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TORONTO - After Tuesdays game, one of the ugliest in recent memory, came to a merciful end, DeMar DeRozan could feel the pain of his teams wounded opponents. The Raptors guard recalled a Decembers night in Dallas almost four years ago. It was eerily similar to the unenviable situation the Thunder found themselves in at the Air Canada Centre on Tuesday. In the second game of a back-to-back, having lost in Memphis the day before, Toronto dressed just eight players against the hosting Mavericks on Dec. 28, 2010. It was also a Tuesday night. Without nearly half their roster, including the injured Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon, the Raptors stunned the Mavs, who - to be fair - were missing Dirk Nowitzki. We had [eight] dudes and Julian Wright was our point guard, DeRozan said. I remember that. So, yeah, I know how it feels on their side. The Mavs? Well, that was just their sixth loss in 30 games to begin the season. Dont worry about them, though. They would be just fine. They went on to win the championship that year, with Dwane Casey behind the bench as an assistant coach. Despite a misleading final score, this Raptors team narrowly escaped what would have been a similarly embarrassing defeat. Down in numbers and in star power, the Oklahoma City Thunder - or whatever was left of them - came in with eight active bodies, also playing in the second night of a back-to-back. They left with seven, and that might be generous. Still, for roughly three quarters of what both sides called an ugly affair, they had Toronto running in quicksand. Thats not going to get it done, said Casey following a shaky defensive effort in his teams 100-88 victory. Ive told them until my eyes turn red. Theyve had that speech a lot and until it sinks in, its going to be a roller coaster. Until we decide collectively to do it, its going to be the same old song over and over again. Coming off their first defeat of the campaign, Caseys club vowed to get off to a quicker start against a hurting, albeit scrappy opponent. Instead, the Thunder hit eight of their nine attempts and shot 71 per cent in a 30-point first quarter. It wasnt until late in the third, early in the fourth quarter that the home team turned up the heat, or - just as likely - Oklahoma City ran out of gas. Any positives to take from the night? No, I dont think so, Kyle Lowry responded. A win, said DeRozan, his teams leading scorer with 16. Thats about it. A win. Honestly. They hit a lot of open shots. We let them shoot a high percentage in the first half and we had to fight back and get in. Weve just got to learn from it. We cant keep digging ourselves a hole and expect to fight back and everything to fall in our hands. So thats one thing we definitely have to take from it. It was the second straight game in which the Raptors gave up 30 or more points in the opening frame, doing so in a losing effort to the Heat on Sunday. Toronto needed a 27-18 fourth-quarter run to put the game away. It should have been easier. It should be [that] you want to play, Casey said. You want to run em, keep the tempo up, not let a zone they put in last week slow you down and go in and attack and play and have fun. The Thunder, now 1-4 on the year, were missing half their team coming in, most notably the NBAs reigning MVP Kevin Durant (right foot Jones fracture) and All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook (metacarpal fracture on right hand), both out for the foreseeable future. Early in the third quarter they lost leading scorer Perry Jones to a knee injury, lowering their count of warm bodies to seven. Moments later starting point guard Reggie Jackson took himself out of the game with what appeared to be a leg ailment - he was also favouring his right hand earlier in the game. Although Jackson would return, Sebastian Telfair took his place on the bench after getting ejected for a flagrant foul in the fourth. Serge Ibaka, 11-for-14 with 25 points on the night, played most of the final quarter with five fouls. The injury bug found Toronto too. Must be contagious. Jonas Valanciunas was taken to the locker room late in the first half after Telfair inadvertently hit him in the nose. It was the centres second visit of the night - he had X-rays on a banged up right hand earlier. Already missing Amir Johnson, out for the second straight game with a sore left ankle, the Raptors had to navigate through the second half without either of their starting bigs. You find a way to win, thats the bottom line, said Casey, who warned against the undermanned Thunder after morning shoot-around. Those are the most dangerous games. You look back in March and April and say, how did we drop that one? You have to take care of those games. OKC has been dealt a bad hand to begin the campaign. The bigger they are, they harder they fall. The Thunder have been at the top of the NBA for so long its reasonable to forget that they - like the Raptors, or any team for that matter - started from nothing. Since going 23-59 (.280) in 2008-09, their first season in Oklahoma City, they own a record of 271-123 (.688), qualifying for the Western Conference Semifinals in four of five years, Conference Finals in three. In that time, the remarkably durable Durant missed just six games. Up until last season, Russell Westbrook had a perfect attendance record. As a team, they lost just 29 man-games to injury in 2012-13, their 60-win campaign. By Tuesday night, they had already lost 32 in just five contests to begin the new season. And that number should balloon in a hurry. There are a lot of challenges when you only have eight players but its a challenge we have embraced, Thunder coach Scott Brooks said before the game. There are no other options. You either step up to the challenge or go home and we have always had a mentality that you compete for one another, make no excuses while youre doing it. Its not the ideal situation but its the situation we are in right now. I feel for them, but thats part of the NBA, said Casey. Next man up. Its just like us with Amir [Johnson]. Next man up. Its an opportunity. You hate to see a teammate go down but its an opportunity for the next guy to step in and play. Injuries are part of the NBA. Injuries like they have are unusual but thats why you have that many players. Johnson will not make the trip to Boston, thus missing Wednesdays game, his third straight. Scans on Valanciunas nose came back clean. Hell accompany the team and is considered questionable against the Celtics. Alec Mills Cubs Jersey . Toronto announced the deal with the restricted free agent on Saturday. The terms were not disclosed. Cole Hamels Cubs Jersey . DArnaud hit one of three doubles for the Mets as they took a 4-0 lead in the first. Then the catchers seventh home run of the season broke the game open in the fifth. The 41-year-old Colon (10-8) retired the first 20 batters in his last outing Wednesday against Seattle, eventually allowing two runs on three hits in 7 1-3 innings in a 3-2 win. https://www.cheapcubs.com/2330t-joe-pepitone-jersey-cubs.html . The Italian football federation announced the appointment, three days after new president Carlo Tavecchio was elected. Tavecchio and Conte spoke on the phone early Thursday. Larry Bowa Cubs Jersey . The NFLs Defensive Rookie of the Year will be named at the NFL Honours Award show on February 1. The 23-year-old 2013 second-rounder out of Oregon becomes the third Bills linebacker to win the honour after Jim Haslett (1979) and Shane Conlan (1987. Jonathan Lucroy Jersey . - A Tuesday funeral is planned in Toronto for 20-year-old Saginaw Spirit forward Terry Trafford.PITTSBURGH – Brett Lawrie started at second base as the Blue Jays ventured into a National League Park for the first time this season. Both Lawrie and his manager agree it isnt preferable. What it is: a consequence of a game played without the designated hitter. "Im a third baseman," said Lawrie. "Im not a third base/second base guy. Im a third baseman and thats my position. Im not necessarily going over there thinking Im going to be Chase Utley tonight. Im just going to try to make the routine play and roll a double play if we can. "Its for the team and if it gives us a chance to win than thats how it has to be." "All were trying to do is win a game," said manager John Gibbons. Lawrie has appeared in one game, for just one inning, at second base this season. He started six games at second base last season when the Jays briefly considered a position switch. His longest tenure at second base came over two seasons in Milwaukees farm system, when he played 231 games at the position at Single-A and Double-A. He approached the evening as if he was playing a permanent exaggerated shift, which sees Lawrie shift over to the right side of the infield against noted left-handed pull hitters. "Im not uncomfortable about it," said Lawrie. "Im a third baseman. I dont necessarily like going across the diamond and playing second base because Im not a second baseman. Im here to play third base but if it helps the team, thats what Im here to do." The position change is temporary while the Jays trudge through Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and it wont be daily. Gibbons expects Lawrie to return to third base on Saturday as Francisco retreats to the bench when the Pirates go a left-hander, Francisco Liriano. "We win more games when we score more runs," said Gibbons. "Weve been giving up runs. A lot of its based on what Franciscos done since he got here. We didnt know what we had but hes hit pretty well. Its one bat, a short right field wall and we think we need some production. Well give it a try and if it doesnt work well move on from that. &"It would be no different if Adam Lind was here," said Gibbons.dddddddddddd "Youd try to get his bat in the lineup and itd probably be Eddie over at third, you know." With the demotions of Ryan Goins and Jonathan Diaz in recent days, it appears the Blue Jays are veering away from the all-glove, no-bat options, willing to trade a bit of defence for improved offence. Friday nights defensive alignment falls in line with the previous decisions. "Even with the great defence were still below .500 so its not like were sitting there, five games over and you could say ... you know what I mean," said Gibbons. STIFF QUADRICEPS SIDELINES NAVARRO The Blue Jays recalled catcher Erik Kratz from Triple-A Buffalo and optioned right-hander Chad Jenkins to the Bisons on Friday. Kratzs recall was necessitated by Dioner Navarros stiff right quadriceps muscle, which he injured late in Thursdays win at Kansas City. "It was the first time Ive ever felt anything in my quad," said Navarro. "Ive had problems with my hamstrings before; nothing with my quads so it was kind of strange." Navarro is listed as day to day. He didnt play on Friday and isnt scheduled to be in Saturdays lineup anyway with R.A. Dickey due to pitch. "Were going to be really careful with it," said Navarro. JANSSEN INCHING CLOSER Casey Janssen threw another bullpen session on Friday and pronounced himself ready to go out on a minor league rehabilitation assignment. Hell join Double-A New Hampshire in time for its game on Monday against Binghamton. No return date has been set but Janssen will need multiple appearances, including on back-to-back days. RAIN DELAYS LINDS RETURN TO GAME ACTION Adam Lind was supposed to play in an extended spring training game on Friday in Dunedin, Florida, but the game was rained out. Gibbons says Lind took ground balls indoors and will be in game action on Saturday, weather permitting. The hope is for Lind to return in the middle of next week, possibly when the Blue Jays play host to the Philadelphia Phillies. ' ' '