INDIANAPOLIS - It was just before 2pm local time when the Raptors landed on game-day, five hours prior to tipoff and 38 hours after they were originally scheduled to touchdown in Indianapolis. [url=http://www.officialauthenticraidersstore.com/authentic-rashaan-melv in-jersey.html]Rashaan Melvin Raider

INDIANAPOLIS - It was just before 2pm local time when the Raptors landed on game-day, five hours prior to tipoff and 38 hours after they were originally scheduled to touchdown in Indianapolis. Rashaan Melvin Raiders Jersey . Creatures of habit, the Raptors were expecting to fly out after their previous game - a hard-fought loss in Miami on Sunday - practice on Monday and shoot around ahead of an already daunting match-up with the league-best Pacers, a team they had defeated at home a week earlier. Instead, Mother Nature threw them a curveball and they had no choice but to adjust. A major snowstorm and frigid temperatures in Indianapolis resulted in the altered itinerary, a reasonable excuse for a team that has vowed to stop making excuses, and to their credit they refused to take the bait. "We can have all the excuses in the world, but in a game like this you have to man up and bring it," Dwane Casey said after his road-weary club dropped Tuesdays sluggish rematch with the Pacers 86-79 in snow-covered Indianapolis. "Its a mans league. I expected us to have a little bit of a hangover with the bullcrap with the travel but I thought we put ourselves in a position to win. Now weve got to close the deal." Not one Raptor player would use the teams travel nightmare as justification for the loss; they would barely even acknowledge it in the visitors locker room post-game. It was the type of easy out they used to fall back on, almost routinely. This time they did what winning teams do. They owned it. "[We] had the opportunity, but didnt make shots," said Kyle Lowry, who had 16 points to go along with just two dimes, his lowest assist total since November 11th. "They beat us. We were a little bit off, schedule off, routine, but still had a chance to win, so cant really say it messed us up too much." The loss was just their fifth in 15 games since the trade, dropping a game below the .500 mark. "We came out a little sluggish, had a couple turnovers at the beginning, shots werent falling for us and we got out-rebounded," said Amir Johnson, coming off his worst outing of the season. "Theres your ball game." More often than not, the Raptors were a step slow against a team that prides itself on pounding opponents into submission, especially at home, where theyve suffered just one loss. Toronto was out of sync, looking nothing like the club that stunned the Pacers at the Air Canada Centre last week. The Raptors managed just 18 assists, failing to reach 20 dimes for only the fourth time in the last 15 games. They were out-rebounded by 17 and bested by 14 in the paint, 11 in second-chance points. True to character they nearly made something out of nothing, cutting their deficit - once as big as 17 - to six down the stretch before eventually succumbing to the home teams punishing brand of basketball. "Guys were just a little bit off from their rhythm," Lowry said. "Not making shots, just the timing of everything was just a little off tonight." DeMar DeRozan scored the teams final 17 of the third quarter and finished with 28 and Patrick Patterson - playing in place of Johnson - had 11 of his 20 points in the fourth. Johnson was not himself, finishing scoreless on five attempts in just over 20 minutes of action. Battling a cold on top of the travel snafus, the Raptors forward struggled through fatigue, looking out of breath on a couple of occasions in the first half. With Patterson playing well, Casey opted to ride the hot hand and sit Johnson in the fourth. Jonas Valanciunas also had an off night, held to just four points in 32 minutes and outplayed by Pacers centre Roy Hibbert on both ends of the floor. The team checked in and out of its Miami hotel three times before eventually taking off for Indianapolis at 11:30am Tuesday morning. There, they spent less than an hour at the hotel before boarding three busses to Bankers Life Fieldhouse, skipping shoot around and putting a dent into most of their game-day routine. "Youve just got to get your body going," Johnson said before the game. "After sitting down for a couple of hours, youve got to [stay active]." "Adversity sometimes comes in different ways," Casey said. "Its a good character builder for us. You hate to be against the best team in the conference but it is what it is." P.J. Hall Raiders Jersey . LOUIS -- Russell Martin wanted a better fate for his starting pitcher and helped deliver a happier ending. Doug Martin Jersey . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. http://www.officialauthenticraidersstore.com/authentic-dwayne-harris-jersey.html . -- The road to the Masters got off to a bumpy start Sunday for Tiger Woods when he withdrew from the Honda Classic with what he said was a lower back injury.Dundee United manager Mixu Paatelainen says his side did not deserve to lose to Hibernian in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup on Saturday. Blair Spittal and Billy McKay both missed spot kicks as Hibs ran out 4-2 winners in a penalty shootout after the match had finished goalless at Hampden Park. McKay was also guilty of wasting a number of goal scoring opportunities in the match and, although Hibs missed a first-half penalty through Jason Cummings, Paatelainen says his side deserved to go through the final based on the number of chances created. Jason Cummings rued missing a penalty in normal time but crucially scored the winner Im totally gutted for the boys because for the vast majority of the match we controlled the game, said the 49-year-old Finn, who also acknowledged the performance of Hibs debut keeper Conrad Logan.We were the better team, we passed the ball and created great goal scoring opportunities so in the end to lose it after penalties is really disappointing. Highlights from Hampden Park as Hibernian took on Dundee United for a place in the Scottish Cup final But if you dont score then you cant win and thats been the story of the season. Brandon Parker Jersey. Weve passed the ball well, weve dominated matches but if youre one-on-one with the goalkeeper three times youd like to think at least one goes in the net, but all credit to their goalkeeper that they didnt.United, who are eight points adrift at the bottom of the Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership, continue their fight against relegation next Sunday at home to Hamilton. Conrad Logan of Hibernian is mobbed by team-mates Meanwhile, Hibernian will face either Celtic or Rangers, who face each other in the other semi-final on Sunday, live on Sky Sports. Also See: Hibs beat United on penalties Mixu rues missed chances Dundee Utd fixtures Dundee Utd stats Cheap Jerseys China NFL Jerseys China NFL Jerseys Wholesale Discount Basketball Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Baseball Jerseys Free Shipping Cheapest College Jerseys Sale Cheap Football Jerseys China Nike NFL Jerseys Canada Wholesale NHL Jerseys From China MLB Jerseys Outlet Canada Wholesale NBA Jerseys Canada Store Cheap Soccer Jerseys China Cheap Authentic Jerseys Canada ' ' '