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TORONTO - Although no one cared to admit it, on either side, at the outset of the evening, Mondays divisional grudge match in Brooklyn meant more to the Raptors than the game that preceded it or the one to follow. Troy Apke Jersey . The stakes were higher, the competition more fierce and the atmosphere was that of a playoff game - something the young, upstart Raptors have five weeks to better prepare themselves for or the result will be eerily similar. If they looked out of place in that environment, its probably because they were. Torontos starting five features a fifth-year star that has yet to make a playoff appearance. Theyre the only team currently in a playoff position that starts two sophomores and its been five years since either their point guard or power forward has experienced postseason basketball. Combined that lineup accounts for 24 games of postseason experience. Staring them down in the final minute of a one-possession, high stakes game was a Nets unit that has collectively participated in 268 playoff contests. Paul Pierce alone is responsible for 136 of them while Kevin Garnett and Andrei Kirilenko - both out with injuries - would have added another 176. The Nets took a five-point advantage into the fourth quarter and, for all their hardships this season, they had only lost one of 30 games in which they held the lead after 36 minutes. Thats the difference experience makes. The Raptors, despite a valiant effort, showed up to a knife fight armed with plastic forks. "This team here in Brooklyn is a championship-caliber team," Dwane Casey said following his teams 101-97 loss. "They know the plays to make to win games. Weve still got to learn that. Were on our way but we still have some learning to do." Although the Raptors remain the NBAs best fourth-quarter team, outscoring opponents by 158 points in the final frame this season, their late-game execution continues to be a work in progress. When ahead or behind by five points or less in the final three minutes, Toronto shoots 37 per cent, the ninth-lowest mark in the league. Theyre 15-18 in games that come down to that scenario. On Monday, Pierce hit what may have been the biggest shot of the night - a cold-blooded three to break a tie with just over a minute left and the shot clock ticking down - while the Raptors wilted in the moment. Down one, 30 seconds later, Toronto got the stop it needed, leading to a five-on-four break the other way. In the midst of a brilliant second half, Kyle Lowry found DeMar DeRozan in transition, believing he would continue to go hard to the bucket. Met by Pierce in the lane, DeRozan lateraled back to Lowry, who wasnt expecting the pass and turned down the shot. John Salmons, receiving the ball from Lowry, also hesitated on an open look from the elbow, which ultimately led to Terrence Ross fumbling the ball as he looked to salvage the broken play. It was a possession mired in indecision and it sealed Torontos fate. The Nets - 10-for-14 from three-point range after the first quarter - hit big shots and made winning plays. They looked like the desperate team, and rightfully so. Had they won, the Raptors would be sitting pretty in the Atlantic Division, five games up on Brooklyn with the season-series tiebreaker in hand. Instead, Brooklyn has pulled within three games of the division lead. "[The atmosphere] was definitely a notch higher because of what was at stake," DeRozan admitted after the game. "Theyre chasing us and were leading in the division. It was just a big game overall. Theyve been playing well, trying to make a playoff push and were trying to sustain our position so it definitely was a big game." While the loss stings, the Raptors are still in the drivers seat, controlling their own destiny with 20 games to go. "It was a disappointing loss in the fact that theyre a team thats battling us for the division," Casey said. "Theres still a lot of basketball left to play. Weve got to stay positive. Its not the end of the world. We werent going to go undefeated the rest of the way. We knew that." Should Toronto and Brooklyn share the same record atop the Atlantic when its all said and done, with the season series now even, the tiebreaker would go to the team with the most wins within the division. The Raptors are currently 8-3 with five games left to be played against Atlantic opponents while the Nets are 7-5 with four remaining. Each of those games could be crucial - including two meetings with New York in the final week of the season - for the Raptors who are hoping to win their second division title in franchise history. Sink or swim, that will be determined by what theyre able to take out of Mondays squandered opportunity. "Its a learning experience," DeRozan said. "It was a heck of a game that we can learn from and possibly could be a team we could see in the playoffs." Derrius Guice Jersey . Mickelson shot a 2-under 70 after opening with a 77 -- his worst score of the season -- on TPC San Antonios AT&T Oaks Course. Lefty was 11 strokes behind leader Steven Bowditch, the Australian who had a 67 to reach 8-under 136. Custom Washington Redskins Jerseys . The Henry Burris-led squad finished second in the East Division before advancing to the Grey Cup where they ultimately fell to the home field advantage wielding Saskatchewan Roughriders. http://www.redskinsrookiesproshop.com/da-ron-payne-redskins-jersey/ .S. Olympic hockey management team have been making what he called "ghost rosters" since August.CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Panthers coach Ron Rivera said hes never experienced a season like this one since he joined the NFL 30 years ago.Carolinas journey to the NFC divisional playoffs has included quarterback Cam Newton flipping his truck and being hospitalized with two fractures in his lower back, franchise defensive end Greg Hardy being convicted on two counts of domestic violence, and Riveras house catching fire and causing $500,000 worth of the damage five days before the biggest game of his coaching career.It has been different, Rivera said. You cant make this stuff up.Theres been nothing ordinary or predictable about the Panthers on the field, either.Carolina became the first NFL team to go more than two months without a victory and reach the playoffs. The Panthers won the NFC South despite a 7-8-1 record. And last Saturday, a defence that gave up 35 or more points in four of its first seven games held Arizona to 78 yards in the wild-card round, the fewest ever allowed in the NFL post-season.Safety Roman Harper said he wasnt expecting this type of adventure in his first season in Carolina. The Panthers visit Seattle (12-4) on Saturday with a trip to the NFC championship game on the line.It isnt the prettiest thing, but we got a date to the prom at the end of the day, Harper said, laughing. Were here. Shes probably not the best-looking one; shes not going to win prom queen, but well have a good time.The Panthers arent apologizing for their record.In fact, in some ways they believe the season has toughened them and left them playoff ready.They had to win their last four games just to get into the playoffs.Newton has fought through ankle and rib injuries and the back fractures, and he has the Panthers on a five-game winning streak.Rivera is already hunkered down preparing for Seattle while his wife handles the details of where hell live for the next 6-8 months while their burned-out home is rebuilt.Hardy still isnt eligible to play, but his abbsence paved the way for fellow defensive end Charles Johnson to step out of character and become one of the teams vocal leaders. Derrius Guice Redskins Jersey. Cornerback Josh Norman is convinced the Panthers have benefited from some divine intervention — particularly when it came to Newtons accident.If it werent for Gods angel covering him in that truck, I dont know what would have happened, Norman said. We could have been talking about missing our quarterback, our leader, forever. But he was blessed.The idea the Panthers are even still playing after a 3-8-1 start speaks volumes about the team, said centre Ryan Kalil.Some strange things have come up, Kalil said, but its been very telling of the character and closeness of this team that whether it is something happening inside or outside the locker room, this is a group that stuck together and continue to work and work.Kalil said that is also a reflection of Rivera, the 2013 NFL Coach of the Year, for staying positive and keeping everyone together when it would have been easy to quit on the season.Rivera said he never once lost faith in his team.At the end of the day you learn how to deal and cope with these things, Rivera said, and if you can keep your focus then you will have an opportunity and a chance.Then again, maybe Carolinas season isnt that unusual.Former Jets wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery was asked about this year and simply laughed.Well, I played in New York, Cotchery said, so I wont even go there.NOTES: The Panthers have moved practices inside their stadium this week and are piping in crowd noise to help simulate playing in Seattle, which features one of the loudest stadiums in the league. ... Rivera said hes sticking with returner Brenton Bersin despite a muffed punt that resulted in a turnover against Arizona. ... Wide receiver Philly Brown (shoulder) did not practice Tuesday. Bersin is taking his reps in practice.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL Cheap Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale Jerseys China Wholesale Black NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Store Disocunt Football Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Throwback ' ' '