Stars und Sternchen! » comeback victory Sunday

TORONTO - It didnt take long for the Raptors to address their top priority of the summer. Less than 48 hours after the July 1 free agency window opened, the Raptors reached an agreement with their star point guard Kyle Lowry, bringing him back to Toronto for four more years at a reported $48 million, according to several outlets and confirmed by Lowry himself over Twitter. "Toronto will be my home city," the 28-year-old tweeted Wednesday evening, along with a picture of himself decked out in retro Raptors gear. The deal has an early termination option in the final year, allowing Lowry to become an unrestricted free agent after the third season if he chooses. Although the contract has been agreed to in principle, it cant be signed or made official until the NBAs moratorium period is lifted on July 10. Lowry spent the day mulling over Torontos offer and weighing his options with his family and agent after meeting with Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri and head coach Dwane Casey Tuesday afternoon in his hometown of Philadelphia. The Raptors point guard was visited by members of the Rockets front office, also receiving interest from the Heat and Mavericks. Ultimately, he opted to return to the team he helped lead to a division title, at a significant pay raise from what he was making when he enjoyed a career season in 2013-14. Earning $6.2 million last year, Lowry registered career-highs of 17.9 points, 7.4 assists and 4.7 rebounds while narrowly missing out on what would have been his first all-star selection during a breakout campaign with the Raptors. Entering his prime, the eight-year vet will be the eighth highest paid point guard in the league next season after finishing third in Win Shares among players at his position last year. His new contract will be more than twice the size of his previous one, a four-year, $23.5 million deal signed in 2010. Lowry has earned a total of $28.8 million over the first eight years of his career. Although a deserved raise played a role in his decision to re-sign - the Raptors had the advantage of being able to pay him more than any other team - Lowry became entrenched as a leader with the team both on the court and in the locker room, endearing himself to the city with his hard play. "At the end of the day its still a business and you have to be a businessman for the situation that youre in," he had said the afternoon after his team was eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs. "But I am very happy. This has been one of the best seasons Ive had, through and through. Best coaches, teammates, [front office]. Its been great. I am happy. Without a doubt I can say Im happy." "I love this place," he continued. "I love the situation. Its simple as that." For that very reason his return was hardly in doubt, though Raptors fans are generally conditioned to hope for the best and fear for the worst. The Raptors front office, coaching staff and even Lowrys teammates remained confident a deal would get done throughout the process but he did have other viable options to consider, given his desire to compete for a championship and his status as this summers most coveted point guard. Bringing him back, amid the long-time perception that players dont want to be in Toronto, is a major coup for a Raptors franchise that is determined to change their culture under the leadership of Ujiri and MLSE boss Tim Leiweke. The Raptors acquired Lowry in a trade from Houston during the summer of 2012 after he fell out of favour with Rockets coach Kevin McHale. Despite a turbulent first season in Toronto, one that saw him battle injury and feud with Coach Casey, Lowry came to training camp in the best shape of his playing career and took his game to a new level after a pre-season meeting with Ujiri sparked his competitive nature. With the Raptors contemplating a rebuild following the December trade of Rudy Gay, Lowrys best friend, Ujiri nearly moved the point guard in a deal that would have sent him to New York. Fuelled by Lowrys breakout, the resurgent Raptors continued to win and Ujiri slowly became a believer. Last season, Ujiris first at the helm of the Raptors, was always supposed to be a "show me" year for Lowry. Ujiri had always promised to be fair to Lowry and maintained he would be given the platform to sink or swim. Like any other investment, Lowry is a calculated risk but the Raptors are betting the 2013-14 version will be more of the norm than an anomaly going forward. Prioritizing continuity this offseason, Ujiri can now shift his focus to re-signing restricted free agents Patrick Patterson and Greivis Vasquez, both of whom should attract varying degrees of interest on the open market. If retained, the Raptors wont have much more than their mid-level exception to spend and could flirt with the luxury tax this coming season. Cheap Air Max 270 Orange . There are surprises among the Vezina candidates, but most of the others are standard top-tier performers, even if the two Hart Trophy runners-ups have never been quite as good as they have been through the first half of the season. Cheap Air Max 270 Black . -- Green Bay wide receiver Greg Jennings will be on the sideline as the Packers make their push for a perfect regular season. http://www.airmax270cheap.us/ .com) - The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to play spoiler as the Los Angeles Kings will try to match their longest winning streak in over four years in Thursdays battle at Staples Center. Air Max 270 Flyknit Colorways . -- The Atlanta Braves added to their extensive wave of long-term deals with their young stars on Sunday by agreeing to a $42 million, four-year contract with All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel. Air Max 270 Flyknit Oreo . Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Raptors have traded forward Steve Novak along with a second-round pick to the Utah Jazz in exchange for guard Diante Garrett - who will then be waived.LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Kobe Bryant has gradually accepted that its a good idea to miss a few games this season to keep his 36-year-old body in top shape for the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers schedule.With a day off coming up, he put everything into another vintage late-game performance against the Indiana Pacers.Bryant scored 20 points and hit the go-ahead short jumper with 12.4 seconds to play, leading the Lakers to an 88-87 comeback victory Sunday night.Bryant is learning to accept his 36-year-old bodys limitations, and he agreed with coach Byron Scotts decision to leave him home from Mondays game at Portland. While playing just 32 minutes against Indiana, Bryant scored nine points in the final 2:32 after the Lakers rallied from a 13-point deficit in the second half.I have many faults, but one of my strengths is that I can be realistic and that I can build around that, Bryant said. I have to understand my weaknesses, what I cant do, accept it and then try to dominate.It wasnt utter domination, but resilience: Bryant hit a contested 3-pointer from the corner to put the Lakers up 84-82 with 2 minutes to play, but Solomon Hill answered with a 3-pointer for the Pacers, who repeatedly grabbed key offensive rebounds. Bryant then missed a 3-footer with 50 seconds left, but buried the winning 4-footer.He has missed several potential go-ahead shots in the final seconds this season, but Kobe still isnt flinching in the clutch.Ive hit plenty of them in my day, Bryant said with a laugh. I think the city of L.A. is a little spoiled by it.Nick Young also scored 10 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter for the Lakers.Roy Hibbert missed a difficult jumper off a broken play as time expired to end the Lakers third win in 10 games.Not too good, Hibbert said about the Pacers final play. I dont think the shot that I took was the shot we drew up.C.J. Miles had 19 points to lead six Pacers scoring in double figures. Despite outrebounding the Lakers 50-37, Indiana failed to secure its first three-game winning streak of the season.With point guards George Hill and C.J. Watson sidelined by injuries, Donald Sloan had 16 poinnts, nine assists and seven rebounds in the third-stringers second straight start after not playing in the previous three games.ddddddddddddAfter Young made a steal and a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the first half with the Lakers down 48-41, Indiana opened its largest lead in the third quarter. The Lakers erased it gradually, pulling even on Youngs behind-the-head layup while falling down with 7:20 to play.TIP-INSPacers: Ian Mahinmi (torn left plantar fascia) is still sidelined along with George Hill (strained groin) and Watson (foot). ... Bryant is the only player left in the NBA from the Lakers victory over the Pacers in the 2000 NBA Finals. Al Harrington, the last Pacers player still in the league last season, is playing in China.Lakers: During the fourth quarter, the Lakers announced rookie Julius Randle will have surgery to replace the screw in his right foot. Randle was lost for the season in the Lakers opening game with a broken right leg. ... Ronnie Price botched an uncontested dunk in the third quarter when the ball slipped out of his hand.NOT SO FLAGRANTHibbert got a technical foul when he reacted furiously to a foul from Carlos Boozer in the fourth quarter. Teammates kept the big men apart, but the Lakers were mystified by the officials decision to call a flagrant foul on Boozer after video review. I asked all three referees to explain to me what a flagrant foul is now, because I have no clue, Scott said. College ball is more aggressive than we are, and much more physical than the NBA right now.WES WOESWesley Johnson strained his right hip flexor in the second quarter and didnt return. He wont make the Lakers trip to Portland, leaving the Lakers down two regular starters. Johnson has started all 33 games for Los Angeles, averaging 9.7 points per game. Hell have an MRI on Monday.FREE THROWSThe Lakers made 16 of their 17 free throws in the second half, including all nine in the fourth quarter. Vogel didnt blame the officiating: We marched them to the free throw line in the fourth quarter, and they shot 93 per cent.UP NEXTPacers: Monday at Utah.Lakers: Monday at Portland. 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