Allgemeines » today, Ricciardo said.The race started with just 18 cars,

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. 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." Cullen Gillaspia Womens Jersey . McCutchen was cut before the series opener against Seattle on Monday night, when Lewis was set for his first start for Texas since July 18, 2012. Texas selected Lewis contract from Triple-A Round Rock. J.J. Watt Jersey .Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday it is inevitable that the league will one day take after European sports and have sponsor names on team jerseys. http://www.texansrookiestore.com/Texans-Deshaun-Watson-Jersey/ . Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Raptors have traded forward Steve Novak along with a second-round pick to the Utah Jazz in exchange for guard Diante Garrett - who will then be waived. Andre Johnson Jersey .com) - Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James will sit out Thursdays game against the Oklahoma City Thunder with left knee soreness. Justin Reid Youth Jersey . Pedroia reached the milestone with a little panache, hitting a grand slam in the sixth inning and propelling the Boston Red Sox to a 7-1 win over the Oakland Athletics on Friday night.AUSTIN, Texas - Race by race and point by point, Lewis Hamilton is tightening his grip on the Formula One world championship and squeezing out Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg.But not so far as to eliminate his rival as a title threat. Not yet.Hamilton won the U.S. Grand Prix on Sunday, moving 24 points clear of Rosberg with just two races left. It was Hamiltons second win in Texas in three years, his 10th on the season and fifth in a row.This whole season has been incredible, Hamilton said after playfully taking former world champion Mario Andrettis black Stetson cowboy hat on the winners podium. I pushed as hard as I could.Mercedes had another 1-2 finish in a dominating season that has pushed Hamilton and Rosberg well clear of the pack in the title chase. Red Bulls Daniel Ricciardo was third for his eighth podium finish on the season.Rosberg could still find a way to steal the title from Hamilton. Formula One moves to Brazil next weekend and the final race in Abu Dhabi will be worth double points in a rule change this season.Full attack, Rosberg said. Well try to be on the pole and win (in Brazil). Theres a lot of points to be had.Hamilton said aggressive driving got him this far and he wont try to dial it back over the final two races.Were hunting for those points. So far, Ive done what Ive needed to do. I should continue to do the same, Hamilton said.Hamiltons victory also was career win No. 32, which passed Nigel Mansell for the most Formula One victories by a British driver. Hamilton won the world title in 2008 with McLaren.The Mercedes drivers have waged a season-long duel for the title, a tense back-and-forth that has strained their long friendship, and Sundays race was more of the same.Rosberg started from pole position and Hamilton chased him for 23 laps, steadily keeping up the pressure and slowing gaining on him. Hamilton finally made his move on lap 24, squeezing inside Rosbergs left on the tight 12th turn out of the long straightaway.It was the same spot and a similar move to Hamiltons pass of Red Bulls Sebastian Vettel that propelled him to the victory here in 2012.There wasnt a place in the race where I didnt think I would catchh him, Hamilton said.dddddddddddd Its such a great feeling to have a race like that.Dropped into second, Rosberg couldnt keep up and Hamilton put more time between their cars with every lap. Hamilton had the more muscular car through the weeks practice sessions, but lost the pole position because of braking problems that dogged his session.After taking the lead, Hamilton quickly built a gap of more than 2.5 seconds. Rosberg tried to claw back but didnt have enough race left to do it. By the final laps, the biggest challenge for Hamilton was not getting caught up or wrecked by other drivers battling for final position.I knew there was a chance he would try. I went halfway defensive, on the pass, Rosberg said. Later I started to find better rhythm, but it was just way too late.Vettel, the defending race and world champion, started from pit lane after incurring a penalty for using his sixth engine of the season. He fought all the way back to finish seventh.Vettel has been surpassed within Red Bull this season by Ricciardo, who has won three times. Vettel is leaving Red Bull at the end of the season, but has yet to confirm where hell drive in 2015.Ricciardo was pleased to get another podium finish.As we know Mercedes is a bit out of reach so third, I think third is the best we could do today, Ricciardo said.The race started with just 18 cars, the smallest field in nearly a decade after financial problems forced teams Marussia and Caterham to drop out.Saturdays practice and qualifying was dominated by speculation that three more struggling teams, Lotus, Sauber and Sahara Force India, could stage a protest by either boycotting the race or pulling out after one lap. Neither threat materialized.The race went under safety car on the first lap when Force Indias Sergio Perez collided with Saubers Adrian Sutil, knocking both drivers out. The crash was a major blow for Sauber, which hoped to capitalize on Sutils first top-10 qualifying position of the season.He completely hit me. He ruined the race and I had to stop. My car was completely broken, Sutil said.Force India then lost its second car when Nico Hulkenberg retired in the 17th lap. ' ' '