Broken Wings » rstood this would probably happen. We

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Toronto Raptors set their sights on a second straight victory with the Oklahoma City Thunder visiting the Air Canada Centre tonight riding a two game streak of their own. The Raptors snapped a two-game losing streak in Wednesdays 107-100 road victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, while the Thunder dispatched the Chicago Bulls on Monday and then bested the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday as part of a three-game road swing. Toronto bested the Thunder in Oklahoma City on Dec. 22 to snap a three-game series losing streak. OKC has won two of its last three in Toronto. DeMar DeRozan poured in a game-high 31 points and Kyle Lowry tallied 23 points, eight rebounds and five assists in Wednesdays win over the Pelicans. Amir Johnson added 17 points and nine boards for the Raptors, who have won three of their last five. Tyler Hansbrough chipped in a game-high 13 rebounds and Greivis Vasquez contributed 14 points. "We understand we needed this game, plus we have a long flight back home that we didnt want to sit on this loss with," DeRozan said. The Raptors will get a boost to their lineup this evening, as centre Jonas Valanciunas will return to the lineup as a starter. Valanciunas, who left Tuesdays loss to the Atlanta Hawks late in the third quarter with a lower back sprain, participated in the shoot around Friday morning and was declared ready to play about an hour before game time. Kevin Durant had 35 points, 11 rebounds and six assists to lead the Thunder over the Cavaliers on Thursday. It was his 33rd consecutive game with 25-plus points, which is the longest run of his career and the longest in the NBA since Michael Jordan strung 40 straight together during the 1986-87 season. "My shot was a little flat and I missed some easy ones," said Durant, who shot 12-for-21 from the field. "I just tried to play as hard as I can on defense and make winning basketball plays." Serge Ibaka supplied 16 points and 11 boards, while Reggie Jackson added 13 points and six assists for the Thunder, who have won four of their last five games. Star Thunder guard Russell Westbrook did not suit up to rest his surgically- repaired knee. Oklahoma City is 1 1/2 behind the San Antonio Spurs for Western Conference supremacy. The Raptors are 2 1/2 games ahead of the Brooklyn Nets for the lead in the Atlantic Division, but they are only a half-game in front of the Bulls for the third seed in the Eastern Conference. Toronto will play two straight north of the border and will host the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday. Steve Larmer Jersey . Joining him in this years class were Switzerlands Patrick Huerlimann and Norways Eigil Ramsfjell. The announcement was made at the world mens curling championship at Capital Indoor Stadium in China. Duncan Keith Jersey .com) - Longtime Senators star Daniel Alfredsson returned to Ottawa on Thursday to officially announce his retirement. http://www.officialblackhawksauthority.com/ .C. - Blair Jones scored the eventual winner in the third period as the Abbotsford Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Oil Barons 3-2 in American Hockey League action on Friday. Chris Chelios Jersey . Plata blasted a rising shot to the upper left corner for his team-leading seventh goal of the season. He got the kick after referee Allen Chapman ruled Chris Tierney fouled John Stertzer in the penalty area. ED Belfour Jersey . Meanwhile, the Jets extended their winning streak to four and remain perfect under Paul Maurice. Its the Jets second four-game winning streak of the season, the other coming in mid-November.ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - Cornerback Chris Harris Jr. doesnt see any reason to lament his lot in life right now. Despite dealing with a torn left ACL that sidelined him for the Super Bowl and probably cost him $1 million in salary next season, the Denver Broncos most versatile cornerback was thrilled to sign his one-year restricted free-agent tender Tuesday. It will pay him $2,187,000 next season — or more than 1,000 times the $2,000 signing bonus he received four years ago as an undrafted college free agent. "Ill take it," Harris told The Associated Press. "Im definitely happy with it. Im excited to go back out there, get back healthy and lead this team back to the Super Bowl." Had Harris not gotten hurt in the playoffs, the Broncos would have probably had to use the highest tender on him — a one-year deal worth more than $3.1 million that carried a first-round pick as compensation. Instead, they were able to use the second-highest tender available. With the Broncos able to match any offers, no suitors came calling for Harris, whos been rehabbing at the Broncos facilities since shortly after undergoing surgery in February following Denvers loss to Seattle in the Super Bowl. "Teams were not going to give up a second-round pick. We realized that," Harris said. "We know that next year is a big year for me." Harris ligament in his left knee wasnt completely torn when he got hurt against San Diego in the playoffs and he and the Broncos are optimistic hell be ready by the start of training camp in July and will resume his role as a leader on Denvers defence. If that happens, the Broncos are expected to work toward a longer-term deal for Harris after next season when he hits unrestricted free agency. "I definitely think Ill be close to 100 per cent by the start of training camp," Harris said. "You never know with this type of injury, but the ligament wasnt completely torn and righht now Im feeling great.dddddddddddd The treatment is going great and Im improving each week." Harris is coming off a monster year in which he posted 65 tackles, 58 of them solo, three interceptions and 14 pass breakups while allowing the fifth-fewest yards receiving (25 a game) and tying for the eighth-fewest completions allowed (35) in the NFL among players targeted at least 60 times. His emergence and versatility playing both the slot and on the outside helped the Broncos decide to bid farewell to star Champ Bailey this off-season after he played sparingly last year. Then, the signing of fellow University of Kansas alum Aqib Talib led to the departure of free agent Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. "Champ and I always talked and we kind of understood this would probably happen. We werent surprised" by Baileys exit, Harris said. "Losing Champ, I feel I can take over his role on the field and also I can take over his leadership role. If you look at it, I was the starting corner pretty much the whole season last year. "You see my production and you see Talib, me and him have played together before, so were familiar with each other communication-wise, chemistry-wise, and thats a big thing." Harris was a freshman at Kansas in 2007 when Talib was an All-American his junior year before being drafted in the first round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that following spring. "Weve always been pretty tight. And friends always joke around saying, What if you and Talib play together now?" Harris said. "Now, its kind of crazy. I was just a freshman. I was young and still learning the game. Now, Im in my fourth season in the NFL and with all Aqibs experience, weve got a pretty solid duo. Its going to be great." ___ AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ___ Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton ' ' '