The departure of Mark Streit also opens up a spot on the blueline for rookie D Matt

TORONTO - As DeMar DeRozan finished addressing the media ahead of Friday nights game, the first time hes spoken publicly since going down with his injury last week, one reporter pointed out hell need some new suits. Wholesale Jordans From China . DeRozan has missed the Raptors last four games with a torn tendon in his groin and will be a spectator for the foreseeable future. But the 25-year-old All-Star guard and iron man did not watch his teams 105-91 loss to Cleveland from the bench. He stood in the tunnel for some of it but spent most of the night sitting in front of a television. He watched the previous three games from his couch, as the Raptors were out West, and had avoided sitting on the sideline during the three contests he missed last season. Its not for a lack of leadership or interest on his part. Its also not for a lack of suits. Its simply too difficult for him. Thats been the biggest adjustment as he continues to recover from the first serious injury of his five-plus year career. Its definitely tough, just for me personally, the Raptors leading scorer admitted before Fridays game. Im used to being out there. Its more just frustrating than anything, because I always want to be out there every single night with my teammates. DeRozan had missed just 11 of a possible 394 games over his first five seasons and into his sixth. A self-made star, he has become known for his relentless work ethic, a player that has spent countless hours in the gym each day for the bulk of his life. Now, hes got a bunch of time on his hands and, understandably, its driving him crazy. Where does he spend most of his time? On the couch, he responded. If theres no basketball game on Im playing Madden. Thats been my day, every single day, just to keep my sanity. I dont have a choice now. Its different when you have a choice but I dont have no choice now. Ive just got to stay positive and just become more of a student and grow mentally. Just because hes not watching from the bench doesnt mean hes not watching. DeRozan hopes to use this time as an opportunity to see the game in a new light. Dwane Casey has asked him to sit in on the coaches meetings, something hes looking forward to doing. Hes just happy to get off the couch. I think this is going to definitely help me out mentally, just becoming more of a student of the game and really scouting and looking at the game a different way, he said. Just understanding a lot more about the game, outside of being a basketball player, honestly. Seeing how coaches approach the game. DeRozan sustained the injury a week ago, slipping and falling awkwardly in a loss to the Mavericks. Toronto has split the four games hes missed, scoring over 120 points in two of them. But they could have used him Friday. With the Cavs in town, the Raptors red-hot offence turned ice cold in a hurry. Amir Johnson aside - he scored a season-high 27 on 11-for-15 from the field - Toronto struggled to find any kind of rhythm. We go from a game at altitude [in Utah], where we shoot 57 per cent and tonight we couldnt buy a bucket, Casey said after his team shot a mere 41 per cent against Cleveland. We couldnt hit the side of a barn with a bass fiddle. Its one of those things that you look at the schedule and you kind of expect that. But were better than that. I know this team tonight wasnt us, he continued. First game back from a west-coast trip, the [last] team you want to see is a team as talented as Cleveland. Two weeks ago it was DeRozans surprising defence on James and his big second-half effort that helped the Raptors erase an early 18-point deficit to knock off the struggling Cavaliers in Cleveland. They havent lost since, winners of six in a row. Even without DeRozan, this is a deep team that should have enough talent to steal at least half their games and compete more often than not. But against the leagues best, theyll need all hands on deck. This is a tight-knit group and the chemistry theyve built over the last year is something DeRozan values now more than ever. Its definitely helpful, DeRozan said. Amir texted me one night, couple nights ago and he just said he was walking down the hotel hallway screaming my name and he was used to me popping my head out the door. Something like that goes so far because it just shows the appreciation that your teammates have for you and the relationship that you have together. It keeps him integrated with the team, added Kyle Lowry, who has picked up the slack with his teammate out, scoring 22 in the loss to Cleveland. I think when youre still integrated with the team you dont feel as lonely. It can get lonely not traveling with the team, not being with the team but our growth and the relationship with our teammates, were like family. The Raptors still dont have a timetable on DeRozans return to the court. Surgery is not being considered, instead theyre taking a patient approach to his recovery, reevaluating his progress on a week-to-week basis. Im feeling better each day, he said. Just trying to stay off it as much as I can, get as much rest as I can, continue to eat well and just let it heal. I always looked at it like it could be worse. It could be a lot worse. Im still going to come back, Im still going to play. Return of T-Mac Tracy McGrady isnt the first controversial former Raptor to be honoured as part of the teams continued 20th anniversary celebrations, and likely wont be the last. When its all said and done, theyll have paid homage to something in the neighbourhood of 15 players from their past and the unfortunate reality is you can probably put an asterisk next to most of their Raptor tenures. Some of them werent here long, some didnt win enough, some left on bad terms. McGrady checks all three of those boxes. The ninth overall pick in 1997, Torontos third ever first-round selection, McGrady spent three seasons north of the border before bolting for his hometown in Orlando ahead of his 22nd birthday. Drafted straight out of high school, he didnt play a prominent role until his third season for the Raptors first ever playoff team. Like his former teammate Vince Carter, McGrady has been booed each time hes returned to the Air Canada Centre as a visiting player, but his case is a little bit different, having left as an unrestricted free agent. The way it ended with me and it ended with [Carter] was totally different, said the retired 15-year NBA vet. I mean, I just left to go play [at] home, it was no hard feelings or anything involved. It was a little bit different for him because of the statements that he made a little bit later on. Same as his distant cousin and the rest of the teams honourees to this point - Alvin Williams, Antonio Davis and Jalen Rose - McGrady was given a standing ovation after a video tribute was shown on the big screen early in Friday nights game. Speaking ahead of tip-off, McGrady expressed some regret over his decision to escape Carters shadow and move on so early in his career. Looking back, yeah, I wish I would have stayed, because I didnt expect myself to pan out to be that type of player that I turned into, said the seven-time All-Star, who went on to win two scoring titles with the Magic before spending five seasons in Houston. And to team up with Vince and what we built there, if you listen to Kobe [Bryant], if you look back on what Kobe said a while back, he said had I stayed here we probably would have been playing the Lakers in a couple of championships. So, I dont like to look back. It was great times here, I just felt like at the time... let me say this, if the organization was the way it is now back then, theres no way I would have left. And in the end, thats what it comes down to: closure. The Raptors are thriving as an organization and theyre off to their best start in franchise history. As they say, living well is the best revenge and with the team turning a corner, it seems some fans are finally able to let go. After all, perspective is important here. These arent jersey retirement ceremonies, theyre 60-second video montages. Hoping to lure stars to Toronto in the future, its important to the organization that they show some love to players of the past. Theres no question for me, said Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri. When I came here, you think about it and I know theres all the talk on how they left and all that stuff, but thats gone. Lets think about the future. These guys helped inspire young kids in Canada and look at where basketball is. Every young kid, prospects, they mention those guys and how they elevated them to get to play the game. So for me, 20 years, embrace it, man. Were lucky to have Tracy McGrady, were lucky to have Vince Carter, were lucky to the great fans that we have. Lets move on. Lets embrace the guys we have now and share it and move on. Giant of Africa Toronto laid out the red carpet Friday, welcoming basketball royalty to town for Ujiris event - The Giant of Africa - honouring the life of his hero Nelson Mandela. Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson and Dikembe Mutombo sat courtside and were among those in attendance as the Raptors turned their practice facility into a pre-game cocktail reception. On the first anniversary of Mandelas passing, Ujiri hosted the evening-long celebration of the late former South African President and Nobel Peace Prize winner, also supporting the Nelson Mandela Foundation and Giants of Africa, his not-for-profit organization. The world is not in a good place, in my opinion, and [Mandela] makes it better, Ujiri said, tearing up. I think hes going to be bigger, even though hes passed. He was bigger than life. Its incredible. To see Magic, Dikembe, Charles, all these guys here, you cant ask for anything better, and they came just like that. Its touching for me. The Raptors welcomed all three NBA legends with highlight videos, each of them receiving a standing ovation from a sellout crowd. The team is one of the top two or three teams in the East, Johnson said of the Raptors. Theyre a powerhouse now, its no more the Raptors we used to know. Wed mark down, okay, theres two wins for us with the Raptors, we wont worry about them. Now, this is a serious Eastern Conference championship team so [Ujiris] built a wonderful team. Hes done a wonderful job but hes showing people also that he has a heart and soul and that the Toronto Raptors are not just about playing winning basketball, theyre also about touching the world and I love that. Cyber Monday Air Jordan .Morse gets a $1 million signing bonus and salaries of $7 million next season and $8 million in 2016 under the agreement announced Wednesday. Wholesale Air Jordan . Vonn "reopened" the idea of competing in the season-opening World Cup event on Oct. 26-27 in Soelden, Austria after returning to the slopes last month in Portillo, Chile. https://www.fakejordanwholesale.com/ . Asdrubal Cabrera had four hits and three RBIs, Michael Brantley also homered and the Indians beat the injury-riddled Minnesota Twins 9-4 Thursday for their first three-game winning streak this season. Coming off a playoff berth in 2013, expectations will be raised for the New York Islanders, who have a couple of premier fantasy options surrounded by a lot of possibles and maybes. Top Picks: With 128 points over the last two seasons, John Tavares ranks sixth, and hes the one driving the Islanders offence. It would be easier to raise expectations if the Islanders provided him with a better supporting cast, but hes a reliable point-per-game option who would be higher than a top five fantasy centre if he could become a stronger plus player. There are benefits to skating on Tavares wing and Matt Moulson has reaped the rewards, scoring 112 goals in the last four seasons, ranking 13th in the league. His exceptionally low penalty minute totals (10 PIM in last two seasons combined) can hurt his value in leagues that count penalty minutes, but otherwise hes a legitimate No. 1 left winger. Value Plays: Forever regarded as underrated, C Frans Nielsen has added some offence to his sound defensive game, but only enough to be considered as a depth pickup in fantasy. Speedy winger Michael Grabner has scored 70 goals over the last three seasons, ranking 28th, but his low assist totals leave him as a fringe fantasy performer in most cases. With Mark Streit departing, veteran D Lubomir Visnovsky becomes an integral part of the Islanders attack, and while his point production is down (41 points in 103 games) over the last two seasons, Visnovsky is the logical quarterback on the Islanders power play. G Evgeni Nabokov was vital to the Islanders push for the playoffs last season but, his .912 save percentage over the last couple seasons (since returning to the league) is only okay. Hes the clearcut No. 1 for the Islanders, so hes a viable No. 2 (or good No. 3) fantasy goaltender. Sleepers/Breakthrough: LW Josh Bailey has had a rocky road of development, but finishing 2013 with 10 points in his last 13 gammes, playing nearly 18 minutes per game, may have been a sign that hes ready to fulfill at least a complementary scoring role for the Isles. Fake Jordan. The right side of the Islanders forward lines is full of uncertainty, but enough potential upside to provide value. Pierre-Marc Bouchard has missed 154 games over the last four seasons, and is a long way removed his 63-point career high in 2008-2009, but the 29-year-old was inked as a free agent, with an eye to moving him alongside Tavares and Moulson on the number one line. That alone makes him worth a look. Kyle Okposo managed just four goals in 48 games last season, a year after scoring a career-high 24 goals, but he figures to play a top six role for the Islanders, enough of an opportunity to have value in deep leagues if he returns to his previous levels of production. Cal Clutterbuck only had 10 points in 42 games last year, but had 34 goals combined in the previous two years, which is enough production to offer value in leagues that count hits because Clutterbuck is perennially among the league leaders. Rookies: The departure of Mark Streit also opens up a spot on the blueline for rookie D Matt Donovan to play a regular role. The 23-year-old has 98 points and 185 penalty minutes in 153 AHL games over two-plus seasons. In deep leagues, hes worth a late-round look on potential alone. If an Islanders rookie forward is going to have a major impact, it could be C Ryan Strome, the fifth overall pick in 2011 who had 94 points in 53 OHL games last season and could fit as the Islanders number three centre since the number two slot is held by Nielsen, who is a strong defensive centre. However, there is uncertainty about whether Strome will secure that spot. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. ' ' '