INDIANAPOLIS - There are a few common denominators between the Indiana Pacers and the reigning champion Miami Heat, with the number of similarities growing each day. [url=http://www.cheapravensjerseyssale.com/?tag=joe-flacco-jersey-sale]J oe Flacco Jersey[/url] . Both teams were conference finalists a

INDIANAPOLIS - There are a few common denominators between the Indiana Pacers and the reigning champion Miami Heat, with the number of similarities growing each day. Joe Flacco Jersey . Both teams were conference finalists a year ago, both clubs have an unmistakable identity that defines them, both play unselfish, defence-first basketball and in the last four days, both have reminded the Raptors how far they are from competing at their level. For Toronto, Fridays meeting with the still undefeated Pacers came to an unofficial end before most of the home teams fans could make it back to their seats. As good as the Raptors looked in the first half and as hard as they worked to look that good, Indiana reclaimed what was, as they knew it, rightfully theirs in less than three revealing minutes. "We knew they were going to come out and throw their best haymaker at us," Dwane Casey said, his team leading by as many as 12 in the first half and holding on to a two-point advantage at the break. Everyone knew they would, because thats what great teams do. Indiana opened the second half scoring 10 straight points, forcing three turnovers and holding Toronto to 0-of-4 shooting. Just like that, Torontos 24 minutes of (mostly) hard work was more than erased and the game was over. You could see it on the faces of players sitting on both benches as Casey was forced to call a quick third-quarter timeout to regroup. The Pacers had been in this position before, more than you would guess though six games this season. There was no panic, there was no time for sulking. They knew they had it. The Raptors body language spoke louder than words. They knew it was only a matter of time now. "[There are] no moral victories in this one," Kyle Lowry stated and Rudy Gay echoed minutes later. "We lost." The Pacers matched a franchise record - previously set in 1970-71 as an ABA team - winning six straight to begin a season. They havent allowed a team to score more than 91 points or shoot over 40 per cent. They havent scored 100 points, but they havent needed to. "I dont know if the history of [it] is as [important] as the fact that we have to lead on our goal," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said before the game. "And our goal is the number one seed. Were off to a good start and we all understand the importance of each game when our goal is so high." Theyve trailed at halftime in five of their six games, but it hasnt mattered. When youre a team as good as the Pacers, you can afford to bide your time. The Raptors learned that from the Heat on Monday when the defending champs started Torontos losing streak. The Pacers sent them home with that same effortless spanking, extending the Raptors skid to three and reminding them why Wednesdays disappointing loss to the Bobcats was so disappointing. They need to take advantage of winnable games because in this league, if youre a middling team, theyre few and far between. "There are no moral victories," Gay repeated. "We want to get this next one, thats it. We have to get this next one. The more we put ourselves in a hole, the more important the next game is and the next game is pretty important for us." The Raptors host the winless Utah Jazz in the second night of a back-to-back on Saturday. Its not a game they can afford to lose. George vs. Gay The match-up at small forward was a fun one in Indiana Friday night. Gay and the Pacers rising superstar Paul George combined for 53 points, 30 per cent of the total offence in the game. Gay - who came into the game struggling, shooting just 34 per cent - was red-hot out of the gate. The Raptors leading scorer looked like the player of old, scoring 14 of his teams 32 first-quarter points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field. He would go on to shoot just 3-of-13 in the second half, finishing the evening with an even 30 points but needing 26 shots to get there. "You can talk about Paul George, but I thought Rudy outplayed him," Casey said. "They won the game, but talking about individual matchups, Rudy played the game hes supposed to play." George was outscored by his counterpart, pouring in 23 on the night, but hardly outplayed with 17 of his points coming in the third quarter when his team needed him the most and the game was ultimately decided. The Pacers all-star forward, who came into the game fifth in scoring, has had at least 21 points in each of his teams six contests. A gifted two-way player, hes every bit the superstar he was paid to be this summer. As George stepped to the line with 11 seconds remaining, he was greeted by a chorus of MVP chants. Although anointing an MVP six games into the season is as silly as it sounds, hes playing at that level and thats the direction the 23-year-old is headed. Hes that good. Learning from the best The Raptors coaching staff, like most teams with young and impressionable big men, have been using the Pacers Roy Hibbert as a model for the 21-year-old Valanciunas. Offensively, the Raptors sophomore centre continues to make strides but, as head coach Casey reminds us, he still has a ways to go on the defensive end. The team hopes he will one day become the anchor that Indianas all-star big man has grown into on both ends of the floor. "He does such a good job of getting deep post position," Casey said of Hibbert, who scored 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting. "Where he got JV last year was reposting, kicking it out and reposting up so on that second one, if you relax at all, all you can do is pray." One technique Torontos staff continues to preach with Valanciunas is something Hibbert has perfected in his sixth NBA season. To stay out of foul trouble and contest shots in the lane, the Raptors want Valanciunas to go straight up, remaining vertical without bringing his arms down in the process. "We give him the respect of calling it the Hibbert play," Casey said of the technique. "Hes one of the best in the league at doing that and thats where JV is getting much better." "Im trying to be like him with that skill," Valanciunas noted. But its not something Hibbert - the leagues early-season shot block leader - picked up overnight, one of the reasons Casey preaches patience with the development of his young centre. "It takes a lot of time," Pacers coach Frank Vogel acknowledged. "Its one of the things I think most of the big men in the NBA are working to achieve now. I think thats the way that Roy has set the model for how its done." Friday was one of those nights that Casey calls a "learning experience" for Valanciunas. One of his roughest of the young season, Valanciunas scored just four points in 24 minutes, committing five fouls and two turnovers. He was out-muscled by Hibbert, beat off the dribble by quicker players, exposed on switches and missed defensive assignments. The Pacers star big man is a good example of what Valanciunas can grow into but he also serves as a reminder that it takes time. Janarion Grant Jersey . Viewers in the Canadiens region can watch the game on TSN Canadiens at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. The game can also be heard on TSN Radio Montreal 690. The Calgary Flames will see if they can take their recent hot streak on the road when they shoot for a sixth consecutive win Monday night in Montreal. Cheap Ravens Jerseys Free Shipping . Stevenson scored the first three goals of the game in the first period for Regina (35-22-6), which has won eight of its last 10 games. Patrick DAmico added two for the Pats, Braden Christoffer had a single and Morgan Klimchuk chipped in a goal and four assists. http://www.cheapravensjerseyssale.com/?tag=michael-crabtree-jersey-sale .J. -- Omar Cummings helped the Houston Dynamo advance to the MLS Eastern Conference finals.St. Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - T.J. Oshie scored the lone goal in the shootout to lift the St. Louis Blues to a 5-4 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. Oshie, the Blues first shooter, patiently skated through the slot, got Cam Ward to bite on a fake and lifted a shot into the top of the net. Jake Allen made Oshies effort stand as he stopped all three shooters, including a slick glove save on Alexander Semin to end the game. Vladimir Tarasenko, Jaden Schwartz, Alexander Steen and Patrik Berglund all scored in regulation for the Blues, who won their fourth straight game. Despite the slow start, we came back in the second period, Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk said. It was a good effort getting back and getting on the right side of things. Allen stopped 19-of-20 shots in relief of Brian Elliott, who allowed three goals on 10 shots during the first period. Jeff Skinner and Victor Rask each tallied a goal and an assist, while Eric Staal and Riley Nash also lit the lamp for the Hurricanes, who were coming off a 5-2 win over Buffalo on Thursday. For the most part, I thought we did a good job, Carolina head coach Bill Peters said. Pleased to go into St. Louis on the road against a team that is playing very well and get a point out of that. Ward allowed four goals on 35 shots in defeat. Carolina took a 4-3 lead with under five minutes to play in the second. Nash gathered a bouncing puck at the left side of the net and snapped a shot that deflected off a few players in the crease and off the goal post before crossing the goal line. Tarasenko worked hiss way off the boards, released a shot in close and knocked the rebound into the net for a tie game with 13:14 to play. Lamar Jackson Jersey. With under two minutes to play in overtime, Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester had his goal waved off as it was ruled Berglund made contact with Ward at the top of the crease. Carolina started the scoring just two minutes into the game. Rask slapped a shot from along the left boards that deflected off the skate of a St. Louis defender and into the net. Steen tied the game after he took a pass through the crease and fired a shot over the shoulder of Ward Skinner stripped a defender of the puck, stepped into the slot and sent a wrister over the glove of Elliott for a 2-1 lead at 7:23. The Hurricanes did not relent. Five minutes later, Staal charged into the zone on a breakaway and slipped a backhander past a sliding Elliott, giving Carolina a 3-1 lead and forcing the Blues to change goaltenders. St. Louis scored twice early in the second to tie the game. Schwartz intercepted a Carolina pass, faked a shot in the slot and jammed the puck past Wards stick at 4:07 and Berglund wristed a shot past a screened Ward for a 3-3 game 54 seconds later. Game Notes The NHL released its All-Star game roster on Saturday. Tarasenko and Shattenkirk will represent St. Louis, while defenseman Justin Faulk was selected from the Hurricanes ... Steen extended his point streak to six games ... Carolina forward Elias Lindholm played in his 100th NHL game ... The two teams will meet again on Jan. 30 at PNC Arena. Cheap Soccer Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Hockey Jerseys Nike NFL Jerseys China Cheap Nike MLB Jerseys China Wholesale Baseball Jerseys China Wholesale College Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys Near Me Cheap Jerseys Online Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Soccer Jerseys China Cheap NCAA Jerseys Authentic Cheap Nike NBA Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic MLB Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Throwback Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China ' ' '