Technischer Bereich » Hes given us a lot. DeMar can shoot, Kyl

TAMPA, Fla. Athletics Jerseys China . - Winning could hurt Tampa Bays chances of landing the No. 1 overall selection in the 2015 NFL draft.However, coach Lovie Smith expects his team to practice well and do everything it can to close out a disappointing season with a victory.At 2-13 heading into next Sundays finale against the New Orleans Saints (6-9), the Bucs own the NFCs worst record and will pick no worse than second.The Tennessee Titans (2-13) are the other team in the running for the top pick.Smith noted Monday that his players have one more opportunity to not only avoid going winless at home, but also leave a lasting impression one way or another on the staff making evaluations heading into what promises to be another off-season of change.First-year general manager Jason Licht and Smith overhauled much of the roster after being hired last winter, including using the entire 2014 draft to bolster an offence that continues to sputter.The Bucs drooped to 31st in total offence after managing a season-low 109 net yards in a 20-3 loss to Green Bay.Smith rejects the notion it would ever be advantageous for a team to enter a game hoping to improve or preserve its projected spot in the draft.Ive kind of answered that question a few times. I think were going to end up in good position to get some good players. So to me, that cant even come into the equation, Smith said.(Against the Packers), even though we didnt play as well, guys fought right up until the end, the coach added. They werent thinking about that pick or anything like that. This week were going to do the same thing.Regardless of where the Bucs finish, they undoubtedly will feel pressure to consider selecting a quarterback. Josh McCown, a career backup Smith brought in to be the starter, is the leagues lowest-rated passer.The coach is quick to point out that McCowns play isnt the only reason for Tampa Bays problems. The running game has been inconsistent and a porous offensive line has had difficulty protecting the passer.The Packers had seven sacks Sunday, and McCown was hit on five other occasions.While Smith has been encouraged by the development of the teams top three draft picks — receiver Mike Evans, tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins and running back Charles Sims — he is looking forward to improving the roster with an additional infusion of young talent next season.If you have to be down here, you need to get something from it, Smith said, alluding to the impending draft position.We have a full allotment of draft picks. We have an excellent staff that evaluates guys, the coach added. Thats the positive if you look at it. ... If you have to be down where we are, why not get your choice of a few of the best players available in the draft?Smith doesnt anticipate any difficulty motivating his players this week. In addition to being 0-7 at home, the Bucs are 0-5 against NFC South rivals, including a 37-31 overtime loss at New Orleans in October.We do want to finish it up the right way. I think all our guys realize that, Smith said, adding the players are not worried about where the team winds up in the draft.Were going to make decisions, the coach said, that give us the best chance to win ... and let everything else take care of itself.___Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Chris Bassitt Jersey . Anything less than gold for either nation is considered a disappointment. Yet for Switzerland, advancing to the semifinal might be a victory in itself. Athletics Jerseys 2020 .com) - Blake Griffin led five Clippers in double figures with 24 points and the LA Clippers got back on track with a 101-97 win over the Utah Jazz. https://www.cheapathleticsonline.com/ . -- Raiders wide receiver Jacoby Ford made it through a third straight practice without any setbacks and expects to play in Oaklands regular-season finale against San Diego.TORONTO - The surging Phoenix Suns had already erased a 17-point deficit and hit seven of 10 three-point attempts in the fourth quarter when point guard Isaiah Thomas made his move, looking to complete Phoenixs comeback with just over 20 seconds remaining. Thomas, one of the leagues premier reserves, had hit all four of his shots in the frame, all four from beyond the arc and a couple of them from way behind the arc. Borrowing a play from his own greatest hits - one that won Toronto a game in Boston earlier this month - Kyle Lowry, defending Thomas, reached in and poked the ball away. Scrambling for it around centre court, Lowry forced a jump ball with the Suns 5-foot-9 super sub. Toronto was barely hanging onto a fleeting two-point lead when Lowry made the single biggest play of the night, ultimately sealing the Raptors 12th victory in 14 tries to begin the campaign. It was huge, Dwane Casey said following Mondays 104-100 win, Torontos fifth straight. That last play, where he dived on the ball and poked it away and caught [Thomas] sleeping was huge. He has the instincts to do that. As long as Casey is in charge, the Raptors will continue to hang their hats on defence. Thats what wins in this league, as hell tell you. Its what won on this night. However, its their suddenly red-hot offence that has helped propel them to their best start in team history. Mondays game featured two of the leagues highest scoring teams. The Raptors entered their meeting with Phoenix ranked second in points per game (first in the East), just ahead of the fourth-ranked Suns. Its hardly unusual to see the Suns at the top of the NBAs offensive hierarchy. With Steve Nash at the helm of a prolific and revolutionary offence, the Suns paced the NBA in scoring for six straight seasons earlier in the decade. Last year, their first under head coach Jeff Hornacek, they tailored their attack around a pair of dynamic point guards, reestablishing themselves as a nightly threat to run you out of the gym. But its a relatively new look for the defensive-minded Raptors. Their rise to the top of the scoring ladder has been gradual. Its been more subtle. In Caseys first year with the team, the 2011-12 lockout shortened campaign, the Raptors made strides in changing their culture by prioritizing defence, mostly at the expense of scoring. They were second to last in the league that season in offensive efficiency (scoring 100.8 points per 100 possessions). The next year, they improved to 13th in that category (105.9) before jumping to 10th last season (108.8). Through 14 games to begin the new year, the Raptors are the leagues second best team, scoring 114.1 points per 100 possessions, trailing only the Dallas Mavericks. There doesnt seem to be one easy explanation to justify the improvement. Firstly, internal growth has played a significant role. Lowry, by far the teams most valuable commodity and decision maker, has been unleashed, DeMar DeRozan has become more disciplined and Terrence Ross has blossomedd into a reliable three-point shooter, stretching the floor and freeing up the two guards. Custom Oakland Athletics Jerseys. The addition of Lou Williams, the Easts reigning Player of the Week, has added a new dimension off the bench. He, along with Lowry and DeRozan are among the best in the league at drawing and then selling contact on long jumpers, something that has helped the Raptors get to the line at an impressive rate. The Raptors attempted another 32 free throws Monday, hitting 26, which turned out to be a major advantage over the Suns, who made eight of their 11 shots from the line. Next, and perhaps most importantly, theyre getting back to sharing the ball. After being held under the 20-assist mark in seven of their first 10 games, the Raptors have exceeded 20 dimes in each of their last four contests. Lowry led Toronto with eight of its 21 assists against the Suns, but everyone was making a conscious effort to dish out the extra pass, from the teams guards all the way to Chuck Hayes, who dropped a nifty behind-the-back dime to Ross for a reverse slam in the second quarter. Its natural for our guys because theyve seen the fruits of it, of moving the ball, sharing the ball, Casey said. You wouldnt think it the first week, we were 27th in assists or something like that but now the ball is moving, its not sticking. I think once guys get comfortable within the offence, with the rhythm of the game, they do share the ball when they trust that the ball is going to go back to them. Then theres Jonas Valanciunas, the teams X-factor when utilized on offence. Hes never been better on that end than he was Monday. Valanciunas needed just 11 shots, missing only one, to score a career-best 27 points. The high-scoring tempo of the game didnt seem like one that would be conducive to a seven-footer with his skill set, but the Raptors third-year centre used that to his advantage, punishing the Suns smaller front line. To their credit, the Raptors - primarily Lowry - made a conscious effort to get Valanciunas the ball in the low post, which isnt always the case. He was dominant tonight, Lowry said. He was really aggressive, he asserted himself, he really attacked the basket. He really went out there and played like a true, dominant 7-foot centre. When all these pieces are clicking the way they have been, the Raptors offence has proven to be a handful. They have now scored 100 or more points in 12 of their first 14 games. But most importantly, for Casey, it hasnt come at the expense of their defence. Entering the game against Phoenix, the Raptors were still ranked fifth in defensive efficiency. Last year they were the only Eastern Conference team with a top 10 offensive and defensive rating. So far, Toronto and Memphis are the only NBA clubs ranked in the top five in both categories. We have a lot of scorers now, Valanciunas said. We have Lou, he can shoot from everywhere. Hes given us a lot. DeMar can shoot, Kyle Lowry can score, I can [list] names of every player who can score. ' ' '