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TORONTO - The Raptors learned a little bit about themselves in a narrow defeat to the Chicago Bulls Wednesday, a game with playoff-type intensity and their third consecutive against an opponent directly behind them in the standings. On Thursday theyll learn even more. Despite the cloud of uncertainty that has followed them around from the moment general manager Masai Ujiri was brought in to put his stamp on the franchise, the Raptors have surpassed all pre-season expectations. They have navigated through early-season tank speculation, theyve come together after a momentum shifting seven-player deal and they continue to block out the noise emitting from the incessant batch of rumours surrounding their starting point guard. At 3:00 PM et Thursday afternoon all that noise will be muzzled until the offseason, all the uncertainty finally put to bed. Finally, they will all know where they stand, at least for the next couple months. So, with the big day rapidly approaching, will Kyle Lowry - the primary subject of trade speculation - be losing any sleep on the eve of the deadline? "Nope," scoffed the Raptors point guard, as that question was posed following his teams 94-92 loss to the Bulls. "Not at all." "Any other questions about that," he asked, daring the hoard of local media to try their luck again. There were no more questions. It was worth a try, after all, its the question thats on everyones mind. Will Lowry be wearing a Raptors jersey when the team hosts the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday? Still, it was a futile attempt to get a rise out of a player who has been relatively unshakable all season. Lowry, like the rest of his teammates, is fully aware of whats at stake as he waits to learn his fate. The upcoming deadline has been on the their minds, whether they care to admit it or not, but its not a subject thats welcome for discussion in the locker room. "Thankfully on this team, no, no ones talked about it, no ones mentioned it," said Patrick Patterson, ahead of the teams win in Washington Tuesday. "The only thing Ive seen is just stuff on Twitter, the internet, Bleacher Report, whatever, yada, yada, yada, rumours but as far as this group of guys from the coaching staff on down to each player on the roster, no one has mentioned anything." Patterson arrived in the trade from Sacramento on Dec. 9, along with Kings teammates Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons and Chuck Hayes. Since then, this team has gelled in a way that no one could have possibly imagined, going 22-12 with the new additions in uniform. Chemistry is a word thats been used to describe this group both on and off the floor and, as Ujiri has insisted, its something the Raptors general manager values above all else. Ujiri, in conversation with TSN.ca over the weekend, expressed a reluctance to disrupt that newfound chemistry unless the right deal comes along. Hes not alone. Dwane Casey wouldnt mind seeing 15 familiar faces in the locker room when he comes into work on Friday. "I like our guys," Casey said. "I know Masai is working 24/7 on the phones and looking at different scenarios. We talked a long time today. But I like our guys. If we (bring) our team back Im happy." "I always said since I came (here), the players will dictate where we go and the team will dictate where we go," Ujiri told TSN.ca on Sunday. "Thats kind of how its been." The players have spoken. The Raptors hold third place in the Eastern Conference, a 1/2 game in front of the fourth-seeded Bulls after Wednesdays loss. They were outplayed on both ends of the floor in the second night of a back-to-back. It was a brutally physical and fiercely competitive game in which seven technical fouls were handed out. The Raptors were down and out early but they fought back, as they have done time and time again, showing mental and physical toughness. Theyre a resilient bunch, theyve proven that, and they believe theyve earned the right to see this thing out. "I believe that nothing will (happen Thursday)," Patterson predicted. "No trades will be made due to the success that weve had since the (Sacramento deal)." "Why break up something thats been going so well," he asked, rhetorically. "None of us are talking about trades, none of us are talking about wanting to leave and everyone is happy with the current situation." Cheap Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys . Teams one through twenty competing in Englands top flight are each fatally flawed. A wide-open, highly competitive and mistake-filled season has followed. Marcus Allen Jersey .DeMarco Murray got his 20th carry late in the fourth quarter with a 10-point lead, not long after Dez Bryant made his final catch of the day.Sure enough, a 44-17 win over Washington didnt change Dallas post-season position. http://www.cheapchiefsjerseysauthentic.c...-johnson-jersey. -- Kurt Buschs Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, in some ways, was like his career wrapped into one afternoon. Cheap Chiefs Jerseys China .J. -- New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is going to start the off-season training program with a surgically repaired left ankle. Christian Okoye Jersey .com) - The Grand Slam season will get underway Monday at the Australian Open in Melbourne, where a new champion will be crowned this year.DENVER - The Toronto Maple Leafs filed into their locker room after the first period and saw Daniel Winnik walking around and feeling fine.That sight softened the blow of what ended up as a 4-3 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night.Knowing their teammate was fine after a scary headfirst fall in the opening minute of the game helped calm the Maple Leafs. They rallied to tie the score late but Colorados three shooters scored in the shootout to end a three-game losing streak.He was in the room when we come off the ice, Toronto coach Randy Carlyle said. He was walking around, hes fine. Its one of those situations where youre expecting a lot worse and he isnt any worse for wear.Alex Tanguay also scored in regulation and had the decisive goal in the shootout. Nathan MacKinnon had the other shootout goal and Nick Holden scored his first goal of the season.We wanted it tonight. We need to want it more than the other team, said Matt Duchene, who had one of the shootout goals to go with one in regulation. Thats what we did last year. Its been tough at times this year, thats when you really have to be a man and step up and make it happen.Reto Berra had 33 saves through overtime in his first start in six games.Its an important win for us. We had a great game, an outstanding start of the game, coach Patrick Roy said. We were outstanding with 12 shots in the first 10 minutes. Plenty of good chances and looks at the net and their goalie had plenty of good saves.That was overshadowed by Winniks injury suffered when he collided with Avalanche defenceman Jan Hejda near the Colorado blue line. He fell awkwardly on the right side of his head and shoulder and flipped onto his front. He lay motionless while trainers from both teams secured him on a backboard and took him off the ice.The team reported on Twitter that Winnik was alert and moving all of his extremities while being examined by the team doctor. The team said Winnik was not transported to the hospital but he did not return.That was one of the most scary things Ive been a part of and watched live, Toronto defenceman Dion Phaneuf said. Anytime a teammate gets hurt its something that effects you, but when you see the stretcher come out and hes motionless thats something you dont want to go through as a team. Were really happy to see him uup walking around and he seems to be fine.ddddddddddddTyler Bozak scored in regulation and had Torontos only goal in the shootout. Phil Kessel and Richard Panik also scored for the Maple Leafs.Duchene gave Colorado a 3-2 lead with a wraparound goal at 11:45 of the third. Toronto pulled goalie Jonathan Bernier with 1:29 left and Panik scored 16 seconds later on a shot off defenceman Nate Guenins skate to send it to overtime.Bernier finished with 31 saves.It seems like thats our luck this year, Duchene said. We do so much to score and we cant get anything to go, we only get a few to go and they pull the goalie and we have guys in great position and it hits (Guenins skate) and goes in. It was going four feet wide.Winniks injury came immediately after Holden scored 31 seconds into the game to give the Avalanche an early lead for the second straight game.Toronto was able to overcome Winniks injury and get back in the game. Kessel tied it with his seventh of the season when he batted a puck out of the air and past Berra with 3:40 left in the period.The next few shifts youre trying to get back into it, Phaneuf said.Bozak gave Toronto the lead when he scored a power-play goal at 4:43 of the second. Colorado had killed off 29 consecutive penalties before Bozaks tally. Tanguay responded a minute later when he got a stretch pass from Zach Redmond behind the Maple Leafs defence and beat Bernier on a breakaway.Toronto controlled play in the final minutes of the second. The Leafs nearly scored when the puck went under Berra and stopped in the crease but was lost under a pile of bodies.Toronto then held the puck in Colorados zone for nearly two minutes but couldnt score.Toronto lost defenceman Jake Gardiner later in the first when he took a puck off his right leg and missed the rest of the game. Team officials said he suffered a lower body injury.He has a deep bone bruise. Its not broken, Carlyle said. Hit him in the spot with equipment.NOTES: The NHL suspended Toronto RW Carter Ashton for 20 games without pay on Thursday after failing a drug test. Based on his salary, Ashton will forfeit $169,185. ... Avalanche D Brad Stuart (hamstring) will miss at least two weeks. ... 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