LOS ANGELES - On a night that seemed destined to belong to Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, it was the Toronto Raptors and their first-year general manager that stole the show. Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping . With only 11 players in uniform, just eight of which got into the game, the Raptors spoiled Bryants disappointing season debut just hours after Masai Ujiri pulled off a franchise-altering move. "I really applaud our players for the fact they came in and banded together," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said following a 106-94 victory in the aftermath of Sunday evenings trade that sent Rudy Gay to Sacramento in a seven-player swap. Set to board the team bus and make his way over to Staples Center, Gay was told to hang back at the hotel. He had been dealt. He was shocked. So too were Aaron Gray and Quincy Acy - who are alsoNew heading to the Kings in the deal - and the rest of their teammates, most of whom found out about the transaction upon arriving at the arena. As Toronto said goodbye to its best, or at least highest paid player, the Lakers welcomed theirs back. Nearly eight months after tearing his left Achilles, Bryant returned to the court, scoring just nine points and committing eight turnovers in 28 minutes of action. Without Gay, along with Gray, Acy and Tyler Hansbrough - who sat out with a sprained left shoulder - the Raptors led wire-to-wire and snapped a five-game losing streak, playing some of their best and most inspired basketball of the season. "Like I told the team," Casey said, "thats the way were going to play, no matter who is in uniform." "Were going to continue to play that way or theyre not going to continue to play. Thats the way its got to be. No disrespect to anyone but we have to play as a unit to be successful." In the absence of Gay - who was taking a career-most 18.6 shots per game while shooting a career-worst 29 per cent - the Raptors offence looked more diverse and cohesive. Toronto registered 19 assists as a team and 13 from the backcourt tandem of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan while California-native Amir Johnson led the way with a career-best 32 points on an efficient 14-of-17 from the field. "Tonights winning helps lift the cloud," Casey insisted, unable to comment directly on the trade until its made official following a conference call with the league on Monday. "Everyones talking about Kobe coming back and the trade but our guys had what you have to have; a discipline." "I told our guys, no matter what happened or whats in the paper or in the media, we have to be disciplined and focused on what weve got to do, our jobs here. We cant control whos in uniform, whos traded." Gray took the news in stride, learning about the deal during his pre-game workout at the arena. The veteran - who turned 27 on Saturday - finished his workout and had a smile on his face as he cracked jokes and bid his teammates farewell in the visitors locker room. Acy, 23, was more emotional after being traded for the first time, by the only team hes known in his professional career. "Big thank you to the Toronto Raptors organization for drafting me and giving me a chance," he tweeted Sunday night. "Imma miss everything about the city and the fans and the organization as a whole, thanks for helping mold me." "It was kind of a bit emotional," Johnson said, comparing it to the day Gay was acquired nearly 10 months prior, when the Raptors said goodbye to Jose Calderon and Ed Davis prior to a game in Atlanta. Johnson spoke with Gay over the phone, thanking him for everything he gave the team and the city during his brief tenure in Toronto. Lowry, his best friend, exchanged texts with him throughout the evening. "It was difficult, especially for me," said Lowry, Gay being the godfather of his son. "At the end of the day its a business and we have to move on. Hes still going to be my boy. Hes still going to be everyone on this teams boy." "We had to block it out and just play." Although the Raptors say goodbye to their most talented player, they may be a better team - in both the short and long term - because of it. Less, sometimes is more, evident in their win on Sunday. Without Gay - an inefficient, high-volume scorer - there are more shots to be distributed amongst more efficient players, the ball doesnt stick nearly as much and the team can focus on the continued development of DeRozan, Jonas Valanciunas and Terrence Ross. The addition of Greivis Vasquez, however temporary it proves to be, should help in the development of those players, specifically Valanciunas. Vasquez, 26, finished second in most improved player voting last season after breaking out in New Orleans and fills a current need at the backup point guard position, also making Lowry expendable in a subsequent trade. John Salmons, 33, will become the oldest player on the Raptors roster. He may or may not report and if he does he may or may not play. Patterson, 24, a stretch-four and Hayes, 30, a hard-nosed rebounder are both serviceable but more than anything else the deal was made to give the Raptors much-needed cap flexibility. In one fell swoop Ujiri turned one gargantuan contract - believed to be untradeable - into four far more manageable deals. Toronto can save roughly $14.5 million for next season. While Hayes will be under contract, making $5.9 million next season, Salmons has a $1.0 million buy-out option on a non-guaranteed $7.0 million deal and Vasquez, along with Patterson could become free agents if the Raptors pull their qualifying offers. "I believe in Masai, hes big time," Casey said after the game. "Hes shown it, hes done some great things. He knows talent, hes a salesman, so I believe in him." Wholesale Jerseys . Wayne Rooney did not score but played a role in four of Uniteds goals. Antonio Valencia put United ahead in the 22ndminute, Emir Spahics own goal in the 30th doubled Uniteds lead and Jonny Evans got the third in the 65th. Cheap NFL Jerseys .ca sat down with two Blue Jays veterans to get their thoughts on the August collapse. Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Freddie Freemans one-out, RBI single in the top of the 10th handed the Atlanta Braves a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Florida Marlins in the second of a three-game set from Sun Life Stadium. With runners on first and second, Freeman ripped a grounder up the middle, allowing Chipper Jones to score the decisive run. The Marlins, who have dropped seven straight for the first time since April, 2009, tied the game just a half-inning earlier to force extras. Trailing 2-0 and down to their final strike, the Marlins brought two across the plate courtesy of a Mike Stanton single to right. Stanton began the game on the bench due to a recent 1-for-14 slump. Florida again threatened in the bottom of the 10th, as Scott Proctor allowed runners to reach first and second with one down. The Braves bullpen prevailed, however, as George Sherrill spelled Proctor to down Greg Dobbs on three pitches and Scott Linebrink struck out Gaby Sanchez to earn his first save since 2009. Craig Kimbrel (2-2) suffered his fifth blown save of the season, but did earn the win for Atlanta. Despite recording their second straight win and fourth in their last six games, the Braves spoiled a stellar outing from Derek Lowe, who took a no- hitter into the seventh and worked 6 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out five. Michael Dunn (4-4) took the loss after allowing Freemans game-winning RBI. The game began with a Jordan Schafer single to right. Alex Gonzalez followed with a long fly to left-center, but perhaps a harbinger of the dramatics to follow, Chris Coghlan made a spectacular play on the ball, pursuing the fly with fervor and hurling himself into the air to make the catch over his left shoulder. The highlight snare would be in vain, however, as Schafer stole second and scored on Brian McCanns single two batters later. The Braves made it 2-0 in the fifth, as Schafer ripped a two-out triple into left-center and crossed the plate on Gonnzalezs single back through the box. Nike NFL Jerseys China. Ricky Nolasco would allow just two runs on eight hits over 7 1/3 innings while striking out five, but his solid performance was overshadowed by the brilliance of Lowe. His ball was darting all over the place, McCann said of Lowe. His changeup was great and his location was where it needed to be. When he pitches in the zone and gets that kind of movement, youre gonna get a lot of ground balls. With one out in the seventh, Dobbs finally broke up Lowes no-hit bid with a seeing-eye single up the middle. Sanchez followed with a single to left and after a Logan Morrison groundout, John Buck worked a four-pitch walk to load the bases and chase Lowe from the contest. Eric OFlaherty then allowed Stanton to work the count full before blowing a fastball by the pinch-hitter. Kimbrel began the ninth in predictably dominant fashion, striking out Dobbs and Sanchez in succession. Even after allowing runners to reach second and third, Kimbrel, whose 18 first-half saves mark a NL rookie record, appeared in control as he went ahead 0-2 on Stanton. Despite his recent struggles, Stanton was unshaken, hitting a 1-2 fastball up the first base line and into right field. Morrison scored easily and Buck crossed the plate as Joe Mathers throw home escaped to the backstop. For the same reason that we were winning those ball games earlier in the season -- because we were executing -- those are the same reasons we are losing these games, said Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez. Were not executing. GAME NOTES:On Tuesday, Kimbrel extended his NL rookie record for saves before the All-Star Break to 18. The major league first-half rookie record is 26 saves, set by Bostons Jonathan Papelbon in 2006...Coghlan has a 22-game hit streak against Atlanta...Stanton made his major league debut a year ago on this date...The Braves are 24-7 when they score first this season and just 10-21 when their opponent crosses the plate first. wholesale jerseys authentic wholesale jerseys nfl cheap cheap jerseys Cheap Jerseys china wholesale jerseys ' ' '
