Join us » games or more each year from 2001-07, Rodriguez

NEW YORK -- The Toronto Raptors are the only thing standing between the Brooklyn Nets and a perfect 2014. Patrick Patterson stole Deron Williams inbounds pass and made the go-ahead jumper with six seconds left, and the Raptors stopped a five-game winning streak by the Nets for the second time this month with a 104-103 victory Monday night. Toronto dropped Brooklyn to 10-2 in January and opened a 2 1/2-game lead in the Atlantic Division over the Nets, who would be on the doorstep of the division lead if they could solve their neighbours to the north. "These guys are chasing us but theyre putting it together. Theyre playing well," Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry said. "Were the only team that beat them in 2014. I mean, thats a tough team. They had the game and we made a play and we made a shot." Brooklyn had a three-point lead with 17 seconds left behind Paul Pierce in his best game with the Nets, but John Salmons scored on a drive with 12 seconds remaining before Brooklyn took its last timeout to move the ball into the frontcourt. Patterson stole the pass and fed Lowry, who got it back to Patterson for his jumper. Pierce was well off on a final attempt. "We knew they didnt have any timeouts. We guessed right and Patrick looked like Richard Sherman out there with that steal," Lowry said, referring to the Seattle Seahawks defensive back who attended the game with a number of his teammates. Lowry finished with 31 points and seven assists for the Raptors, who clinched a winning record in consecutive months for the first time since December 2009 and January 2010. Pierce scored 33 points, making seven three-pointers in a strong bounce-back performance after going just 2 for 10 in his emotional return to Boston on Sunday. He had the Nets in position to win after scoring their last nine points before Toronto stole it. "Last night was a tough game to play in, so many emotions," Pierce said. "It was good to just get some normalcy back today and I felt comfortable, relaxed. But it wouldve been better if we got the win today, though." The stunning turnaround deflated the crowd at Barclays Center for a back-and-forth game that drew a visit from several Seahawks, who will hold their Super Bowl media day Tuesday at the Nets last home, the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Sherman and Bobby Wagner grabbed a baseline seat in the first half, while Russell Wilson and other players sat above in a private box. Jonas Valanciunas had 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Raptors, who played without injured leading scorer DeMar DeRozan. Terrence Ross, who tied a franchise record with 51 points and made 10 3-pointers Saturday, had a quiet 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting. But Toronto got a big boost from Patterson, who ditched the mask he began the game with for a recent broken nose and finished with 15 points off the bench. "This is all about our toughness, our resiliency," Patterson said, "no matter whos out there during the course of the game, no matter whos not playing." Andray Blatche scored 20 points for the Nets, who lost 96-80 in Toronto on Jan. 11, a night after they played two overtimes in a victory over Miami. Lowry scored six straight points before Amir Johnson made a pair of free throws during an 8-0 run that gave Toronto a 94-85 lead with about eight minutes to play. The Nets answered with nine in a row to tie it on Alan Andersons jumper, and after Valanciunas basket, Pierce nailed consecutive three-pointers to make it 100-96 with 2:37 remaining. "Paul played well," teammate Kevin Garnett said. "He totally carried us for that fourth quarter, that second half, and we all came in and just said at the end of the game weve got to make plays, weve got to close games out and tonight we didnt do that." Toronto cut it to one and had a chance for the lead when Lowry stole Williams pass intended for Pierce, but Williams redeemed himself by drawing an offensive foul on Lowry with 19 seconds left. Pierce then made two free throws, but the Nets couldnt overcome Williams next giveaway. "Two turnovers in the last minute of the game, its not what I typically do, but thats how it goes sometimes," Williams said. There were eight lead changes in an entertaining second quarter, two in the final 1.3 seconds. Andersons three-pointer put the Nets up by two, but Lowry beat the buzzer from beyond halfcourt to give Toronto a 57-56 halftime lead. NOTES: DeRozan had made 125 consecutive starts. ... Ross, DeRozan and the Nets Mirza Teletovic were all nominated for last weeks Eastern Conference player of the week award, which was won by Atlantas Paul Millsap. Gerardo Parra Nationals Jersey . -- Southern Illinois coach Barry Hinson couldnt hear himself amid the roar in Koch Arena, so he kept stomping on the floor in a fruitless attempt to get his teams attention. Yan Gomes Nationals Jersey . Then he got back at the team that released him five days before the start of last season, hitting a tiebreaking double in the ninth inning of the first game at Fenway Park since Boston won the World Series last October. https://www.cheapnationals.com/1037r-ryan-zimmerman-jersey-nationals.html .J. -- All those records, all for naught. Tanner Rainey Jersey .com) - John Wall had 15 points, 12 assists and four steals as the Washington Wizards defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 92-85 on Monday night. Javy Guerra Nationals Jersey .com) - James Harden needed just seven made field goals to drop 35 points on the Philadelphia 76ers, leading the Houston Rockets to a 104-93 win on Monday.NEW YORK, N.Y. - The Yankees expect Alex Rodriguez to play third base next season but want the suspended star to prove during spring training he deserves to have his position back after a one-year absence.Rodriguez hasnt played an injury-free season since 2007, turns 40 on July 27 and missed all of this year while serving his penalty for violating baseballs drug agreement and labour contract. Hell have to show his body is up to the rigours of a major league schedule.Weve got to see where hes physically at, and if he can play the field, how many days he can play the field and how many days he needs to DH, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said at a news conference Monday. I dont think really any of us know about him until we actually get him into games in spring training.New York missed consecutive postseasons for the first time since 1992 and 93. While beloved captain Derek Jeter is retiring, the much-maligned Rodriguez will be returning. The three-time AL MVP is signed for three additional seasons for a total of $61 million, part of his record $275 million, 10-year contract.He hasnt played in a year. Thats not easy to do, to sit out a year, Girardi said. Do we expect him to be a player on our team? Absolutely. Do we expect him to play third base? Yes. But in fairness I think you have to see where hes at.As for whether the Yankees will ask Rodriguez to take grounders att first base, where he could back up the oft-injured Mark Teixeira, Girardi said thats something that we have not talked about yet.dddddddddddd.After playing 155 games or more each year from 2001-07, Rodriguez made six trips to the disabled list in six seasons for a strained right quadriceps (2008), right hip surgery (2009), a strained left calf (2010), right knee surgery (2011), a broken left hand (2012) and left hip surgery (2013).Girardi kept in contact with Rodriguez through text messages.Have not talked a ton about baseball. Ive talked more about how hes just doing and his family. It was, I dont know, once, twice a month, the manager said. Obviously that will pick up now that were through the season and I dont have nearly as much to do, just to see where hes at physically, and encouraging him, and to see what his thoughts are.Girardi doesnt expect A-Rod will have clubhouse issues with teammates but anticipates fans will remind him of the suspension.Our teammates enjoy Alex, his presence in the clubhouse, the way he likes to teach the game and talk about the game. So I dont think that will be an issue, Girardi said. Will he have to deal from some angry fans? Yeah, but well help him get through that. When was the last time Alex hasnt had to deal with that? So its not like its something that hes not used to, and sometimes players thrive on that. ' ' '