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TORONTO - As the sharpshooting Atlanta Hawks ripped off a 13-3 run and cut Torontos once sizeable lead to four, DeMar DeRozan stepped to the line in a moment, 33 seconds left on the clock, that the All-Star guard usually relishes. Uncharacteristically, he clanked both free throws but followed the second by grabbing his own rebound and returning to the stripe, where he redeemed himself with a couple easy points to seal an opening-night victory. It was that kind of night for DeRozan, a bizarre season debut. Last years leading scorer shot just 4-of-16 and committed five turnovers in his teams 109-102 win Wednesday. A few years back an off night like that would have rendered him weaponless, likely deciding his teams fate in the process. Not the case for this version of DeRozan, a player who has evolved into a well-rounded contributor entering his sixth NBA season. DeMar didnt have a great shooting night but he found another way to contribute, coach Dwane Casey said of DeRozan, who registered career-highs in both rebounding, with 11, and steals, with six. Thats what we preach all the time. Your shots may not be falling but youve got to find another way to contribute to a win, and he did that. Thats my job, DeRozan said. Im not just trying to be a scorer. If we are not making shots we all have to figure out other ways we can affect the game in a good way. With Kyle Lowry also struggling offensively - 11 points on 3-of-11 - and Atlanta shooting the lights out from three-point range (59 per cent, led by Kyle Korver, who was 6-of-7), the Raptors leaned on their depth and that continuity weve heard so much about throughout the off-season. The Raptors first five field goals came courtesy of five different scorers. In the end seven Raptors scored in double figures, including each of their starters, and three recorded double-doubles. Amir Johnson, a notorious slow starter, was the teams best player on the night, scoring 16 points and grabbing 10 boards, while Jonas Valanciunas led them in scoring with 17 in an efficient performance that earned rave reviews after the game, despite logging just 20 minutes. He was the biggest guy on the floor so he used his length to his advantage and thats what he has to do, Casey said of the third-year starting centre. Hes growing too, because now hes allowing the game to come to him instead of force feeding it. Do your job. The game will come to you. The basketball gods, the ball will find you if you play the game the right way, thats my theory, and its happening for Jonas. But in the final moments, with the game on the line, Valanciunas was on the bench. Patrick Patterson manned the paint along with Johnson for Casey. I thought we needed more speed and quickness, the Raptors coach said. They were coming at us pretty fast in transition. They werent trying to post-up and thats a decision that will change. Theres no lock on it. Right now, I liked Amir Johnson and Patrick Patterson, with their athleticism, speed and quickness on the floor at the end. Nothing that Jonas did wrong. It may be that way. As long as the other team is playing fast you may see that a lot. And thats what makes the Raptors a different looking club this season, possibly a better one than last year. For moments in each quarter, Casey used five reserves on the floor together, without a starter, something he has avoided doing in the past. And with good reason. The Raptors bench has never been good enough to justify it, but with 10 capable rotation players at his disposal, Casey has the means to get creative. I mean its not there yet, Casey said of his second units chemistry, having added Lou Williams and James Johnson to the mix this summer. Guys are still trying to find their way. There is going to be nights where Lou Williams is huge, nights where James Johnson is going to be huge. Theres going to be nights where its going to be Greivis [Vasquezs] night. Thats just the way our roster is built now. Youve got a guy like [DeRozan] as the franchise and Kyle Lowry as the starting point guard, they have a little bit more leverage than everyone else, said Vasquez, who scored 12 points in just 17 minutes off the bench Wednesday. Its harder for me, its harder for Lou, its harder for the guys on the bench and thats just the way it is. We dont expect easy things, he continued. I dont expect anything easy. This is my fifth year. Kyle is going into his 10th. Backing him up is not easy. Sometimes you want to do more but youve got to understand the situation. It takes a lot of cojones, I would say, to really understand and be a man and we all do it, the guys coming off the bench, because we want to win. The winning formula for Toronto was not exactly how they drew it up but that familiarity of bringing back 10 players from last years club seemed to play a part. Opening night, a time of dysfunction for most teams learning new sets and new players, was business as usual for the Raptors. Toronto assisted on 26 of its 37 made field goals, turning the ball over just 10 times and getting to the line 33 times - making 27 - compared to Atlantas 17 attempts. They also controlled the boards, to Caseys delight, out-rebounding the Hawks 48-42 and besting them 26-11 in second-chance scoring. Were a team, Lowry said. Were a complete team. Me and DeMar, we didnt play as well offensively but we did other things to help the team win. Everyone filled up a role. That first win is the toughest one to get, I believe. It was good to get the first one at home, in front of our fans. Welcome back Anyone who tells you its just another game is probably just blowing smoke. The season opener, specifically the home opener, is a different animal, particularly for a team entering what should be a meaningful campaign. First game is always the toughest, said DeRozan, the teams longest tenured player, who admitted he still feels the nerves ahead of his sixth season opener, all of them with Toronto. Because you just want to get it out of the way, go out there and play well and everything. So its always the toughest. You just have to get through it. [Im] very excited, Casey said. Now we get into meaningful basketball and I think its something we worked hard to get ready for. Its time to be excited. If youre not excited now, you wont be. It was an evening that a passionate and growing fan base had been anxiously awaiting for nearly six long months. In early May, they packed themselves in a crowded Maple Leaf Square, just outside the Air Canada Centre and watched the Raptors fall one possession short of advancing deeper into the playoffs. On Wednesday many of them returned, this time to the newly renamed Ford Fan Zone. The outdoor season tip-off party opened to the public at 5:30pm just outside of Gates five and six. By 6pm it was filled to the brim while the sold out crowd was filing into the building in time to (barely) hear Lowry address them on the court prior to tip-off. It was unbelievable, man, the Raptors point guard said of that moment. I really appreciate the fans that we have and the noise that they made really summed it up. Casey continues to be impressed by the outpour of support his team has received since last years surprising run. He knows that wrestling some of the spotlight from the Maple Leafs has been an uphill battle for the basketball club, though the sport continues to make some serious inroads in that department. The Raptors head coach witnessed a similar renaissance in Dallas, where he was an assistant with the Mavericks for three years, culminating in a championship. Texas is, of course, a football state. But if you win, people tend to pay attention and thats exactly what hes striving for here in hockey country. The Cowboys for years have been great in Texas, he said. The Leafs have been the show here in Toronto for a long, long time. I dont know if those two things are ever going to change completely. And they shouldnt. Tradition is huge. Hockey is so beautiful for this country and this city. So you always feel good when you see that influx of jerseys, talking about basketball, the banners. All those things are huge when youre trying to get that spotlight on the sport. Oakland Athletics Gear . The Cubs made the moves before Thursdays game against Arizona. They promoted left-hander Zac Rosscup and right-hander Neil Ramirez from Triple-A Iowa and optioned righty Blake Parker to their top minor league team. Athletics Jerseys China . He just didnt expect them to be this good. Darrun Hilliard scored 19 points to lead No. 6 Villanova to a dominating 77-59 victory over Georgetown on Saturday, preserving the Wildcats hopes of a No. https://www.cheapathleticsonline.com/ .J. -- Patrick Sharp is on one of those streaks. Oakland Athletics Pro Shop . This time, it was Eric Chavezs turn. Stuck in a rut since coming off the disabled list, Chavez hit the first pitch he saw in the ninth inning for a run-scoring single, sending the Diamondbacks to another walk-off victory, 4-3 over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday night. Athletics Jerseys 2020 . Raonic, the No. 8 seed from Thornhill, Ont., fired 11 aces and did not have a double-fault as he comfortably advanced to the third round at the Masters Series event.DALLAS - The Dallas Stars have signed centre Jason Spezza to a four-year contract extension.Terms of the contract were not released, but multiple reports say its worth US$30 million.Spezza has four goals and 14 assists in 20 games this season.The Stars acquired Spezza, a two-time all-star, in an off-season trade with Ottawa.Sppezza spent his first 11 NHL seasons with the Senators, serving as team captain last season.ddddddddddddSpezza has 705 points (255 goals, 450 assists) and 436 penalty minutes in 706 career NHL games.Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version listed Spezzas career goals as 225 instead of 255. ' ' '