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3 with Thompkins hauling

in Balance Discussion Mon Dec 10, 2018 7:00 am
by jinshuiqian0713 • Farseer | 1.260 Posts | 12600 Points

SACRAMENTO - Some say that living well is the best revenge. Jordan Clarkson Jersey . At least four players on the Raptors roster subscribe to that philosophy. When Torontos Patrick Patterson, John Salmons, Greivis Vasquez and Chuck Hayes return to Sacramentos Sleep Train Arena Wednesday, theyll be feeling a lot better about themselves than when they were last in the building, when they called it home. Its been nearly two full months since that fateful night in Los Angeles when a seven-player trade shook the foundation of the Raptors franchise. As reports began to circulate hours before tip-off, the timing of the deal caught everyone off guard. In exchange for the bloated contract and modest production of Rudy Gay - along with Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray - Toronto took back four veteran wild cards. Each of the four had experienced some level of individual success in the league. Vasquez and Patterson - the youngest of the four - were both coming off career seasons, one in New Orleans, the other in Houston. Hayes - a nine-year vet - had been a starter with the Rockets and Salmons, now in his 12th season, was a key contributor to playoff teams in Chicago and Milwaukee. At 34 and 30 respectfully, Salmons and Hayes immediately became the elder statesmen on a young Raptors squad. Each of them had started in at least one of Sacramentos first 18 games. They were rotation players for a team that was 5-13 at the time of the trade. "Coming from here in Sacramento, things werent that great," Salmons said, candidly reflecting back on the trade after wrapping up practice in the Kings gym Tuesday. "So when we got the opportunity to come here we just wanted to take advantage of it. Losings not fun and this team had a chance to make a run at the playoffs." Without Gay, who was shooting 39 per cent and hoisting just under 19 shots per game, most anticipated there would be at least some addition by subtraction but no one - even internally - knew what to expect from the incoming Kings players. Likewise, they didnt know what to expect from a Raptors team that had a 6-12 record prior to that game in LA on Dec. 8. "I mean you hear stuff about other teams, but the only thing you really know is their record," Salmons added. "You know their record, you know their roster but you dont know the whole story. So coming in all we saw was the record, we didnt know that the locker room was full of good guys." Toronto has gone 19-10 since the trade was made official, 19-9 since the acquired players made their Raptor debuts, good for the third-best record in the Eastern Conference over that stretch. Not only did the trade improve the Raptors bench, it made their bench. On most nights, Dwane Casey has settled into a strict nine-man rotation, using the four ex-Kings as his primary reserves. Torontos bench combined for 35 points on 52 per cent shooting in Mondays win over the Jazz. They have scored 30 or more in three of the last five contests and are averaging 26.6 points since the trade. Casey has entrusted them to be on the floor in key situations. Quite frankly, theyve earned it. "I feel like we got four veteran, solid players that really helped us in a lot of different ways and gave us some toughness off the bench," the Raptors coach said. "Right now, obviously [Toronto is] playing at a very high level," said Kings coach Mike Malone. "I think all four of our guys are helping them at different points." The newcomers have each put their stamp on the teams run. Often the first player off the bench, Patterson is logging fewer minutes than he was in Sacramento, yet averaging three more points per game, contributing nearly 10 as a Raptor. Hayes has carved out a niche as a reliable, savvy and hardworking stopper and rebounder. Salmons, a two-way player, has become Torontos third ball handler. Of the four, Vasquez is the only one who has seen his scoring average dip since coming to the Raptors. Still, hes not complaining. "Im in a different situation right now and Im pretty happy," said Vasquez, who has stepped in as a reliable backup to Kyle Lowry, something the team was desperately searching for early in the season. "I think winning really makes everything so much better. Id rather be in a winning program right now than going through a tough time [in Sacramento]." You would have to be naive to think that Wednesdays return to Sacramento is just another game for those four. The Kings are 11-19 since sending them to Toronto and the statement theyre hoping to make has more to do with their collective success than individual performances. "You always look forward to playing the team that traded you," said Vasquez, averaging seven points and four assists with the Raptors. "More than that its about winning. At the end of the day, whether I play well, whether I dont play well, I just want to go back to Sacramento with a win." Vasquez was only with the Kings for a couple months to begin the season. For Salmons, his connection with the Sacramento franchise goes back seven years. In 2006, the Philadelphia-native pulled out of a deal with the Raptors to sign in Sacramento. After being moved to the Bulls, then to the Bucks, Salmons eventually found his way back to the Kings but became expendable when new ownership decided to take the team in a different direction. The trade to Toronto was Salmons fifth since being drafted out of Miami in 2002 but he took this one more personally than the others. He felt slighted by an organization that he had spent most of his career playing for. "When I got traded I had mixed feelings, strong mixed feelings," he admitted. "Im not going to say I was totally mad at the [Kings] organization it was just, I dont know, it was just a little tougher this time." Now, as he and his teammates get set to make their much-anticipated return, that animosity is water under the bridge, more or less. Salmons, like the other three, is sincerely happy to be a Raptor. Winning is the best medicine. "Guys enjoy winning," said Salmons. "Theres the old saying, winning cures everything so the more we win the more people want to sacrifice to continue winning." Channing Frye Jersey . The NFL says Wednesday that the game between the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions at Wembley on Oct. 26 will start at 1:30 p. Larry Nance Jr. Jersey . - The Seattle Seahawks have signed nine players to 2014 future contracts, including quarterback B. http://www.cavaliersbasketballpro.info/customized/ . -- Zach Johnson is like most players at the World Challenge, not sure whether hes still playing in 2013 or if hes in the middle of the new wraparound season that officially started in October.Each week, we will run down the top waiver wire pickups with a focus on the coming week and rest of the season. QUARTERBACKS Jake Locker (vs Jets)Last week - 23/37, 299 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 1 rushing TDThe Titans felt it was unfair to judge Lockers play last year because he was operating with such a bad offensive line. The team improved the line over the off-season and the early reviews of Lockers play have been pretty good. Locker has rougly 50 fantasy points through three weeks and while that doesnt make him a QB1, with bye weeks beginning this week he could be worth a pickup as a one-week replacement. The young QB could improve throughout the year. Brian Hoyer (vs Bengals)Last week - 30/54, 321 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTsHoyers starting debut was impressive, more so in fantasy football than real football, but impressive nonetheless. The 27-year-old was the xx-ranked QB in Week 3 and while nobody expects him to remain a QB1, hell likely retain his starters role in Cleveland and could settle in as a QB2. Cincinnatti is a tough matchup but so to was Minnesota. Hoyer has one thing all young QBs covet in the NFL, a terrific safety valve in TE Jordan Cameron. Others to consider - Christian Ponder (vs Steelers), Terrelle Pryor (vs Redskins) RUNNING BACKS Isaiah Pead (vs 49ers)Last week - 13 touches, 63 yardsPead got the bulk of the Rams work at RB last weekend after starter Daryl Richardson reaggravated a foot injury on his first snap and left the game. St. Louis has a quick turnaround, hosting San Francisco in the Thursday nighter, so Pead could be in line for a big workload while Richardson continues to recover. LeGarrette Blount (at Falcons)Last week - 14 touches, 65 yardsBlount took advantage of Stevan Ridleys early season struggles and led the Patriots in backfield touches with 14. He produced only 65 yards on those touches but the lead back in an offence as potentially potent as New Englands should be owned moving forward. Willis McGahee (vs Bengals)Last week - 8 touches, 9 yardsIf McGahee wasnt snapped up in your league right after Trent Richardson was traded last week, now could be the time to get him cheap. The veteran RB gets a pass for his abysmal nine-yard effort against the Vikings last weekend after being signed just three days prior. McGahee isnt a running back with a lot left in the tank, but he should be a starting running back moving forward, and thats worth at least something. Jason Snelling (vs Patriots)Last week - 15 touches, 111 yards, 1 TDJacquizz Rogers seemed the preferred pickup when the Falcons announced Steven Jackson would miss some time to injury last week but Snelling got almost as many touches in the timeshare. You could stick with Rogers who earned a few more carries, or switch to Snelling who was the better option through the air with four catches for 58 yards and a touchdown. Each week Jackson iss out, one of Snelling or Rogers could score double digit points, but not both. Cedi Osman Jersey. Others to consider - Brandon Jacobs (at Chiefs), Daniel Thomas (at Saints) WIDE RECEIVERS Kenbrell Thompkins (at Falcons)Last week - 3 catches, 41 yards, 2 TDIf you dropped Thompkins earlier in the season, now is the time to pick him up again. After struggling to find chemistry with Tom Brady in the first two weeks of the season, the two connected in Week 3 with Thompkins hauling in the first two touchdowns of his career. With Rob Gronkowski nearing a return, Thompkins red zone targets will go down but hes still worth owning simply as a piece of New Englands potentially potent offence. Donnie Avery (vs Giants)Last week - 7 catches, 141 yardsAverys seven catches last Thursday were six more than presumptive top receiver Dwayne Bowes one. While that certainly wont be the case every week, with the Chiefs offence looking promising through three weeks of the season, having their No. 2 receiver certainly isnt a bad thing. Stephen Hill (at Titans)Last week - 3 catches, 108 yards, 1 TDThe thinking heading into the season was that Jets receivers, save for perhaps Santonio Holmes, were basically undraftable. After Hills big day against the divisional rival Buffalo Bills, that may change. To be fair, Hill still only had three catches so to think hell eclipse 100 yards receiving every week is unreasonable, but hes the teams No. 2 WR and should see more targets as Geno Smith continues to progress. Others to consider - Ace Sanders (vs Colts), Jason Avant (at Broncos) TIGHT ENDS Heath Miller (at Vikings)Last week - 3 catches, 35 yardsMiller made his season debut on Sunday night and if hes still available this week, needs be picked up. Miller was held to just three catches for 35 yards against Chicago but should see his numbers improve moving forward. Miller was the fifth-ranked tight end for 2012 and while Pittsburghs offence has looked inconsistent to start 2013, hes still a TE1 moving forward. Coby Fleener (at Jaguars)Last week - 2 catches, 13 yardsFleeners first game as a starter in the wake of Dwayne Allens season-ending hip injury was forgettable, but the sophomore TE is still a starter in a fairly potent offence, and that means plenty of chances for big games. While he isnt a TE1, at least not at this stage in his career, Fleener should be given the chance to develop into a strong TE2 this season. Zach Miller (at Texans)Last week - 2 catches, 5 yards, 2 TDsWhat Millers line against the Texans tells us is that hes not targeted very often in Seattles offence, expect in the red zone. And thats okay! You arent going get a lot of receiving yards points from Miller but if youre desperate for a tight end, he is one that could find the end zone for you. Others to consider - Scott Chandler (vs Ravens), Dallas Clark (at Bills) cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '

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