both runners to advance and making it 4-2. Omar Infante ad

TORONTO - The moment Nik Stauskas had been waiting for since he was a boy finally came late in the first quarter Wednesday night.He stepped on the court of Torontos Air Canada Centre as a professional player.The Sacramento Kings rookie scored eight points in a 119-102 loss to the Raptors in what was a homecoming of sorts for the 21-year-old who grew up shooting hoops on his backyard basketball court in Mississauga, Ont., just down the highway from the ACC.Ive been in this building 100 times as a fan, this is my first time as a pro, Stauskas said. Everywhere I looked I saw someone who knew me and started waving at me, so I tried to focus as much as I could on the game and not get distracted, and hopefully now I can go say hi to a bunch of people.Wednesday night wasnt his first time on the Raptors court. Stauskas was a nine-year-old at an open practice when then-Raptors star Vince Carter plucked the boy out of the crowd for some one-on-one fun. Stauskas hit a three-pointer on Carter, who promptly tackled Stauskas to the floor, and, as his dad Paul remembered it, gave his son a noogie.Some 200 friends and family members — many in No. 10 Stauskas jerseys — were at the ACC on Wednesday to cheer on the Canadian, who was part of one of Canadas most successful NBA draft classes. His mom Ruta had purchased a block of 50 tickets alone for the closest friends and family. His dad Paul followed the action with a video camera in hand.Section 104. I saw them, Stauskas said, smiling.The Canadian checked into the game to a warm ovation.I heard em, he said. It was good to hear that, and it definitely helped me take out the nerves coming into the game here, the support.Stauskas went in with 2:09 to go in the first quarter, and scored his first points a minute into the second, running away from his defender to drain an open 21-foot jumper.There was some worry that Wednesdays game wasnt going to happen. The Kings were in New York to play the Knicks on Monday but the city was pounded by a snowstorm and that game was cancelled.I got really scared when they started talking about the storm because they were like We might not be able to get to Toronto, and I was like Man. Dont do this to me, Stauskas said, laughing. It was good we were able to get out here, and just happy (Tuesday) to go back home and see some family and friends. It was a lot of fun.It wasnt quite the storybook return Stauskas would have liked to write however. The Kings eighth overall pick in last summers NBA draft hasnt seen the floor as much as hed like. In two recent games, against the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trailblazers, Stauskas didnt play a minute.He came into Wednesdays affair averaging 3.7 points and 14.2 minutes in 41 games off the bench.Ive obviously struggled this year, said the six-foot-six guard. Everybodys just told me keep my head up. For example. . . Ben (McLemore) kind of went through the same things as I have this year. Everybodys just told me keep working hard, keep my head up and good things will come.The toughest adjustment for the former University of Michigan star has been mental, Stauskas said.Just being ready all the time, not focusing too much on the highs and the lows, he said. A good example, Klay (Thompson of Golden State) the other night had 37 on us in a quarter and then last night he went 0-for-13 from three. Its crazy how from night to night things can change like that and you cant let it affect you too much. Just going through times where I wasnt playing a lot or I wasnt playing well, I didnt know how to handle it day-to-day, with those kinds of things going on. Ive just kind of learned how to stay even-keeled more often and not worry about those things all that much.Stauskass name has also been swirling about in trade rumours, which he said was a surprise.But this is the NBA, I feel like everyone is in trade rumours at some point, he said. Growing up a huge fan of the game, its been tough to switch that part off. He still checks his phone nightly to see, for example, how many points LeBron James had. Im still a fan of the game, that doesnt change at all, but you try to separate it a little bit because youre competing against these guys, Stauskas said.When youre a kid, you look at these guys like theyre not human, at least thats how I saw them growing up. Youve just got to realize everyone puts their pants on the same way in the morning, theyre just like you, and were all competing against each other.Stauskas was complimentary of the Raptors.Theyve got a great team, very talented, one of the best teams in the east and one of the best teams in the league, he said. And DeMar (DeRozan) has been out for the majority of the season with that (groin) injury but I think when everyone on this team is healthy and theyre playing together, theyre a really tough team to stop.As for Stauskass first-year struggles, Kings coach and former Raptor Tyrone Corbin said the young guard is going through the growing pains of any NBA rookie. Hes learning whats going to give him a chance in this league, Corbin said. Hes a shooter. . . (he has to) find his shots, be ready for his shots, when you get the double teams on the weak side, to come off and be ready when the shots there, if not read and take things that are available for him quickly.On defence, his body has to get stronger to be able to defend guys in this league. But hes working hard, hes a rookie in this league so hes trying to find his way. Wholesale Nike React Shoes . Philbin said Thursday he wants players to treat one another with civility and he wont tolerate anything less. In taking questions for the first time since Ted Wells released his report into the bullying scandal that rocked the league, Philbin made it clear things would be cleaned up. Cheap Nike React Shoes From China . Cammalleri scored two goals, Corban Knight netted the winner in a shootout, and the Flames erased a two-goal deficit in the third period to beat the Stars 4-3 on Friday night. http://www.cheapnikereact.com/ . The Nevada Athletic Commission voted unanimously in Las Vegas to quit granting therapeutic use exemptions for fighters undergoing the so-called TRT. Cheap Nike React Shoes Free Shipping . Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks were proof of that on Wednesday night. Wholesale Nike React China . Fabio Fognini pulled off a surprise 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 victory over two-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray to level the best-of-five quarterfinal at 2-2 before Andreas Seppi defeated James Ward 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in the decisive match.KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Royals manager Ned Yost turned to pitching coach Dave Eiland in the fifth inning Saturday and told him that Kansas City was going to have to protect a one-run lead against Minnesota. The way his bullpen has been going, there was no need to worry. Danny Duffy, Wade Davis and Greg Holland allowed one walk and no hits over the final four innings, and the Royals held on for a scrappy 5-4 victory over the Twins. "Theyve been lights-out, and theyre starting to get accustomed to the season," Yost said of his relief corps, which helped starter Jason Vargas polish off a shutout in the series opener. The Royals have won five straight after getting swept last weekend in Minnesota. "We all compete together," Holland said. "We take it upon ourselves that were one unit out there. You throw in the competitiveness and you expect your teammates to pick you up." Bruce Chen (1-1) allowed all four runs on eight hits and four walks, but the damage could have been a whole lot worse. The crafty left-hander twice walked the bases loaded, and his only clean inning was the first, when Brian Dozier hit a fly out that nearly left the park. Still, a five-run fourth inning off Kevin Correia (1-1) staked Chen to a lead, and one of the best bullpens in baseball last season made it stand up on a sun-splashed afternoon. Duffy tossed two scoreless innings, and Davis navigated a perfect eighth before turning the game over to Holland, who set down the top of the Minnesota lineup for his sixth save. The Royals are 9-0 when scoring at least four runs. Theyre 0-7 scoring three or fewer. "When we get that magic number," DH Billy Butler said, "were hard to beat." Kurt Suzuki homered and drove in three runs for the Twins, and Aaron Hicks also drove in a run. But it wasnt enough for Correia, who wound up allowing all five runs, four of them earned. The Twins didnt help him much with their shaky defence. Left fielder Jason Kubel loost a fly ball in the glaring sun and it fell for a double in the second inning.dddddddddddd Then in the fourth, right fielder Chris Colabello misplayed a fly off the bat of Billy Butler that ended up at the warning track and put runners on second and third. "I took a chop step in and kind of froze. I didnt think he hit it that good," Colabello said. "Obviously theres nobody who feels worse about it than I do. Everything was being pushed toward centre. When I froze I got turned around." That was the start of the Royals game-changing charge. Mike Moustakas followed with a sacrifice fly and Justin Maxwell added an RBI single to tie the game. Alcides Escobar was plunked on the elbow, and Nori Aoki followed with a go-ahead single. Moments later, Escobar and Aoki took off on a double steal, and Twins catcher Josmil Pinto threw the ball into left field, allowing both runners to advance and making it 4-2. Omar Infante added a single to cap the five-run inning and give Kansas City a comfy cushion. "Were a starting staff that pitches to contact. We pride ourselves on making plays," Correia said. "These guys are going to come back and play good defence." The Twins got two runs back on Suzukis single in the fifth, but Chen managed to get Hicks to ground out with a pair of runners on board to preserve his one-run lead. "Some good things happened. Unfortunately, we had one bad inning and it cost us a ballgame," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "If we make the plays were supposed to make we win." NOTES: RHP Yordano Ventura pitches the series finale Sunday for Kansas City. RHP Phil Hughes is on the mound for Minnesota. ... Hicks collided with Colabello while making a catch at the wall in the fifth inning. Both players were OK. ... Twins 1B Joe Mauer, celebrating his 31st birthday, delivered a bunt single and scored in the fifth. ... Yost expects OF Jarrod Dyson (bereavement list) to return Monday. ' ' '