Regular`s Table » d two assists during Torontos eight-game losing s

TORONTO -- After a wobbly playoff debut, Raptors star DeMar DeRozan returned to attack mode for Game 2 against the Brooklyn Nets. The 24-year-old Toronto guard had just 14 points in Game 1, with eight of those coming from the free throw line, in a 94-87 loss to visiting Brooklyn that saw DeRozan miss 10 of 13 shots. On Tuesday, a different DeRozan took the court. As he approached the Nets basket, it was if his brain was in overdrive as it diagrammed possible plays. The possibilities seemed endless -- dish off to a teammate, drive to the basket, pull back and take a shot. The Raptors will need more of the same Friday when the series switches to Brooklyns Barclays Center for Game 3. While Toronto preaches a team approach, the Raptors know good things happen when DeRozan is rolling. "I was just trying to feed him," Toronto guard Greivis Vasquez said of Game 2. "I was just trying to get him the ball -- it was just Go, go. We need you to get confidence." Mission accomplished. DeRozan finished with 30 points, 17 of which came in the fourth quarter when he made four of five shots and nine of 11 free throws. He finished the game on five fouls, hanging his head at one point at the end of the bench while his teammates huddled during a timeout. But he was on point when he returned to action in the 100-95 win. DeRozans fourth-quarter output was just two points off the club playoff record of 19, set in 2001 by Vince Carter against Philadelphia. Again and again, DeRozan answered the veteran Nets as they tried to claw their way back. For coach Dwane Casey, DeRozan showed his maturity by taking the shots the defence was giving him rather than trying to force things. "Hes growing," said Casey. "Hes still not a finished product. Weve just seen the beginning of a guy becoming a star." Tuesdays playoff performance was clearly a big step forward on DeRozans young career path. "He knows he can do it in a high-intensity situation," said guard Kyle Lowry. "It just show hes growing," he added. "Hes an all-star for a reason." DeRozans practice regimen includes a variety of difficult shots. He also lifts weights before each games, so he feels like he has the strength to hoist shots from all angles. "If I feel I can get the shot off, I feel like it has a good chance of going in," DeRozan said. It showed Tuesday. His scoring was of the spectacular variety, bringing the sellout crowd of 20,382 to its feet. "You never know what kind of shot youre going to need to shoot at a certain time," he said. Vasquez drove baseline at one point before firing the ball back to the six-foot-seven DeRozan, who attacked the basket, transferred the ball from his right hand to his left in the air and then dunked with authority, "An unbelievable dunk," said the six-foot-six Venezuelan. "I dream about those dunks because I cant even dunk." "He really deserves everything he gets, all the attention and all that stuff he gets because hes our franchise player, hes our best player," he added. "I think for him to do what he did (Tuesday) night was a really huge step to shut a lot people up -- Dont talk about me because Ive got it." DeRozan, meanwhile, said the difference between Game 1 and 2 was he was more aggressive and decisive. How important is DeRozan to the Raptors? He led the team in scoring 42 times during the 2013-14 regular season. He was tied for ninth in league scoring (22.7), fourth in minutes (38.4), fourth in made free throws (519) and fifth in free throws attempted (630). In Brooklyn, Toronto will continue to look to take advantage of its speed and athleticism while hoping to maintain its advantage on the boards. Casey is also looking for a better start to the third quarter, rather than waiting for the fourth to kick into the high gear. "We are the top fourth-quarter team in the league but we cant wait until the fourth quarter in the playoffs," he said. "Weve got to come out hard-charging out of the locker-room." The series marks Torontos first playoff action since 2008. Tomorrow night at 7pm et its Game 3 of the Raptors first round playoff series as they visit the Brooklyn Nets and TSN, TSN 1050 and tsn1050.ca have it live. Jim Tatti, Duane Watson and our travelling Raptors reporter Josh Lewenberg have the pre game starting at 6:30p, followed at 7p with Paul Jones and Sherman Hamilton calling all the action. Tatti, Watson, Lewenberg and Gareth Wheeler are back after the final buzzer with a full hour of complete post game analysis. Raptors fans can tune in to all the game coverage on 1050AM in the GTA or if they are in Southern Ontario they can catch the game live streaming online at tsn1050.ca or on the TSN GO App. Tim McCarver Jersey . 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According to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun, Brodeurs agent Pat Brisson has spoken to six teams so far regarding the veteran goaltender.TORONTO -- As the Toronto Maple Leafs faint playoff hopes hang in the balance, Phil Kessel is expected to play Tuesday night against the Calgary Flames. Kessel suffered a bruised right foot when he was hit with a pass from James van Riemsdyk in the second period Saturday night against the Detroit Red Wings. He did not practise Monday, but coach Randy Carlyle said hes available to play. "Its been, I guess, two days of treatment and hes telling us hes ready," Carlyle said. Kessel, the Leafs leading scorer with 36 goals, 41 assists and 77 points, has just two goals and two assists during Torontos eight-game losing streak. Toronto has not picked up a point since March 13 in Los Angeles to fall from second place in the Atlantic Division to out of a playoff spot. Winger Joffrey Lupul said after the crushing loss to Detroit on Saturdday night that he and his teammates would likely have to win out and get help to make the playoffs.dddddddddddd. Asked Tuesday morning if the playoffs were still a realistic possibility, Carlyle brought the focus back to the Flames game. "Its realistic if you win," Carlyle said. "Weve got to win the first one, thats the bottom line. We cant look past tonight. ... We need to win a hockey game, and the first one we need to win is tonight." With the entire roster available to him, Carlyle said there could be lineup changes. Hes contemplating going with 11 forwards and seven defencemen, which would mean the return of injured defenceman Paul Ranger. Goaltender Jonathan Bernier is set to make his fourth straight start since returning from a groin injury. Bernier has allowed four goals in each of his past three games. ' ' '