TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors already have the most regular-season wins in their history and will finish first in the Eastern
Conference
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The Raptors defeated the Indiana Pacers 92-73 on Friday night to earn their 57th win of the season, which surpasses their previous best of 56, and clinched
first place in the conference for the first time.
“It’s gratification but you are not satisfied, I guess is how I would like to put it because we haven’t got to our ultimate goal,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey
said.
The Raptors (57-22) conclude their home schedule Sunday when they play the Orlando Magic (24-55) at the Air Canada Centre. They have two more road games to
complete their regular season and will have the home-court advantage through the
Eastern Conference playoffs.
“It is a feeling of gratification in the fact of where we started,” Casey said. “Seven years ago, at the bottom of the conference so to
speak
Connor
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DeMar DeRozan coming from a young skinny kid at USC to where he is now. Kyle
Lowry coming in and Jonas (Valanciunas) coming from Lithuania and growing, going
through his growing pains.”
The Raptors, who have set a team record with 33 home victories, have won 17 of their past 20 games against Orlando, including both meetings this season.
Toronto has swept the season-series with the Magic four times in team history,
most recently in 2014-15.
While Toronto is hoping for a long playoff run
Milan
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NBA draft.
The Charlotte Hornets defeated a depleted Orlando lineup 137-100 on Friday night.
Injuries have beset the Magic. Evan Fournier and Terrence Ross have been out with knee injuries and Jonathon Simmons also missed his ninth straight game with
a right wrist contusion. Aaron Gordon (sore right calf) and Nikola Vucevic
(tight lower back) also were scratched from the lineup Friday.
Talented rookie Jonathan Isaac will miss his fourth straight game Sunday with a sprained left ankle and his injury-plagued season could be over.
“Unless he turns a corner, there is a good chance he doesn’t play again this year,” Magic coach Frank Vogel said. “The emphasis of his offseason will be to
strengthen his lower extremities.”
The Magic had four G-League callups in the lineup Friday and the team had a slow start, forcing Vogel to call two timeouts before eight minutes had been
played.
“Our four young guys, they got opportunities to play extended minutes and earn jobs and make a name for themselves, and they did not take advantage of
that opportunity tonight,” Vogel said.
The Raptors
Jakob
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a beginning.
“I mean it just shows you once you put your mind to something to work towards, a goal, it can be accomplished,” DeRozan said. “We did that, now you
know we have another goal that we want to reach as well, so it just gives us
that confidence to know we can do it and take it to another level.”
Added Lowry: “This year we didn’t know what to expect. We knew things were going to be different and once we got into the
season
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The Browns signed free agent linebacker Mychal Kendricks, who started last season for the
Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Hendricks' official signing ends a strange sequence of denials about going to Cleveland and contradictory messages coming from his agent.
The 27-year-old started 13 regular-season games last season and all three during the Eagles' postseason title run. He underwent ankle surgery in March and
Philadelphia released him on May 22.
Kendricks also visited with Minnesota and Oakland. Brother Eric starts at linebacker for the Vikings.
A seven-year NFL veteran, Kendricks brings more depth to Cleveland's group of linebackers. He provides more options to a unit that's undergone significant
change in the offseason.
To make room for Kendricks, the Browns released s linebacker Tank Carder, who had been the team since 2012. He missed all last season after tearing a knee
ligament during an exhibition
game.
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