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Remember when Alonzo Mourning refused to play in Canada? How about Raptor power forward Antonio Davis? After blossoming into an All Star in Toronto, he opted out of his contract because he felt uncomfortable that his kids were singing O Canada. Cheap Air Max Free Shipping . And learning the metric system. These were actual reasons he gave. I do not predict Amir Johnson feeling similarly. Something is happening — has happened — and it is a genie for whom the bottle will forever be too cramped. Turns out, after two decades of tumult and failure, subtly and steadily, Toronto has turned into a basketball mecca. In a fitting end to the roundball dominance of Chicago, Los Angeles and New York, each respectively has been or is being upset by Wizards, common decency and your Toronto Raptors. This isnt emphatic hype from a success-starved fan. This is real. This is how the future of Toronto basketball is going to play out. (Results guaranteed or your money back.) First, Toronto is going to beat the Brooklyn Nets. They are going to do this because they are faster, stronger, better coached and more talented. My words to Garnetts ears, I think theyre tougher too. Id confidently go to battle against KG, Pierce and Deron Williams with Lowry, Amir and Jonas. (Toronto can also selectively deploy Tyler Hansbrough, forcing Brooklyn to be mindful of his ever-present Metta World Peace potential. Observe when Hansbrough is deployed in a game. Always during a "Charles Oakley moment" when a teammate is being manhandled or has taken a series of tough fouls, and it is time for a guy made of elbows to contribute. Last game he played for 8 minutes, committed 3 fouls, and even touched the ball a few times.) The only reason the series goes seven is Torontos lack of experience. Heading into Game 5, the Raptors are now nearing the point of enough collective savvy and bend-but-dont-break guile to beat these paper tigers. The New Jersey Nets of Brooklyn are going down. (Sidenote on Donald Sterling: I would be neglectful not to mention the shadow hanging over an otherwise terrific first round of NBA playoffs. This is a teachable moment to talk about prejudice, especially when a Toronto club has experienced something similar. Remember when Harold Ballard warned us of the Soviet threat in 1979, proclaiming no Russian would ever play for the Maple Leafs, that they were "parasites and barnacles who steal our money?" I think Nikki Borschevsky told me that story. It was just the kind of boldly regressive, anti-humanistic rhetoric which helped spurn a generation of iconic movie villains from Ivan Drago to Boris the Blade. We may never see the same yield of film icons, but after commissioner Adam Silvers welcome and decisive announcement, I guarantee this whole affair ends in the plus column. Before you can explain to your mother that "Instagram is like Twitter with more pets," Magic Johnson will own an NBA team and Donald Sterling will not. Let him waste away in his underground lair, using his billions for, oh, I dont know, drumming up support to bomb North Korea? Backing anti-climate change lobbyists? Pouring millions into Monsantos nuclear corn division? Im not really sure what super-villains are into these days.) Speaking of villains, up next will be Miami, a team Toronto will not get past. This second round series is whats known in the business as "valuable experience". Any team on its way up bonds, grows and learns how to win by getting beat by the best. Do not be surprised when T.O. finds a way to win a game, maybe two (possibly three). This years Heat have a touch of the Nets in them (see: slow, creaky). They also have Lebron so they will be winning. 2014/15. Critical mass. The season NBA fans will remember as the Canadian Invasion. The one lasting achievement of the Vince Carter-era is inspiring a generation of local athletes to basketball greatness. The talent emerging is staggering, and some of it a credit to Carter as the deified player who sparked their imagination as kids. He, and two-time MVP Steve Nash, have long been the main influences for young Canadian ballers. In 1996, Nash was drafted 15th overall, the highest pick in NBA history for a Canuck. But years would pass. Bill Wennington would retire. Carter would move on to half-ass it in other cities. The Northern Uprising would start afresh in 2011, when Cleveland drafted Toronto-native Tristan Thompson 4th overall, a new record. Emerging San Antonio Spurs point guard Cory Joseph, a native of nearby Pickering, was drafted 29th. By 2012, a record five Canadians would be drafted, led by Orlando forward Andrew Nicholson (taken 19th). 2013 would be uncharted territory for Canadian ball. It was the first time two Canadians were selected in the lottery, including 13th selection, Toronto-native Kelly Olynyk and, shockingly, another Toronto-native, Anthony Bennett, going first overall. FIRST OVERALL. And he wasnt supposed to be the guy to accomplish that. That honour was being reserved for 2014s expected draft class hero, Raptor fan, and Toronto-native Andrew Wiggins (note the geographic trend). He may still wind up chosen first overall. Highly-touted Toronto-born Tyler Ennis is also declaring for this years draft and expected to go in the first round. 7-foot-5-inch Sim Bhullar (of Toronto) has a chance to be drafted as the first NBA player of Indian descent. Mississauga-native Nik Stauskas is considered a potential lottery pick. The list is long. Peruse the 2014 mock draft board. I did the math. Toronto is the best represented city in the world. Though the seminal players in Torontos basketball history may not be the most beloved, Marcus Camby, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady and Chris Bosh represent a considerable quantity of upper echelon talent which will someday appear as the bedrock on to which greater success was built. They are testament that superstars can be developed in Toronto, in Canada, where Vince Carter led fan voting for the All Star game four times, and Terrence Ross has been turning on young fans with dunk championship flare. More winning will build more local talent. Perceptions will change. A noteworthy cogitation to pull all this accounting together. It is entirely plausible there could come a day — there will come a day — when great players around the league are nagging their agents, opting out of contracts early, even colluding with their talented buddies...to come to Toronto. With so much homegrown talent pouring into the league, the standard could well be broken soon, where the prominent talents want to come to Toronto rather than dismiss it. To some extent, it is going to happen. To what extent, will be exciting to witness. >> Gallays Poll #8 << Who would you most like to see receive a hard foul from Tyler Hansbrough?(A) Kevin Garnett (most likely)(B) Jason Kidd (less likely)(C) Jay-Z (unlikely)(D) All of the above (almost certainly) Air Max Sale . Louis Blues brought in the premier unrestricted free agent centre, and did it without breaking the bank. Cheap Air Max For Sale . The 28-year-old from Rochester, Alta., was selected by the Redblacks from the Saskatchewan Roughriders roster in the 2013 CFL Expansion Draft. https://www.airmaxchina.us/ .ca presents a week long look at some of the teams and stories that will shape the up coming campaign.Alastair Cook and Joe Root scored centuries as England motored to 314-4 against Pakistan on day one of the second Test, at Old Trafford. Cook (105) marked his 50th Test as England skipper by hitting the 29th Test ton of his stellar career, matching Don Bradmans tally in the process.Meanwhile, Root struck his 10th hundred - and first at number three - before closing Fridays play on 141 not out, with Chris Woakes at the other end 2no.England - 1-0 down in the series after their 75-run defeat at Lords - have never lost a Test when Root has scored a century. Watch a pick of the action from the first day Cook cashed in after winning the toss, striking 15 fours in his 11th century as England captain - equalling the record set by Essex mentor Graham Gooch.He cut with authority after snicking Mohammad Amirs sixth ball of the day through the vacant fourth slip area, a rare moment of fortune in a 172-ball innings of otherwise sound judgement.Fellow opener Alex Hales (10) also enjoyed a slice of luck off the same bowler when his edge burst Asad Shafiqs hands at gully - but Amir swiftly gained his revenge. The seamer set Hales up with a series of outswingers before bowling the right-hander through the gate with one that came back to knock over his off-stump.Root was quickly into his stride, unfurling a straight drive off Rahat Ali (2-69) for four, before going back in his crease to sting Pakistans attack with a series of back-foot drives.Unlike at Lords, where Root and Cook were separated soon after posting their 100-stand in the first innings, the pair pressed on in the afternoon session to give England a decent foothold. A compilation of Cooks 29th Test century Cook was the first to three figures, off 157 balls, clipping Amir for a couple before punching the air to mark the milestone; it was his first century since the epic 263 scored against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi some 20 innings ago. Clearance Air Max. But just when it appeared Pakistan would endure a wicket-less session, Cook was cleaned out in the final over before tea by an Amir delivery that kept a little low - a surprise dismissal on a dry pitch of otherwise true in bounce.Amir should have had a third wicket shortly after the interval when James Vince, on six, drove outside off-stump only for Younus Khan at second slip to shell the chest-high chance - remarkably the fourth drop off Amir in this series already.Vince (18) answered with back and front foot drives for four off Yasir but fell searching outside off-stump for his fifth, edging behind to limit his return to 130 runs from six innings at 18.57.Root registered his maiden Test hundred against Pakistan and first at Old Trafford off 167 balls in the very next over, picking Yasir off for four through mid-wicket - his 14th boundary. A compilation of Roots 10th Test century Yasir suffered the ignominy of conceding 100 runs in his 25th over as Ballance drove the number one bowler in the world for four in glorious fashion.Ballance (23) combined with Yorkshire team-mate Root to add 73 before inside-edging Rahat into his stumps while attempting to run a short ball down to third man.There was to be no further loss as Woakes, promoted up the order ahead of Ben Stokes - like James Anderson, restored to the Test side after missing the first Test defeat - helped cement Englands position.Watch highlights of day one at 10pm on Sky Sports 2, then stay tuned for the Verdict at 11pm. Then tune in for live coverage of day two from 10.30am on Saturday on the same channel. ' ' '