Schwarzmarkt » oDonnell is very much in the mould of the mor

TORONTO -- DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry and the Toronto Raptors pushed aside the Minnesota Timberwolves -- again.With Toronto down 95-94 with 8:46 left, DeRozan and Lowry keyed a 17-4 Raptors run that took the game away from the youthful Timberwolves. Toronto eventually pulled out a 124-110 victory, handing Minnesota its 13th straight loss at the Air Canada Centre.We just picked it up, DeRozan said. We kicked in our experience of understanding how we have to win games. We cant underestimate a team like that that plays extremely hard.DeRozan had a team-high 27 points for the Raptors, Lowry added 25 points with 11 assists, and Jonas Valanciunas registered his team-leading sixth double-double on 20 points and 10 rebounds.We just have guys that are used to it, trying to come through at the end of games and sticking with the game plan and sticking with the course of action, Lowry said.After Toronto fell behind 11-2, coach Dwane Casey sat all his starters except for DeRozan in an attempt to get kick-start his team into action. Toronto still trailed by 10 at the end of the first quarter, but it sent a message.We can be a good team, but we cant be special if we allow things to happen that happened in the first two quarters, Casey said.His counterpart, Tom Thibodeau, shared that sentiment, especially after seeing his team enter the final 12 minutes with the lead, 89-88. However, the Timberwolves could only shoot 38.9 percent in the final quarter, allowing the Raptors to outscore them 36-21.I thought the first three quarters were very good, connected, making the right reads, right plays, ball movement and screening a lot of good things happened, Thibodeau said. Then in the fourth quarter we got away from that.Zach LaVine led all Timberwolves scorers with 29 points, while Andrew Wiggins, playing in his homtown for the third time in the NBA, had 25.However, the loss didnt take off too much of the shine playing in front of family and friends for the Canadian, who is still waiting for his first taste of NBA victory on home soil.We need to get that first win here for it to be really good, but its always good to play back home, he said.TIP-INSTimberwolves: Minnesota fell to 2-14 when allowing 100 or more points. The Timberwolves have had double-digit first-half leads in 11 of their 22 games. The 37 points that Toronto scored in the second quarter were the most Minnesota has given up in a second quarter this season.Raptors: Wore their blue-and-white Toronto Huskies uniforms for the second time this season. Uniforms are replicas of those worn by the Huskies during the NBAs inaugural season in 1946-47. DeRozan played his 543rd game for the Raptors, breaking a tie with Morris Peterson for the most in team history. Toronto successfully converted 10-or-more 3-pointers for an eighth straight game, extending its franchise record. Raptors are 10-1 this season when Carroll scores 10 or more points.HE SAID ITAll his shots are lucky. To me its a bad shot. -- DeRozan jokingly about Lowry, who with 5:41 to go in the third quarter drained a 31-foot jump shot, one of the five 3-pointers he had on the night.RING IT UPBefore the opening tip-off, USA Basketball mens national team director Sean Ford presented DeRozan and Lowry with their Team USA Olympic championship rings. The pair helped the U.S. win its third straight gold medal in August.UP NEXTTimberwolves: Host Detroit on Friday night.Raptors: At Boston on Friday night. Nick Holden Jersey . Reigning world champion Eve Muirhead of Scotland opened with a 12-2 rout of Winnipegs Jennifer Jones in a battle of teams bound for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Ryan Reaves Jersey . Boucher previously coached the Tampa Bay Lightning and had a 97-78-20 record over two-plus seasons. He was dismissed by the team last March after the Lightning struggled in the lockout-shortened season with a 13-18-1 record. http://www.goldenknightssale.com/authentic-shea-theodore-golden-knights-jersey/ . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. William Carrier Jersey . After Martin Skrtel put the Reds in front from close range at Stamford Bridge after only four minutes, Hazard hit back in the 17th with a superb strike. Etoo gave Jose Mourinhos team a decisive lead from Oscars back pass in the 34th. Shea Theodore Jersey . Inter president Erick Thohir says in a club statement on Wednesday that Vidic is "one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree, and charisma will be an asset.We look at five talking points ahead of Irelands Six Nations clash with Scotland on Saturday. Who needs it more?Before their win over Italy in round four, Scotland were under enormous pressure. Their Six Nations run of defeats were piling up, dating back to 2014. But the relieving win was joined by another, and Cotter is convinced his side is on the verge of realising their potential. Ireland also started the Six Nations on the back foot. The departure of a legendary captain was just one reason the defence of their title would be a difficult one.Although they started well in the opening 20 minutes against Wales in round one, its been a struggle since then. Will Joe Schmidts job be under threat if Ireland lose to Scotland? A loss for Ireland would leave them in second-last place at the end of the tournament, a sharp slide from the previous year. But even worse, six of Irelands next seven internationals are against the top three sides in the world.A three-test tour against South Africa is followed by a friendly against New Zealand in the US before facing the All Blacks once more in the autumn internationals to go with their showdown with Australia in the same series.Bluntly, fifth place in the northern hemisphere is no way to prepare for that many games against the southern hemisphere.Should Scotland win it would likely leave them in third place unless France dismantle England by a sizeable amount, while Ireland could finish fourth - even with a win.Weir ahead of Horne Weir gets the nod ahead of Horne When Finn Russell left the field early against France, his replacement Peter Horne performed brilliantly to steer Scotland to a 29-18 win.However, with Russell still ruled out this week, its Duncan Weir who has been given the nod ahead of Horne. It is by no means a bizarre call given Weirs experience, but does seem slightly harsh on last weeks capable replacement. In announcing his side, Cotter was keen to point out how much of a collective effort Sundays win was: We were pleased with our sustained effort against France.I was happy with the way we adapted to losing Finn so early in the game. The team came together and was rewarded for their endeavour with the end result.Peter played really well when he came on. It wasnt easy for him.He gets himself back on the bench and were hoping hell bring the same contribution whether its 10, 12 or 13 during the game.Attacking 15s Simon Zebo looking to attack for Ireland Stuart Hogg was in superb attacking form against the French, orchestrating the winning try with a flick to Tim Visser, but his defensive capabilities have been called into question in the past.Despite the perceived frailties, Sky Sports Stuart Barnes backed the full-backs credentials in his column this week.The balance of attackinng pluses can outweigh the odd defensive negative as Hogg gloriously emphasised, Barnes wrote on Monday.ddddddddddddHoggs opposite number this weekend is no stranger himself to a microscope hovering over his tackling technique.Simon Zebos ability to unlock opposition defences is well documented, but hes not as effective without the ball, which is partly why Rob Kearney is most often preferred ahead of him.This weekends match could see two of the worlds most exciting full-backs with ball in hand go head-to-head, as they bid to prove that scoring tries is the most important element of rugby.Battle up front WP Nel anchors the Scotland scrum It will be a great scrum battle as two in-form front rows come up against each other.Alasdair Dickinson was superb for Scotland against France and really applied the pressure onto Rabah Slimani. Dickinson will be up against Mike Ross on Saturday who has also impressed this campaign.WP Nel may have been bumped off by France full-back Scott Spedding but he has fast become the anchor for Scotlands scrum.He will be up against Jack McGrath who has held off the experience of Cian Healy for the starting loosehead jersey. Both are excellent scrummagers and have good work rates around the paddock too. Nel will also need to be on his game because Healy - no slouch in the scrummaging department himself - will at some stage be thrown into the fray.Tommy ODonnell v John Hardie munsters Tommy ODonnell will have a fierce battle with Hardie Another player who stood out against France was Scotlands John Hardie who stood out in defence and in the breakdown. His 13 tackles against France were the best of the day for Scotland while he was a key man in the turnovers as well.ODonnell gets his chance after Josh van der Flier was ruled out with an injury and it is a chance for him to really stake his claim on the No 7 jersey.Van der Flier has been excellent for Ireland and has proved his worth as an excellent scavenger. Like van der Flier, ODonnell is very much in the mould of the more traditional No 7 and his battle with Hardie at the break down will play a huge role in who wins this game.Ireland: 15 Simon Zebo, 14 Andrew Trimble 13, Jared Payne, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Johnny Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 1 Jack McGrath, 2 Rory Best (capt), 3 Mike Ross, 4 Donnacha Ryan, 5 Devin Toner, 6 CJ Stander, 7 Tommy ODonnell, 8 Jamie Heaslip.Replacements: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Nathan White, 19 Ultan Dillane, 20 Rhys Ruddock, 21 Eoin Reddan, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Fergus McFadden.Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Duncan Taylor, 12 Alex Dunbar, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Duncan Weir, 9 Greig Laidlaw, 1 Alasdair Dickinson, 2 Ross Ford, 3 Willem Nel, 4 Richie Gray, 5 Tim Swinson, 6 John Barclay, 7 John Hardie, 8 Ryan Wilson.Replacements: 16 Stuart McInally, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Moray Low, 19 Rob Harley, 20 Josh Strauss, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Peter Horne, 23 Sean Lamont. ' ' '