Begrüßungen » focus, in the best shape of his career.

CHICAGO - Derrick Rose scored 22 points and the struggling Chicago Bulls beat the San Antonio Spurs 104-81 on Thursday night.The Bulls came away with a much-needed win after dropping six of eight and handed the defending champions their most lopsided loss of the season.The Central division leaders broke this one open in the third quarter, outscoring the Spurs 31-20, and snapped San Antonios four-game win streak.Rose, who called out his team after Mondays loss at Cleveland, backed it up by going hard to the rim and hitting 9 of 16 shots. He led six Bulls in double figures.Pau Gasol added 12 points and 17 rebounds after being voted to his fifth All-Star game and first as a starter.The Spurs Kawhi Leonard scored all of his team-leading 16 points in the first half.JAZZ 101, BUCKS 99MILWAUKEE (AP) — Gordon Hayward scored 13 of his game-high 24 points in the fourth quarter and the Utah Jazz held on for the win as the Bucks missed their last five shots in the closing minute.The Jazz appeared to be in control after a 15-3 run, taking a 101-92 lead on two free throws by Hayward with 2:35 remaining. But the Bucks pulled within the final score on Jared Dudleys 3-pointer from the top right with 1:29 left.The Bucks had a final opportunity when an officials review awarded them the ball out of bounds under the basket with 7.1 seconds left. Brandon Knight missed a jumper with two seconds left and Zaza Pachulia missed the tip-in at the buzzer.CELTICS 90, TRAIL BLAZERS 89PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Evan Turner hit a 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds left and the Boston Celtics overcame the shorthanded Portland Trail Blazers.Avery Bradley had 18 points to lead the Celtics, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Jared Sullinger added 17 points and nine rebounds.Damian Lillard had 21 points and seven assists to lead the Blazers, who have lost five of their last six as they struggle with injuries to their front line.The Blazers were hit before the game with the news that three-time All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge had torn a ligament in his left thumb and would need surgery. The 6-foot-11 power forward is expected to miss from six to eight weeks.CLIPPERS 123, NETS 84.LOS ANGELES (AP) — Blake Griffin scored 22 of his 24 points in the first half, when the Clippers led by 33 points, and Los Angeles went on to its largest victory ever over the Brooklyn Nets.J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford added 17 points each, DeAndre Jordan had 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Chris Paul had a season-high 17 assists for the Clippers, who have won nine of their last 12 and three in a row.With Kevin Garnett resting, the Nets were led by Mason Plumlee with 16 points. Darius Morris and Jerome Jordan had 11 points each, and Jordan had 11 rebounds. They have lost nine of 11.The Clippers put the game away in the first half, when they shot 66 per cent and Jordan had already secured his double-double. Cheap Fake NBA Jerseys .J. -- Jaromir Jagr has hit so many NHL milestones this season for the New Jersey Devils that he is starting to downplay them. Fake NBA Jerseys 2019 . Brassard and Coyotes defenceman Derek Morris were battling for position in the crease when a nudge from Morris sent Brassard on top of Smith late in the third period. http://www.fakenbajerseys.com/ . The incident occurred at 6:28 of the first period in Anaheims 6-3 home win over Dallas on Sunday. Garbutt left the penalty box and skated at Penner before leaving his skates to deliver a check. Fake NBA Jerseys China . - Defensive end-linebacker Mike Neal apparently is returning to the Packers. Fake NBA Jerseys Sale . The NFL announced Friday that the Texans sixth-year veteran offensive lineman will replace Philadelphia Eagles tackle Jason Peters in the Jan.TORONTO - The Raptors havent had an All-Star player since Chris Bosh left town but that could change this February, especially if coach Dwane Casey has his say. "Im pushing our guys," Casey said after practice Friday, making the case for his backcourt duo, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, to get voted in as first-time All-Stars. "I dont know if we can get two [but] Im going to push two and hope to get one, because both guys are playing at a high level." The Raptors coach initially broached the subject in Miami on Sunday. "Theyre playing like All-Stars," he said. "You look at the other guards in the East and theyre right there with them." Since then, he has been busy campaigning to his peers. "All my friends, all the coaches, [Ive] talked to them about it, texted them, they did me the same way when they were trying to get their guys in last year," Casey admitted. "Ill beg the coaches, bribe them with lunch or dinner, whatever, when we have a coaches meeting," he joked. "But its what we should be doing as an organization, and we are doing it as an organization and Im doing it with the coaches." More than likely, Miamis Dwyane Wade and Clevelands Kyrie Irving will get the nod from fans to start in the backcourt for the Eastern Conference. The leagues coaches will then vote in the reserves, two backcourt players, three frontcourt and two wild-card spots (players at any position). Theres a legitimate case to be made for both Raptors guards to represent the East as reserves in the annual midseason showcase, taking place on Feb. 16 in New Orleans. DeRozan is 13th in the NBA in scoring, averaging a career-best 21.2 points per game. He has made notable strides as both a passer and a defender, once considered to be holes in his game. Hes recorded five or more assists in eight of 34 games after doing so 12 times last year and accomplishing that feat in just five contests combined over his first three seasons in the league. "Look at what hes doing," Lowry said of his teammate. "He leads our team in scoring, hes done a great job of being our go-to guy, hes been a complete professional and he gets better every single night." Lowry has been Torontos most valuable player, carrying the team at the point guard position. In his eighth season, Lowry is averaging career-bests in points, assets and steals while shooting his highest percentage from three-point range. His career-best streak of 24 consecutive games with six or more dimes recently came to an end, topping his previous high of eight straight. Hes fourth in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio. "Look at the stat sheet after he plays," said DeRozan, making the case for Lowry. "Any given night he gives you 16 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, somewhere around that margin every game. Thats just what he [does]. He goes out there and plays hard, hes scrappy, hes a bulldog when hes out there on that court. Hes definitely a leader, he definitely wants to win, I see it in his eyes." True to character, both players were hesitant to make their own case but neither could downplay what the honour of being namedd to the All-Star squad, alongside the leagues best, would mean to them.dddddddddddd "It would be an unbelievable, phenomenal thing, it would be humbling," Lowry admitted. "Im sure if either one of us [makes] it, it would be a great time and a great accomplishment and achievement to tell our families and our kids one day." Lowry made sure to follow up that statement with a reminder that he, DeRozan and the rest of the team remain far more concerned with their collective success than individual accolades. The Raptors recent success could be the very thing that nets them their first All-Star since Bosh was named to the team in 2010. "We deserve it," Casey said proudly. "Our record, were ranked at the top of our division, were number four in our conference so we do deserve All-Star ranking and All-Star consideration with our players, because those guys are playing at a very high level." Entering Fridays slate of games, Toronto is one of just four teams in the East with a record at or above the .500 mark. As a team, the Raptors have gone 11-5 since the early-December trade of Rudy Gay with both Lowry and DeRozan - the teams two leading scorers - playing key roles in the resurgence. Although his percentages have dropped slightly, DeRozan is taking the same amount of shots as he was pre-trade and hes averaging nearly two more assists per contest. Lowry is tied for fifth in the league in assists since the trade was made on Dec. 8, averaging 8.4 to go along with 17.6 points. While Lowry may be more deserving of the honour given his value over replacement this season, DeRozan should have a favourable shot at earning recognition from the leagues coaches. DeRozan is highly thought of as a hard working, evolving player and has been universally praised by opposing coaches this season, whereas Lowry has developed a reputation for being somewhat combative. "Kyles showed hes a positive leader," Casey said of his point guard, who - in the final year of his contract - came into training camp with a renewed focus, in the best shape of his career. "I think that was the biggest question among coaches around the league, could he be a positive leader and be productive on the court. Hes done that." "I think theyre [both] very well respected. DeMar has been playing at a very high level, being very efficient, not just a volume shooter, so hes done that. Everything those guys have [done have answered] the questions about them as players. Plus on top of that theyve put us at the top of our division." The Raptors backcourt duo, or at least one of them, could be the beneficiary of a weak Eastern Conference. Unlike the loaded West, the conferences player pool reflects its overall inferiority. Their primary competition figures to come from Washingtons John Wall (19.7 points, 8.7 assists), Orlandos Arron Afflalo (21.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists), Atlantas Jeff Teague (16.8 points, 7.9 assists) and Indianas Lance Stephenson (13.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists). All-Star starters will be announced live on the TNT broadcast Jan. 23 and the reserves will be revealed a week later, also on TNT. ' ' '