Die Macht » towards the remaining $107 million Kemp is owed on his

TORONTO - Theyre riding a league-best six-game winning streak, a franchise-best record for this point in the season, and sit atop the Eastern Conference standings.The Toronto Raptors couldnt have done much more to cushion themselves for their first major test of the season — a gruelling trip west.The Raptors won their sixth game in a row Sunday afternoon, beating the struggling New York Knicks 118-108 behind Kyle Lowrys 22 points and nine assists.Then they rolled their suitcases out of the comfortable confines of the Air Canada Centre to board a flight to Chicago. Awaiting them: the Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns.Im ready for it, coach Dwane Casey said of the looming road games. Ive been preaching it, and we should be ready for it. Everyone is all excited. But again, reality is real, and we have to be ready for adversity whenever it hits. You go in with positive vibes and are ready to kick some behind, but when adversity hits thats when you find out how close we are and how we have to stick together.The Raptors (22-6), who reached 20 wins before Christmas for the first time in team history, have thrived on their togetherness. Toronto is also 16 games above .500 for the first time in club history. Sundays game followed a similar balanced storyline. Lou Williams and Greivis Vasquez came off the bench to contribute 22 and 21 points, respectively.Terrence Ross finished with 18 points, including a jaw-dropping dunk that saw him corral a long pass from Lowry and take flight near the free-throw line. James Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas finished with 10 points apiece.Lowry, who has built his game on hustle and hard work, was at his bulldog-best. On one memorable play, the point guard bolted to save a loose ball, and was running so hard he ran halfway up one of the exit tunnels. He needed to grab on to a railing to slow himself down.But the Raptors were blessed with a favourable early schedule. Theyve played more home games than any other team, and have capitalized on it, going 14-3 at the ACC this season. And their six-game winning streak came entirely against teams from the weaker Eastern Conference.Its going to be a challenge, Vasquez said on the trip west. Were looking forward to this challenge. Any time you go to the west, its not easy but I think were good enough to come out with a couple of wins and do our job. Weve got to remain humble and hungry and continue to work.Its important that we play good teams because its really going to test our character, he added. We havent really faced adversity and everything right now is great, but I think were ready for a couple of premium tests.We cant be satisfied because weve got a 22-6 record. We want more.The Raptors long trip coincides with the world junior hockey championships in Toronto. They dont return home until Jan. 8, when they host the Charlotte Hornets.Casey said his team is past the point of fearing trips to the west.If something happens where we dont come out (with wins) lets learn from it, continue to grow and move forward, he said. We are a growing team and we are going to hit rough spots in the road.It hasnt hit yet but it has in certain games and in certain areas. Like tonight our rebounding in the first half. Our defensive rotation and closeouts and getting stops in crucial situations came back and got us tonight. Carmelo Anthony scored 28 points Sunday to top the Knicks (5-25), losers of 15 of their last 16 games.Former Raptor Jose Calderon, who received a warm ovation during the Knicks introduction, finished with 15 points and 10 assists.The Raptors had needed overtime to beat the Knicks 95-90 a week earlier in new York, but Sunday was a far different story. Toronto never trailed and had cobbled together a 17-point lead by the third quarter.The Raptors led 91-75 going into the fourth, in front of a capacity crowd of 19,800 at the ACC. When Williams drained two free throws, it gave Toronto a 106-88 lead with six minutes to play, and prompted the crowds late-game chant of We want Bru-no! in reference to seldom-used fan favourite Brazilian rookie Bruno Caboclo.The Knicks would pull within 12 points a couple of times in the dying minutes, but that was as close as they would get until former Raptor Quincy Acy scored on a slam dunk with two seconds left to play.The raucous fans were rewarded in the final two minutes when Casey subbed in Caboclo and fellow Brazilian Lucas Nogueira.The Raptors played their 12th game without injured all-star DeMar DeRozan, but have fared well in his absence. Theyre 9-3 without DeRozan, whos sidelined with a torn groin tendon.Torontos Landry Fields was held out of the game after failing his second concussion test. Fields landed on his head in a frightening crash in Fridays 110-100 win in Detroit.Vasquez addressed the ACC crowd pre-game, thanking the fans who travelled to Detroit for Fridays 110-100 victory there on Friday, and wishing everyone happy holidays. Knicks forward and Montreal native Samuel Dalembert was ejected in the third quarter for a Flagrant 2 foul — a hard elbow to the face of Valanciunas.The Raptors shot 50 per cent in the first quarter to quickly open up a 10-point lead. They went into the second quarter ahead 33-25.Toronto continued to build its lead in the second, and a three from Williams put them up by 16 points with 5:21 to play in the first half. The Knicks ended the frame with a 15-6 run, and the Raptors took a 58-51 advantage into the dressing room at halftime.Rosss slam dunk put the Raptors up by 17 points with 7:09 left in a third quarter that saw Toronto outscore the Knicks 33-24 and put them up by 16 points going into the fourth. Dan Otero Indians Jersey . Chile applied pressure in midfield right from the beginning, challenging aggressively and continually surging forward. Eduardo Vargas beat the offside trap and fired home a stinging shot for Chiles opening goal in the fifth minute. Len Barker Jersey . The Oilers have been shut out in three straight home games and are in last place in the Western Conference with a 4-14-2 record. "Things have obviously not gone as well as I would have thought probable. https://www.cheapindiansonline.com/2958u-mel-harder-jersey-indians.html . Louis still looking for a way out of Tampa Bay, the 38-year-old NHL veteran isnt showing his cards. Bobby Bradley Jersey . Goodell said in an ESPN Radio interview Monday (http://es.pn/1gkbauy ) that participants played harder and made the game very competitive. Goodell says he had fun watching the game Sunday and thinks fans did, too. Cody Anderson Indians Jersey . On paper, it looks a little like Andre the Giant taking on a midget wrestler. It has all the makings of a rout with the Americans adding an eighth win in nine outings of this biennial event. The Yanks have eight players in the top 15 in the world while the Internationals have just one.(SportsNetwork.com) - The San Diego Padres are considering whether or not to finalize or void their agreed-upon trade for Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Matt Kemp due to results over the outfielders physical, according to a report from USA Today. Sources told USA Today that Kemps physical revealed arthritis in both of his hips, with the Padres still trying to determine whether the condition will impact the remainder of the 30-year-olds playing career. The Padres and Dodgers had set a deadline for Thursday to complete the deal, in which Los Angeles would send Kemp and backup catcher Tim Federowicz to San Diego in exchange for catcher Yasmani Grandal, pitcher Joe Wieland and minor league hurler Zach Elfin. Los Angeles is also believed to be sending the Padres $32 million towards the remaining $107 million Kemp is owed on his contract, whicch runs through 2019.dddddddddddd. The snag also impacts the Dodgers pending trade with Philadelphia involving Jimmy Rollins, as Elfin was to be sent to the Phillies for the veteran shortstop. Kemp has been hampered by hamstring issues in two of the last three seasons, missing 51 games in 2012 and 73 in 2013. The 2011 National League MVP runner- up did play in 150 games this past season, batting .287 with 25 home runs and 89 RBI. Padres first-year general manager A.J. Preller has been aggressive this offseason in trying to improve an offense that was the worst in the majors in 2014. In addition to the potential Kemp trade, Preller reportedly has swung a deal to acquire 2013 American League Rookie of the Year Wil Myers from Tampa Bay as part of a three-team swap that also involves the Washington Nationals. ' ' '