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  August 28, 2018 6:22 AM EEST

  TORONTO - The Toronto Raptors are playing like they have the weight of the world on their shoulders, says coach Dwane Casey.Mired in their first real slump in recent memory, the Raptors dropped a 95-93 decision to the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.Then they departed the Air Canada Centre with heads hanging, as the six-game homestand they had hoped would turn their fortunes in their favour ended with just two wins.Were playing in mud right now, Casey said. Confidence wise, we have to come out believing that youre going to make a play. . . we have to play with that type of confidence, that type of belief that you can get it done. Somehow, some way, we have to get back to playing basketball and not feeling that weight on our shoulders.DeMar DeRozan scored 22 points for the Raptors (26-14), who have lost seven of their last nine games, and dropped back-to-back home games for the first time since last March. Greivis Vasquez, who started the second half in place of scoreless Terrence Ross, finished with 16 points, Amir Johnson had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Patrick Patterson added 10 points.Tyreke Evans scored 26 points, including the driving layup with two seconds to go that gave New Orleans the win. Alexis Ajinca finished with 22 for the Pelicans (20-20), who were playing without starters Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday.This team actually started to win last year and you guys havent seen any struggles since we started winning, an emotional Vasquez told reporters in a quiet post-game locker-room. Everything was heaven, everything was blue, beautiful, clear. Now youre seeing some struggles.Every NBA team. . . I remember Atlanta a month and a half ago was struggling, now theyre probably the best team in the NBA and good for them, credit to them. Were trying to search our identity back and its about being humble and hungry.The Raptors had looked forward to being home after a disappointing six-game road trip out west, but the misery continued at the Air Canada Centre, and Fridays 110-89 rout by the Atlanta Hawks prompted a players-only meeting.Toronto got off to its worst start of the season Sunday, with season lows for both the first quarter — 14 points — and first half — 36 points. They headed for the locker-room at halftime amid a smattering of boos, something that hasnt been heard at a Raptors game in more than a year.Fans have to be patient, Vasquez said. Discouraged how they boo us. I dont think thats very nice because we are really playing hard for them and representing the city. We want the best and we want to win.The Raptors finally showed some life in the third, outscoring the Pelicans 35-14 in the frame to take a 71-65 lead into the fourth. They would stretch their advantage to 12 points on a pair of free throws from Williams with 6:39 to play. And then, the Raptors hit the proverbial wall once again, as the Pelicans — missing Davis to a sprained toe and Holiday to a sore right ankle — roared back to take the lead in the final minute.DeRozan drained two free throws to tie the game with 43 seconds to play, but Evans dribbled down the clock and scored with 1.6 seconds remaining, to the dismay of the ACC crowd, then DeRozan missed on a last-ditch shot at the final buzzer to send the Raptors into Mondays game at Milwaukee having lost two in a row. The slumping Ross, meanwhile, sat at the end of the Raptors bench for the entire second half, his final play of the game an air ball on a three-point attempt he chucked up to end the first half.Weve just got to be there for him the best way we can, help lift him, just like we do everybody else, DeRozan said. Weve all been there, playing in this league, everybodys been there in some type of way. Weve just got to help him out the best way we can, and get him back on his feet. Once he gets rolling, its going to be something he definitely needed when he looks back at it.Casey said he wont give up on Ross, who hasnt looked anything like the player who tied the franchise record with his 51-point performance last season.Hes a young man, all young players are going to be up and down, we just have to help him any way we can, Casey said. Whether its extra work, if coming out of the lineup is going to help him and his confidence, whatever it takes to get his mojo going. Were playing for something and it is an important time for us to come out of it.The Raptors were clobbered in the paint 62-34, and beaten on second-chance points 18-9.The Raptors staggered out to their lowest-scoring first quarter of the season, shooting just 26 per cent from the field and 1-for-8 from three point range. They didnt reach double digits until more than eight minutes into the game, and trailed 21-14 heading into the second quarter.Obviously we played against a team thats picked to do well in the East, and doing that without Jrue and AD (Davis) was big for us, said Pelicans coach Monty Williams.The poor play continued into the second. Evans scored 13 points to lead the way for the Pelicans, who outscored Toronto 29-22 in the quarter and took a 50-36 advantage into halftime.DeRozan led the way with 13 points in a third quarter that saw Toronto outscore its guests 35-14. Taron Johnson Jersey . -- Top-seed Shahar Peer and Canadian Eugenie Bouchard advanced to the second round of the inaugural WTA Citi Open. AJ McCarron Bills Jersey . In mens doubles, Vancouvers Vasek Pospisil and American Jack Sock reached the quarter-finals with a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-4 win over Croatian Mate Pavic and Andre Sa of Brazil. http://www.authenticbillsfanatic.com/c-92-bills-russell-bodine-jersey.aspx. -- Get a flow chart ready to follow the Packers quarterback situation. Josh Allen Jersey . - The Chicago Bears have agreed to a one-year contract with free-agent centre Brian de la Puente. Trent Murphy Bills Jersey . Follow all the action live on TSN Radio 1050 in Toronto, TSN Radio 690 in Montreal, TSN Radio 1260 in Edmonton and TEAM 1410 on Friday at 3pm et/Noon pt.TORONTO - It was a game with a sickening injury in the opening seconds and a stirring comeback in the final minute.An emotional roller-coaster of an MLS contest Saturday started with Portland Timbers captain Will Johnson being taken to hospital with a broken leg and ended when Michael Bradley, one of his best friends, completed a Toronto FC comeback with an 89th-minute goal for a 3-2 win.For them a teammate, for me a very close friend, Bradley, speaking in the Toronto locker-room afterwards, said of the Canadian international Johnson. Look for anybody else in here, you hate to see somebody down like that.Theres still a game to be played. Unfortunately theyre still passing out points at the end of the game.Rookie defender Nick Hagglund scored twice in the second half to set the stage for Bradley, whose curling free kick from more than 35 yards out went through a mass of players a€” freezing goalie Donovan Ricketts a€” and into the goal without being touched.Rallying from a 2-0 deficit after just 16 minutes, Toronto scored three second-half goals in 27 minutes in a character-defining comeback.These are the kind of days that can change seasons, said Bradley, who initiated Torontos second goal via another free kick.We know theres still a lot we can improve on, we still need to be better, he added. Were still right in the thick of it.But if you use these kind of afternoons in the right way, they can give you a real boost.The game, played on a sunny 22 C afternoon before an announced sellout crowd of 22,591 at BMO Field, was a matchup of two teams on the playoff bubble, with both carefully watching results of clubs around them.The Timbers started the day in fifth place in the West while Toronto was seventh in the East, three points out of the playoff picture.The win moved TFC into fifth place and a playoff spot, at least temporarily pending the outcome of the Columbus-Montreal game later in the day. Eastern-leading D.C. United did Toronto a favour by defeating Philadelphia 1-0.Toronto (11-11-7) stretched its unbeaten streak to three (2-0-1) while recording a franchise record 11th win of the season, surpassing the club mark for victories (10) and points (39), both set during a 10-11-9 season in 2009.Coach Greg Vanney called it a remarkable comeback.When I look in the guys eyes after, theyre believing, he said. Theyre very much believing in what they have to accomplish this season.The loss snapped Portlands unbeaten streak at four but the outcome will be overshadowed by the loss of its influential and popular captain.It turned into a game of two halves, with Portland holding the edge in the first a€” scoring twice in the first 16 minutes a€” and Toronto taking over in the second.Fanendo Adi scored for Portland, which also got an own goal from Toronto captain Steven Caldwell.Toronto started its comeback in the 62nd minute with Hagglund rising high tto head in a cross from Daniel Lovitz for his first MLS goal.dddddddddddd Minutes later, Ricketts stopped Dominic Oduro from in close to preserve the lead.Toronto made it 2-2 eight minutes later off another Bradley free kick that went through a mass of humanity before an open Hagglund, whose giveaway led to Portlands first goal, headed the ball down and it went in at the far post.The game started on a disastrous note for Portland, with Johnson injuring his right leg in a shin-on-shin collision with Toronto fullback Mark Bloom in a 50-50 challenge that saw both players sliding to get to the ball first. Johnson immediately grabbed his right leg just below the knee and motioned to be substituted.He was taken off on a stretcher with a fractured fibula and tibia in his right leg after a lengthy delay with Bradley looking on closely. The injury led to eight minutes extra time at the end of the first half.Johnson remained in Toronto to have surgery.Bloom was able to continue and wasnt penalized on the play. But he was in pain after the game, his leg throbbing from the collision.Referee Ismail Elfath pocketed his whistle for much of the contest, infuriating both sides at different times but helping make for a fast-paced, exciting game.The offensively gifted, defensively challenged Timbers came into the game with 52 goals, averaging 1.79 a game to stand third best in the league, and had scored three or more in three of their last four MLS games. And they carved open Torontos backline repeatedly.Portland went ahead in the 13th minute when Hagglunds pass out of defence hit midfielder Diego Chara, who fed Adi. The Nigerian striker headed straight into the penalty box and his low right-footed shot beat Joe Bendik.Three minutes later, it was 2-0 after Toronto failed to clear a corner. Diego Valeri, who pulled the Portland strings for most of the day, raked the ball across the penalty box and it bounced in off Caldwell.Caldwell thought he had repaid the debt three minutes later when his header off a Bradley free kick beat Ricketts. But the play was called offside.Toronto should have pulled to within a goal in the 20th minute when Oduros cross beat everyone and found Gilberto at the far post with the net wide open. But the Brazilians stubbed shot somehow went wide.Portland almost scored an own goal of its own in the 36th minute when defender Pa Modou Kahs attempted clearance of an Oduro cross rattled off the goalpost.Rodney Wallace shot wide in the 53rd minute, clutching his head in disbelief after Portland sliced through the Toronto backline yet again.The game marked the second time in club history that Toronto FC has overcome a two-goal deficit to win in MLS league playIt also was the 15th consecutive sellout at BMO Field, helping set a league record as the 113th soldout match across all teams this season.Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter Cheap Diamondbacks Jerseys Cheap Braves Jerseys Cheap Orioles Jerseys Cheap Red Sox Jerseys Cheap Cubs Jerseys Cheap White Sox Jerseys Cheap Reds Jerseys Cheap Indians Jerseys Cheap Rockies Jerseys Cheap Tigers Jerseys Cheap Astros Jerseys Cheap Royals Jerseys Cheap Angels Jerseys Cheap Dodgers Jerseys Cheap Marlins Jerseys ' ' '