TORONTO - The Raptors locker room was unnervingly quiet Friday evening, about how you would expect it after the implausible ending that sealed the teams fate in a double-overtime disaster. Nike Air Max 97 Outlet . In the back corner sat an inconsolable John Salmons, the elephant in the room. Facing his locker, Salmons slouched forward in his chair, his head down in his hands and a long black towel draped over him. One by one his teammates came over to comfort him, patting him on the back and offering words of encouragement. He didnt move. He remained in that position, perfectly still for over 30 minutes. They win as a team and they lose as a team, but Salmons felt the brunt of it on this night. What seemed like a sure victory late in the second overtime period began to unravel when an exceptional player made an exceptional shot. With the Raptors up by eight, 49 seconds away from an improbable victory and season-sweep of the 50-win Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant banked in a 27-foot three-point jumper. Following another Thunder three - this one courtesy veteran assassin Derek Fisher - Salmons threw away an inbounds pass on the baseline, only to break up Durants runner and get sent to the line. With less than 10 seconds remaining, now up two, Salmons clanked both free throws, paving the way for the leagues leading scorer to do what he does best. Break hearts. "Great players make great plays," Dwane Casey said of Durant, moments after his 31-foot pull-up dagger gave the Thunder a 119-118 victory. Since coming over from Sacramento in December, Salmons has been praised for his poise and veteran savvy late in games, many of which hes helped them win. This was not his finest hour. "Hes a veteran (and) in those situations youve got to believe in him, that hes going to make those free throws," Casey said of Salmons, playing in place of Terrence Ross, who left the game with a hip contusion. "We had to go with John in that situation. Hes been one of our best defenders in that situation, but its not just one guy." The Raptors, now 1-6 in OT this season, need to close out these types of games. Salmons needs to be better down the stretch, they know it and so does he. It was three months ago, almost to this day that the Raptors pulled off their most impressive win of the season, a 104-98 victory in Oklahoma City. Coming off an OT win in Dallas a couple days prior and trailing by as many as 10 in the fourth, Toronto shocked the Thunder, who were undefeated at home at the time. "It helped kick start us going forward," Casey said of that night. "It helped our chemistry, it helped our togetherness it helped blend in the old and the new guys together." It would not have happened if not for Salmons. The 12-year vet spearheaded his new teams comeback, scoring nine points in the final quarter. After the game his teammates raved about his leadership and calming effect on the floor. Kyle Lowry gave him the game ball. Like Patrick Paterson - still out with an injured elbow - Greivis Vasquez, who was spectacular before fouling out Friday, and Chuck Hayes, Salmons fingerprints are all over the teams resurgence and that should not be forgotten, internally or externally. The Raptors proved something to themselves in OKC that night. They proved that they belonged. Three months later, clinging onto the Easts third seed and top spot in the Atlantic Division, they fell just short of proving something to everybody else. For whatever reason the franchise and its fan base has been battered by losses of the devastating variety to the point in which theyre almost immune to them. Toronto has lost 10 straight overtime games at home, an NBA record. "It does (hurt)," Casey admitted, "but we cant let it." "We cant let this game (give us a) hangover. (Its) a big learning experience for our guys. Youre playing with one of the top teams in the league, one of the top players... and you give yourself a chance to win in (double) overtime." KD the magnificent It seems impossible to fathom that Friday once started off as a slow night for Durant. The Thunder forward made just three of his 12 first-half shots but once Russell Westbrook went down in the third quarter - colliding with Lowry and spraining his surgically repaired right knee - Durant, with the help of some generous officiating, completely took over. Durant scored 51 and finished with 12 rebounds and seven assists, getting to the line 19 times and extending his streak of 25 or more points to 34 games, longest since Michael Jordans 40-game run in 1986-87. Amirs memorable game Playing in his 500th career contest, Amir Johnson nearly willed his team to victory. The Raptors forward recorded a double-double of 25 points and 12 rebounds, connecting on 12 of his 19 shots in 50 minutes of action. He also spent the bulk of the second half guarding Durant, per his own request made after Ross exited with the hip injury. "It was tough, man," he said, asked about defending the leagues leading scorer. "Hes my height, out there shooting from half court. Theres not too much you can do but double team that." "He did a great job," Casey added. "I felt for him. Hes hurt. He was all over him, draped over him. (Durant) made a tough shot. Theres nothing Amir did wrong." The stat For the first time since Jan. 13, 2013, the Raptors had four players score 20 or more points. Along with Johnson, DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with 33 points, hitting all but one of his 16 free throws, while Lowry added 25 and Vasquez scored 21 off the bench. The quote "We couldnt go another overtime," Durant said. "I had to live with whatever happened. You had to get out of there. I wasnt trying to go to another overtime. I pulled up for it, it looked good when it left my hands and God guided that thing to the basket, man. That was the craziest game Ive ever been a part of." Black Friday Nike Air Max 97 .J. -- Kevin Gilbride retired Thursday as offensive co-ordinator for the New York Giants. Clearance Nike Air Max 97 . - Loosening up for their first training camp practice, the Miami Dolphins high-stepped sideways up and down the field while House of Pains song "Jump Around" blared on the loudspeakers. https://www.fakeairmax97wholesale.com/ . City has reached new heights under manager Manuel Pellegrini as they transition from big spending/immediate impact to perennial contender. Yaya Toures seeming discontent Tuesday may complicate that, as does the little issue of Financial Fair Play.NEW YORK -- Injured Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton wont play again in the majors this season because of last weeks beaning. Stanton was hit in the face by a fastball from Milwaukees Mike Fiers last Thursday. Stanton sustained facial fractures, dental damages, cuts that required stitches and two black eyes. Marlins president of baseball operations Mike Hill said Stanton also had concussion symptoms but has been given neurological clearance. "Its the whole healing process, the healing of the bones and the swelling," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said before Wednesdays game against the New York Mets. "Theres just not enough time for it to properly heal, and for him to get medically cleared to be able to play." Miami opens a seven-game homestand Thursday, then closes the season at Washington from Sept. 26-28. "As much as we all would have loved to have him back, we knew that it just ran out of schedule," Hill said. Stanton had said he hoped to play again this year and on Tuesday posted a photograph that showed a marked improvement from last week. Hill said dental procedures are "the bulk of the work that is remaining." "He told me he can open his mouth 60 per cent now," Hill said. "The slices in the food that he has to cut, theyre in halves now. They were in quarters a few days ago." The 24-year-old is a top candidate for thee NL MVP award. Fake Nike Air Max 97. His 37 home runs still are the most in the NL, and he was leading the majors with 105 RBIs when he was hurt. Hill said Stanton might be able to get some at-bats in at the instructional league in Florida, which runs through the first week of October. Stanton could wear a protective flap on his helmet, similar to the one Atlantas Jason Heyward has used since he was hit in the face by a pitch from the New York Mets Jonathon Niese on Aug. 21 last year. "Thats probably for down the road," Redmond said. "I would definitely say he would probably try that." Stanton is earning $10.35 million this year and is eligible for free agency after the 2016 season. "Were hopeful that the season will end, hell be named MVP of the league, and well get back into our off-season preparation and, hopefully, our long-term discussion with him," Hill said. Fiers was fined by Major League Baseball for actions that contributed to benches clearing. Marlins pitcher Anthony Desclafani hit Carlos Gomez with a pitch in the following inning and was suspended for three games and fined by MLB. The players association appealed the suspension, and Hill said a hearing is scheduled for Friday. "Hopefully theyll get the video and see that he wasnt trying to hit anybody," Hill said. "Gomez was hanging out over the plate a little bit." ' ' '