Here are five thoughts on the Eastern Conference first-round series between the Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets following Game

Here are five thoughts on the Eastern Conference first-round series between the Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets following Game 5, including the play of Kyle Lowry, Joe Johnson, Kevin Garnet and Paul Pierce, as well as head coaches Jason Kidd and Dwane Casey. Blue Jays Luke Maile Jersey . 1. KYLE LOWRY: Brilliant in Game 5. Watching him Wednesday night brought me back to watching Allen Iverson torch the Raptors in the 2001 playoffs. Considering Lowry is a Philly guy and one of the guys he looked up to as a young player was Iverson, I couldnt help myself but to draw comparisons. A totally different players but one quality that truly makes them alike is that they are both incredible competitors. Not the size of the dog in the fight but the fight in the dog. In the last five quarters of play (Game 4, 4th quarter and Game 5), other than the magic of Vince Carter, I cant recall a better stretch of play ever from a Raptor on so many fronts. Enjoy it - Im mesmerized by it. 2. JOE JOHNSON: Give him credit. Major bounce-back in the second half of Game 5. He was close to unstoppable. Raptors did everything they could to contain/control him and he was that much better. Im sure a significant focus of game planning for Game 6 will centre on tightening the screws on both the individual coverages associated with him and the collective scheme based upon the help you have to give his defender. He is an absolute load. Im so impressed by his talent. 3. RAPTORS FIRST THREE QUARTERS VS. 4TH QUARTER: It looked like five guys stole Raptors shirts early in the 4th and tried to imitate the real guys. In the first three quarters we saw the Raptors at their truly best - ball movement, defensive energy, effort, discipline and most importantly, a collective will and confidence that the crowd fed off of. In the fourth, we saw a team that cruised and thought it would be easy and let up with its focus. Very fortunate that they hung on, yet when I reflect on it for the majority of the game they were far better, which is good. Now its about learning from that lesson and growing. Remember back in early December at Golden State? It was the Raptors biggest collapse in franchise history and lost to the Warriors. This time, a huge collapse as well - the difference - they won and won on a much more meaningful stage than the stage back in Oakland. Speaking of Oakland, the late Al Davis (Oakland Raiders) would say just win, baby! They did. One to go but it wont be easy. Their competition has lots to play for; it should be a major challenge and lots of fun to watch. 4. KG AND PAUL PIERCE: They were spectators Wednesday night in the 4th quarter and Im sure both men will be ready to go Friday night in response to that. I dont think there have been many times in either guys career that they sat and watched at crunch time. Im sure well see two angry/ornery guys in Brooklyn talking smack and challenging their teammates and the crowd to be at optimal level. Lots of folks piling on KG these days. I respect what hes done in his career. Is he the player he once was? No, but his effort and will to win are still there all the time. Pierce - Hes still got a lot left and his matchup at the four spot is still a tough cover for the Raptors, yet I do like that the Raps are now making him guard his guy and attacking him. Fully expect both guys to come out firing guns blazing. Be prepared. 5. JASON KIDD AND DWANE CASEY: Both coaches, Im sure, are working on their teams collective psyche as we enter Game 6. Kidd challenged his team before Game 5 to be much better in the 4th quarter after being outplayed by the Raps in Games 3 and 4 in the defining stanza. They were awesome in the 4th Wednesday night… the other three quarters, not so impressive. Im sure hes pushing momentum and carryover. Coach Casey will hammer the fact that you must sustain and play every possession at the max and learn/build on the fact that you won, yet have to respect the little details of the game. You also sell that momentum in a series that lasts only as long as you allow it to or make it happen. As much as the Nets want to sell that theyre now going to pick up where they left off, youve got to sell that the score always takes care of itself if you do the right things. You concentrate on doing the right things" each possession and youll find a way in Game 6, or if necessary, Game 7. Wont be easy to put Brooklyn away Friday but it can be done. Dictate the tone and personality of Game 6 right at the start. Winning/losing - thats too much sometimes to focus on. Dive into the details of what it takes to succeed and youll handle the pressure of a road game better. Blue Jays Thomas Pannone Jersey . - Jason Day and Cameron Tringale shot an 8-under 64 on Friday in modified alternate-shot play to increase their lead to three strokes in the Franklin Templeton Shootout. Blue Jays Kendrys Morales Jersey . -- Fantasy football owners and Denver Broncos fans can rest easy: Peyton Manning is back. http://www.cheapbluejaysjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=blue-jays-sam-gaviglio-jersey . They never thought it would take some blood, too. Kevin Love grabbed his 4,000th career rebound as part of a 19-point, 13-board effort to lead the Timberwolves over the Utah Jazz 112-97 on Tuesday night.ATLANTA - The Atlanta Hawks and city civil rights leaders said Fridays meeting between the teams CEO and the group was extremely productive.The civil rights leaders, led by The Rev. Markel Hutchins, requested the meeting with Hawks CEO Steve Koonin following racially charged comments by Hawks co-owner Bruce Levenson and general manager Danny Ferry.Levenson is selling his majority share of the team and Ferry has taken an indefinite leave of absence. Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed was to meet with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in New York on Friday regarding the sale.Levensons Washington partner, Ed Peskowitz, has also agreed to sell his share, meaning at least 50.1 per cent of the team is available.A statement from Reeds office on Friday said, The mayor is confident that the Hawks organization will work to find new ownership that is serious about being inclusive.Hutchins positive review of the meeting was a contrast to his sharp criticism of the teams leaders earlier this month.We had a productive, great conversation and a great dialogue, Hutchins said Friday.Hutchins said the decision to release the joint statement was a condition of our being able to move forward and work together.The joint statement was brief.Earlier today, members of the Hawks executive committee and civil rights leaders met inside PPhilips Arena, the statement said. Blue Jays Ryan Borucki Jersey. It was an extremely productive conversation and we are committed to working together moving forward.Hutchins and other civil rights leaders expressed outrage earlier this month when a meeting scheduled for Sept. 10 was postponed. At that time, Hutchins called for Ferry to resign or be fired.There is no way that a man who uses the kind of language and holds the kind of sentiments that he does should be the general manager of the basketball team in the home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the cradle of the civil rights movement, Hutchins said.Ferry landed in trouble for making inflammatory comments about forward Luol Deng, who was then a free agent, in a conference call with the Hawks ownership group in June. Ferry referred to comments in a scouting report when he described Deng as someone who has a little African in him.Deng, who was born in what is now South Sudan, now plays for the Miami Heat.The Hawks internal investigation of Ferrys comments uncovered inflammatory racial comments from Levenson in an email written two years ago. In the email, Levenson said the team struggles with attendance because the black crowd scared away the whites and there are simply not enough affluent black fans to build a significant season ticket base. 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