i and Buffalo. Hes 1-11 as a career starter with 21 touc

NEW YORK - As the Knicks were on their way to an embarrassing 29-point Christmas Day defeat, the Madison Square Garden faithful chanted the name of their saviour, who just so happens to be the Raptors starting point guard. Their 9-19 record remains identical to the crosstown rivals in Brooklyn and trails both Toronto and Boston in the Atlantic Division. Raymond Felton, their declining point guard, is back on the sideline nursing his third injury of the season. Their owner James Dolan has reassured his team that no one is being traded or fired, at least for the time being. Still, some Knicks fans are holding out hope that help is on the way. "Thats very humbling," Kyle Lowry said, flattered by the thought of Knicks fans chanting his name. "Thats humbling, I appreciate it. Its kind of one of those things where you just dont know what to say, you just are like, wow thats pretty cool but at the end of the day, I play for the Raptors." Exactly two weeks ago, Lowry stood in front of the Toronto media and addressed multiple reports that had surfaced the day prior, connecting him to trade talks with the Knicks. The rumour mill has dried up since then, for the most part, but the Raptors guard found himself answering the same questions prior to Fridays game at MSG, the first in a home-and-home set with the Knicks. Catch both contests against the division-rival Knicks - Friday at 7:30pm et and Saturday at 7pm et - live on TSN2 and listen to Saturdays rematch on TSN 1050 Radio. "That wasnt in my mind," Lowry said, asked about the possibility of playing in New York. "My mind [said] to keep playing and be a competitor and play hard, try to win as many games for the Raptors. If something happens, then it happens, until that day Im a Raptor and I play hard for the Raptors." Reconvening in New York following a brief two-day break for the holidays, the Raptors are feeling good about their place in the putrid Atlantic Division. Despite the trade of Rudy Gay earlier in the month and ongoing speculation that Lowry and/or others could be moved next, no one is panicking. Quite the opposite in fact. The team is as harmonious as ever and thats a credit to their flood general, who hasnt been shaken by the off-court noise and is playing the best basketball of his career. Lowry is averaging 15.2 points and 7.0 assists this season, both career-highs. He has recorded six or more assists in a career-best 18 consecutive games, obliterating his previous high, which was eight straight contests. The Raptors sit atop the division, a half game ahead of the Celtics and three games in front of the Knicks and Nets. Although theyve won five of eight since the trade of Gay - including two of three during an exceptionally difficult Western Conference road trip - the Knicks are closing in. New York has won six of its last 12 and has Tyson Chandler, the heart of its defence, back in the lineup. With two straight games against the Knicks and four of the next 11 against Atlantic Division opponents, this stretch could go a long way in mapping out the Raptors next step, as well as the future of Lowry and his expiring contract. "We all want to win, we all want to make the playoffs, we all want to be a better team and continue to get better," said Lowry. "I think guys are just out here, were having fun, were taking advantage of every time we can step on the floor together and just trying to win games." "I just want to keep playing. No matter what, I want to try to win games. I made a commitment to the city of Toronto, to myself and to the fans to get the Raptors to the playoffs so thats what Im here to do." Much-needed rest for DeRozan For the second straight season, DeMar DeRozan is among the league-leaders in minutes played. The Raptors guard has logged 38.5 minutes per night through the teams first 26 games with only the Knicks Carmelo Anthony and Rockets guard James Harden averaging more playing time. The two-day break couldnt have come at a better time for Torontos best player. "I think we just needed that," he said following shootaround at Baruch College in New York Friday afternoon. "Just to have two days to relax, get your mind off things, I think it was definitely needed for us, especially with this push were trying to make to stay on top of the division and win the next couple games." Raptors coach Dwane Casey said he is planning to monitor DeRozans minutes closely and could deploy John Salmons or the sparingly used Landry Fields and Steve Novak to spell him more as the season goes on. Red Sox Jerseys 2020 . The second-ranked Jayhawks will play the Miners of Texas-El Paso at Imperial Arena in the Bahamas. The game can be seen live on TSN2 starting at 7pm et/4pm pt. Wholesale Red Sox Jerseys . - Rookie Kyle Larson will start from the pole position Saturday night in the NASCAR race at Richmond International Raceway after a thunderstorm arrived just in time to wash out qualifying. https://www.cheapredsox.com/ .Y. -- First, Patrick Kane gave his family and friends something to cheer about by scoring a highlight-reel goal in a rare trip home to Buffalo on Sunday night. Boston Red Sox Gear . PETERSBURG, Florida – Heading into Thursday nights action, Dioner Navarro had caught 14 innings combined from starters Drew Hutchison and Mark Buehrle. Red Sox Jerseys 2019 . Adam LaRoche will take that. "I like our position in the standings and I like how our team is playing," LaRoche said after Washington swept a day-night doubleheader from the Cubs on Saturday.BEREA, Ohio -- Vince Young doesnt take anything for granted. Not after the road hes been down. Once of the NFLs rising stars before personal problems sidetracked the quarterbacks career, Young signed a one-year contract on Thursday with the Cleveland Browns. Although rusty, Young who hasnt played in a regular-season game since 2011, showed enough during a three-day tryout to get the deal. Its been a long climb back for Young, who wont celebrate with so much work to be done. "Theres no popping the champagne bottle," he said. The 30-year-old Young comes with an impressive resume after going 31-19 as an NFL starter and making two Pro Bowls. He was signed along with free agent QB Tyler Thigpen and linebacker Zac Diles shortly after the Browns completed their first minicamp under new coach Mike Pettine. This is another fresh start for Young, who spent part of the past two preseasons with Buffalo and Green Bay but hasnt appeared in a game since Dec. 18, 2011, for Philadelphia. He has endured financial problems, dealt with emotional issues and tried to balance his personal life while keeping his professional one afloat. Young is thankful for the new opportunity and plans to do all he can to convince the Browns that hes worth hanging onto for a while. After being offered a contract, Young told the Browns that instead of flying home to Texas, he planned to stay the weekend in Cleveland so he could become more acclimated with the teams playbook and to work out. "Right now I have my head down, just wanting to work and show the team, the organization what type of guy I am," Young said. "That was my whole focus and how much hard work I put in." Pettine said there were some moments over the past few days when Young looked like the Young of old. "He took off and ran for a first down, we just finished up a rack of third down plays here and you could tell hes very rusty," Pettine said. "I was just joking with him the other day that rust was falling off in large clumps, but he flashed a couplee of times.ddddddddddddYou dont realize how big he is until you stand next to him. "We talk about all these 6-foot, 5-11 quarterbacks in the draft and then he comes walking out and you say, Oh, thats what theyre supposed to look like." Young acknowledged there were moments he felt like himself, and others when he struggled. "There is definitely some rust on there," he said. "The biggest thing is I just want to get down to my playing shape, eating right and try to get a feeling with the team, what they do with their workouts and things like that. "I just want to be around the team, be around the coaches and show them the part that they never see, the hard work that I do put in. Thats what theyre really about to see now." Thigpen was out of the league last year after playing six seasons with Kansas City, Miami and Buffalo. Hes 1-11 as a career starter with 21 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. "Its a great opportunity," he said. "I thought for a while there that the door was going to close, but now that opportunity has opened back up. Its time to take advantage of it." Young and Thigpen will be penciled in on the depth chart behind Brian Hoyer, who looked good in his first on-field work since undergoing knee surgery in October. Pettine was pleased with Hoyers progress. He was limited to individual and 7-on-7 drills, and hopes to be cleared for more in June. "As far as his preparation, how he approached the practice field, how he interacted with the players, it was as we expected and then some," Pettine said. NOTES: The Browns have until Saturday to pick up the fifth-year, $5.5 million contract option on DT Phil Taylor for 2015. Taylor promised the teams decision will not affect how he plays this season. "Im still going to go out there and do what Ive got to do for the team," Taylor said. "Im still a Cleveland Brown and Im going to be a Cleveland Brown until Im not." ... WR Nate Burleson was excused from the final day of camp. ' ' '