ion. Austin Jackson doubled to lead off the seventh inning any

CHICAGO - Dwane Casey wouldnt point fingers at Rudy Gay, fact is he didnt have to. The product, even after four games, speaks for itself. The Raptors are a better team without Gay in their lineup. The Raptors have won three of four games since agreeing to move Gay to the Sacramento Kings in last weeks seven-player deal. With Gay the team recorded 20 or more assists in three of 18 games this season, collecting 17.3 per contest, last in the NBA. Without him theyve accomplishment that feat in three of four outings, averaging 23.0 dimes. Tasked with replacing a 20-point scorer, working three - soon-to-be four - new players into his lineup and managing a locker room filled with uncertainty as the trade winds continue to swirl, Casey has his team playing its best basketball of the campaign. Asked if that surprises him, in light of the situation he finds himself in, Casey responded bluntly, "No." Then he hedged, because what else is he supposed to say? "Its nothing to do with Rudy whatsoever," Casey continued, after Toronto recorded a season-best 26 assists, defeating the Bulls 99-77 in the second night of a back-to-back on the road. "I think the pieces fit more, from that respect, it has nothing to do with Rudy personally." It has everything to do with Rudy. The departed Raptors forward was taking more shots than he has before, missing more than hes missed before while averaging the fewest assists (2.2) of the 15 NBA players who hoist 17 or more shots a night. His absence has freed this team. Somehow, in spite of the continued trade speculation that has cast a shadow over their heads, they are winning and having fun in the process. For the first time this season, theyre playing as a team. "Im trying to set up everybody else and get them in a rhythm," said DeMar DeRozan, who had 15 points to go along with another four assists, hes accumulated 22 since the trade. "Once we do that everybody begins to play together because itll be fun and everything seems to be easier. Even though a lot of guys dont know the offence everyone on this team knows how to play, especially the new guys." "It was a team effort totally and its fun when you play like that," newcomer Greivis Vasquez chimed in, adding six dimes off the bench in his second game with the Raptors. "Its fun when the ball is moving and were playing great team defence. Ive only been here a week and I can tell all these guys have my back, and thats huge." Their unselfish play appears to be contagious. DeRozan - who Casey said is playing "like an old man," on account of his improved court awareness - has taken advantage of his new role in the offence, acting as the teams quarterback, a role Gay could never or would never accept. Casey is getting 48 minutes of competent point guard play from Vasquez and Kyle Lowry, whose trade value continues to go up as he produces at a high level. Even sophomore Terrence Ross - averaging less than an assist per game as a pro - contributed a career-best four helpers. With wire-to-wire victories on consecutive nights, the Raptors havent trailed in eight quarters of basketball. Unlike Fridays win over the woeful 76ers - the NBAs worst defensive club - Saturdays dismantling of the Bulls was impressive enough to take notice. Despite their recent struggles, having lost 10 of 13, the Bulls defence is and will remain elite, even without the injured Derrick Rose. Toronto shot 48 per cent from the field, holding the hosting Bulls to just 36 per cent while outscoring them 26-11 in the final quarter to seal an impressive victory, their second straight on the road. "Last time we played them they got the best of us and we knew we couldnt come here and come out soft," DeRozan said, referring to the Bulls dominant victory in Toronto last month, a game in which he matched his career-high with 37 points. "We had to jump on them out the gate and keep our foot on their neck." The effort was indeed of the complete team variety. Jonas Valanciunas came out with an edge facing and ultimately outplaying all-star Joakim Noah and Amir Johnson turned in another productive outing. With a retooled second unit, playing in its second game together, the starters actually had some help. Vasquez, Patrick Patterson and John Salmons combined for 26 points and eight assists, turning the ball over just once playing the bulk of the minutes off Torontos bench. "We have the bodies, we were deeper tonight and the guys contributed," Lowry said. "This is the first time I played less minutes in a long time and that is a testament to the guys coming off the bench." "[The starters] know they dont have to play 40-plus minutes," Casey stated. "They know they have a strong bench behind them so that kind of gives them comfort to really turn on the gas." With an off-day Sunday and a couple days of practice, the new-look Raptors could actually be more in tune with one another when they host the Bobcats on Wednesday. "I just like the whole atmosphere, man," Vasquez said with a big smile on his face. "Ive missed this. This is real team basketball. Everybodys sharing, everybodys talking, nobody cares whos going to have the most points at the end of the night and thats what I see on the court. Im just happy but Im not satisfied. Weve got to keep playing, weve got to keep getting better." Mike Modano Jersey . The former Edmonton Oilers defenceman was with the St. Louis Blues in training camp on a professional tryout. Whitney, 30, had four goals and 13 points in 34 games with the Oilers last season. Brian Bellows Jersey . Blatter, a 75-year-old Swiss executive who has been in office since 1998, was handed a final four-year term as head of footballs governing body in a vote at FIFAs congress. He won 186 votes out of 203 ballots. http://www.thedallasstarshockey.com/neal-broten-hockey-jersey/ .The league also seems to have a fairly active Twitter account www.twitter.com/bikinihockey that features the description “We provide a positive alternative to the hockey community and a venue for adult female hockey athletes to continue in their sport. Bobby Smith Stars Jersey . The teams all-time leading scorer, DeRo has won everything there is to win in MLS. Mattias Janmark Stars Jersey . He wants to seize that opportunity. The trouble is, Firus has had more bumps on the road to Sochi than most. Last year, Firus had the skate of a lifetime in the short program at the Canadian championships when he landed his first triple Axel in competition and finished third in a stacked field.SEATTLE -- Mariners closer Fernando Rodney usually gets the job done. He never makes it look easy, though. Rodney allowed the first two batters he faced to reach base in the ninth inning as Seattle clung to a one-run lead over the Detroit Tigers. Rodney walked Alex Avila to lead off the inning and Don Kelly reached on a broken bat flyball to left field. But Rodney struck out Andrew Romine and Rajai Davis before getting Ian Kinsler to ground out to the shortstop to for a 3-2 win over the Tigers Saturday night, wrapping up his 14th save in 16 chances. "I wasnt nervous. I wasnt watching," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon joked. Willie Bloomquist delivered a pair of two-out RBI singles off Detroit starter Drew Smyly to help lift the Mariners. Chris Young allowed two runs and three hits over six innings to improve to 5-2, but Seattle had to hold their breath with Rodney in the ninth. After Avila and Kelly reached in the ninth, manager Lloyd McClendon knew Romine would likely be bunting. He marched to the mound to meet with Rodney and stressed the importance of getting any out they could against Romine. "A lot of times we take that for granted, but thats real important," McClendon said. "You know theyre bunting. Lets not try to do anything spectacular. Lets just make sure we get an out. That was my message." Romine failed to get the bunt down and ultimately struck out on a changeup. Rodney and Davis then had a 10-pitch battle before Rodney finally got a swinging strikeout over a 95 mph fastball on the inside corner. "(Davis) was looking for something soft he can drive to right field," Rodney said. "I see that and I continue to mix it up. The last pitch I said Im going to die with my best pitch in my fastball." A groundball to short by Kinsler allowed Rodney to get out of the jam as the Mariners held on for the win. Stefen Romero and John Buck each singled to put runners on the corners with one out against Smyly (2-4) in the second inning. Cole Gillespie hit a dribbler off the end of the bat just past the mound to score Romerro and give the Mariners a 1-0 lead.dddddddddddd Bloomquist added another run with a two-out RBI single that scored Buck from second. Smyly allowed seven hits and threw 105 pitches in just four innings of work before being ousted by the Mariners. "He had a little trouble with his command again," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. "He had trouble getting ahead and when he did get ahead, it seemed like they would work their way back into 3-2 counts." Young, meanwhile, was in cruise control for the Mariners. He retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced through the first three innings. Miguel Cabrera hit a solo homer to left field with one out in the fourth inning to get the Tigers on the board. It was Cabreras second home run in two games this series against Seattle and his 10th home run of the season. Seattle answered in the bottom half. Gillespie singled and stole second base to move into scoring position. Bloomquist came through again with two outs, hitting a single to left to score Gillespie and give Seattle a 3-1 cushion. Austin Jackson doubled to lead off the seventh inning and chase Young. Jackson scored on a wild pitch by Dominic Leone to pull back with a run. A walk to Kelly and single from Davis put a pair of runners on but Gillespie ran down a line drive from Kinsler at the wall to preserve Seattles lead. NOTES: Seattle 2B Robinson Cano missed his third straight game with a sore hand. McClendon said that Cano is improving but is still day to day. ... Seattle SS Nick Franklin is 0 for 14 with nine strikeouts over his last four games. His average for the season fell to .128. ... Young improved to 6-0 with a 2.84 ERA in nine career starts at Safeco Field. He is 4-0 with a 1.89 ERA in five starts in Seattle this season. He has limited opponents to a .202 batting average against in 10 starts. ... Tigers 2B Kinsler went 0 for 5 on the night and left seven runners stranded on base, with three in scoring position. ... RHP Max Scherzer (6-1, 3.00 ERA) takes to the mound to face LHP Roenis Elias (3-4, 4.02 ERA) in the finale of the three-game series on Sunday. ' ' '