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MILWAUKEE - On a Saturday evening in early November the Raptors picked up their first road win of the season, defeating the Bucks in Milwaukee for the first time since 2008, the last year in which they qualified for the playoffs. Its been a long and unpredictable campaign that has ultimately led them back to Wisconsin, where five months later they would make history on the same court where it all began. With their 102-98 victory at Bradley Center on Saturday, the Raptors picked up their 21st road win of the season, a franchise record, also assuring theyll finish the year with a winning record away from home for the first time in team history. The Raptors have exceeded every expectation since that first game in Milwaukee but the most surprising notch on their belt may just be the success theyve enjoyed on the road, an unlikely strength for a young and inexperienced team. "Even the veteran teams I had in Dallas and Seattle, it was tough to win on the road," Dwane Casey said. "Our focus has been good on the road for whatever reason. We keep the same routine, we try to make sure our travel is efficient, which is sometimes hard to do, so guys can get rest." Some of their finest moments have come away from the Air Canada Centre. Their second road triumph came in Memphis, Rudy Gays return to his old stomping grounds, a game Toronto won by 16. Just over a month later, Gay now in Sacramento, they overcame a 19-point deficit to defeat Dallas in overtime only to knock off the Thunder in Oklahoma City two days later, a character-building trip for the emerging Raptors. Theyve won a couple contests in Chicago and stolen one in Brooklyn, thanks to a clutch steal and late-game jumper from Patrick Patterson. Even with those victories in mind, the one that sticks out above the rest came against a Lakers team - now sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference - in Los Angeles on a Sunday evening in December. Mired in a five-game losing streak and undermanned after a franchise-altering trade, the Raptors spoiled Kobe Bryants long anticipated return to the court. That was the night they adopted the us against the world mentality that has stuck with them. With the cards stacked against them, they came together in a special way and just a few days later they would add four veteran pieces to a puzzle that was suddenly falling into place. "We keep everything together," said Greivis Vasquez, shortly after matching a season-high with 26 points and setting a new career mark with six three-pointers on Saturday. "Great chemistry, healthy locker room, great work ethic, were so connected to each other. This is a unique team." For all those impressive road victories on the resume, their 21st was rather forgettable. As Casey stood in front of the media, fuming after a narrow victory over the leagues worst team, the season flashed before all of our eyes. Look how far theyve come. They had just won their third straight, sixth in seven games, and their head coach could not get past their horrid first half. "The first half, we played like crap," he said. Harsh but true. "Theres no nice word you can put to it. We talked about it at halftime and after the game, we cant approach the game that way, its not acceptable for where we want to go and what we want to do. If we want to be average, fine, but to get where we want to go, to be a playoff calibre team, weve got to perform better than that. Doesnt matter if its Indiana or a high school team, it doesnt matter." He wasnt just blowing smoke. The first half was bad, real bad. Following a couple of inspired home wins over quality teams in Houston and Indiana, the 14-win Bucks shot 59 per cent in the opening 24 minutes, outscoring Toronto 38-14 in the paint and led by nine at intermission. "Our approach was not good, terrible," admitted Vasquez. "Were better than that and we understand that. We talked about it at halftime. Coach jumped on us and we reacted pretty well. In the second half we came to play. Thats the real Toronto Raptors." Toronto opened the second half on a 17-4 run to regain the lead minutes into the third quarter. They flipped the switch, something good teams do, and yes, the Raptors have become a good team. DeMar DeRozan scored 15 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, where he attempted eight free throws after failing to get to the line in the first half. Expectations have changed. The good news is no one is shying away from them. "We cannot have excuses," Vasquez said. "A team thats going to the playoffs, playing to win a division cannot have excuses. If you talk to Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, they will tell you how it is. Were trying to get there. Its going to take us a little time. But we got the win. Ugly, pretty, it was a win and we need to learn from this game. Weve got to understand that weve got to approach games differently. These five games we got left, weve got to run the table." Lowry, Johnson sit out Kyle Lowry missed his third straight game with a bruised left kneecap, while Amir Johnson sat out nursing a sore right ankle. Although both starters were with the team in Milwaukee - Johnson even took jump shots on the court ahead of the game - Casey opted to rest his ailing players with three days off before their next contest, at home to Philadelphia on Wednesday. "We need them we want them but wed rather not risk their health, more than anything else," the Raptors coach said. Although theyre making progress, Casey thought it best to sit them as a precaution, avoiding further injury, on Saturday. Theyre both considered day-to-day and will likely be questionable for Wednesdays game. The stat After a stellar performance against Roy Hibbert and the Pacers on Friday, Jonas Valanciunas scored 17 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, recording his team-leading 22nd double-double of the season against the Bucks The quote "Ive been in locker rooms, man, I know how it is," said Vasquez, speaking on the teams chemistry. "Egos, money, its none of that here. None of that nonsense. Were just playing great basketball and were happy for each other. This is a real team." Bradley Chubb Jersey .ca! Hi Kerry, Im sure youve received many emails wondering what your take is on the Spezza goal that looked like Neil blatantly kicked it in while standing directly in the middle of the crease where, you know, usually a goalie is to make a save but couldnt be due to Neil being there! Thanks! Jon - Westfield, MA Jon: Lets first ask Henrik Lundqvist what he thought of the scoring of the Sens second goal with . Dennis Smith Youth Jersey . The rookie is rewarding their faith with a stellar first season. MacKinnon had a goal and two assists, Jamie McGinn had two goals and an assist, and Colorado beat the Buffalo Sabres 7-1 on Saturday. http://www.broncosrookiestore.com/Broncos-Phillip-Lindsay-Jersey/ . Thats what he did over the past 2 1/2 years with the Washington Wizards. Wittmans approach helped turn the Wizards from pushover to playoff winners. Brian Dawkins Youth Jersey . Expensive. The NFL fined Tomlin $100,000 on Wednesday for interfering with Baltimores Jacoby Jones on a kickoff return in the third quarter of a 22-20 loss to the Ravens on Thanksgiving night. Dalton Risner Youth Jersey . Malone will become an unrestricted free-agent and as per the collective bargaining agreement, the Lightning will be responsible for two-thirds of the remainder of his contract over twice the length of the rest of the deal.Queens, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - DAngelo Harrison posted 21 points to guide No. 20 St. Johns to a 53-47 victory over St. Marys on Friday. SirDominic Pointer gave 11 points and 11 rebounds and Chris Obekpa added eight points and seven rebounds for the Red Storm (9-1), who have won their past five games. Brad Waldow gave 26 points and 11 rebounds for the Gaels (6-3), who have lost two of their last three games. Waldow is as effective a big man as there is, praised St. Johns head coach Steve Lavin. In a deliberate old-fashioned way, he wears down opponents. St. Johns trailed by 15 to start the second half, but began the final 20 minutes with a 7-0 run and an 8-0 spurt a bit later had the team within 37-33 after a Harrison 3-pointer 6 1/2 minutes in. A 10-0 surge from the Red Storm saw the team go on toop for good after Pointer put in a pair of free throws during the run to give the team the lead and he finished the burst with a layup for a 45-41 advantage with 7 1/2 minutes left.dddddddddddd Dane Pineau hit a free throw with just under three minutes to play to get the Gaels within 48-47, but Pointer countered with a jumper, and the Gaels missed their final six shots, along with a pair of free throws the rest of the way. St. Marys led for much of the first half, with a late 7-0 run helping the team take a 33-18 lead into the break. Game Notes St. Johns shot 35.8 percent while St. Marys made 35.3 percent of its attempts ... The Gaels dominated the boards, 47-29 ... The Red Storm led the series, 2-1. The last contest was in 2010, which the Gaels won. ' ' '