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TORONTO - With just over seven seconds left on the clock and Fridays game hanging in the balance, a sellout Air Canada Centre crowd rose to their feet, holding their breath in anticipation. Air Max Outlet . Theyve been holding their breath for six years now, but finally they can exhale. As Celtics forward Jared Sullinger forced up a wild, off-balance runner, the building erupted. It was official. The Raptors are heading back to the post-season. "We made it," shouted Amir Johnson repeatedly as the media filtered into Torontos locker room. "Its a satisfying, kind of overwhelming feeling," he described, following his teams 105-103 victory over Boston, officially snapping the Raptor five-year playoff drought. "Its been six years since this team, this organization made it to the playoffs. This team has worked so hard. We deserved it. Weve been playing our butts off, playing through injuries. Weve had our ups and downs." "Weve made it." Not lost on the team was the fact that they stole a game, their 41st victory of the season, that probably shouldnt have come down to the final possession. Down by four with under three minutes to play, it looked like the Raptors would have to hope for a New York Knicks loss later in the evening or wait until Sunday to punch their ticket to the playoffs. Theyve been resilient all year, so why wouldnt they be now? First DeMar DeRozan drained a fadeaway jumper, then Johnson hit the game-winning put-back layup. "It was fitting," Dwane Casey said. DeRozan and Johnson, the teams longest tenured players, were responsible for Torontos final four points. For them, this moment was a little sweeter. "It means a lot, honestly, man," said DeRozan, the Raptors fifth-year guard, who will make his post-season debut next month. "Especially for me and Amir and what weve been through here with the tough seasons, through the ups and downs and the struggles. We stuck with it." The only player in the building that could give a firsthand account of the Raptors last playoff experience - a five-game, first round defeat at the hands of the Orlando Magic in 2007-08 - was Celtics forward Kris Humphries. Only four other players from that team are currently on an NBA roster, but DeRozan and Johnson – who arrived the year after – have both been in Toronto long enough to appreciate what a night like this means to the franchise, the city and the Raptors long-suffering fan base. "It was all worth it," said DeRozan. "These fans stuck behind us every single day and theyre going to continue to do so. Thats the reason why we work extremely hard. Our fans definitely push us." Of course, it was just a formality. It was inevitable, only a matter of time. Toronto wasnt going to go winless in its remaining games, just like the Knicks were not going to run the table the rest of the way. Still, they have refused to count their chickens before they hatched and for that you can credit the humility and focus of their head coach. Moments after the win, a loud chorus of applause could be heard from outside the teams locker room. Finally, they could celebrate, albeit behind closed doors. Even Casey, who wouldnt pat himself on the back and likely never will, found a way to indulge in what the evening represented. "Were excited about it," he admitted. "My hat is off to all the guys whove come through here," said Casey, crediting MLSE chairman Larry Tanenbaum as well as former general manager Bryan Colangelo for their contributions to the process. "To DeMar DeRozan [and] Amir Johnson, who have been through it all and for the fans, the fans for understanding and being patient. I know they didnt see the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but its a process. You dont build Rome overnight in this league. Is very difficult to do. You talk about rebuilding, its a hard gig." The Raptors have surpassed every rational expectation, going 35-19 since the trade of Rudy Gay in early December. Its been a season of firsts for a franchise on the cusp of its 20th birthday, a franchise many pundits wrote off for dead after selling off its highest-paid player. "Everybody who writes something on a piece of paper isnt always right, thats how I look at it," said DeRozan, the first-time All-Star. Hes right. He and his team have proven a lot of people wrong. As the Celtics made their run, cutting their deficit - once 14 - down and ultimately taking the lead, DeRozan came through yet again. With Kyle Lowry slowed by an ankle injury he sustained in the first half, DeRozan picked him up and scored 24 of his game-high 30 points in the final 24 minutes. 16 of his 27 career 30-point games have come this season. With 10 games remaining and their spot in the pos-tseason locked up, the team can shift its attention to seeding but most importantly, going into the playoffs healthy and with momentum. "We cant be satisfied," Casey repeated, with his team moving into soul possession of the third seed following the Chicago Bulls loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. "We still want to continue on and weve still got to get better." Lowrys injury scare With three minutes to go in the second quarter, Lowry limped to the locker room after turning his right ankle while back-pedaling to get back on defence. After being examined by the medical staff, the Raptor point guard and most important player was able to return, starting the second half with his ankle taped up. As per usual, Lowry shrugged off whatever pain he was in after the win. "Im a little sore, but Im fine," he said after scoring nine points in 33 minutes. "Im okay. Good to go." Revenge of the second unit Naturally, Casey was frustrated with his under-performing bench after they were outscored 51-7 in Boston on Wednesday. "I challenged them before the game," said the Raptors coach. "I got on them about their productivity or lack thereof in the Boston game. I challenged them. I said, Look, guys want playing time, when the opportunity comes, youve got to do something, whether its defence, knocking somebody down, taking a charge, whatever. And they came through." Greivis Vasquez, who scored all seven of the benchs points on Wednesday, led the teams reserves with 15, but Chuck Hayes and John Salmons were also productive on both ends of the floor. Combined, the three former Kings - along with Tyler Hansbrough, who logged five minutes - totalled 28 points on the night. Patterson nearing a return Although he missed his 12th straight game, Patrick Patterson has been making progress and appears to be on the verge of returning from his right elbow injury. Although the Raptors havent had much practice time to get Patterson back up to speed - a concern Casey expressed before Fridays game - the Raptors forward has been able to participate in smaller, three-on-three scrimmages since being cleared for contact earlier this week. "[His] conditioning is probably going to be step behind a little bit," Casey acknowledged. "Its not going to be where he was before stepping away, so thats going to be expected. Thats why now we need to kind of get him back in rhythm and with the lack of practice time its going to have to be in a game situation." Patterson could be back in uniform this weekend in Florida, as the Raptors begin a back-to-back set with the Magic on Sunday before visiting the Heat Monday evening. The stat With their 41st win of the season, the Raptors secured a .500 record for the sixth time in franchise history and first since 2007-08, the last year they qualified for the playoffs. The quote "My grandmother called," Johnson told the media after his team clinched a spot in the playoffs. "She said that she was proud." Air Max 90 Uomo Saldi .J. -- Richard Sherman, Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch deservedly draw the attention for what theyve done in getting the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl. Air Max 270 Economiche . Some will say that Martin is too sensitive while others will say that it is part of the way football is in the locker room. But to have to absorb what was said to him for any rational and intelligent person is too much. https://www.scontatescarpeoutlet.it/scontate-air-max-270-outlet-italia-c2766.html .com) - Ryan Miller made 28 saves to record his fifth shutout of the season and second in as many nights as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0 on Friday.LILLE, France - Saying he has recovered from a back injury, Roger Federer has the chance to finally win one of the only notable titles missing from his collection.Federer will play Gael Monfils on Friday in the second singles match as Switzerland takes on France in the final of the Davis Cup. Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka will open the best-of-five series on indoor clay against Frances Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in this northern French city.Federer, a 17-time Grand Slam champion, was doubtful for the final after injuring his back last week during his three-set win over Wawrinka in the semifinals at the ATP finals in London. The injury forced him to pull out of the title match against Novak Djokovic on Sunday.Federer said a final practice session hours before Thursdays draw convinced him he would be able to step on court Friday. Whether he is 100 per cent fit remains uncertain.Well see tomorrow how it goes, but I practiced well today ... and I was really pleased to see that I was able to give it a go, the second-ranked Federer said.If there was a risk it would impact the rest of my life, obviously I would not play, he added. But I had similar problems in the past and I can draw from that experience to know what I can actually do.Along with an Olympic gold medal in singles, a Davis Cup title is the only major hole in the 33-year-old Federers resume.Switzerland is bidding for its first Davis Cup title, while France is seeking its 10th. This is the 13th meeting between the two nations, with France leading 10-2.The doubles on Saturday will pit French pair Julien Benneteau and Richard Gasquet against Marco Chiudinelli and Michael Lammer, but team captains can change their lineup up to one hour before the match. If Federer is judged fit enough to play over three days, he is expected to be picked for the doubles alongside Wawrinka.In the reverse singles Sunday, Federer will play Tsonga, and Wawrinka will face Monfils iin the potentially decisive fifth match. Air Max 95 Scontate Uomo. Wawrinka and Federer said they have smoothed over their relations after the tense London match. Wawrinka complained to the chair umpire during the match that Federers camp was making noise as Wawrinka prepared to return serve at a crucial stage of the third set.Federers presence is a huge boost for the Swiss team, which has won just one of the 10 ties it has played without him in the top-tier World Group since his debut in the competition.The French players played down Federers injury, saying they never thought he would withdraw from the tie at the 27,000-capacity Pierre Mauroy Stadium.He had a four-day rest period, said Monfils, who has never beaten Federer on clay in four matches. Just before that he was playing his best tennis ever. If hes there, its because he feels good and he wants to win this competition. If Roger decided to play, its because he feels hes able to win the match, to beat me.Monfils is preparing for a rematch of his epic quarterfinal against Federer at the U.S. Open in September, when the Frenchman lost in five sets after going up two sets to one and failing to convert two match points.For sure I will have this special match in my mind, Monfils said. But this one will be different. You have someone with whom you can share your emotions during the match: the captain, who can help me if maybe Im tight in the match.French captain Arnaud Clement said Monfils current form was the decisive factor when he picked him over Richard Gasquet.Wawrinka, meanwhile, said he has recovered faster than expected from his loss to Federer in London last Saturday, when he wasted four match points.It was easier than I thought, Wawrinka said. First I was destroyed, and it was difficult on Sunday, too, when I learned about Rogers injury. But when I came here on Monday, something really positive started, and I was surprised how easy it was to switch. ' ' '