BROOKLYN - With the NFLs self-proclaimed best cornerback sitting courtside, Patrick Patterson came up with a timely interception. Andrew Luck Jersey . "Patrick looked like Richard Sherman out there with that steal," said Kyle Lowry, who may have set a franchise record for most post-game fist pumps after Patterson picked off an inbound pass and drained the winning jump shot moments later. For the first time in nearly two years, the Raptors were without DeMar DeRozan, as their leading scorer watched on from Toronto, nursing a recently sprained left ankle. Not even 10 minutes after the final buzzer - Toronto defeating the red-hot Brooklyn Nets 104-103 Monday evening - Lowry had already spoken with his injured teammate, via FaceTime. The conversation went as follows: "I cant tell you [what he said]," Lowry informed the enquiring media. Lowry, in the middle of a career season, was all smiles after what may have been his best game as a Raptor. The win and the vindicating feeling that accompanied it in the Raptors locker room were nearly stolen from them. With 19 seconds remaining and the Nets up one, Lowry drove into Deron Williams, a moving target, and was whistled for an offensive foul. The controversial call, made by official Violet Palmer, was the latest in a series of questionable whistles. Lowry, along with coach Dwane Casey, was understandably irate. "Its her call," Lowry said after the game. "She made a great call, I mean thats her call. Hey, she called it." You can read between the lines. Down by three after Paul Pierce sunk a pair of free throws, John Salmons extended the game with a quick layup, leading to an inbound play that the Raptors were prepared for. "We knew exactly what they were going to run," Casey said, crediting the teams scouting staff. "Our defence was set." No excuses. They were missing their best player and on the road against an opponent that had won 10 of 11 games in the New Year, their only loss coming to Toronto. The officials were doing them no favours, but this, of course, is a very different Raptors team than the one that would cower in these very situations. Pattersons first instinct after swiping Williamss inbound pass was to find Lowry, a wise decision, and the Raptors point guard set him up for the winning 12-footer, less than a minute after he air-balled a three-pointer. Patterson started the game wearing a face-mask to protect his broken nose, but by the second half, he had tossed it away. He was putting it all out on the line, in more ways than one, when he made the biggest play of the night. "You know me," Patterson joked. "Richard Sherman, Ed Reed, were all in the same category." Sherman and the rest of the NFC champion Seattle Seahawks were in attendance for what turned out to be a playoff-type battle between two teams vying for top spot in the Atlantic. In a game that saw 18 lead changes and nine ties, the Raptors extended their cushion in the division to two and a half games. Theyre still the only team to defeat Brooklyn in the calendar year. "Its a division game, I think everyone knew how big the game was for us," said Lowry, who took his game to another level in the absence of DeRozan, scoring 31 points to go along with seven assists and five steals. "For me personally I just wanted to try to do my best to keep my guys and keep our team together no matter what happened and try to win the game." DeRozan, who sustained his injury in Saturdays loss to the Clippers, had missed just eight games in his four-and-a-half-year career prior to sitting out on Monday. Theres no timetable for his recovery and, while his teammates anxiously await his return, theyre not relying on it. Often, you can learn a lot about a team and its players when a significant cog is removed. The lesson on this night; the Raptors have an array of viable weapons and Lowry has become their heart and soul. Reggie Wayne Jersey .J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his left knee. T.Y. Hilton Colts Jersey . Spieth again showed game well beyond his 20 years with a 9-under 63 on the North Course, giving him a one-shot lead over Stewart Cink going into the weekend at the Farmers Insurance Open.TIJUANA, Mexico -- Ecuador striker Jaime Ayovi scored twice in the first ten minutes to lead Tijuana to the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals with a 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy on Tuesday. Ayovi scored in the 2nd and 9th minutes as Tijuana claimed a 4-3 aggregate win over the two legs of the quarterfinals. Argentine striker Dario Benedetto added a goal in the 26th minute and Richard Ruiz lengthened the lead in the 80th for Tijuana. Robbie Keane scored off an Omar Gonzalez pass in the 46th minute and found the net again in 84th for the Galaxy. Tijuana, playing for the first time in the regions top club tournament, will play either Sporting Kansas City or Mexico City-based Cruz Azul in the semifinals. The Mexicans started strong and took the lead when Argentine Christian Pelleranos shot inside the boox was deflected by goalkeeper Jaime Penedo and the rebound fell to Ayovi, who scored from two meters (yards). DQwell Jackson Colts Jersey. Ayovi got his second goal off a long cross from Pellerano and dribbled the ball past Penedo before finishing finished with a soft touch. Tijuana*s third goal came when Benedetto stole the ball from Brazilian defender Leonardo Da Silva and scored with a powerful shot to the right post of the goalkeeper Penedo. The Galaxy drew one back when Landon Donovan sent a cross inside the box to Gonzalez, who headed the ball to Keane for the goal. Ruiz made it 3-1 with a powerful strike inside the box, but Keane scored again to keep the Galaxy in touch. The Galaxy pushed for a third goal that would have been enough to advance on aggregate, but the Tijuana defence held on for the win. ' ' '
