12-25-2019, 01:15 AM
CLEVELAND - As the old saying goes, if you play with fire, youre going to get burned. USA Soccer Jerseys 2020 . Dwane Casey, who has used the phrase as a cautionary tale after lethargic starts of the recent past, came just short of saying I told you so Tuesday evening. His team had been getting away with it, far more often than any team should. Yes, theyre a resilient bunch and that was the case again in Cleveland as they clawed back from a 21-point deficit - even taking a brief fourth-quarter lead - but its been masking the underlying issue. Theyre an open-faced sandwich, missing the top bun. "You cant play in this league that way and expect to come back each and every night," Casey said after Torontos 102-100 loss to the Cavaliers. "Its bit us more than weve won, it feels like." "Until we fix that, among us, among ourselves, then its going to be an uphill battle every night." For the second time in three days, the Raptors trailed by nine after the first quarter, allowing another team with a losing record, also missing their best player, to shoot above 52 per cent to open the game. The start was eerily similar to Sundays, at home to Atlanta, lacking effort, focus and purpose on both ends of the floor. Even without injured point guard Kyrie Irving, Cleveland killed the visiting Raptors with speed and precision, exposing a reoccurring hole in their interior defence by darting into the paint at will. The comeback was inevitable. Its what they do. Down by 21 early in the third, Toronto staged a 21-9 run to close out the quarter. Kyle Lowry - running back and forth from the locker room all night, battling an upset stomach - scored half of his team-high 22 points in the frame. Greivis Vasquez would give the Raptors their first lead since the opening minutes, draining a three-pointer midway through the fourth before reality set in. "I think everybodys energy was low from having to come back," Lowry said. From that moment on they hit just one of their final 10 shots and on the last possession, down only two, they failed to even get one off. It was a play they had just run with success. Amir Johnson was looking for Lowry to turn the corner, but he was cut off. Instead, Vasquez took the handoff and, trying to spin right, towards the bucket, he lost his footing. "It was me going to my weak hand and I lost my balance, stepped kind of weird," said Vasquez, who scored 16 points of Torontos bench. "I turned the ball over. Ill take responsibility. Im not going to run away. Im a man." A noble gesture but, as Casey pointed out, its not the reason for the loss. "Thats not the game-decider," the Raptors coach said. "The game was decided the way we approached the first quarter." "Its easy to get up for OKC, its easy to get up for Miami, its easy to get up for Indiana but the teams that are not in the playoff picture, they are playing for something, too," he continued. "Theyre playing for pride, which is probably a little bit more dangerous than guys trying to save minutes and save themselves for the playoffs." Theres a lesson to be learned from this loss and it shouldnt take long to figure out whether or not its been absorbed. The Raptors - now the Easts fourth seed, leapfrogged by the Bulls with Tuesdays defeat - will travel to Boston in the second night of a back-to-back and first game of a home-and-home set with the Celtics, another scrappy team looking to play spoiler. "Weve got to get the mindset of being the hunter instead of the hunted because," Casey added. "Thats how we got where we are, being a desperate team, a hungry team and not believing the press clippings or where we are in the standings." Birthday blues Although Lowry would have preferred to celebrate his 28th birthday with a win, the Raptors point guard recorded his 18th double-double with 10 assists to go along with his 22 points. Lowry extended his career-high streak of 19 or more points to 10 games and also became the first Raptor to score 20-plus in eight straight since Chris Bosh did so in 2010. Amir passes VC on blocks list With his third-quarter swat on Spencer Hawes, Johnson recorded his 416th block as a member of the Raptors, passing Vince Carter for second on the teams all-time block shots list. Johnson, who had 12 points and nine rebounds on Tuesday, still has a ways to go to catch Bosh, topping the franchise list with 600 blocks. Patterson nearing a return Patrick Patterson, who has missed 10 straight games with an ulnar collateral sprain in his right elbow, was reassessed on Monday and is headlong well, the team revealed before Tuesdays game in Cleveland. Although hes been cleared for contact, theres still no timetable for his return to game action. "Its a lot up to the medical staff and when they feel he can go," Casey said. "Its one of those things where if he gets hit in the wrong way it could be trouble for a lot longer so thats why they want to make sure its well enough." The stat The Raptors fell just short of matching their largest comeback of the season. They last overcame a 21-point deficit in their home win over Dallas on Jan. 22. Toronto hasnt had multiple wins in which theyve trailed by 20 or more points in the same season since 2004-05. The quote "Weve just got to understand what were playing for," Vasquez said. "Weve got a big one tomorrow [in Boston]. Its a must-win because were actually playing for something. If you dont get up for that youve got to get your gas up. Weve just got to be motivated, man. This is crunch time. This is important for us. Tomorrows a must-win, no matter what. No excuses." Eric Wynalda Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Daniel Lovitz Jersey .Johnny there, who knew he had that speed? teammate Tommy Wingels said.Scott and Matt Irwin were unlikely goal-scorers Tuesday night as the previously stingy San Jose Sharks finally sprung a leak or two, blowing a pair of three-goal leads before coming away with a 6-5 shootout victory over the Washington Capitals. https://www.cheapusasoccer.com/ . Both had to wait out a rain interruption lasting nearly five hours before taking comprehensive third-round victories to join Carling Bassett-Seguso (1983, 1986), Patricia Hy-Boulais (1996-97) and Daniel Nestor (1999) as Canadians who made it into the second week of a major.Diego Simeone has known tough times in management, but success with Atletico Madrid has made him one of the most respected coaches in the world. After seeing him steer his club past Barcelona and into the Champions League semi-finals, Adam Bate and Terry Gibson look at what the future might hold... November 2008. Guadalajara, Mexico. Radamel Falcaos goal had put River Plate two up on the night and ahead on aggregate. But there followed an all too familiar second-half collapse and by full time River were out of the Copa Sudamericana. A season in tatters. Simeone in River Plates Estadio Monumental during his time in charge of the club For coach Diego Simeone, it was the last hope gone. Hed already been left beleaguered by the teams domestic form but this ended any thoughts of salvation. He has told us that, as of Sunday, he will no longer be coach, River director Rodolfo Cuina confirmed afterwards. The club had won the Clausura in June but the autumn had been miserable. An 11-game winless streak that included a home defeat to great rivals Boca Juniors left River bottom and would eventually - given the complex nature of the leagues format - see them relegated.None of which, more than seven years on, should detract too much from Simeones capabilities as a coach. After all, hed already established his credentials in winning an historic title with Estudiantes let alone the achievements in his early days at River. Simeone: We never give up Diego Simeone hailed Atletico Madrids battling spirit after they reached the Champions League semis But it is a reminder that Simeone is not immune to failure. For all our obsession with the cult of the manager, these figures are dependent on the vagaries of form, fitness and fortune. Its only Atletico Madrid, his home away from home, thats brought Simeone sustained success.There was Europa League glory and an improbable La Liga title; a Champions League final that took Atletico within moments of the impossible. For Sky Sports La Liga expert Terry Gibson, a long-time admirer of Simeone, its at the Calderon that the stars have aligned. How Spain reacted to Barca loss We round up the reaction of the Spanish press to Atleticos Champions League victory It was his seventh job in seven years, Gibson tells Sky Sports. But what hes done at Atletico, hes learnt from the other jobs hes had and now hes the finished article. If he wanted to leave Atletico, Im sure every club would be keen on getting him.And yet, it is Antonio Conte, the manager of the Italy national team, who has been appointed as the next Chelsea boss, while Manchester United appear content to contemplate the relative merits of Jose Mourinho and Ryan Giggs, should Louis van Gaal fail to deliver a top-four finish.Meanwhile, Simeone can look forward to a Champions League semi-final after seeing off defending champions Barcelona and his Atletico are arguably the best organised team in world football. Europes toughest team? Atletico Madrid showed the power of their team spirit v Barcelona Hes taken on two giants off European football and hes often won, adds Gibson. USA Soccer Pro Shop. . Hes taken Atletico from a team that was drifting along and a side which had ideas above their station to one which is going toe to toe with Barcelona and Real Madrid.His reputation has been questionable at times but its done him a favour up against Real Madrid and Barcelona, with his siege mentality and win-at-all-costs thinking. Atletico werent one of the strongest teams when he took over and he had to do it his own way. Simeone has fashioned Atletico Madrid into one of the toughest teams around But what is the Simeone way? The man himself has suggested in the past that any ideas must be fluid. You cant have a favourite formation for the simple fact that, as managers, we have to adapt not to what we would like, but to what we have to work with, he explained.In the world of holistic approaches and philosophies delivered to order, this all sounds more Jose Mourinho than Pep Guardiola and thats reflected in his style. Perhaps its not in fashion elsewhere, but importantly for Atletico, it works for them. His teams will always be hard to break down and organised from the back, says Gibson. I know his style of football isnt always attractive on the eye but hes intelligent enough to adapt to whatevers needed at another club and still retain the essence of a Simeone team.One way hes able to achieve that is by retaining full control. Hes not just the manager of the team, he manages everything at Atletico Madrid, adds Gibson. He has power over the signings, over the supporters who adore him, and hes absolutely in charge of the club.Its not been like that for 20 years at Atletico, the presidents always had the power. They made a big decision bringing him in and theyve given him, over the last three or four years, the power to run the football club. He wont get that anywhere else. Simeone has a strong relationship with his players at Atletico Madrid There are the suggestions hes learning English and the reports of a release clause in the four-year contract that runs until the summer of 2020. Whats clear is that his exit would be mourned at Atleti, where hes a hero as a player and coach.Walking away will not be easy. If he was to decide to leave Atletico, it would only be his decision, says Gibson. Atletico would keep him forever. Its a situation he must enjoy.He gets paid well and theyre competing against the best in La Liga and the Champions League. The new stadium isnt too far away, as well. That may convince him to stay a little longer. As long as the club match his ambition, I think hell stay. As long as the club match his ambition, I think hell stay. Terry Gibson on Diego Simeone That wont be a straightforward decision once the suitors do come calling. But having seen the Manchester United job threaten to chew up Louis van Gaal, it wouldnt be illogical either.Maybe thats something to remember as his Atletico Madrid team dream of Champions League glory. And maybe those memories of Guadalajara - of how hard this job can be and how hard hes worked to get it right in the Spanish capital - will inform his next move too. Also See: How Spain reacted to Barca loss Europes toughest team? ' ' '