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The Three Man Weave recruit a point guard to help distribute the hoops insight this week. After going 3-3 with DeMar DeRozan out can the Raptors string together a win streak, can the Knicks be fixed, and what does it mean for Kobe to surpass MJ? All that and more, as hosts of TSN 1050s 1 On 1 With Will & Duane, Will Strickland and Duane Watson, are joined by NBA TV Canada’s host and basketball analyst Akil Augustine. In the week ahead, the Raptors square off against five sub-.500 teams (Pacers, Knicks, Magic, Nets, Pistons). Is 5-0 a realistic record? Strickland: Absolutely. As a team looking to walk amongst the elite, you have to close out games vs lesser opponents while you have the opportunity. Execution on both ends of the floor, sustaining the inevitable runs teams make in games and having a high compete level every night, no matter the record or health of the team youre facing are all key. Augustine: It would be ideal. Im not sure about realistic. There will be more fourth quarter growing pains without DeMar. 4-1 would be the combination of ideal and realistic. Watson: It better be. DeRozan or no DeRozan this team is capable of beating on the lesser opponents in the Eastern Conference and if they want to be considered elite, then they need to. No moral victories, but the recent loss in Cleveland would have been a different outcome if DeRozan was healthy. Cavaliers, Hawks and Wizards are all breathing down the Raptors necks, and they need to stockpile the wins where they can. Veteran NBA sharp-shooter Ray Allen has told teams to call him In January. Which team would he be a perfect fit for in a playoff push? Strickland: Hard to imagine a team who wouldnt want an Olympic Gold medal-winning, two-time NBA Champion, the Associations all-time leader in 3-pointers made and arguably the greatest jump shooter in league history. Overtures will be made to the 39-year-old Walter Ray Allen by the Warriors, Spurs, Bulls, Rockets and maybe even Doc Rivers Clippers. But his relationship with LeBron James may have him hoisting the rock off Lake Erie in Cleveland for the playoff stretch and beyond. Augustine: Hes just gonna chase LeBron around for another ring. I cant see him joining a team like the Spurs or... I cant see him in anywhere except that good old mistake by the lake. Watson: While I’m sure they are not loudly campaigning, a team like the Memphis Grizzlies could use his shooting to spread the floor for bigs like Randolph and Gasol, or give room for Mike Conley to create would be ideal. His clutch performance in the playoffs is renowned, but for a team lacking offensive weapons on the bench, Allen would be a perfect compliment. Magic Johnson thinks the Lakers should tank the season. Should they? Strickland: Negative. It’s understandable that Magic’s looking toward the Lakers legacy and life after Kobe Bryant. But, no matter how impassioned, Johnson is thinking like a bad owner/GM (until Sam Hinkie wins something in Philly, this fingers pointed at you, Sir!). Players play and have no control over front office machinations. The pressure and expectation on an organization firmly affixed on the Mt. Olympus of the NBA is immense and wont be relieved any time soon. Augustine: Yes. Period. This is worse than that mid- 2000’s Smush Parker, Chris Mihm Lakers squad. Watson: The Lakers cannot afford to tank, Bryant’s recent outbursts illustrate that. As long as he is on the court, he’s a competitor, and he has demonstrated his ability to still play at an elite level. He’s getting very little support, but a team that is pulling a full-on 76ers will not garner TV games or sell-outs and aside from the legacy of the franchise, they are not going to miss out on that money. Can the dysfunction called the New York Knickerbockers be fixed this season? Strickland: No. The Knicks are epically bad, full of terrible contracts, selfish players and resistant to the offensive New World Order Triangle of coach Derek Fisher. With reports of Carmelo Anthony threatening teammates and also to sitting out with a possible knee surgery, early season players-only meetings and outside criticism from offensive mastermind Dennis Rodman, itll take more than The Worm turning to cure all that ails the soap opera in the Rotten Manzana. Augustine: No. They have buried themselves with bad contracts, (mainly Melo and JR Smith) and have no pieces. Reminds me of what Isiah Thomas did with the Knicks, signing Steve Francis, Stephon Marbury, etc... Watson: No, and Phil Jackson is part of the problem. Carmelo Anthony only buys into Carmelo Anthony, if Jackson wanted to take the Knickerbockers in a new direction, he should have let him walk. What does it mean for Kobe Bryant to pass Michael Jordan on the NBA All-Time Scoring List? Strickland: Everything. He will attempt to deflect. But with every fiber of his being, Kobe Bean Bryant has always chased Michael Jeffrey Jordan, be it for titles, points or cultural significance. And when Kobe actually does, we should celebrate it. Oft times, we look to the past for greatness many didnt have the fortune of seeing in HD to comment and critique on their favorite social networking medium. To see the greatest-ever 13th pick in NBA draft history continue to compete so relentlessly after 19 years and a trillion miles on his hoops odometer is a gift. Love him or hate him, respect the work and the resume. Augustine: It means job well done. But we all know Kobe wants a different number, six.... as in six championship rings. Watson: Let’s be honest, Bryant has missed games due to injury over the past four years that could have had him challenging for the No. 2 spot over Karl Malone - a player who never won a championship. Malone was a good player that could score, but Bryant’s impact as a player has been far more than that, and much more like the player he idolized, Jordan. It doesn’t make him as great as him, but strengthens the discussion, lest Raptors fans not forget the 81-point game. Follow them on twitter: Will Strickland @WallStrizzle1, Duane Watson @duanewatson and Akil Augustine @akilaugustine Cheap Shoes Black Friday .com) - In the absence of Dwight Howard, Donatas Motiejunas had a career night to keep the Houston Rockets winning streak alive. Buy Shoes Black Friday . Then again, he really was at his home away from home. "It was nice to sleep in my own bed last night," Shields said after pitching Kansas City past the San Diego Padres 8-0 Wednesday. https://www.cheapshoesblackfriday.com/ . The 20-year-old Barkley, whose impressive form this season could earn him a place in Englands World Cup squad, was hurt in Evertons 4-0 win over Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup on Jan. Wholesale Shoes Black Friday Free Shipping . According to MMAFighting.com, MacDonald needs an x-ray on his right ankle and doctors clearance to fight or he will be subject to a mandatory medical suspension that will end on August 22, 2014. Wholesale Shoes Black Friday .ca has you covered for whos in, whos out and what to expect from all 30 teams. WASHINGTON -- Cameron Maybin didnt need to slide to make it safely into second base. He did it anyway, and in grandiose style. Welcome back to the majors, Mr. Maybin. Maybin contributed two hits as Ian Kennedy and the San Diego Padres celebrated the return of their centre fielder with a 4-2 victory over the Washington Nationals. Maybin ruptured his left biceps in spring training and missed the Padres first 25 games. He played 10 rehab games with Triple-A El Paso before his call-up on Sunday. The 27-year-old Maybin hit a shot down the third-base line in his first at-bat, sliding in with a double. "Its fun being back in the bigs, being out there with all these guys who I love playing with," Maybin said. "Ian pitched his butt off. Fun being behind a guy like that who can command the zone like he does." Command indeed. Kennedy (2-3) gave up three hits, struck out nine and walked none in seven innings. He retired 16 straight batters at one stretch. After giving up back-to-back doubles to Anthony Rendon and Jayson Werth in the first inning, Kennedy allowed only one more hit. Huston Street closed for his ninth save in nine chances. "First inning, youre kind of like a lot of pitchers, youre trying to feel whats going to work for that moment," Kennedy said. "I feel like I just got ahead of guys more often." Kennedy also received strong support in the field. First baseman Yonder Alonso made two outstanding plays and Will Venable robbed Werth of a potential extra-base hit with a diving catch in the right-field corner. "It kept fading away. I thought it was a double, for sure," Kennedy said. "As soon as he dove, extended, it was a beautiful play." It was reversal from Saturday when the Padres had as many errors (three) as hits in a 4-0 loss. "What a difference 24 hours makes," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "I liked the way our guys bounced back. They put yesterday behind them and we won a ballgame on the road against a good team." It was a tough day all around for Washington. Outfielder Bryce Harper was puut on the disabled list with a thumb sprain.dddddddddddd Starting pitcher Taylor Jordan woke up with a fever and laboured through four innings with low velocity. Ross Detwiler (0-1) and Aaron Barrett were ineffective in relief. "I dont know if its the flu or what," Nationals manager Matt Williams said of Jordan. "There was some question as to whether he would even start. Gave him a bag of fluids and he ate something this morning, but fastball velocity was way down, weak out there. So he gave us what he could today." Nate McLouth hit his first home run for the Nationals. Starting in left field for Harper, McLouth entered the game with an .097 batting average. Trailing 1-0 in the fourth, the Padres tied it when Chris Denorfia walked, Yasmani Grandal doubled and Jedd Gyorko had a sacrifice fly. The go-ahead run came an inning later off Detwiler as Everth Cabrera singled, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Denorfias single. Singles by Venable, Maybin and pinch-hitter Nick Hundley loaded the bases in the sixth inning. After Barrett fanned Kennedy for the second out, he walked Cabrera on four pitches to force one run home and walked Denorfia on a 3-2 pitch. Afterward, it was time for the Padres to celebrate the win and Maybins return. "Hes obviously a very dynamic player, capable of doing everything well on the field," Denorfia said. "More than anything we really missed him in the clubhouse. Were really happy to have him back." NOTES: To make room for Maybin, the Padres sent pitcher Kevin Quackenbush to Triple-A El Paso. ... Nationals RHP Doug Fister made his first of two scheduled rehab starts at Single-A Potomac on Sunday, throwing 59 pitches, including 42 strikes. ... Washington will have days off before and after a two-game series at Houston that begins on Tuesday when LHP Gio Gonzalez (3-1, 3.00) faces RHP Jarred Cosart (1-2, 6.12). ... San Diego travels to San Francisco for a three-game series starting Monday with RHP Tyson Ross (2-3, 3.16) opposing LHP Madison Baumgarner (2-2, 3.14). ' ' '