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TORONTO -- The Atlanta Hawks will be back at the Air Canada Centre for the second time in two weeks on Friday night.That has hardly been long enough to erase the pain of their visit on Dec. 3 when the Toronto Raptors trounced them 128-84. The 44-point margin of victory the largest in Raptors history.Not much has changed since then. The Raptors (18-7) continue to roll, having won four in a row and 10 of their last 11 games, including a 123-114 decision over the 76ers in Philadelphia on Wednesday night.The Hawks (12-13) continue to struggle after a 9-2 start to the season.The Hawks took a 131-120 loss at home to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night after winning their two previous games. It was the highest point total against the Hawks since the Golden State Warriors scored 137 points on March 4, 2008.I dont know exactly how I would describe it but there is some level of frustration, Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. There is some level of optimism. I do think we are doing some things better. We need to do more things better for more of the 48 minutes. I would say there was a stretch when offensively, we were really, really struggling. We have taken two steps forward there. Maybe we have regressed defensively. We have to be moving forward with both.We definitely had a lot of steps forward to start and then a lot of steps back, said Hawks reserve forward Kris Humphries, a former Raptor. Then a comeback win (over the Milwaukee Bucks) for a step forward. I think you have to look at the next seven games and gauge if our momentum is going the right way and judge how we are playing. Sometimes, a game like (the loss to the Magic) is hard to judge where you are at. The way they played, they would have beat anyone in the league.The Raptors currently have the highest-rated offense in the NBA, but they were outscored in the fourth quarter Wednesday by the 76ers 40-31 and had a 19-point lead with 5:39 to play cut to six with 41 seconds remaining before they held on for the nine-point margin. Coach Dwane Casey was not pleased.Its a great example: the game is never over until its over, Casey said. Were not good enough to let up and relax. Every team in this league can come back and get you. Thats whats upsetting about a good-going game until the fourth quarter. Gave up 40 points and 50 percent shooting because we took our foot off the gas pedal and you cant do that in this league.DeMar DeRozan had 31 points against the 76ers after scoring 30 against the Milwaukee Bucks in Torontos win on Monday.We just understand what needs to be done, DeRozan said. Not much has to be said. We kind of know after a lot of games what we need to be better at next game. Consciously were going into next practice, next game with that on our minds to be better. Its just the maturity of us and all of the guys that have been on this team carrying it over to the younger guys.Raptors reserve center Lucas Nogueira did not play Wednesday because of a sore right knee. Tests showed no serious injury.Cheap Wholesale Nike SB Shoes . A lawyer for MLB, Matthew Menchel, confirmed Wednesday the league dropped its case against Biogenesis of America, its owner Anthony Bosch and several other individuals. The lawsuit had accused Biogenesis and Bosch of conspiring with players to violate their contracts by providing them with banned performance-enhancing substances. Nike SB Online Canada .ca NBA Power Rankings, ahead of the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs. http://www.cheapnikesbcanada.com/ .4 million title. Ryan Riess emerged with the title after a session in which he started behind, but used expert skill to gather the chips to his side amid the unpredictability of no-limit Texas Hold em. Riess put his final opponent Jay Farber all-in with an Ace-King. Buy Nike SB Canada . On Tuesday, Ottawa placed forward Cory Conacher and defenceman Joe Corvo on waivers as trade rumours swirl around the Senators. Nike SB Canada Online Store . Deulofeu injured a muscle in his right leg in Evertons 4-1 win over Fulham in the English Premier League on Saturday. Barcelona says that its team doctors will "co-ordinate" with Evertons medical staff as Deulofeu recovers.HULL, England -- Leicester opened its title defense with a shock 2-1 loss to newly-promoted Hull on the first day of the Premier League season on Saturday.Having sprung one of soccers biggest surprises by winning the league last season, Leicester was on the receiving end of an upset after Robert Snodgrass rifled home Hulls winner in the 57th minute.Despite facing a side that was already mired in difficulties off the pitch, Leicester became the first champion to lose its opening league game of the following season since the Premier League began in 1992-93.Hull is still without a manager after Steve Bruce left in July, and a club that only secured promotion through the Championship playoffs has been badly hit by both injuries and protests by fans against its owners.I thought the players had it in them to produce something, Hulls caretaker manager Mike Phelan told Sky Sports. Obviously characters a big issue when a lot of things are not going your way in preseason... a lot of the time it was fingers crossed to make sure that we had enough players to get out onto this field today.But all credit to the football players. They showed a lot of the determination... At this level, you have to master the ball, you have to take the ball and play with confidence, character and courage. And I thought everything came out today.Along with the missed chances, Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri pointed to a lack of teamwork from his side.We made a lot of effort but not as a team, and they defended very well and they tried to play counter-attack and played well, the Italian said.They played better, we tried to do our best. The effort was amazing, but individual effort -- not as a team. And I think this is the key of the match.Despite the backdrop to its top-flight return, Hull took the lead in first-half stoppage time with an acrobatic shot by Adama Diomande.Leicester equalized with a penalty converted by Riyad Mahrez almost immediatelyy after the re-start, but Snodgrass restored Hulls lead for good in the 57th minute with a powerful low shot from inside the area.ddddddddddddIt was a particularly frustrating afternoon for England striker Jamie Vardy, whose 24 Premier League goals propelled Leicester to the title last season but who missed a string of first-half chances on Saturday.He began by completely miskicking an inviting cut-back from Ahmed Musa on the Nigerian forwards debut in the 20th minute. Mahrez then pounced on the loose ball but the Leicester playmaker could only send a rising shot into the side netting.Leicester nearly made the breakthrough when Christian Fuchs worked a one-two with Musa for a close-range shot that was parried by Hull goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic. Vardy met the rebound with a shot that was charged down and Mahrez followed up with a short run and a curling drive that flew wide of the post.The chances kept coming for the champions, who missed yet another chance two minutes before the break. Musa intercepted a sloppy pass and burst forward before sliding the ball to Vardy -- who sent his shot skyward.Just as it looked likely to finish level at the break, Hull took the lead against the run of play. A header from Curtis Davies was just tipped away by Kasper Schmeichel but Diomande leapt into the air to hook the ball into the far corner of the net.Leicesters luck changed within seconds of the restart, with the visitors gifted an equalizer after a clumsy challenge by Tom Huddlestone on Demarai Gray on the edge of the area. Mahrez blasted his spot-kick straight down the middle as Jakupovic dived.Snodgrass replied by scoring Hulls winner with a fine left-foot shot on the bounce, following a partial clearance by a Leicester back line that lacked composure without suspended central defender Robert Huth. ' ' '