TORONTO -- Fans of the Canadian mens basketball team got a first-hand look at Gary Forbes and his offensive skills last summer. Kris Durham . The new Toronto Raptors forward scored 39 points for Panama in a 91-89 win over Canada that dashed the national teams Olympic hopes and led to head coach Leo Rautins resignation. "I heard one of the coaches retired right after that," Forbes said. "So I guess I can put that on my resume." Forbes was one of the last players to leave the floor after a morning practice session Wednesday at Air Canada Centre. Toronto landed the 26-year-old restricted free agent when Denver didnt match the Raptors offer sheet. "We were surprised -- we felt that Denver was going to match," said head coach Dwane Casey. "We were happy to get him. Hes a very talented young man. Hes a ball handler, creator off the dribble, a shooter." Forbes averaged 5.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 12.6 minutes a game in his rookie campaign with the Nuggets. He felt the Raptors would be a good fit. "Its a young team, a new coach and I feel that were on the same page," Forbes said. Casey, who worked as an assistant with the NBA champion Mavericks last season, said he was impressed with Forbes play when the small forward was with Denver. "The Canadian national team saw some of his work last summer," Casey said. "I knew about him because he kicked our butts in Dallas." Forbes is the fourth player Toronto has signed since the recent ratification of the new collective bargaining agreement. The Raptors also inked Canadian Jamaal Magloire, Anthony Carter and Rasual Butler. The addition of Forbes gives the team another good-sized body with some scoring touch. It also essentially finalizes the roster ahead of Torontos pre-season opener against the visiting Boston Celtics on Sunday. Who starts is another question. Jose Calderon looks like the favourite at point guard but Jerryd Bayless still has a chance to sway Casey, who will make a decision in the coming days. "I dont want a point guard controversy and there wont be one," Casey said. Amir Johnson and Andrea Bargnani can both play power forward and centre -- who starts where is unclear. DeMar DeRozan will likely be the starting shooting guard and expect James Johnson to get the nod at small forward. James Johnson made a significant improvement to his per-game averages after becoming a starter with the Raptors after a mid-season trade with Chicago. He likes that Toronto uses a balanced offensive approach instead of running most plays through one star player. "Its perfect -- were not singling anybody out," Johnson said. "This offence lets everybody touch the ball." Toronto needs to improve at both ends of the floor after struggling to a 22-60 record last season. Casey is instilling a defence-first mantra in his first season with the team. The Raptors have some work to do on that front. Toronto gave up over 100 points in 54 games last season -- winning just nine times when the opponent cracked triple digits. The Raptors open the regular season Dec. 26 in Cleveland. Notes: Rautins works as a broadcaster for the Raptors. He was not in attendance when Forbes spoke to reporters. ... Veteran guard Leandro Barbosa dressed but didnt practise as a precaution. Hes nursing a sore knee. ... Forward Linas Kleiza is expected to miss at least the next month after undergoing knee surgery earlier this year. ... The Raptors announced Wednesday that all 66 games will be televised nationally for a sixth straight season. A total of 37 games will be televised on either TSN or TSN2 with Rogers Sportsnet or Sportsnet One handling the other 29 games. ... James Johnson said he had a cageside seat for UFC 140 last Saturday night. He used to compete as a mixed martial artist before focusing on his basketball career. Joseph Fauria . Halifax beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 7-5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, Matt Murphy and Brent Andrews. Jonathan Drouin also scored and had three assists while Zachary Fucale made 17 saves for the Mooseheads (16-8-0), who led 6-1 after two periods. Chris Houston . 98 jersey in a game yet, and already its a big seller.ATLANTA -- Jeff Teague had a career-high 33 points and 10 assists, Al Horford added 20 points and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 113-103 on Friday night. DeMarre Carroll finished with a career-high 21 points for Atlanta, which has won three of four. Evan Turner scored 27 points, Tony Wroten had 22 points, and Spencer Hawes finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Sixers, who have lost three of four. Hawks guard Lou Williams, returning to the court for the first time since undergoing reconstructive right knee surgery 10 months ago, finished with seven points, three rebounds and two assists in 15 minutes. Williams, in his second season with Atlanta, received a rousing cheer when he entered the game midway through the first quarter. Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer said before the game that Williams, who spent his first seven seasons with the Sixers, will not play on consecutive nights. The Hawks visit the New York Knicks on Saturday. Budenholzer decided to bring forward Paul Millsap, Atlantas second-leading scorer this season, off the bench, and he finished with eight points. Gustavo Ayon started in his season debut, finishing with six points. Teague wove through the lane to feed Millsap for a dunk that made it 103-94 with 3:01 left. The Sixers were without second-leading scorer Michael Carter-Williams because of a bruised arch in his left foot. Carter-Williams missed his second straight game. The rookie was injured Monday in a home loss to San Antonio and is travelling with the team, but coach Brett Brown saaid he doubts the former Syracuse standout will play Saturday at New Orleans or Monday at Dallas. Larry Warford. Wroten, a second-year veteran starting in Carter-Williams spot, has done well in the guards absence. He had 18 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in his first career start, a home win over Houston on Wednesday. Hawks guard Kyle Korver hit a 3 in his 82nd consecutive game. Its the NBAs second career-leading streak and eight shy of breaking Dana Barros 17-year-old record. Korver finished with 13 points. Thaddeus Young had 17 points for Philadelphia. The Hawks biggest lead before halftime was 11 on Williams 3 in the final seconds of the first quarter, but Philadelphia had a two-point lead at intermission after Darius Morris hit a 3 with 2.5 seconds left and Carroll hit a 3 at the buzzer. Williams 8-foot runner lifted Atlanta to an 82-71 lead with 31.1 seconds left in the third. Philadelphia came within four on Hollis Thompsons dunk early in the fourth, but Brown called timeout with 7:39 remaining after Ayon caught Teagues alley-oop for a layup that made it 90-79. NOTES: Teagues previous career high was 28 points last Jan. 16 at Brooklyn. ... Carroll set a career high with four 3s. ... Barros set the NBA mark by hitting a 3 in 89 straight games from Dec. 23, 1994-Jan. 12, 1996, during stints with Philadelphia and Boston. ... Budenholzer and Brown, both first-year head coaches, know each other well. Budenholzer spent the previous 17 years and Brown the last 11 on San Antonios staff. ... There were 10 lead changes and nine ties. ' ' '
