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BROOKLYN - With the NFLs self-proclaimed best cornerback sitting courtside, Patrick Patterson came up with a timely interception. "Patrick looked like Richard Sherman out there with that steal," said Kyle Lowry, who may have set a franchise record for most post-game fist pumps after Patterson picked off an inbound pass and drained the winning jump shot moments later. For the first time in nearly two years, the Raptors were without DeMar DeRozan, as their leading scorer watched on from Toronto, nursing a recently sprained left ankle. Not even 10 minutes after the final buzzer - Toronto defeating the red-hot Brooklyn Nets 104-103 Monday evening - Lowry had already spoken with his injured teammate, via FaceTime. The conversation went as follows: "I cant tell you [what he said]," Lowry informed the enquiring media. Lowry, in the middle of a career season, was all smiles after what may have been his best game as a Raptor. The win and the vindicating feeling that accompanied it in the Raptors locker room were nearly stolen from them. With 19 seconds remaining and the Nets up one, Lowry drove into Deron Williams, a moving target, and was whistled for an offensive foul. The controversial call, made by official Violet Palmer, was the latest in a series of questionable whistles. Lowry, along with coach Dwane Casey, was understandably irate. "Its her call," Lowry said after the game. "She made a great call, I mean thats her call. Hey, she called it." You can read between the lines. Down by three after Paul Pierce sunk a pair of free throws, John Salmons extended the game with a quick layup, leading to an inbound play that the Raptors were prepared for. "We knew exactly what they were going to run," Casey said, crediting the teams scouting staff. "Our defence was set." No excuses. They were missing their best player and on the road against an opponent that had won 10 of 11 games in the New Year, their only loss coming to Toronto. The officials were doing them no favours, but this, of course, is a very different Raptors team than the one that would cower in these very situations. Pattersons first instinct after swiping Williamss inbound pass was to find Lowry, a wise decision, and the Raptors point guard set him up for the winning 12-footer, less than a minute after he air-balled a three-pointer. Patterson started the game wearing a face-mask to protect his broken nose, but by the second half, he had tossed it away. He was putting it all out on the line, in more ways than one, when he made the biggest play of the night. "You know me," Patterson joked. "Richard Sherman, Ed Reed, were all in the same category." Sherman and the rest of the NFC champion Seattle Seahawks were in attendance for what turned out to be a playoff-type battle between two teams vying for top spot in the Atlantic. In a game that saw 18 lead changes and nine ties, the Raptors extended their cushion in the division to two and a half games. Theyre still the only team to defeat Brooklyn in the calendar year. "Its a division game, I think everyone knew how big the game was for us," said Lowry, who took his game to another level in the absence of DeRozan, scoring 31 points to go along with seven assists and five steals. "For me personally I just wanted to try to do my best to keep my guys and keep our team together no matter what happened and try to win the game." DeRozan, who sustained his injury in Saturdays loss to the Clippers, had missed just eight games in his four-and-a-half-year career prior to sitting out on Monday. Theres no timetable for his recovery and, while his teammates anxiously await his return, theyre not relying on it. Often, you can learn a lot about a team and its players when a significant cog is removed. The lesson on this night; the Raptors have an array of viable weapons and Lowry has become their heart and soul. Franmil Reyes Padres Jersey . Crawford hit his slam off Pirates starter Edinson Volquez to give San Francisco a four run lead in the fourth and they never looked back. Brandon Belt had three runs batted in as well. Bumgarner pitched all nine innings and allowed just four hits. Johnny Manziel Jersey . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers (4) – He had a strong game Sunday; was very good in tight with big saves on Crosby, Malkin and Neal in-crease. http://www.padressale.com/padres-wil-myers-jersey/ .com) - Hassan Whiteside scored 20 points with nine rebounds in the Miami Heats 83-75 win over the Boston Celtics on Sunday. Dave Winfield Padres Jersey . Span, Danny Espinosa and Adam LaRoche had two hits apiece as Washington won the final two games of the series. The Nationals improved to 3-7 against Atlanta. They increased their division lead over the Braves to 1 1/2 games. Manny Machado Padres Jersey . The 36-year-old said a few months ago he would hang up his boots at the end of the season, but has since changed his mind. "Its a pity the season is ending now, as I am in good physical shape and enjoying myself," Di Natale said.WOODBRIDGE, N.J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. The 38-year-old right-hander didnt pitch after June 1 in 2012 because of a strained right shoulder. His spleen was removed in January 2013 after he was injured when he fell in the snow at his home in Vermont. Pavano had been hoping to return to the major leagues this year. "Despite my strong desire to compete and hard work in preparing for the upcoming season, I feel that the amount of time lost from my spleen injury, coupled with the recovery from my complications from that injury, preclude me from continuing to compete at my highest level, which is necessary to perform in the major leagues," Pavano said in a statement released Wednesday by his agent, David Pepe. "I have achieved many things as a major league pitcher of which I am very proud. However, I feel at this time, I am simply not able to continue to pitch at the major leaggue level, and these last three months of rigorous training have failed to produce the results that I was looking for to allow me to continue my major league career.ddddddddddddquot; Pavano, an All-Star in 2004, was 108-107 with a 4.39 ERA for Montreal (1998-02), Florida 2002-04), the New York Yankees (2005, 2007-08), Cleveland (2009) and Minnesota (2009-12). He was an All-Star in 2004, going 18-8 with a 3.00 ERA and earning a $39.95 million, four-year contract with the Yankees. Injuries limited Pavano to 26 starts, 145 2-3 innings and a 9-8 record during his Yankees contract. He rebounded after leaving New York and went 17-11 for the Twins in 2010, when he tied for the AL lead in complete games with seven. "It has been an honour and a privilege to have been a major league baseball player, and the gratitude I have for being able to do that is profound and beyond any expression I can make in words," he said. ' ' '