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TORONTO -- Patrick Patterson knows his role and, usually, its making an impact off the bench. Julian Edelman Jersey . But on Monday, the back-up forward got his first start since coming to Toronto two months ago and made the most of it, pouring in a season-high 22 points as the Raptors defeated New Orleans 108-101. "My role doesnt change whether its starting, or whether Im coming off the bench," said Patterson, who learned earlier in the day he would join the starting five in place of Amir Johnson, sidelined with a right ankle injury. "Setting screens, rebounding, shooting my shot, running the floor in transition and making my teammates better." Patterson, who came over to Toronto from the Sacramento Kings on Dec. 9 in a seven-player trade that sent Rudy Gay West, did all of that Monday in his first start in 30 games as a Raptor. He was a tidy 7-for-11 from the field -- including 3-for-5 from three-point range -- had six rebounds and added two assists. In his fourth season in the NBA, Patterson had 54 career starts, the majority with the Houston Rockets, coming into Monday night. He had started just six games this season, all with Sacramento. "Its all about making sure I have a positive role," Patterson said his rare start. Pattersons 22 points was one more than he had for the Kings against the Los Angeles Clippers Nov. 23. "Fifteen deep. Thats how we play. Thats how we role," starting point guard Kyle Lowry said of Pattersons ability to step into the line-up. "We won. Everybody stepped up." Lowry had another complete performance, scoring 19 points, doling out 12 assists and grabbing seven rebounds while DeMar DeRozan added 22 points as the Raptors (27-24) snapped a two-game losing streak before a crowd of 17,596 at Air Canada Centre. With the win, the Raptors, returning home from a five-game road trip out West, widened their lead over the Brooklyn Nets atop the NBAs Atlantic Division to three games. Toronto, 8-2 at home since Jan. 1, plays seven of its next nine at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors host the Atlanta Hawks Wednesday in their final game before the All-Star break. "We want to get both wins at home, protect home court and go into the break with a great conscience and try to hit the stretch run running," Lowry said of the teams approach to this weeks two games. The Raptors squandered a 15-point lead in the second quarter to go into halftime tied at 49. They then built up an 18-point edge in the third but again saw the Pelicans (22-29) battle back. Tyreke Evans had a game-high 23 points and 10 assists to lead New Orleans. Anthony Davis added 19. New Orleans went on a 16-5 run over the opening 5:10 of the fourth quarter to cut the Toronto lead to 87-86. But the Raptors responded with an 11-3 run over the next 2:30 to pull away for the victory. "For whatever reason, we are losing our leads with our second unit," said Raptors head coach Dwane Casey. "What its doing is putting a lot of pressure on our starters and them in big minute situations." DeRozan logged 40:21 and Lowry put in 38:48 to lead in court time among all players. "Taking Patrick Patterson off the second unit hurts them a bit," Casey said. "But still we have to get a rhythm with that second unit so we can rest our starters." Tom Brady Jersey . The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. Chandler Jones Jersey . -- Quinn OBrien scored three times in the third period as the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies beat the host Chicoutimi Sagueneens 7-3 on Friday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action.HARRISON, N.J. -- Maybe just a touch of the flu is what New York Red Bulls forward Bradley Wright-Phillips needed. The English forward, who had one goal in seven games last season, missed Tuesdays training session with a fever, but recovered enough to score three goals Wednesday night and lead the Red Bulls to their second straight victory, 4-0 over the Houston Dynamo. "We thought it was only a matter of time before he scored a goal and then got hot," Red Bulls coach Mike Petke said. "But three goals tonight? I did not see this coming." Wright-Phillips, who joined New York in August, was the first Red Bulls player to record three goals in a match since Thierry Henry in March 2012 against Montreal. "I just try to do the same thing all the time," said Wright-Phillips, 29, the younger half brother of England midfielder Shaun Wright-Phillips, who plays with Queens Park Rangers. "I didnt think it was my night. I just try to do the same thing. "No matter where I go, I think I can score goals. I scored today. Next game, I might not be scoring and you guys might be interviewing somebody else." The win earned New York some measure of revenge against Houston, which beat the Red Bulls in Harrison last November to eliminate them from the playoffs. Henry had the other goal for the Red Bulls, who were winless in their first six games but improved to 10 points and within one of Eastern Conference leaders Sporting KC and the Columbus Crew. Houston is winless in its last five. Wright-Phillips put New York ahead in the 12th minute after Kosuke Kimura sent a through ball down the right side into the path of a streaking Henry. Unmarkeed, Henry had time and space to turn and send a bounding ball to the top of the six, where an equally unmarked Wright-Phillips easily deflected it past Houston keeper Tally Hall. Stephen Gostkowski Jersey. His second goal was similar 12 minutes later. Left back Roy Miller slid to win a ball from Houston counterpart Warren Creavalle on the left touchline and advanced unchallenged into the Dynamo penalty area. There, he sent a low bounding cross that Wright-Phillips was able to redirect at the edge of the six to just inside the far post. Wright-Phillips helped hike the lead in the 65th minute, sending a cross in front of the Houston goal that Hall had to punch out in front. Henry ran onto the free ball and easily converted from the middle of the penalty area. Wright-Phillips completed his hat trick in the 86th, converting a penalty after Henry was brought down in the area. "He had a little bit of flu-ish symptoms yesterday, in practice," Petke said, before adding with a laugh, "so I told him hopefully this Friday hell have the flu again." The Red Bulls play at Columbus on Saturday. "It just wasnt a good night for us," Houston coach Dominic Kinnear said. "Probably the third goal, but we were still getting chances after that. After that third goal went in, its definitely a big mountain to climb." Both teams were without significant regulars. New York did not dress injured midfielder Tim Cahill and suspended defender Ibrahim Sekagya, while Houston was without U.S. national team midfielder Brad Davis, who missed his third straight game with an injured ankle, and Kofi Sarkodie, who was ejected against Philadelphia on Saturday. cheap jerseys ' ' ' |
