As the Knicks were on their way to an embarrassing 29-point Christmas Day defeat

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. Cheap Portland Trail Blazers Jerseys . 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. Ed Davis Jersey . The 27th-ranked Austrian underwent surgery on a torn tendon in October and needs more time to recover, the Austria Press Agency reports on Saturday. Jusuf Nurkic Jersey . The game was the first of two international friendlies that Canada is playing during the international break, with the second game against Slovenia set for Tuesday in Celje. Canada looked uncomfortable defensively throughout the game, and every free kick that came into Canadas penalty box looked like ending up in the back of the net. http://www.cheapblazersjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-c-j-wilcox-jersey . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. Getting Creative The Pittsburgh Penguins will try their best to acquire Ryan Kesler from the Vancouver Canucks before the Trade Deadline.HOUSTON -- With every swing and miss, this looked as if it might be the day Yu Darvish pitched a no-hitter against the overmatched Houston Astros. And then with one out in the eighth inning, Carlos Corporan ended Darvishs latest bid with a home run. Darvish once again neared perfection versus Houston, striking out a career-high 15 and permitting only one hit in eight innings as the Texas Rangers won 2-1 Monday for their season-high eighth straight victory. "A wins a win," Darvish said through a translator. "Im just glad I was a big part of this win." Texas won for the 13th time in 14 games and headed home atop the AL West. In early April, Darvish (12-5) was one out away from a perfect game at Minute Maid Park before Marwin Gonzalez singled between his legs. Darvish joined Nolan Ryan as the only pitchers in team history to have more than one start of at least eight innings with one hit or less. Darvish became the first pitcher to have two no-hitters broken up in the eighth inning or later since it happened to Justin Verlander in 2011. Outfielder Alex Rios chased Corporans drive to the wall, but had to watch as it sailed about five rows into the stands. Darvish simply looked around, and then wiped his brow with his arm before preparing to throw his next pitch. "Well, Id like to see it happen of course," manager Ron Washington said. "But those are professional hitters over there, too, and Corporan caught one." Until the homer, Houstons lone runner came when rookie Jonathan Villar drew a two-out walk on a full count in the sixth. Texas catcher A.J. Pierzynski was ejected for arguing with plate umpire Ron Kulpa about a 2-2 breaking pitch he called low -- Pierzynski was tossed after Villar walked. "Was it a strike? I dont know," Pierzynski said. "Obviously I thought it was and Ron didnt, and I was upset we walked the guy and I said a bad word and I was ejected." Darvish was perplexed by the actions of his catcher. "When he got ejected, I thought, What is he doing?" Darvish said with a laugh. The two-time All-Star ace from Japan was sharp all game, retiring the last two batters in eighth and exiting after increasing his major league-leading strikeout total to 207. "He used everything today: slider, curveball, cutter, fastball," Washington said. "He moved it around, kept them off-balance. When they were looking for breaking balls he was throwing fastballs and cutters and when they were looking for cutters he was throwing breaking balls." "I was pretty locked in," he said. Darvish struck ouut 14 in four prior games this year, including his earlier gem at Houston. Pat Connaughton Jersey. His 15 strikeouts on Monday matched his career-high from his professional career in Japan. He is 3-0 with a 1.52 ERA and 37 strikeouts in three starts in Houston this season, and is 4-1 with a 1.31 ERA and 50 strikeouts in five starts since returning from the disabled list. Joe Nathan pitched a perfect ninth for his 35th save. The AL West-leading Rangers took a quick lead over the last-place Astros. With two outs in the first, Ian Kinsler and Adrian Beltre doubled and Pierzynski hit an RBI single off Brett Oberholtzer (2-1). Oberholtzer yielded seven hits and two runs with six strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings for his first loss in three major league starts. The Houston hitters had no such luck with Darvish. Darvish was strong from the start relying mostly on a four-seam fastball, sliders and a cutter against the Astros inexperienced lineup. "He doesnt just have control. This guy has command," Houston manager Bo Porter said. "He can throw every pitch the way he wants to throw it, even out of the strike zone. Which, when you have that kind of repertoire, youre going to be up against it." He struck out the side in the first inning before getting two fly outs and a ground out in the second. The 26-year-old righty fanned two each in the third and fourth innings, struck out the side in the fifth and the first batter of the sixth inning. His strikeout of Chris Carter to start the fifth was his 200th of the season, giving him a team record for fewest games (23) needed to reach the mark. In the sixth, Darvish started walking off the mound after his close pitch to Villar. Pierzynski also began heading to the dugout, but Kulpa said it missed. Pierzynski didnt like the call. After the walk, started yelling in Kulpas face and was quickly tossed. Geovany Soto took over at catcher. Darvish, a two-time MVP in Japan, flirted with perfection last Sept. 3, too, retiring the first 17 batters at Kansas City. NOTES: Injured Texas DH Lance Berkman is getting Monday off and will DH for Double-A Frisco on Tuesday and Wednesday and will be re-evaluate him after that. ... Neftali Feliz, who was expected to throw Saturday for Round Rock but did not pitch as a precaution because of mild right arm triceps tendinitis, has been shut down. Feliz has been rehabbing from Tommy John surgery last year. ... Darvish set rookie franchise records for wins (16) and strikeouts (221) last season. He finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting behind winner Mike Trout and Oakland outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. Cheap Diamondbacks Jerseys Cheap Braves Jerseys Cheap Orioles Jerseys Cheap Red Sox Jerseys Cheap Cubs Jerseys Cheap White Sox Jerseys Cheap Reds Jerseys Cheap Indians Jerseys Cheap Rockies Jerseys Cheap Tigers Jerseys Cheap Astros Jerseys Cheap Royals Jerseys Cheap Angels Jerseys Cheap Dodgers Jerseys Cheap Marlins Jerseys ' ' '