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TORONTO - With a protective splint wrapped all the way around his injured left ring finger, Kyle Lowry practiced Sunday for the first time since sustaining the injury last week. "Its very sore, its very tender," Lowry said of the torn tendon in his finger, which will require him to wear the splint on his non-shooting hand for six weeks, still participating in practices and playing in games. "It is what it is. Ive got to just adjust to it." The Raptors guard left Wednesdays preseason game late in the fourth quarter after he felt his finger pop out while reaching for the ball. "Just not being able to completely use my finger," he said of the adjustment hell need to make as he prepares to open the regular season with the team on Oct. 30. "Its pretty much taped all the way to the top so Im limited to probably four fingers on that hand but I should be okay. Ill figure out how to shoot, score, pass and play defence with it." "Itll be a difficult adjustment but Im not going to complain about it, Im just going to fight through it and help the team as best as I can." Lowry, who is entering his second season in Toronto and the final year of his contract, acknowledged hell have to be more cautious reaching in with the injury but insists his style of play will remain the same. "I doubt its going to change my game because I dont know how to play any different," the starting point guard maintained. "So Im not really going to be concerned about it, Im just going to try to not worry about it and play through it." His coach echoed that sentiment. "I dont think hell be limited at all," Dwane Casey said. "Today he had no problems. He had the special [splint] on there and he was handling the ball, shooting the ball, playing with no problems whatsoever, so I dont think itll affect him." Chip on their Shoulders With the season approaching, Casey referenced an NBA preview article from The New York Times, one he and the team has taken issue with. "When the teams mascot tore an ACL in training camp, it was seen as a bad omen, which says a lot", the author wrote in the piece published on Saturday. "Thats total disrespect and hopefully our guys will use that as motivation," Casey protested. "Masai [Ujiri] saw that this morning and brought it in. It should give us motivation from that standpoint, but weve got to play the game." Although Casey wrestled with the exact wording of the slight at his team, its not the first time hes heard the American media underestimate or crack a joke at the expense of the Raptors franchise. A year ago, the Raptors coach and a number of his players took issue with the 33-win prediction made by former ESPN analyst John Hollinger. They went on to win 34 games. "I like that people are not respecting us," Casey said. "Weve got to have a chip on our shoulders, I have a chip on my shoulder, and if you dont you shouldnt be in uniform." Stone Makes Team, Still Not Satisfied Over the past couple weeks it became clear that guard Julyan Stone was the standout in a three-player battle for the 15th and final spot on the teams regular season roster. On Saturday it was made official. "My family told me, I didnt know," Stone said Sunday after finding out the news the day prior. "I was just going on day-by-day." "My mom hit me with the smiley face," he continued, "but for her when she texts smile, she like writes the whole word smile out instead of [using a] smiley face, so I kind of got it from [that]." Stone has endeared himself to Raptors fans and the local media with his personality and quirky stories but his versatility and commitment to defence have kept him around. "He does a good of job of running the show, good things happen when hes out on the floor," Casey said of the versatile 6-foot-6 guard. "Hes a tough kid and he gives us a different defender at that point guard position that can guard the quick guys and guard the big guards so he gives you another tool in your tool box to work with. Hes a hungry kid." The Raptors waived forward Chris Wright and guard Carlos Morais, allowing Stone to stay on. With Lowry playing through injury and back-up point guards D.J. Augustin and Dwight Buycks failing to stand out in camp, Stone has an opportunity to play his way into a the rotation, something hes strived for from the minute he arrived in Toronto. "Everybodys happy with just being in the league [but] my journeys been different," Stone said. "If youre a competitive person youre not just fighting for the 15th spot. I didnt come in here just to fight for the 15th spot. That was never really on my mind." "It was a fight for a position to play," he continued. "So making the cut for me was just something I had to do but I didnt think about it that way. I came in here to play, I came in here to make a name [for myself], I came in here to be in the rotation, thats always been my mindset and that will continue to be my mindset." Believed to be something of a long shot upon receiving a non-guaranteed contract and invite to training camp, Stone has impressed the coaching staff and continues to overcome a variety of injuries that have plagued him over the past couple years. Stone averaged 1.7 points and 1.5 rebounds in 26 games regular season games with the Denver Nuggets over the last two years, also appearing in four playoff contests. The 24-year-old guard was expected to sign a guaranteed deal with the Raptors earlier in the summer before lingering knee and hip injuries put the agreement on ice. Ujiri, who previously acquired Stone in Denver, had maintained that the guard would be given another opportunity to earn a spot on the roster if and when he proved to be healthy. "Masai did a good job of just telling me, I know what youre capable of now go show me, if you dont show me what I saw before you will be out of here. Ive got to respect [him] for that." Stone took a knee to his surgically repaired right hip on Wednesday but returned to practice on Sunday and should be ready to go when the season kicks off next week. . Cleveland has won the first two of this set and has won six straight games since losing back-to-back tilts to open the year. Seattle, on the other hand, has now lost six in a row following consecutive wins to kick off its campaign. . According to various reports, the striker is about to sign a five-and-a-half year extension with Manchester United worth a reported 300,000 pounds a week that would see him at Old Trafford until 2019. . According to bodog.ca, Cleveland moved up to grab the best odds to win the Larry OBrian trophy at 4-1 on Friday. By comparison, the Miami Heats odds plummeted from 3-1 favourites before LeBron left, to 50-1. . -- Byron Scott is taking over the Los Angeles Lakers with the vocal support of his fellow Showtime greats. . The All Blacks played their best rugby of recent years when they beat South Africa 38-27 in Johannesburg two weeks ago, clinching the Rugby Championships in a match which has been hailed as one of the best ever played.DETROIT - David Price walked off the mound Tuesday night wondering if he had just blown the AL Central title for his new team.It didnt take long for his team to improve his mood.After Price blew a 3-0 lead in the top of the ninth, the Detroit Tigers only needed three batters to pull out a 4-3 victory and hold on to their one-game lead in the division.With the score tied 3-3, Ian Kinsler led off the ninth with a single, took second when Jake Petricka (1-6) walked Torii Hunter and scored when Miguel Cabrera lined a base hit to left field.I went into the top of the ninth knowing that I had to finish it off, Price said. I didnt care if I gave up two runs, but I couldnt give up three. Im just glad that our offence saved me.Hunter agreed that the offence wanted to make a statement and pick up Price.When youve got a 3-0 lead in the top of the ninth and David Price on the mound, you think the game is over, he said. But then they tie it, and we had to go right back out there and win it. Kins did a great job, I had a good at-bat to draw the walk and then Miggy did what Miggy does.For most of the night, it looked like Price was going to show exactly why the Tigers had traded for him at the deadline, taking a three-hit shutout into the ninth. Adam Eaton singled and moved to third on Alexei Ramirezs double. That got Joe Nathan up in the pen, and after Jose Abreu struck out, Avisail Garcia lined a two-run single to centre.Brad Ausmus visited the mound, drawing boos from the crowd, but he left Price in.Dayan Viciedo flew out to right for the second out, and Paul Konerko, who was honoured by the Tigers before the game, singled to move Garcia to third. Marcus Semien then blooped a single to centre, tying the game.With the way David was pitching, it didnt look too good for us, White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. We got it to the bottom of the ninth, but first and second with no one out for Miggy isnt a great situation, either.Nathan (5-4) came in to get the final out, and picked up the victory after Petricka couldnt get an out in the bottom of the inning.White Sox rookie Scott Carroll allowed two runs a€” one earned a€” in six-plus innings. He gave up five hits and two walks while striking out four.Chicago almost broke a scoreleess tie in the fifth, as Josh Phegley hit Prices 3-2 pitch to the wall in left, but J.ddddddddddddD. Martinez had plenty of time to set himself at the wall and reach up to make the catch to rob a home run. Price broke into a wry smile as he watched Martinez make the play.The Tigers took the lead in the bottom of the inning. Rajai Davis singled, and was running on the pitch when Kinsler hit what would have otherwise been an easy double-play ball. Now in scoring position, Davis stole third and scored when Phegleys throw trickled past Marcus Semien and into left.Detroit used more speed to get a run in the seventh, as pinch-runner Andrew Romine was able to go from first to third on Semiens error, and score on Kinslers single. Hunter followed with a ground-rule double to make it 3-0.TRAINERS ROOMWhite Sox: Eaton returned to the lineup after missing two games to deal with a personal matter. He led off against Price. ... With the White Sox out of the race, LHP Chris Sale will make his final start of the season on Wednesday instead of starting Tuesday and Sunday on normal rest. Ventura said that with Sale having been injured earlier this year, it made sense to ease him into the off-season.Tigers: RHP Anibal Sanchez (pectoral strain) was activated from the disabled list before Tuesdays game, and will finish the season pitching out of the bullpen. Ausmus said, because of Sanchezs outstanding pitch selection, he plans to use him in high-leverage situations.UP NEXTThe teams finish the three-game series Wednesday afternoon with Sale (12-4, 2.20) facing Justin Verlander (14-12, 4.68) in each pitchers last start of the regular season.CELEBRATING KONERKOBefore the game, the Tigers honoured Konerko by presenting him with a framed box containing a first-base bag, a jar of dirt from the right-handed batters box and a list of his accomplishments at Comerica Park. He leads all visiting players in hits, runs, total bases and RBIs since the stadium opened in 2000, and trails David Ortiz by one home run.NO ROOKIE JITTERSCarroll said that he had a great time pitching in a pennant race, even if it wasnt his team that is in contention.Thats certainly as close to a playoff game as Ive ever come, he said. It was really cool. ' ' '
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