he Raptors final road game against Western Conference opponents, finis

ATLANTA -- The Washington Wizards moved up the Eastern Conference standings with their first win in Atlanta in six years. Larry Allen Cowboys Jersey . The Hawks are in a free-fall in the conference and must decide if a trade-deadline move is needed to stop their losing streak. John Wall scored 21 points and Washington recovered after almost blowing a 20-point lead to beat the reeling Hawks 114-97 on Wednesday night. "We needed it real bad," said Washingtons Trevor Ariza, who made an improbable 75-foot shot to end the third quarter. "Especially if were trying to make the playoffs these last 28 games. This one was big for us. Especially knowing that we havent won here in a while. I think that gives us a little bit of momentum." Paul Millsap had 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Elton Brand, a fill-in starter at centre, had 20 points and 11 boards for the Hawks, who have lost seven straight. Trevor Ariza and Bradley Beal each had 19 points for the Wizards, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Washington ended an 11-game skid in Atlanta, winning for the first time since Jan. 11, 2008. The Wizards moved a half-game ahead of Atlanta in the battle for fifth place in the Eastern Conference. "We know its a two- or three-game spread from the third spot and its two or three games away from being in the eighth spot or out of the playoffs, so its definitely a tight race right now," Wall said. "Weve just got to find a way to get on a streak. We havent been on a good streak. I think its time for our team. We deserve a winning streak." The Hawks, who trailed by 20 points in the first half, made a third-quarter charge to twice cut the deficit to one point. The Wizards closed the period with 3-pointers by Martell Webster and Ariza. Arizas 3-pointer was the shot of the game -- a buzzer-beater from near the free throw line on the other end of the floor to end the period. "Once I let it go, it felt good," Ariza said. "I tried to do my best to go to the bench not get too excited because we had another quarter to go. Im just happy we got the win." Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said the 3s by Webster and Ariza turned the momentum. "I think its a very fine margin of error for every team in the NBA," Budenholzer said. "I think we had it down to two. Webster hit a tough 3-pointer from the corner. Then we let our guard down a little bit, and (Ariza) made a shot from the three-quarter court. It went from a two-point game to an eight-point game. That was a tough 15-second stretch." Washington had lost three straight and five of six before beating the Hawks. The Hawks had only nine players in uniform. Gustavo Ayon, who had been the fill-in starting centre, was held out after hurting his right shoulder in Tuesday nights loss at Indiana. Guard DeMarre Carroll missed his third straight game with a left hamstring strain. Brand, 34, who has averaged 16 minutes as a backup, played 35 minutes and set his season high for points, while matching his high for rebounds. Brand wouldnt blame the teams losing streak on a shortage of players. "It seems like were dealing with a myriad of injuries, but we definitely have enough players to win," Brand said. "We need to find a way to win and get this monkey off our back and stay in the race." The Hawks have a severe shortage of players at centre. They already have lost All-Star Al Horford for the season after he had surgery to repair his torn right pectoral muscle. Horfords backup, Pero Antic, is out indefinitely with a stress fracture in his right ankle. Budenholzer said the injuries do not add urgency to make a deal before Thursdays trade deadline. Wizards centre Marcin Gortat took advantage of the Hawks lack of size, scoring 14 points with 12 rebounds. Martell Webster had 13 points. NOTES: The official play-by-play listed Arizas shot as a 57-footer, but replays confirmed the shot was much longer, launched from near the Hawks free-throw line. ... Washington had seven players score in double figures. ... Ariza made five 3-pointers. ... Kyle Korver made his first 3-pointer of the game late in the first half, extending his NBA record to 122 consecutive games with a 3. ... G Cartier Martin, also making his fourth start, filled in for Carroll and scored only four points. Deion Sanders Cowboys Jersey . It has been eleven years, eight months, and 261 days since I played my last CFL game. Bob Lilly Jersey . - Regan Smith had the checkered flag in sight at Daytona a year ago and a freight train of cars in his rearview mirror. https://www.cowboyssportsgoods.com/Womens-Larry-Allen-Inverted-Jersey/ . -- Kurt Buschs Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, in some ways, was like his career wrapped into one afternoon.NEW ORLEANS - Greivis Vasquez, now an integral member of the Raptors second unit, has celebrated wins over each of his three former teams in the last two weeks but Wednesdays victory over the Pelicans brought an even wider smile to the jovial point guards face. He played a big part in Fridays upset win over Memphis - the team that drafted him - a week after defeating the Kings, the team that traded him Toronto. However, this one meant a little more, though it took him a couple minutes to admit it. "I just want to win," Vasquez said, initially downplaying his return to New Orleans after the Raptors overcame an abysmal start to knock off the undermanned Pelicans 107-100. Sandwiched between his brief time in Memphis and Sacramento, Vasquez spent two seasons playing for the New Orleans franchise, formally known as the Hornets. There he enjoyed his best moments, individually, of his career. "This is a very special place for me because they gave me the key, they labelled me a starting point guard, they gave me a chance to showcase my game," said Vasquez, who finished second in most improved voting with the Hornets last season, averaging a career-highs in points (13.9) and assists (9.0) before he was traded to Sacramento this past summer. "I was really angry when they traded me," he admitted. "I know its part of the business so that makes it a little sour when you come back but you always want to beat your former team." With the game in the balance down the stretch, Vasquez looked and played like a scorned man. The Raptors backup point guard, like the rest of his new team, got off to an unexpectedly slow start against a Pelicans club missing its best player, all-star forward and Vasquezs former running mate Anthony Davis. When Vasquez entered the game late in the first quarter, Toronto was already down by seven. That deficit would balloon to 13 a few minutes later, as the Pelicans had their way with the shorthanded Raptors in the paint, getting what they want, when and however they wanted it. The Raptors spent most of the second half clawing back, unable to get over the final hurdle until Vasquez vaulted them over it. With two minutes remaining on the clock and the score knotted up at 94 - Toronto had led for a total of 51 seconds in the game at that point - the former Hornet put the Raptors on top with one of his patented floaters. After misfiring on a three from the corner - one he thought he had made - moments later, Vasquez followed his shot, grabbed the rebound - Torontos 22nd offensive board of the night, a season-best - and covered the lay-up, also getting fouled on the play. After completing the three-point sequence, the Raptors found themselves up by five in a game they badly needed, having dropped their last two. They would not relinquish that lead. "I was blessed enough to be out there at the end of the game," said Vasquez, who scored nine of his 14 points in the fourth quarter. "Ive been wishing I could get out there at the end of these games and (Coach) gave me an opportunity." "I had a rough first half and then the second half I was on a mission," he continued. "I like close games. Im not afraid. I will never be afraid. I am the type of player who would risk everything. Thats how I got the (starting job) here in New Orleans. They saw me playing in Memphis against San Antonio and OKC in my rookie year and they thought I was a starting guardd. Deion Sanders Womens Jersey. " The Pelicans missed just three shots in the opening quarter, dropping 32 points on the winded Raptors - playing in the second game of a back-to-back, having lost Tuesday in Atlanta - without Davis, their leading scorer. Shooting over 75 per cent until the latter half of the second quarter, New Orleans torched the visitors on dribble drives in the paint. "I didnt recognize the team in the first quarter," Dwane Casey said. "I told them they were playing like they were in a rec league in the summer time (but) we picked it up." The game began to turn midway through that frame, as the Raptors closed the half on a 23-10 run, hitting nine of their final 10 shots. Despite shooting 36-per-cent in the second half, the Raptors clawed and scraped their way back into the game. DeMar DeRozan carried them offensively, scoring 16 of his game-high 31 points in the second half and the team out-rebounded New Orleans 31-18, including a 14-2 advantage on the offensive boards. Amir Johnson - playing on a sore ankle, again - grabbed eight of his nine rebounds in the second half, Tyler Hansbrough - starting in place of the injured Jonas Valanciunas - pulled down eight of his season-high 13. Simply put, they wanted it more. "This game was about mental toughness, physical toughness more so than skill," said Casey. "No matter who youre playing you have to bring that each and every night and I thought our guys did." Undermanned frontcourt The Raptors were without two of their top three bigs in Valanciunas, who missed his first game of the season with a lower back sprain and Patrick Patterson, still out with an elbow injury. Valanciunas sustained the injury turning to set a screen in the third quarter of Tuesdays loss to the Hawks and was unable to suit up in New Orleans. Although his back is still tight, the Raptors centre underwent treatment before the game and plans to do the same during Thursdays off day, hoping to return on Friday at home to the Thunder. De Colos quiet impact Without attempting a single shot in the first half, only taking one in the game, Nando De Colo helped ignite the Raptors and change the game with his energy, effort and decision making. Logging 14 minutes, the most hes played since he was acquired from San Antonio at the trade deadline, De Colo was credited with sparking his new teams second-quarter run that cut their deficit from 14 to one going into intermission. "Oh man, he was unbelievable," Kyle Lowry said of De Colo, who went scoreless but added two rebounds and three assists. "You cant forget a guy like that. Thats what I always say, were 15 strong. Nando hasnt played that much but tonight he really changed the game, just moving, speed, defence, just his overall effort and knowledge of the game." Nearing a milestone on the road With the victory, the Raptors picked up their 18th road win of the season, most since the 2001-02 campaign and are getting closer to the franchise record of 20 set the year prior. Toronto has seven road games to go and can finish at or above .500 away from home for the first time in team history if they can win at least three of them. Theyll face only one winning team on the road - the Heat - the rest of the way. Wednesdays visit to New Orleans also marked the Raptors final road game against Western Conference opponents, finishing the season 8-7 in those contests. ' ' '