Forum » Reliever Guillermo Mota has

TORONTO -- To Dwane Caseys way of thinking, it was more than just overtime. It was an invaluable lesson. So, through much of the fourth quarter and two extra sessions Monday night, the Toronto Raptors head coach never thought of returning his starters to the floor against the New York Knicks. This is the pre-season, a time to learn about your team. And for your players to learn about themselves. The Raptors reserves got to play a starring role in a 123-120 double overtime win before 15,701 at the Air Canada Centre, improving their pre-season record to an impressive 5-1. "It was a great experience for those young kids to really play in those situations," Casey said. "In the regular season, most likely, unless something catastrophic happens, theyre not going to be out there." Second-year guard Terrence Ross led the way, hitting six of the 13 three-point shots he attempted on the night. None was bigger than a rainbow from beyond the arc as the buzzer sounded to end the first overtime period, tying the game at 113-113 and setting the stage for another five-minute session. "It prepares you for future games if you ever get in that situation, what to do, what not to do," said Ross, who finished the night as the games high scorer with 27 points. "Its always kind of nerve-wracking (in a game) no matter how many times you go over it in practice. "So, getting in that live experience it helps." The games dont count. But that doesnt mean they dont matter. Casey said because "nobodys guaranteed minutes," it was great to see the bench players battle down the stretch and eventually pick up the win. Especially after they struggled earlier in the game. "I owe it to the players to try and execute down the stretch," Casey said. Toronto power forward Tyler Hansbrough, who since signing from Indianapolis in the off-season has already become a fan favourite for his aggressive style of play, forced overtime with a dunk in the dying seconds of the fourth quarter. He took a pass at the top of the key, spun on his defender and waltzed to the basket. "Theyre very important minutes," Hansbrough said of the fourth quarter and overtimes. "You never know if a starter is going to go down or something and youre going to be in that situation, especially late in the game. "It was important to get some guys some experience." Among the starters, DeMar DeRozan had 21 points and seven rebounds in 29 minutes while Rudy Gay added 19 points and seven rebounds in 26 minutes. Kyle Lowry chipped in 11 points in 24 minutes. "It was entertaining to watch, especially to see the other guys get out there and get a chance to compete," said DeRozan. "It definitely helps because you have to understand every play and every situation is critical." The Raptors were an impressive 6-1 in the pre-season last year but ended up posting a 34-48 record in the games that count for something in the standings. They missed the playoffs for a fifth straight season. The Knicks took a 79-77 lead into the final quarter after Toure Murrys one-handed prayer from centre court found the mark at the buzzer. The shot restored a New York lead, which climbed as high as 13 points earlier in the quarter before Toronto went on a nice run to bring the crowd back into it. The Raptors, who host Memphis on Wednesday and finish the pre-season at Milwaukee on Friday, open the regular season on Oct. 30 when the Boston Celtics visit Air Canada Centre. The Knicks took a 60-51 lead into the locker room at halftime as Metta World Peace had eight points in eight second-quarter minutes off the bench. The former Ron Artest, who signed a two-year deal with New York after four seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, hit a pair of three-pointers in the quarter. The Knicks bench was the difference in the first half, outscoring their Raptors counterparts 30-14. The Raptors had led 30-29 after one quarter on the strength of Gays 11 points and 10 from DeRozan. Phoenix Suns Jerseys . Bjoergen pulled away from Swedens Charlotte Kalla on the final straight to win in 38 minutes, 33.6 seconds and defend her title from the 2010 Vancouver Games. Kalla was 1.8 seconds back. Heidi Weng of Norway took bronze. Ricky Rubio Suns Jersey . The team sent out a press release on Friday stating Poile was resting and recovering and that he will remain in hospital for further observation. The Predators were preparing for the game against the Wild when Poile was hit by a puck that flew off the ice at him where he was standing in a tunnel behind the bench. https://www.thesunslockerroom.com/Tyler-...ion-Jersey/.500 were once common achievements for the Dallas Mavericks. Now, both are season highs as Dallas slowly works its way back into playoff contention in the Western Conference. Steve Nash Suns Jersey .com) - John Wall supplied 24 points and 11 assists in leading the Washington Wizards to a 102-91 win over the New York Knicks on Christmas Day. Ray Spalding Jersey .While Rosberg is coming off a strong victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Hamilton is dwelling on a mistake that ended his streak of five consecutive wins and kept him from increasing his advantage.SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Reliever Guillermo Mota has announced he is retiring after 14 seasons in the major leagues. Mota was a non-roster invitee to the Kansas City Royals camp and did not pitch last season. The 40-year-old right-hander made 743 career relief appearances with a 3.94 ERA for the Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins, Clleveland Indians, New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers and San Francisco Giants.dddddddddddd He was part of San Franciscos World Series championship teams in 2010 and 2012. In 2003 and 04, Mota topped National League relievers in innings pitched. In 2007 while with the Mets, he was suspended 50 games for using performance-enhancing drugs. ' ' '