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TORONTO - The Raptors and Nets dont like each other, even after one playoff game that has been made abundantly clear. If youre looking to trace back that animosity, start with Torontos one-point victory at Barclays Center in late January. There was a playoff-type buzz in the building that night. DeMar DeRozan sat out with an ankle injury, Kyle Lowry and Paul Pierce both turned in playoff-type performances. There were 18 lead changes, nine ties and three technical fouls - on Lowry, Piece and Kevin Garnett - later, the Raptors stole the game, literally, as Patrick Patterson picked off a Deron Williams pass and hit the winner. "This is a team we could see in the playoffs," uttered multiple voices in both locker rooms and at that point we knew, somehow, some way it was bound to become a reality. Terrence Ross continued to foreshadow a couple days later, listing the Nets as a preferred playoff opponent. Andray Blatche was not amused. Meanwhile, the Nets also had Toronto on their wish list as they rested players and lost games to maximize the odds of this matchup coming to fruition. The Raptors were not amused, at least they shouldnt have been. Then the war of words started. "[Expletive] Brooklyn," yelled Raptors president, general manager and hype man Masai Ujiri as he addressed thousands of fans outside the Air Canada Centre prior to Saturdays Game 1. Reluctantly, he delivered a halftime apology, more for the choice of phrasing than the message itself. Hes not alone in that sentiment. "That should represent how we all feel," Dwane Casey said after his team fell victim to the veteran savvy of Brooklyn in the series opener. "I feel the same way and Ive got his back," added Greivis Vasquez. "We dont like any of them either. Thats how we all feel. All of us." Nets coach Jason Kidd said he didnt know who the Raptors GM was and on Sunday the barbs continued to fly. "Im shocked that Bryan Colangelo would say that," Pierce said to the New York Post, informed of what the opposing GM had to say the day before. Reminded that Ujiri replaced Colangelo in the Raptors front office last summer, as if he were somehow unaware, Pierce responded, "I dont know what youre talking about." Theres genuine hostility here. Its not manufactured, though the media has helped fan the flames. "Raptors vs. Dinosaurs," read the Toronto Sun cover on game day, poking fun at the age of Pierce and Garnett. "Dont F*** With Bklyn," the New York Daily News shot back 24 hours later. This has the makings of a competitive, heated series, but rivalry? "I dont think its a rivalry at all," Kyle Lowry said following a Sunday afternoon practice session outside of the Raptors gym on the third level of the ACC. Hes right. Neither team will call this a rivalry and neither should. Territorially, the Nets and the Knicks are natural adversaries, while the Nets - especially with former Celtics Pierce and Garnett on board - have their sites set on throwing down with the Heat, who they defeated four times this season. The Raptors? They dont have a rival. Thats the unfortunate reality of qualifying for the playoffs six times in 19 seasons. For the bulk of their existence, and especially during a recent five-year postseason layoff, theyve been their own worst enemy. "I dont know," said Casey, "rivalry?" "I think the whole Atlantic Divisions a rivalry, the Eastern Conference. We havent got to the spot yet where we can say, Hey, theyre a rival. New Jerseys been to the Finals before, we havent. A lot of teams in our division have been there, where were trying to get to. Weve got to earn that." Thats their focus right now, as it should be. Earning it. The Raptors lost Game 1, not because of Ujiri, not because of anything that was said or done off the floor. They lost because they were outplayed by a team that was not fazed by the moment, by their surroundings. The ACC was electric on Saturday and the sellout crowd did their part, and then some. The building looked and sounded like the "living hell" that Ujiri has called for over and over again. Chants of "Nets suck" and "KG sucks" rang down from the stands throughout the afternoon. Is Toronto a basketball town? It sure seemed like it for three hours but one thing is for certain, its a sports city and as such, it craves that rivalry. It still boos Vince Carter, it still shows up to jeer the Knicks, a former playoff foe from the Raptors "glory days". It would like nothing more than to believe that Brooklyn is the enemy, and for at least three more games they will be. Then what? It depends on what happens here. Rivalries are made in the playoffs and a long, emotional, drawn-out series, almost regardless of the result, would go a long way in prolonging the underlying hatred between these two clubs. For now its being put to the side, at least in the Raptors locker room, where bouncing back and evening the series is now a top priority. Aside from a brief quip to lead off his media scrum - "I promise you I wont have any profanity" - Casey wanted no part in discussing Ujiris controversial speech from the day before. Neither did his players. A war of words may not lose them this series, but it wont win it either. On Sunday the message was clear; a little less conversation, a little more action, please. "This is about basketball," said the Raptors coach. "All that stuff has happened." "All the other stuff, what was said, its about basketball. Its about screening. Its about finishing plays. Its about executing defensively. I dont want to get off on another tangent." Framber Valdez Jersey . Cornet won six straight games to rally from a 2-0 deficit and take the first set. The 25th-ranked Frenchwoman broke back twice in the second set before Bacsinszky saved a match point at 5-4. J. R. Richard Astros Jersey . The Braves optioned outfielder Jose Constanza to Triple-A Gwinnett. As expected, the Braves also called up right-hander Julio Teheran from Gwinnett to start Sundays game and optioned backup catcher J. https://www.cheapastros.com/623o-doug-rader-jersey-astros.html . The Stampeders announced the move on Wednesday. Bell spent his first two CFL seasons with the B. Joe Pepitone Astros Jersey .C. -- Al Jefferson said he feels like hes playing the best basketball of his 10-year NBA career. Collin McHugh Jersey . Mika Zibanejad and Jason Spezza scored in the shootout to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 2-1 victory over Nashville on Saturday night.Rumours surrounding official UFC uniforms are back and the organization is doing its best to quickly stomp out the flames. Notorious mixed martial arts source @frontrowbrian posted side by side photos of current middleweight champion Chris Weidman to Twitter on Thursday, with one side featuring Weidman in his regular octagon attire and the other showing a mockup of what the fighter would look like dressed in a branded uniform. MMAjunkie.com received a statement from the organization refuting any current uniform deals. "We continue to speak to many potential partners and will make an announcement when we reach an agreement," the statement read. A UFC uniform deal has been rumoured for some time now. It has caused quite a ripple within the organization, especially with president Dana White. The situation boiled over in mid-February, a few days before UFC 170: Rousey vs. McMann. During a media scrum, White let off some steam surrounding the gossip. "We havent announced a uniform deal, we have no uniform deal. We said that its something that were looking into. Theres no (expletive) uniform deal, were working on it," he said. "Its (expletive) ridiculous, there is no deal, and were sitting here talking about something that doesnt exist." However, fighters past and present remain curious about the prospects. At the beginning of March, formeer lightweight and featherweight title contender Kenny Florian, now a television personality, told MMA website Bloody Elbow he thought it could be a good deal for the organization.dddddddddddd "I think if its something that benefits the fighters and benefits the UFC, then I think its great, but I dont know exactly what is going to happen." he said. At the same time, undefeated welterweight Alberto Mina wasnt against the idea but also wasnt overly thrilled. "I believe every fighter has their own characteristics, their own body types, and their own way on how they feel better about themselves," he also told Bloody Elbow. "I think its a very personal thing. Dont take me wrong, but I think its not really necessary." Theres is no way to tell how far away, if at all, the UFC is to locking down a uniform deal, but other reports speculate that the UFC has already reached a deal with fitness apparel giant Under Armour. In addition to those reports, and with the photos featuring Weidman in overtly labelled Under Armour gear, there is speculation an announcement of a deal could come at UFC 182: Jones vs. Teixeira in Maryland, where the company was founded. Nonetheless, the statement to MMAjunkie denies any and all murmurs. The UFC also denied comment on the photos as well. "We havent reached an agreement at this time." ' ' '