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NEW ORLEANS - Greivis Vasquez, now an integral member of the Raptors second unit, has celebrated wins over each of his three former teams in the last two weeks but Wednesdays victory over the Pelicans brought an even wider smile to the jovial point guards face. He played a big part in Fridays upset win over Memphis - the team that drafted him - a week after defeating the Kings, the team that traded him Toronto. However, this one meant a little more, though it took him a couple minutes to admit it. "I just want to win," Vasquez said, initially downplaying his return to New Orleans after the Raptors overcame an abysmal start to knock off the undermanned Pelicans 107-100. Sandwiched between his brief time in Memphis and Sacramento, Vasquez spent two seasons playing for the New Orleans franchise, formally known as the Hornets. There he enjoyed his best moments, individually, of his career. "This is a very special place for me because they gave me the key, they labelled me a starting point guard, they gave me a chance to showcase my game," said Vasquez, who finished second in most improved voting with the Hornets last season, averaging a career-highs in points (13.9) and assists (9.0) before he was traded to Sacramento this past summer. "I was really angry when they traded me," he admitted. "I know its part of the business so that makes it a little sour when you come back but you always want to beat your former team." With the game in the balance down the stretch, Vasquez looked and played like a scorned man. The Raptors backup point guard, like the rest of his new team, got off to an unexpectedly slow start against a Pelicans club missing its best player, all-star forward and Vasquezs former running mate Anthony Davis. When Vasquez entered the game late in the first quarter, Toronto was already down by seven. That deficit would balloon to 13 a few minutes later, as the Pelicans had their way with the shorthanded Raptors in the paint, getting what they want, when and however they wanted it. The Raptors spent most of the second half clawing back, unable to get over the final hurdle until Vasquez vaulted them over it. With two minutes remaining on the clock and the score knotted up at 94 - Toronto had led for a total of 51 seconds in the game at that point - the former Hornet put the Raptors on top with one of his patented floaters. After misfiring on a three from the corner - one he thought he had made - moments later, Vasquez followed his shot, grabbed the rebound - Torontos 22nd offensive board of the night, a season-best - and covered the lay-up, also getting fouled on the play. After completing the three-point sequence, the Raptors found themselves up by five in a game they badly needed, having dropped their last two. They would not relinquish that lead. "I was blessed enough to be out there at the end of the game," said Vasquez, who scored nine of his 14 points in the fourth quarter. "Ive been wishing I could get out there at the end of these games and (Coach) gave me an opportunity." "I had a rough first half and then the second half I was on a mission," he continued. "I like close games. Im not afraid. I will never be afraid. I am the type of player who would risk everything. Thats how I got the (starting job) here in New Orleans. They saw me playing in Memphis against San Antonio and OKC in my rookie year and they thought I was a starting guard." The Pelicans missed just three shots in the opening quarter, dropping 32 points on the winded Raptors - playing in the second game of a back-to-back, having lost Tuesday in Atlanta - without Davis, their leading scorer. Shooting over 75 per cent until the latter half of the second quarter, New Orleans torched the visitors on dribble drives in the paint. "I didnt recognize the team in the first quarter," Dwane Casey said. "I told them they were playing like they were in a rec league in the summer time (but) we picked it up." The game began to turn midway through that frame, as the Raptors closed the half on a 23-10 run, hitting nine of their final 10 shots. Despite shooting 36-per-cent in the second half, the Raptors clawed and scraped their way back into the game. DeMar DeRozan carried them offensively, scoring 16 of his game-high 31 points in the second half and the team out-rebounded New Orleans 31-18, including a 14-2 advantage on the offensive boards. Amir Johnson - playing on a sore ankle, again - grabbed eight of his nine rebounds in the second half, Tyler Hansbrough - starting in place of the injured Jonas Valanciunas - pulled down eight of his season-high 13. Simply put, they wanted it more. "This game was about mental toughness, physical toughness more so than skill," said Casey. "No matter who youre playing you have to bring that each and every night and I thought our guys did." Undermanned frontcourt The Raptors were without two of their top three bigs in Valanciunas, who missed his first game of the season with a lower back sprain and Patrick Patterson, still out with an elbow injury. Valanciunas sustained the injury turning to set a screen in the third quarter of Tuesdays loss to the Hawks and was unable to suit up in New Orleans. Although his back is still tight, the Raptors centre underwent treatment before the game and plans to do the same during Thursdays off day, hoping to return on Friday at home to the Thunder. De Colos quiet impact Without attempting a single shot in the first half, only taking one in the game, Nando De Colo helped ignite the Raptors and change the game with his energy, effort and decision making. Logging 14 minutes, the most hes played since he was acquired from San Antonio at the trade deadline, De Colo was credited with sparking his new teams second-quarter run that cut their deficit from 14 to one going into intermission. "Oh man, he was unbelievable," Kyle Lowry said of De Colo, who went scoreless but added two rebounds and three assists. "You cant forget a guy like that. Thats what I always say, were 15 strong. Nando hasnt played that much but tonight he really changed the game, just moving, speed, defence, just his overall effort and knowledge of the game." Nearing a milestone on the road With the victory, the Raptors picked up their 18th road win of the season, most since the 2001-02 campaign and are getting closer to the franchise record of 20 set the year prior. Toronto has seven road games to go and can finish at or above .500 away from home for the first time in team history if they can win at least three of them. Theyll face only one winning team on the road - the Heat - the rest of the way. Wednesdays visit to New Orleans also marked the Raptors final road game against Western Conference opponents, finishing the season 8-7 in those contests. Fake Yeezy Boost 350 V2 . Alen, 28, hit .315 with five home runs, 59 RBI and a career-high nine stolen bases for the Goldeyes last season. He is the longest serving catcher in Goldeyes history, having already spent five seasons with the organization. Cheap Fake Yeezys . -- Down to 10 men and behind on the scoreboard, Toronto FC displayed its perseverance. http://www.fakeyeezysforsale.com/. -- Rookie Victor Oladipo came off the bench to score 20 points and Glen Davis had 18, leading the Orlando Magic to a 112-98 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. Fake Yeezys Boost . -- The Los Angeles Angels have agreed to a minor league contract with reliever Brandon Lyon that includes an invitation to their big league camp for spring training. Fake Yeezys . -- Adam Tambellini scored three times and set up one more as the Calgary Hitmen won their sixth in a row by crushing the host Lethbridge Hurricanes 8-1 on Saturday in Western Hockey League play.MONTREAL - The spotlight is on Andrew Wenger as the Montreal Impact begin their third Major League Soccer regular season with a visit to FC Dallas on Saturday. Listen to the Impact vs. FC Dallas live on TSN Radio Montreal 690 starting at 8pm et. The first overall pick in the 2012 SuperDraft is expected to start at striker in place of star scorer Marco DiVaio, who is suspended for the opening three games. "Marco scored 20 goals last year, we all know that, so I dont think its going to land on any one guy to replace him," Wenger said this week. "Ill do my best to contribute, but itll be on every player on the team to contribute to a larger factor." DiVaio and midfielder Andres Romero were each suspended three games for their part in a melee that erupted late in their 3-0 playoff loss to the Houston Dynamo last season. And it could be a makeshift lineup on the field with their new captain Patrice Bernier and fullback Jeb Brovsky likely limited to substitute duty, if they play at all, as they recover from injuries. A possible lineup used in training this week had four players who were mainly substitutes last season, plus their first round draft pick Erik Miller, on the field. The suspensions and injuries and the fact that they had few off-season signings were why many observers predicted the Impact will take a step back after finishing fifth in the Eastern Conference and earning their first MLS playoff berth last season. Even the MLS website had them rated last in the 19-team league in their pre-season power rankings. The Impact hope to show they can do just as well or better. Former Chicago Fire manager Frank Klopas, who replaced the fiery Marco Schallibaum as head coach, will make his Impact debut in Dallas. The former MLS and Greek league player brings a blend of the European experience and a knowledge of how games are won in the more physical North American league. Klopas goal is to allow at least 10 fewer goals than the sometimes messy 49 they conceded in 34 games last season. His influence was felt at training camp, where the Impact failed to defend their Disney Pro-Classic trophy but put a lot of time into conditioning. He hopes to give more minutes to more players to keep the team fresh throughout the campaign. Schallibaums squad last season dominated MLS in the first half, but went 1-6-1 down the stretch. "With the amount of travel we do in this league, its not easy," said Klopas. "We play a lot of games, thats why you need depth. We have to be able to rely on everybody." The biggest challenge will be in the central defence, where former Italian giant Alessandro Nesta retired as a player but stayed with the club to do video analysis. Sppaniard Adrian Lopez, who tore an ACL after one game when he joined the club in August, is a month away from resuming full training.dddddddddddd And Colombian Nelson Rivas, whose only game in 2013 was the playoff loss in which he was ejected for two yellow cards, has a hamstring injury. That leaves their defence leader Matteo Ferreri as the only healthy regular in the middle. It appears lanky fullback Hassoun Camara will move inside to start the season. The Impact also traded midfielder and former captain Davy Arnaud to D.C. United and attackers Andrea Pisanu and Daniele Paponi were let go. It appeared that 21-year-old Uruguayan forward Santiago Gonzalez would be their lone signing, but midway through camp they got a boost with the arrival of former New York Red Bulls left back Heath Pearce. Pearce is coming off hip surgery in July, but is close to match fitness. His arrival could bump Brovsky to right back and make Camara a full time centre back. The Impact also hope that having midfielder Hernan Bernardello with the team from the start of camp will make him more effective than he was after joining the team last summer. The Argentine is the teams second designated player after DiVaio. He plays a holding midfield role, just in front of the defence. When Bernier returns, they are expected to be the teams engine, launching attacks from their back position. Bernardello will also allow Bernier, a clever passer, to move up more to support the attack. They hope that will spur Brazilian midfielder Felipe Martins, perhaps their best player in 2012, after a weak campaign under Schallibaum. Wenger feels getting more players involved will help the whole team. He said DiVaio was running away with the scoring title last season until teams realized you only needed to cover him tightly to shut down the Montreal attack. "If we can have a more balanced attack, that would be important," he said. Collin Warner, who is to replace Bernier for the opener, is another who may get more playing time under Klopas. "Theres a little more direction on where players are supposed to find each other in different holes and pockets on the field," said Warner. "Thats a positive for me, being a midfielder. "The overall style is a bit quicker, more one and two-touch, so thats good." Whether it translates into more points remains to be seen. Last season, the Impact opened with surprise wins at Seattle and Portland and rode that to a big first half. "Road games test morale and character," said Bernier. "Marco wont be here for three games, but a team doesnt win with one player. "Hes a very important piece up front, but guys have to seize the opportunity." ' ' '