Begrüßung » announced positive EPO

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Raptors continued to roll with Tuesdays 103-93 victory at Washington thanks to Kyle Lowrys 24 points and 10 assists. "I just was getting more looks, trying to attack a little more," said Lowry. "That first game out of the break is always tough and I didnt want to let that be an excuse for us to lose the game." DeMar DeRozan, Amir Johnson and Greivis Vasquez scored 14 points apiece, and both Patrick Patterson and Jonas Valanciunas netted 10. The Raptors made 42- of-74 shots (56.8 percent) and have won three straight and nine of the last 13 contests. Toronto now leads the Atlantic Division by four games ahead of Brooklyn and will open a three-game homestand Wednesday versus Chicago, Cleveland and Orlando. The Raptors have won three in a row at home and are 14-10 at Air Canada Centre. Since Jan. 1, the Dinos are 9-2 as the host. However, Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau deserves a lot of credit for keeping his team competitive through the course of the season. Thibodeau hopes that success carries over in the post All-Star break schedule, starting with Wednesdays road matchup in Toronto. The Bulls and Raptors are jockeying for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference, as Chicago sits fourth in the standings -- 1 1/2 games behind Toronto. Chicago, which has dealt with a litany of injuries, including the loss of guard Derrick Rose, headed to the break with three straight wins and a 15-7 record since Jan. 2. In last Thursdays 92-76 triumph over the Brooklyn Nets, a 10-point advantage (29-19) after the first quarter set the tone and the Bulls later scored a 23-15 edge in the final stanza. Taj Gibson, who was filling in for Carlos Boozer in the starting lineup, led the way with 16 points off the bench. Boozer had missed three straight games with a calf injury and returned to post 15 points and 10 rebounds. Mike Dunleavy, Jimmy Butler and All-Star Joakim Noah all scored 14 points with Noah grabbing 13 rebounds. "We have to look at our team in totality. For us to achieve, we need Carlos to play well. With our depth up front, we have three starters and they all have to sacrifice," Tom Thibodeau. Noah has pulled down 10 or more rebounds in 23 of his last 24 games, and tallied eight points, five boards and five assists in the All-Star Game. "I had a great time. Im a little tired, but theres time to rest," Noah said of All-Star weekend. "The court is always the best part. It always feels good to win no matter what situation. I like competing. It was fun." The Bulls are last in the NBA offensively with 92.3 ppg, but are second in opponents scoring at 92.3 ppg. Opposing teams are shooting just 43.4 percent against the Bulls, who are 12-15 on the road and recently went 3-3 on a recent trip. Meanwhile, East teams have a 5-10 record north of the border this season. The Raptors have won twice in three meetings with Chicago this season, but dropped a 96-80 decision at home back on Nov. 15. The Bulls have won nine of the past 14 overall matchups in this series and are 13-6 in the previous 19 trips to Air Canada Centre. Kodi Medeiros White Sox Jersey . 1 status and was unable to prevent a late season collapse, James Reimer said he wants to put the past behind him and is looking forward to spending the next two years in a Maple Leaf uniform. Leury Garcia White Sox Jersey . Needing to bulk up on both sides of the line, the Falcons agreed to terms with guard Jon Asamoah, defensive end Tyson Jackson and defensive tackle Paul Soliai. Asamoah and Jackson played last season with Kansas City, where Asamoah lost his starting job. https://www.cheapwhitesox.com/2354e-mich...-white-sox.html. On paper, it looks a little like Andre the Giant taking on a midget wrestler. It has all the makings of a rout with the Americans adding an eighth win in nine outings of this biennial event. The Yanks have eight players in the top 15 in the world while the Internationals have just one. Seby Zavala Jersey . The Senators return from a lengthy layoff caused by Wednesdays attack on Parliament Hill to host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night. Jim Thome White Sox Jersey . Perhaps their first trip to the city of Winnipeg in 16 years can serve as the shakeup they need.SALZBURG, Austria - Ukrainian biathlete Sergei Sednev, a bronze medallist at the 2011 world championships, faces a possible two-year ban after a retest of a stored doping sample came back positive for EPO.The International Biathlon Union said Monday that Sednev was targeted as part of a program to re-test older samples which showed atypical results in the previous seasons.Sednevs re-analyzed sample was collected in an out-of-competition test in Antholz, Italy, in January 2013. The IBU said the sample was retested at a World Anti-Doping Agency lab and was positive for the banned blood-booster EPO.The Ukrainian biathlon federation said in a statement Monday it had questioned Sednev, who could not explain or disprove the test results.Sednev, who won a bronze medal in the relay at the 2011 championships, announced last month that he was retiring at the age of 31.The IBU on Monday also confirmed a positive EPO test for Russias Alexander Loginov, who had already been suspended by his countrys biathlon federation in November when it was notified oof the news.ddddddddddddHis case stems from a retested sample originally taken in November 2013 in Ostersund, Sweden.The IBU said Sednev and Loginov both waived their right to have their backup B samples tested. The IBU said they face hearings and sanctions from a disciplinary panel.Sednev and Loginov both competed at last years Winter Olympics in Sochi. Although neither won medals, they could now have their results nullified.Sednev was 44th in the 10-kilometre sprint and 54th in the 12.5K pursuit. The 22-year-old Loginov, whose four world junior gold medals made him as one of Russias most promising talents, was 30th in the 20K individual race in Sochi.The IBU previously announced positive EPO tests in reanalyzed samples involving Russian biathletes Ekaterina Iourieva and Irina Staryk. Former world champion Iourieva was banned for eight years, while Staryk was suspended for two.Norwegian media on Saturday quoted IBU president Anders Besseberg as saying his organization had evidence of doping by athletes from several nations. ' ' '