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PORTLAND - DeMar DeRozan validated his newly minted All-Star title, spearheading the Raptors comeback on Saturday but theres one play hed like to have back. With just under five seconds remaining - the Raptors having clawed back from a 19-point deficit and pulled within one - DeRozan took the handoff from Chuck Hayes. As he tried to create space, turning the corner with Blazers guard Wesley Matthews draped all over him, the first-time All-Star fumbled the ball off his calf. His reaction was instant and said it all. He knew he, quite literally, dropped the ball. "I lost the ball, I put that one on me," DeRozan said, owning up to the miscue. "Ive got to keep the ball in my hands and not turn it over, at least give us a chance to get a shot off." Fact is the Raptors had that opportunity, a shot to steal a game they had no business hanging around in, because of DeRozans heroics. DeRozan, like the rest of his teammates, came out flat in the first half. Coming off a win in Denver the night before, Toronto shot 35 per cent from the field in the opening 24 minutes, misfiring on all eight attempts from three-point range. As a team they couldnt execute, missed makeable shots and left their defensive effort in the Mile High City. It was ugly. "The first half, we came out with a typical back-to-back approach," said coach Dwane Casey, who was critical of his team after they let up in the fourth quarter of Fridays double digit victory over the Nuggets. "It wasnt us." DeRozan, playing in his second game after missing two with an ankle injury, had just six points, shooting 2-of-8. Whatever was said at the break seemed to wake up the fifth-year guard. DeRozan could do no wrong in the second half, where he scored 30 of his game-high 36 points and recorded 10 of his career-best 12 assists. "I mean, hes an All-Star. Yall see it," said Kyle Lowry, who should be joining DeRozan in New Orleans later this month. "Hes an All-Star for a reason. He did an unbelievable job of making shots, getting to the line and just getting it going. We know. Weve seen it before so its no surprise to us." Lowry, like his backcourt comrade, was also much better in the second half - he had 23 points and eight assists on the night - as were subs Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes, who came in and helped the Raptors find themselves defensively. The resilient Raptors dug deep once again - something weve become accustomed to seeing after slow starts this season - and when it came down to one final possession, there was never a doubt who the play was being drawn up for. "[DeRozan] wanted the ball and when your best player, your All-Star wants to the ball you give him the ball," Lowry said. "They did a good job defensively and [Matthews] is strong enough to do that but Im still getting the ball to [DeRozan] every single time in that position." Within seconds of losing the ball, DeRozan walked off with both hands on his head in disappointment. He tapped his chest as if to say, "my bad" and lifted the jersey over his head. "We put ourselves in that position," Casey said, stressing the poor start. "[DeRozan] wanted the ball, we gave it to him, but I give him props for getting us to that point." "I commend DeMar for carrying us. He put us on his shoulders and took us down the stretch and put us in a position to win. Thats all you ask." The loss - Torontos sixth straight in Portland - said a lot about how far the Raptors have come, how far DeRozan has come. If there was ever any doubt about DeRozans All-Star candidacy or his growth as a leader, Saturdays game served as a silencer. He had his full arsenal on display, demanded the ball with the game in the balance and when it was all said and done he took responsibility for his blunder. No excuses, he pointed the finger at himself. Meanwhile, his team fought the good fight, something they failed to do when they last visited Portland. A year ago, the Raptors experienced the absolutely lowest point of an already low season, dropping an embarrassing 92-74 contest to the Blazers on Dec. 10, 2012, the finale of a winless five-game road trip. They lost Lowry and Andrea Bargnani to long-term injuries in the game, while Amir Johnson was ejected for uncharacteristically tossing his mouth-guard at an official. Their skid in Portland continues, they havent won in The City of Roses in seven years, but theyre not the same team that left the city in turmoil 13 months ago. "We put ourselves in a position to win the game even after all that," Casey said. "So thats what you have to ask for." Brad Marchand Jersey .Y. - The New York Islanders are brimming with confidence these days, thanks to a standout goalie and a newfound winning attitude. Adam Oates Jersey . -- Manager Bob Melvin shuffled the Athletics batting order and got the type of production he was looking for from the top of the lineup. http://www.cheapbruinsjerseys.info/authentic-tuukka-rask-bruins-jersey/ . Los Angeles announced its new deal for Kupchak late in the fourth quarter of a 145-130 loss to the Houston Rockets. Kupchak had one year left on his current contract. David Pastrnak Jersey . Some will say that Martin is too sensitive while others will say that it is part of the way football is in the locker room. But to have to absorb what was said to him for any rational and intelligent person is too much. Phil Esposito Jersey . Johnson shared an update after his surgery Tuesday on Twitter. He also wrote, "now lets get on the grind." The running back told The Tennessean he was having surgery in Pensacola, Fla.FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The mantra of the New England Patriots when a player gets injured is "next man up." This week that man will be backup linebacker Dane Fletcher. With Brandon Spikes joining three key defenders on injured reserve with a knee injury, Fletcher is likely to see a lot more action when the Patriots host the Indianapolis Colts in an AFC divisional-playoff game Saturday night. "Everybody has to step up," Fletcher said Tuesday. "Everybodys role kind of increases on defence, especially in the linebacker unit." Spikes, an outstanding run stopper in his fourth season, was placed on injured reserve Monday. That left the Patriots with six linebackers on their 53-man roster, including rookie free agent JaGared Davis, who was signed off the practice squad Tuesday. Two others have played very little on defence. Rookie Steve Beauharnais has one tackle in two games and Chris White has one defensive tackle while being used mostly on special teams. The remaining starters are Donta Hightower and rookie Jamie Collins, a first-round draft choice. Fletcher, a better pass defender than Spikes, has averaged just 14 defensive snaaps in the 15 games hes played, starting just one.dddddddddddd He played more than half the snaps only once, against Denver and Peyton Manning. "Spikes has done a great job this year," safety Devin McCourty said, "being a guy thats been a leader on the defence, a guy thats stepped up and made key plays, I think, like hes always done, but really stepping into a leadership role. But now its next man up and being ready to go." That figures to be Fletcher. "Every play matters. Every second youre in there matters," he said. "It could be one problem play that costs your whole team so you dont want to be that guy. So its just kind of that time of the year where everything amps up in every aspect of the game." New England has played most of the season with three of its best defensive players on injured reserve. Tackle Vince Wilfork played the first four games, tackle Tommy Kelly played the first five and linebacker Jerod Mayo played the first six. The Patriots did well enough without them to earn a first-round bye. But will the latest injury be one too many? "I hope not," McCourty said with a laugh. ' ' '