The Toronto Raptors are having one of the best seasons in franchise history - in a year when nobody expected it. Donte Jackson Panthers Jersey . Many believed sneaking into the final playoff spot would be a success for the Raptors this season, but even that wasnt guaranteed. But with only 11 games remaining in the regular season, Toronto (40-31) sits in third place in the Eastern Conference, 2 1/2 games ahead of the Brooklyn Nets for tops in the Atlantic Division and a postseason spot all but official. This will be the first time since 2008 that the Raptors will play in the NBAs second season. With all of the good fortunes the Dinos have seen this year, who has been most integral to the teams success? DeMar DeRozan is the face of the franchise and is one of the longest tenured members of the Raptors. The 24-year-old made his first All-Star Game this season and is leading the team in points scoring 22.7 per game. This is DeRozans fifth year in the Association and he signed a four-year deal last season to stay north of the border for the foreseeable future. Will the team only go as far as DeMar will take them? Kyle Lowry has quickly become a fan favourite in only his second season in Raptors colours. The rugged point guard has shown bulldog-like toughness on a nightly basis, playing considerable minutes and being the man the team has looked to when they are in need of a spark. Analysts and fans alike thought the 28-year-old should have been in New Orleans for the All-Star Game. Averaging 17.6 PPG (scoring over 20 points in eight consecutive games) along with 7.7 assists per game makes a good case for that argument. His future is uncertain in Toronto with Lowry hitting the free agent market this summer, but the Raptors are glad to have him for the time being. Is he the one to thank? Then theres Amir Johnson. At only 26, he can be considered a veteran, already playing in his ninth NBA season and is an important part of the Raps front court. He averages 11.1 PPG, 6.9 rebounds per game and is a strong force on the defensive side of the ball. Maybe the key success is coming from the sidelines. Head coach Dwane Casey is in his second year in charge of the Raptors and seems to have finally gotten through to his players. Toronto has gotten much better defensively only allowing 97.6 PPG, good enough for fifth in the NBA. Is the coachs defence-first mindset the reason the Raptors are headed to the post-season? The success could be attributed to General Manager Masai Ujiri. The Nigerian hasnt brought in a lot of highly touted talent since he took the job last off-season. Instead hes used the method of addition by subtraction to improve on the court. First, he shipped the much-maligned Andrea Bargnani off to the New York Knicks followed by sending Rudy Gay to the Sacramento Kings during the season. Toronto is 34-19 since Gay was traded out west. With the offence no longer going through Gay, the Raptors have been able to score more efficiently. Not to mention the players coming back to Toronto - namely Patrick Patterson and Greivis Vasquez – have helped the Raptors to get where they are today. Do we have to look to the front office for the reason behind the sudden improvement? So, who do you think is the most integral to the Raptors success this season? As always, its Your! Call. Marquis Haynes Jersey . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings (3) - Early goal against was on the power play. Jarius Wright Jersey . Six years of waiting are finally over for the Dallas defenceman. Daley had a goal and an assist, Kari Lehtonen recorded his fifth shutout of the season, and the Stars clinched their first playoff berth since 2008 with a 3-0 victory against the St. http://www.thepanthersofficialstore.com/authentic-ian-thomas-panthers-jersey/ . The 49ers, 6-2 and riding a five-game winning streak following the bye week, also waived cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and activated cornerback Eric Wright from the reserve/non-football injury list. Manningham made 42 receptions for 449 yards and one touchdown in 12 games and 10 starts last season before injuring his left knee in a loss at Seattle Dec.SEATTLE -- After waiting decades for a major sports championship, thousands of Seattleites took to the streets as fireworks popped, horns blared and flags waved following the Seahawks decisive Super Bowl win. "I was born here, I was raised here! This is my ultimate dream!" shouted John Caro, who, with his wife Corina, both 59, whooped their way down Lake City Way in North Seattle and high-fived passersby. "We have waited so freakin long for this!" The Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos 43-8 Sunday. The last time a major Seattle sports franchise won a championship was in 1979 when the Supersonics took the NBA title. The WNBAs Seattle Storm have won two championships, in 2004 and 2010. Seattle police were out in large numbers in many neighbourhoods after the game. The department was investigating two shootings that came amid widespread celebrations over the Seahawks Super Bowl win, both near the Pioneer Square neighbourhood, where thousands of fans gathered. The separate incidents occurred just before 12 a.m. Monday and left two victims hospitalized with non-life-tfhreatening wounds, police spokesman Mark Jamieson said. The suspect in the first shooting was apprehended when officers in the area heard the shots and saw him running. No one has been arrested in the other shooting. The motives for the shootings remained unclear. For most of Sunday night the crowd was in a celebratory mood, but later on it turned ugly, with people hurling bottles at police and breaking windows, Jamieson said. Officers in riot gear eventually dispersed the crowd. The Fire Department reported about a half-dozen bonfires around the city, mostly involving couches and mattresses burned in streets. The biggest blaze was near the University of Washington, where one person was arrested for investigation of reckless burning. In all, about six people were arrested, including the suspects in the burning and shooting casses, Jamieson said. Torrey Smith Panthers Jersey. In Occidental Park in Pioneer Square, near CenturyLink Field where the Seahawks play, people waving "12th Man" flags took to the streets, and others climbed trees and sculptures. They broke 17 glass panes and caused other damage to a historic pergola that will cost about $25,000 to repair, Joelle Hammerstad, a Parks Department spokeswoman, said Monday. People in some neighbourhoods blocked traffic, and in downtown a line of cars stretched for blocks as people cheered. Seattle police spokesman Mark Jamieson said Sunday night the biggest concentrations of people were downtown and in the University District. He said no major disturbances were reported. By contrast, the mood in Denver was subdued, as expected, with fans downcast and police reporting few problems. Mayor Ed Murray said in a statement that a Seahawks victory parade would occur Wednesday, with a route through downtown and ending at CenturyLink Field. Shrieking and waving her Seahawks flags at passing cars on a North Seattle street, Senayet Woldemarian, a 29-year-old physical therapist from suburban Shoreline, said: "We got our first Super Bowl!" Her friend, wedding photographer Taylor Olcott, 28, said it reminded her a little of being in Boston in 2004, when the Red Sox won baseballs World Series for the first time since 1918. "This is the first time Ive really seen Seattle passionate about anything," she said. "Its, like, East Coast. Its very exciting." About 30 people watched the game at the Outlander Brewery in Seattles Fremont neighbourhood. It was such a blowout that by the fourth quarter, employees had switched one of the three TVs to Animal Planets "Puppy Bowl." "Were all in euphoria right now," said Steve McVay, a 43-year-old Seattle IT worker. "Its a huge deal for the city. Since the Sonics, we havent won anything." 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