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SACRAMENTO - The Raptors nearly got away with what should have been one of their most lopsided defeats of the season. Down by 22 early in the fourth quarter, the Raptors - on the heels of yet another fierce comeback - had cut their deficit to six as Kyle Lowry launched what could have been a game-changing three pointer. Kings rookie Ben McLemore closed out hard and the two collided just before Lowrys shot dropped and the whistle blew. Had the bucket counted and, assuming Lowry then connects on the subsequent free throw, the Raptors would have been down by two with 25 seconds remaining. Instead, official Eric Lewis called the foul on the shooter. Lowry had kicked out his leg on the jumper, he explained. The call was bold, to put it mildly, and in disbelief, Lowrys reaction earned him his second technical foul of the game. He was done for the night, heading straight to the locker room, and for all intents and purposes so, too, were the Raptors. On the night, the Raptors were assigned three techs. They finished the game with more personal fouls (35) than Kings field goals (32). Lowry, like the rest of his teammates, didnt say much following Wednesdays 109-101 loss in Sacramento. What he did say spoke volumes. "I cant say what I really want to say," Lowry commented, biting his tongue. "Its as simple as that." Theyve all lived through this narrative before, most recently in Portland this past weekend. Questionable officiating aside - theyve seen their fair share of that, too - slow starts followed by one last-ditch effort to save the day have become the norm. Its a bad habit that the likes of Indiana and Miami can get away with because theyre Indiana and Miami. When the Raptors play with fire, more often than not, theyll get burned. Dwane Casey, moments after lacing into his players in the locker room, could have gone after the officials but wisely chose to save his money and direct his angst at the team. Correct what you can control was the mindset, and the Raptors have displayed a few glaring faults worth correcting. "We havent done anything, Ive been repeating this, we havent done anything in this league yet to come out and play in second gear until we try to turn it on," said the Raptors coach, his team giving up 92 points and trailing by 20 after three quarters Wednesday. "Were not that good and, until we have that disposition from start to finish, were going to be disappointed a lot. Ive said that warning, Ive given that warning and like I just told them, they have to decide how they want to live." The emotions of the evening got the better of them. On a night in which seven players - including the Kings Rudy Gay - faced their former team for the first time since Decembers trade, Sacramento came out with the focus that escaped the Raptors. "Its a business" is a phrase that was uttered over and over on both sides leading up to the much-anticipated reunion between Gay and the Raptors, but only one team followed through on it. "Were out hugging, giving [high] fives and all that," said a disappointed Casey. "This is a business and I didnt think our disposition from start to finish was in the fight mode, the hungry-team mode." The Raptors had rallied around Gay as he made his first trip back to Memphis earlier in the season and the Kings did the same Wednesday. The former Raptors forward and leading scorer had a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds, but he didnt do it alone because he didnt have to. DeMarcus Cousins scored 25 and Isaiah Thomas added 23. Combined, the three Kings accounted for 41 of the Kings 51 free throw attempts. Toronto made just 24 trips to the line. "Its about putting your body on someone," Casey said. "The fundamental box-out, going to get it, getting to rebounds, all the little things that you have to do. And then you put them on the line 51 times because either youre late or out of position." Just like it did in Portland on Saturday, Torontos defence took the first half off. The Kings - a 16-win team going into the evening - scored 30 points in the first quarter and 37 in the second. By halftime, four of their five starters were in double figures. The Raptors are a resilient bunch, sure. Comeback specialist Steve Novak checked in and promptly knocked down three triples. They made a game of it, as theyve been known to do, but when you rely on the miraculous, you leave yourself vulnerable to the unpredictable nature of crunch time in the NBA. Things happen. In Portland, it was a relatively unforced turnover on the games final possession. In Sacramento, it was a bad call. The visitors locker room in Sleep Train Arena - easily the coziest in the league - was filled with frustrated players, packed together like sardines. They had every reason to be frustrated, but as Casey stressed to them, they need to look inward. "We got guys who are going to fight to the end, but we cant let ourselves get down by 20 and think we are going to come back every time," said John Salmons, one of four Raptors who came over in the trade from Sacramento. "Its not going to happen every time." "Like I told the guys in the locker room, it was probably the worst game weve played since I got here," said Chuck Hayes, another former Kings player. "This ones probably going to [cause us to] lose a couple hours of sleep but weve got to get over it." Ryan Kesler Jersey . Blown save in the ninth inning? No problem. Adam Henrique Jersey . - Justin Turner is at his best with runners in scoring position, and he delivered again in a big spot for the Los Angeles Dodgers. http://www.authenticduckspro.com/Scott-n...r-ducks-jersey/. Amare Stoudemire had 22 points and 10 rebounds, Carmelo Anthony scored 21 and the New York Knicks won their eighth straight game, 93-92 over Philadelphia on Friday night, sending the Sixers to their 23rd straight loss. Teemu Selanne Jersey . Then again, he really was at his home away from home. "It was nice to sleep in my own bed last night," Shields said after pitching Kansas City past the San Diego Padres 8-0 Wednesday. Corey Perry Jersey . - Suspended Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Justin Blackmon has voluntarily checked into a treatment facility and seems to be doing well. FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Add yet another chapter to the long-running saga that is the New York Jets-New England Patriots rivalry. But, heres a new twist: Rex Ryan actually defended Bill Belichick. Wait. Say what? Well, it started Thursday when a profile on Cleveland Browns coach Mike Pettine published on Sports Illustrateds theMMQB.com site included a revelation from the former Jets defensive co-ordinator that suggested New England might have obtained a copy of New Yorks playbook a few years ago. Pettine said Ryan, his longtime buddy, once gave Alabama coach Nick Saban a playbook -- and Pettine warned that Belichick and Saban are close friends. At the wedding of then-Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker a few years ago, Tom Brady bragged to former Jets assistant Mike Smith that New England might have gotten its hands on one of its rivals playbooks. "It didnt shock me," Pettine told the site, "because Rex would give them out like candy anyway." After the Jets completed their final minicamp practice, Ryan became agitated at times when asked about the story. The Jets coach refuted the suggestion that Saban -- who is also friends with Ryan -- might have given Belichick and the Patriots a sneak peek. "One thing I know for a fact, No. 1, I think its disrespectful to New England to say, Oh, they did this," Ryan said. "I can tell you every single game weve ever had with New England has been decided on the field. Nobodys had a competitive advantage. Nobodys had anything else. And thats a fact." The Patriots have won seven of the 11 games against the Jets since Ryan became New Yorks coach in 2009. Ryan said in the Jets losses, Belichicks bunch simply "outperformed us." So, this is, of course, not quite a scandal such as Spygate. Then, came the bombshell moment. "To discredit somebody like Belichick, who is a real coach, studies his butt off," Ryan said, "is ridiculous." Ryan explained that every team frequently changes its playbooks, tailoring plans to specific opponents. Theyre also coded in ways that would be difficult for opponents to completely decipher. "To me, I think its ridiculous," Ryan said. "But I think it sounds like everybody needs to talk to Pettine, because apparently hes got all the information." Alabama associate athletic director Jeff Purinton confirmed that Saban has a copy of the playboook Ryan gave to him -- and it has remained in his office at the school.dddddddddddd Belichick opted to not comment after the Patriots practice. "Talk to Mike Pettine," Belichick said. "I dont know." In the interview, Pettine used the anecdote to explain why he doesnt have thick playbooks -- just in case they end up in the wrong hands. Ryan acknowledged he wasnt sure if Pettine was just displaying his dry sense of humour, but was clearly irked by the whole situation. "I dont understand what hes trying to gain by it," Ryan said. "Thats up to Mike and hes certainly free to do whatever he chooses." Pettine and Ryan have been friends for years, dating to their days together in Baltimore. Pettine was Ryans defensive co-ordinator in New York before he left to take the same position in Buffalo in 2012. Cleveland hired Pettine as its head coach this off-season. Ryan was asked if a first-year head coach such as Pettine might consider staying out of the spotlight. "Yeah, he needs to learn to be quiet," said a smiling Ryan, whose mouth certainly has gotten him in trouble over the years. "Absolutely." The Jets coach then continued to lighten the mood, saying the story was being "a bit overblown" and analyzed his relationship with Pettine. "Its in a bad spot right now," a laughing Ryan said. "Like, really dude? Seriously?" Ryan later praised Pettine for his work by his side for so many years and acknowledged that he was proud of him for becoming a head coach in the NFL. So, will Ryan reach out to Pettine to smooth things over? "I dont need to," Ryan said with a grin. "Im going on vacation." Hmmm. Picture it: Ryan and Belichick having fun in the sun on Cape Cod. Now that would be some plot twist. NOTES: The Jets signed a pair of "camp legs" -- K Andrew Furney and P Jacob Schum -- and released TE Terrence Miller, putting their roster at 90 players. ... LB David Harris sat out with a hamstring issue that isnt serious. Ryan joked that Harris absence was a result of "the playbook issue." ... Ryan said hes "pretty optimistic" that RB Chris Johnson will be ready to participate in training camp next month. Johnson is coming off off-season knee surgery. Ryan suggested the Jets could use "pitch counts" for Johnson to limit his practice days. 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