Bears, he has the kind of natural talent teammates marvel at.Hes a guy that can all of a sudden step up, Laich said. Its almost like a home-run hitter can step up and just crack one. Hes got that game-breaking sort of ability to score.Defenceman Mike Green can still remember how Fehr scored his goals four years ago in Pittsburgh. To Green, it was just another example of what Fehr can do with the spotlight turned up.Hes one of those players thats sort of in the weeds but when he needs to step up and play in big games, he does, Green said. Hes been great for us lately, and hopefully hell have (another) showcase in the Winter Classic.After that two-goal night, Alzner said Fehr has big shoes to fill — his own. But Fehr sounded like a guy trying to reduce expectations rather than inflate them going into Thursday.I didnt guarantee not scoring a goal, Fehr said with a chuckle. But I guaranteed lots of other guys were going to score goals. Well see what happens.---Follow @SWhyno on Twitter ' ' '