Gäste-Forum » ries that opens Friday with Drew Hutchison (1-3, 4.37

TORONTO - After an NBA playoff debut that didnt go as well as hed planned, DeMar DeRozan went home and put his feet up. Balenciaga Shoes Sale . "I sat in my room the rest of the day, I didnt leave the room," DeRozan said. "I didnt turn the TV on. I didnt watch any games. I just cleared my mind. Just understand it was my first playoff game." He fought the urge to go back to the Air Canada Centre for a late-night shooting session. "I thought about it. I really thought about it," DeRozan said. "About 1 a.m. I was going to come back, but I was like: dont put too much pressure on myself. Just get my rest, regroup. Weve got two days until we play, so just get ready. I try not to think so much or stress myself out — just relax." The 24-year-old all-star scored 14 points — well below his season average of 22.7 — in the Raptors 94-87 loss to the Brooklyn Nets in Saturdays Game 1 of the best-of-seven playoff series. The player whose hot hand led the Raptors in their record run to the post-season went cold Saturday. DeRozan, who was the picture of post-season confidence earlier in the week, scoffing that the playoffs werent "rocket science," shot just 3-for-13 from the field. He missed all four of his three-point attempts. He insisted he wasnt nervous. "I think with as much energy was going on, it felt like things were going faster than they were," DeRozan said. While it wasnt the coming-out party any of Torontos playoff rookies had hoped for, they were all breathing a little easier Sunday morning, glad that Game 1 of their series was over and done with. "I think Game 2 is a whole different animal," coach Dwane Casey said. "I think the newness and the shiny part of the playoffs is worn off by Game 2. I think thatll help (DeRozan) tremendously. I think thatll help our whole team." Kyle Lowry, one of the few Raptors who looked unfazed by the playoff pressure in his 22-point performance, agreed. "I think the bright lights will dim a little bit for everyone, everything will calm down a little bit," Lowry said. "I think that first game is always tough at home, because of the excitement, and we have a bunch of young guys. But now its over. Now guys are ready to move on, now were ready to go." Game 2 is Tuesday in Toronto, then the series shifts to Brooklyn for Game 3 on Friday. The series was heated before it even began after the Nets seemingly tanked to fall to sixth-place, preferring to play the inexperienced Raptors. Toronto GM Masai Ujiri then threw gasoline onto the fire Saturday when he dropped an F-bomb when addressing the crowd in Maple Leaf Square, pairing the F-word with Brooklyn. New Yorks tabloid newspapers fought back. The headline on Sundays New York Daily News read: "Dont F*** With Brooklyn! Nets give foul-mouthed Raptors a spanking to take Game 1." The New York Posts front page was a picture of a grinning Paul Pierce with the headline: "After Toronto GM insults Bklyn, Nets shut up Raptors. F#@K YEAH!" The Raptors had put Saturdays drama behind them by Sundays practice at the Air Canada Centre. "This is about basketball," Casey said. "All that stuff has happened. Were very supportive of whatever Masai said. This is about basketball. I will say this, I thought our fans were fantastic (Saturday). They were great. Ive been in championship arenas, championship games, and this is as big-time as can be. "All the other stuff, what was said, its about basketball. Its about screening. Its about finishing plays. Its about executing defensively. I dont want to get off on another tangent." As for DeRozans less-than-impressive debut, Casey said he thought both DeRozan and Terrence Ross — also making his playoff debut — looked frustrated after they got in early foul trouble Saturday. Ross had just three points on the afternoon. "Young guys have to be somewhere learning to play in the NBA playoffs and this is a great start for (Ross), its a great start for DeMar," Casey said. "Theres no way Im disappointed in their performance. Their point-productivity, yes. But this is a great positive for our organization." DeRozan was asked if one game is enough to adjust to the pressure-packed playoffs. "I dont need a whole nother playoff round to get ready for it," DeRozan said. "I watched a lot of film. I understand. Im definitely not going to make the same mistakes twice. Its adjustments." His teammates are confident theyll see the best of DeRozan in Game 2. "Hes had rough games before. . . hes fine. Im positive hell bounce back," Lowry said. "Hes really focused. Yeah, a rough shooting night. Sometimes it happens. Sometimes the ball dont go in the hole." Why so positive? "Because hes an all-star," Lowry replied. "Theres a reason hes an all-star. He averages what he averages, hes a helluva player, and hes only going to get better." The Raptors are hoping the ACC fans — dressed all in white Saturday and waving white towels, thanks to a T-shirt and towel giveaway — remain as vocal as they were in Game 1. "It was live," Amir Johnson said. "I didnt get to see outside (where hundreds of fans gathered in Maple Leaf Square) but Ive seen pictures on the Internet. It was a pretty dope crowd. "Its big. We need them. We need everybody. The whole country." Saturdays shot-clock debacle should also be behind them. American sports broadcaster ESPN caused the shot-clock malfunction in Game 1, according to a Raptors official. Toronto had to rely on announcer Herbie Kuhn to count down the 24 seconds on each possession after the clocks above the baskets died with 5:57 remaining in the third quarter. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment took blame for using the same power source for the primary and backup shot clocks. The damaged cables in the baskets were replaced and tested Sunday, and the primary and backup clocks are no longer using the same power source. Fake Balenciaga From China . The Bruins forward has been fined $5,000 by the National Hockey League for spearing Red Wings defenceman Danny DeKeyser in the groin. Cheap Balenciaga . -- Kenneth Faried made a turnaround hook shot over Draymond Green with a half-second remaining, and the Denver Nuggets made Golden State wait at least one more game to secure a playoff berth with a stunning 100-99 win over the Warriors on Thursday night. https://www.fakebalenciaga.com/ . Last year, Islanders forward Colin Mcdonald released a "Do It For Colin" campaign to promote his teammate and friend John Tavares for the EA sports honour:The most popular sports voting video ever has to go to Chris Bosh who showcased his comedic abilities in his effort to get fans to vote him into the 2008 All Star Game:You can vote for TJ and other star players for the NHL 15 cover vote here.TORONTO - Starting pitcher J.A. Happ and catcher Erik Kratz had a plan. The left-hander came through with six solid innings and, with two home runs and three RBI from Edwin Encarnacion, the Blue Jays defeated the Cleveland Indians 4-2 on Thursday. Happ (2-1) allowed six hits, two walks and one run, on a homer by David Murphy in the fifth inning, in his third start of the season. The left-handed pitcher believes preparation with Kratz was the key to his success. "We went over some stuff before the game about how we wanted to attack them a little bit more deliberately," Happ said. "And for the most part we were able to do that." Blue Jays manager John Gibbons, who won his 400th game with Toronto, liked how the teams starting battery operated. "(Happ) stepped up," said Gibbons. "I thought Kratz did a nice job with him, working that fastball on the inside part of the plate. That was big for him, it really was. And big for us." Happs control impressed the Indians lineup as well. "His fastball was really getting on guys," Cleveland left-fielder Ryan Raburn said. "I know its 92-93 but out of his hand, it just seemed a lot harder. And he spotted his pitches. He didnt miss over the plate a whole lot from what I saw." Encarnacion, who has eight homers on the season, also had a double and lined out to third in his other at-bat. Juan Francisco hit his seventh homer of the season for the Blue Jays (21-21) who won the rubber match of a three-game series with the Indians (19-22) to complete a 5-4 home stand. If Happ is battling to prove to some people that he belongs in the rotation, he preferred not to discuss it in detail. "I dont want to get into that," Happ said. "I think youre always doing that to somebody. That person may change or those people may change." Encarnacion has been the designated hitter for the past two games with Adam Lind playing first base. The change was made just before Wednesdays game because Encarnacion had spasms in his upper back. "It felt a lot better today, so Im ready to go," Encarnacion said. "I felt a lot better at the plate. The last couple of games Ive been getting hits. Ive been great at the plate the last couple of weekend, and it makes me happy and very proud because when I play like that I know I can help the team win." "Hes one of the top sluggers in the game," Gibbons said. "Got off to a slow start, then he kicked it in. You look where hes at now, too, hes been barrelling a lot of balls all year, especially the last month, and a number of times he got nothing to show for it. So numbers could be even better now with little breaks here or there, a little luck. "But hes key to this team, of course with him and (Jose) Bautissta back to back. Fake Balenciaga 2020. Thats big. Of course, Lindy and now with Francisco. Those two (Encarnacion and Bautista), we know what to expect, theyre a given. But I like the way our lineup looks now. Its that much stronger, top to bottom." Cleveland dropped to 4-10 when facing a left-handed starter, 0-8 on the road, this season. Happ opened the season on the disabled list with a sore back and began pitching from the bullpen on his return. Casey Janssen, who also started the season on the disabled list, pitched the ninth for his second save of the season. Cleveland right-hander Danny Salazar (1-4) needed 98 pitches to work through four innings and was replaced by right-hander C.C. Lee to start the fifth with the Blue Jays leading 2-1. Salazar allowed five hits, including second-inning homers by Encarnacion and Francisco, two walks and two runs. He also hit a batter. "I just didnt have a good feeling for the ball today to command my fastball, and my change-up wasnt there," Salazar said. He felt that he made a good pitch on Franciscos homer. "I was just behind in the count," he said. "Theyre going to be ready to hit everything there." Lee faced two batters. Bautista led off the fifth with a single and Encarnacion lofted a drive to left on a 3-2 fastball. It was the second time he has hit two homers in a game this season and it was the 13th multi-homer game of his career. Left-hander Brett Cecil pitched the seventh for Toronto and right-hander Steve Delabar took over in the eighth and was greeted by Raburns double. Carlos Santana walked. But Asdrubal Cabrera lined out to right and pinch hitter Lonnie Chisenhall lined out to centre. Yan Gomes singled up the middle to cut the lead to two runs and bring in left-hander Aaron Loup. He struck out Murphy, who had five hits and five RBI in Clevelands 15-4 win on Wednesday. NOTES: Right-hander Dustin McGowan, who is 2-2 with a 5.08 earned-run average in eight starts, has been removed from the starting rotation and will pitch from the bullpen. Right-handers Marcus Stroman and Todd Redmond are candidates to start in his place next Tuesday in Boston. Right-hander Liam Hendriks who is 5-0 with a 1.51 ERA at triple-A Buffalo is another possibility. … Centre-fielder Colby Rasmus (hamstring) was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday and outfielder Anthony Gose was recalled from Buffalo. …The Indians put outfielder Nyjer Morgan (right knee sprain) on the DL and called up infielder Jesus Aguilar from triple-A Columbus. … The Blue Jays travel to Arlington, Tex., to play the Rangers in a three-game series that opens Friday with Drew Hutchison (1-3, 4.37 ERA) starting against Yu Darvish (3-1, 2.33 ERA). ' ' '