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TORONTO -- Patrick Patterson knows his role and, usually, its making an impact off the bench. Lavelle Hawkins Buccaneers 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." Kadeem Edwards Buccaneers Jersey .ca. Dear Kerry, I was watching the fourth goal for the Islanders in the game against the Leafs, it seemed the Leafs goalie Bernier had the puck covered and the referee blew the whistle raised his arms in the air to signal the play was dead and then moments later signaled good goal. Vincent Jackson Buccaneers Jersey . Hes now on their roster. Tate signed a two-year, $7 million free agent deal on Saturday with Cleveland, which has been desperate to find a quality every-down running back since trading Trent Richardson to Indianapolis early last season. TORONTO -- Former UFC champion Georges St-Pierre says his knee surgery went well and the rehab that looms ahead wont impact his decision on whether to return to mixed martial arts competition. The 32-year-old Montreal fighters left knee was operated on Wednesday in Los Angeles. He had reconstructive surgery on the other knee in December 2011. "I climbed Everest once before and Im going to climb it again -- if I want to," St-Pierre told The Canadian Press on Thursday. "Its not a problem for me. . . . Anyway I didnt plan to come back to competition before 2015. "And if I want to come back, when I want to come back, Ill do it again. Ill have all the tools to do it again. Im not going to be less strong or less athletic -- Im going to be just better." "Ill have two bionic knees," he added. St-Pierre (25-2) vacated his 170-pound title in December, saying he needed a break from the sport. He made the announcement just weeks after winning a controversial split decision over Johny (Big Rigg) Hendricks at UFC 167. St-Pierre kept training and tore his anterior cruciate ligament during a recent workout. He was wrestling "a kid" and believes his knee caught in a mat and twisted. "It was like someone hurt his back by tying up his shoes." Both knee operations were done by Los Angeles-based surgeon Neal ElAttrache, who looked after NFL star Tom Bradys knee in 2009. "I believe hes the best in the world," said the fighter. St-Pierre plans to spend the next three months rehabbing in Los Angeles, using the same team as he did for the last operation. While he is on painkillers in the immediate wake of the surgery, he said he was in good spirits. "Perfect timing for me that I get hurt right now," he said. "Thats the way to look at it." He expects to resume training in five months, with full sparringg in six to seven months. Dashon Goldson Buccaneers Jersey. St-Pierre fought 11 months after his first surgery, defeating Carlos (The Natural Born Killer) Condit at UFC 154 in November 2012. His experiences after the first knee surgery will help him, he said. "I know the way now. Its going to be even better. But the thing is you cant go faster than your body heals. I dont want to go too fast." He said the ACL damage in both knees was the same. The former champion believes the damage to his knees was bound to happen, given the pounding the ligaments have taken over the years. "Its like a rope. If you pull the rope every day as hard as you can -- boom, boom, you pull it, pull it, pull it, pull it -- one day its going to break. Its the force of pressure. If you hit a wall at home in the same spot every day when you pass by, at one point youre going to make a hole in it. "And thats what happened with my ACL. Ive been training martial arts since I was nine years old and Im a very explosive guy." He plans to add an expert in the science of mobility to his entourage, to correct his movements -- from running to jumping. "Its never going to happen again," he said. "The pressure will be on my bone and my muscle, not on my ligaments." St-Pierre says he has been told that the vast majority of ACL injuries are preventable. "They happen over the course of time because people do the wrong moves," he said. If or when St-Pierre comes back to the UFC, he will do so as a welterweight. He noted Hendricks, who went on to win the 170-pound title, weighed 215 pounds when the two did their press tour. GSP was 190 pounds. He also reiterated that drug testing in the sport had to improve before he came back. "Its not personal to one fighter," he said. "Its personal to me. Its something that has to be done, I believe." ' ' ' |
