Sonstieges » dirt racing surface at Meydan Racecourse.PHILADELPH

TORONTO - Sitting atop the Atlantic for the first time since 2007, the Raptors (5-7) hope to build on their lead in the division when they host the Washington Wizards (4-7) at the Air Canada Centre on Friday. Catch the game on TSN2 and listen live on TSN 1050 Radio beginning at 7pm et. The Raptors dethroned Philadelphia in the weak Atlantic Division with their most recent victory, a 108-98 road win Wednesday. After emphasizing ball movement in practice this week, Dwane Caseys team responded with a season-high 24 assists, leading to 14-for-29 shooting from three-point range. Still, Casey believes the offence has a ways to go. "We have been [where we need to be] in one game but we have to get that consistently," Casey said of his teams offence. "Im watching the NBA and a lot of teams are in the same boat, trying to find that identity offensively and were doing the same thing." "I like where we started against Philadelphia, we got to continue that especially against an athletic and defensive-minded team like Washington." After losing four straight, the Wizards have won two in a row but are tied for last place in the loaded Southeast Division with a similar record to Toronto. Washington got off to a quick start against the Cavaliers on Wednesday - a 98-91 win in Cleveland - leading by 18 at halftime and by as many as 27 in the game. Sophomore Bradley Beal paced the Wizards in scoring with 26 points, knocking down six three-pointers. "Theyre a very lethal team with great athletes, a team that can defend and cover a lot of ground," Casey said Friday morning after shootaround. "They can make mistakes and get back in the play defensively." Beal is averaging 26.3 points, shooting 12-for-19 from long distance over Washingtons last three games. He is scoring a team-best 21.2 per game on the season. Trends and Tidbits Kyle Lowry ranks third in the NBA with a 3.95 assists-to-turnover ratio. The Raptors point guard has totalled 34 assists compared to just five turnovers over the last four games. The Raptors have scored 100 or more points in five of the last six games, averaging 103.3, after failing to reach the century mark in each of their first six contests, scoring just 92.3 per. Toronto is 3-2 when scoring over 100 and are 5-3 when holding their opponent below 100 points. Toronto begins a four-game homestand, its longest of the season. The Raptors are 2-3 at the ACC. The Wizards are last in the league in bench scoring, getting just 22.0 points per game from their reserves. The Raptors subs are averaging 24.2 points, the fourth-lowest mark in the NBA. Washington has lost six of the last seven games in Toronto. What to Watch For Slowing down the Wizards Led by the speedy John Wall, the Wizards are one of the quickest and most lethal teams in transition, averaging 19.3 fast-break points per game, good for second in the league. "Our focus has to be [to get] back," Casey said. "Not only the guy guarding [Wall], but we have to have four of his teammates back building a wall." Defending the three Winning the battle behind the arc is important for the Raptors after they were burned by the three-ball in Sundays loss to Portland. Toronto connected on a season-best 14 three-pointers in Philadelphia Wednesday after allowing the Trail Blazers to shoot 15-of-32 from deep three days prior. Beal is third in the NBA, having hit 33 treys to begin the season while the Wizards rank eighth in both three-point shots made and three-point percentage. "Offensively, theyre one of the best corner three-point shooting teams in the league," Casey acknowledged. "So thats something we have to have a focus on going into the game." Washington has shot more corner threes (97) than any team in the league, making the second most (43) from that territory. The Raptors rank 15th, shooting 41 per cent from the corners, where DeMar DeRozan has connected on 10 of his 16 attempts. Who to Watch For DeMar DeRozan DeRozan scored 33 points in Wednesdays win, his third game with 30 or more points this season. The Raptors guard is one of 11 players in the NBA with three or more 30-point games to begin the campaign. The fifth-year guard led the Raptors averaging 22.3 points in four games against the Wizards last year. John Wall Although Wall is shooting just 36 per cent from the field this season, hes recoded 37 assists over the last three games and is averaging a career-best 9.7. "Its humanly impossible to stop Wall in a one-on-one situation coast-to-coast," Casey said, praising the Wizards point guard. "I timed it against Cleveland the other night, against Kyrie Irving, he went from one end to the other in three seconds or a little bit less. Its unbelievable how fast he can go with the ball from coast-to-coast." Injury Report Raptors forward Quincy Acy participated in shootaround Friday morning after missing Wednesdays game with a sprained right ankle. Hell be a game-time decision. Back-up point guard Dwight Buycks has been excused from the team as he attends to a personal/family matter. Casey didnt indicate who, between D.J. Augustin and Julyan Stone, would back-up Lowry with Buycks unavailable Friday. Sam Mills Youth 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. Christian McCaffrey Jersey . Ronaldo failed to connect on an ample number of opportunities at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. But Karim Benzema and Jese Rodriguez scored in each half for Madrid to come out of the first leg with the firm advantage. http://www.thepanthersofficialstore.com/...anthers-jersey/. Snedekers best result so far this year is a tie for eighth place at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March. He sits 113th in FedEx Cup standings and has dropped to 31st in world rankings — not the results expected from a player ranked fourth in the world only two years ago. Ryan Kalil Jersey . Stepanek gave the Czech Republic its second straight Davis Cup title Sunday, sweeping past Dusan Lajovic in straight sets in the fifth and decisive match to secure a 3-2 win over Serbia in the final. Curtis Samuel Panthers Jersey .com) - Thursday marks the official debut of a new dirt racing surface at Meydan Racecourse.PHILADELPHIA -- Key contributions from bench players helped the Philadelphia Phillies put a winning streak together. Pinch-hitter Reid Brignac lined a tiebreaking, two-run double in the sixth inning, John Mayberry Jr. hit a three-run homer and the Phillies beat the San Diego Padres 7-3 to complete a three-game sweep Thursday in a game played in steady rain. Brignac, whose three-run homer in the ninth sent the Phillies to a 3-0 victory a night earlier, hit a drive off Dale Thayer to the gap in left-centre for a 4-2 lead. Mayberry connected an inning later off Alex Torres. Making a spot start for Ryan Howard, Mayberry also doubled twice. "Its definitely a game of momentum and I think with the way weve played these last few games, that can definitely carry over." Mayberry said. "I think from top to bottom, weve pitched well, had timely hitting and played good defence. Hopefully we can continue." Kyle Kendrick (2-6) allowed one earned and seven hits, striking out five in six innings. He earned his second win in 20 starts, dating to last year. The Phillies have their first three game-winning streak since May 17-20 and recorded just their second series sweep this season. Ken Giles made his major league debut for the Phillies with two outs in the ninth. He threw a 100 mph fastball on his first pitch before Yasmani Grandal hit an opposite-field homer on a 3-1 pitch. "I just go out and pitch. Whatever it says, it says," Giles said of the radar gun. As for the homer, Giles said: "It looked like a routine fly ball to the warning track to me." Welcome to hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park, kid. Padres starter Eric Stults (2-8) allowed four runs and eight hits in five-plus innings. Mayberry is batting .324 (12 for 37) with five doubles, three homers and 12 RBIs against lefties. Howard is hitting just .206 (12 for 63) with one double, four homers, 15 RBIs and 30 strikeouts vs. lefties. Manager Ryne Sandberg may have to consider a platoon at first, even though Howard is making $25 million per season through 2016 with a $23 million team option for 2017. "I see it pretty well (againnst lefties)," Mayberry said.dddddddddddd "I think traditionally righties hit left-handers better obviously. Im just trying to take the same approach into every at-bat." Mayberry led off Philadelphias sixth with his second double. Domonic Brown lined a single to right on an 0-2 pitch, chasing Stults. Thayer came in to face Will Nieves, who hit a bouncer to third baseman Chase Headley. His high throw to the plate was in time to get Mayberry. Sandberg challenged the call, but a video review confirmed catcher Grandal tagged Mayberry before his foot touched the plate. Thayer then struck out pinch-hitter Howard. But Brignac followed with a shot to the wall to give the Phillies a two-run lead. Mayberry made it 7-2 with his fifth homer of the season in the seventh. Padres manager Bud Black won a replay challenge in the third inning when a video review showed Ben Revere was out at first base following a drag bunt. Jimmy Rollins hit an RBI single in Philadelphias first to move within two hits of breaking Mike Schmidts franchise record of 2,234. The Padres jumped on Kendrick for two runs in the first. Will Venable led off with a single and Everth Cabrera followed with a single, snapping an 0-for-23 slump. After Seth Smiths groundout, Headley hit an RBI double. Smith scored when right fielder Marlon Byrd bobbled the ball for an error and Headley went to third. Kendrick has a 9.00 ERA in the first inning and batters are hitting .393 against him. "I dont have an answer," Kendrick said. "Ive tried everything. Maybe next game I wont warm up." NOTES: Howard wasnt in the starting lineup vs. Stults, even though hes 2 for 2 with two homers off him. ... Kendrick became the first Phillies pitcher to draw a walk. ... The Padres lost for only the 12th time when having a lead at any point in a game. ... The Phillies open a three-game series against the Cubs on Friday night. Roberto Hernandez (2-4, 4.35) faces Chicagos Jake Arrieta (1-1, 2.50). ... The Padres open a three-game set at the Mets. Andrew Cashner (2-5, 2.13) goes against New Yorks Bartolo Colon (5-5, 4.31). ' ' '