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OKLAHOMA CITY - Prior to Sundays game - a game no rational person expected them to be competitive in, let alone win - Raptors coach Dwane Casey spoke about his teams newfound mental toughness. "I like the toughness factor in certain situations where last year and two years ago wed get bumped, get hit [and] wouldnt respond," Casey said an hour and a half before facing the league-best Thunder, a team that hadnt yet lost at home. "Weve grown up from that standpoint and learning how to win is huge." To suggest that Casey was foreshadowing is giving him too much credit. He couldnt have known or genuinely expected what was about to happen. No one did. But he was on to something. This is a different Raptors team than the one Casey was referring to, the one that would cower from adversity in years past. They were supposed to go winless on this exceptionally difficult Western Conference road swing. Instead, theyve won their first two games. “Im seeing it growing," Casey said of his teams resiliency after shocking the hosting Thunder, 104-98, winning four straight on the road for the first time since 2002. "It was one of those things where our guys fought through it and we could have folded or packed it in but they stuck with it and stuck together most of all and didnt fall apart." He called it their best win of the season, which is a given. To take it one step further, it was the Raptors most impressive victory of the three-year Casey era and for all the criticism Torontos coach takes, he had his fingerprints all over it. Casey earned his pay check Sunday evening. He didnt sit down, he didnt relax. He couldnt, not against this team. The Raptors got off to a quick start but withstood the inevitable counterpunch, they rose above spotty officiating and stood their ground when they needed to the most. Through it all Casey was manic on the sidelines. "Sit down Coach," a Thunder fan behind the Raptors bench kept yelling. He didnt. The Raptors were coming off an impressive win in Dallas, defeating a Mavericks team that was 11-2 at home on Friday. The Thunder, winners of nine straight and 17 of 18 overall, were perfect in 13 games at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Toronto threw the first punch and led by six at the break. They were "the aggressor," as Casey puts it, and they paid for it. The Thunder had attempted 22 free throws at the half, making them all, while Toronto shot just 10. That trend continued into the third when, finally the lopsided officiating began to seep into the psyche of a young team that has never been known for their mental resolve. A nine-point lead early in the third quarter turned into a nine-point deficit going into a fourth. Collectively Raptors fans thought, here we go again. The Thunder were fighting back - as we expected - and the Raptors couldnt catch a break from the officials. They missed 17 of 19 field goal attempts to end the frame. Thats when something seemed different. They didnt run, they didnt hide, they hit right back. For that, Casey and his players unanimously credited the work of veteran newcomer John Salmons. "I thought John Salmons maturity came through," Casey said of the reserve forward, who scored nine of his 14 playing the entire fourth quarter. "He has a settling effect when hes in the game and it helps us. It rubs off on DeMar and Terrence. He doesnt get rattled." "John Salmons, I mean give him the game ball, offensively and defensively," added Kyle Lowry. "Just, here, take the ball. He was a big-time player tonight." For the second straight game Salmons came up big when it mattered most. On Friday he slowed down Monta Ellis and two days later he was a big part of the brigade that frustrated Kevin Durant, holding him to 24 points on 5-of-16 shooting, 1-of-6 in the fourth, and forcing his six turnovers. A 12-year vet, Salmons was an afterthought in the seven-player deal that sent Rudy Gay to Sacramento earlier this month. He was - and probably is - a temporary Raptor, a contract that can be moved at the deadline or easily bought out in the offseason. A day after the trade was finalized, he stood in front of the local media without much in the way of emotion or excitement, complaining about being tired from the trip. He has brought more to this team than anyone could have expected. "Im not a rah-rah guy at all but Ive been around for a long time," he said. "Ive experienced a lot so I just try to give my advice when I can." Taking the lead of Salmons, his teammates remained even-keeled when things looked to be going south. Nobody panicked. They executed and made good decisions, the right plays down the stretch. "Weve done a great job of just everyone cheering for each other, supporting each other and nobodys getting their head down," said Lowry, who continues to play the best basketball of his career, leading the team with 22 points and nine assists on Sunday. "Everyones focusing on winning the game no matter how bleak it looks." DeRozan played well, scoring 17 points against a tough defender in Thabo Sefolosha, someone who has given him fits in the past and once again, Amir Johnson was the unsung hero. Johnson - who recorded a double-double of 17 points and 13 rebounds - made some crucial defensive plays down the stretch, switching off on Durant and swatting a Russell Westbrook floater in the final two minutes of the game. "I cant [say enough], theres too much to say about him," Lowry said, or attempted to say about Johnson. "Hes just an unbelievable player. He had his struggles (early in the season) but we all said hell be alright once he finds his groove. And look at him, hes playing unbelievable. He guarded Kevin Durant as tough as he did and the other night he guarded Dirk (Nowitzki) as tough as he did. You just have to tip your hat to him." Back atop the Atlantic Division, the Raptors play their final game before a three-day Christmas break in San Antonio on the second night of a back-to-back Monday. The Spurs have the third-best record in the West and are 9-3 at home. The Raptors are not supposed to win. Care to bet against them? Adidas Superstar γυναικεια ασπρα . Canada Day is here and with it comes Free Agent Frenzy as the NHLs 30 teams storm out of the gate for signing season. Adidas NMD R2 Ελλαδα . The result means Atletico Madrid now tops the table, with Madrid level on points in second and Barcelona a point behind in third with nine games remaining as the title race shapes up to be the closest in years. http://www.nmdgreece.com/ . Louis still looking for a way out of Tampa Bay, the 38-year-old NHL veteran isnt showing his cards. παπουτσια Adidas Superstar ανδρικα . Just ask Arsenal fans. However, Arsene Wenger has repeatedly told anyone willing to listen that finishing in that spot is more important than winning a cup competition. Adidas Superstar φθηνα .Michael Briscoe is serving a life sentence for sexual assault, kidnapping and first-degree murder in the death of 13-year-old Nina Courtepatte in 2005.Every night of the Stanley Cup playoffs, TSN hockey analyst and former NHL goaltender Jamie McLennan breaks down each goalies performance. Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Ray Emery, Philadelphia (4): He had an outstanding game, as he tracked the puck well and was in great position for most saves on Derek Stepan, St. Louis and Rick Nash in the second to keep it at 3-2. He was also very impressive with his stop on Mats Zuccarello in the third. Emery was the difference in this game for Philly. Henrik Lundqvist, NY Rangers (3): King Henrik had a solid game, with big saves on Jakub Voracek in the third on a breakaway and Wayne Simmonds on the back door. He gave them a chance to stay in it and his paddle down move is his strength, but his angling of the rebound cost him one on the Schenn goal. Tuukka Rask, Boston (4): Rask was locked in all game long, aggressive like he was on Brendan Smith in the third. He had no chance on the Luke Glendening goal as it was a deflection, but was strong with his rebounds through 60 minutes. He had a great response game. Jimmy Howard, Detroit (2): Goal No. 1 was a bad bounce off Smith, faced a ton of traffic omn Sunday and the Bruins game plan was to get in front of him all night. Goals No. 2 aand No.dddddddddddd. 4 saw him battle traffic and scrambles. Carey Price, Montreal (4): Price continued to make timely saves for the Habs. He didnt get much work early on, but his huge blocker save in the second was money. Anders Lindback, Tampa Bay (4): He was the only reason it wasnt an ugly score, making big stops on Rene Bourque, Max Pacioretty, Brandon Prust and the list goes on. It was a very lopsided game that was closer on the scoreboard than the actual game and Lindback has a nice bounce back from a soft performance in his last game. Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles (2): Quick madee big saves on Patrick Marleau, Joe Pavelski, Tommy Wingels and Tomas Hertl in the first period, but was eaten alive by the speed attack of the Sharks that targeted his blocker side (five out of seven goals beat him high blocker). He didnt get a ton of help for sure from his blueliners, who were atrocious, and he faced more than 10 of what I call 10 bell chances, capped off by a Wingels breakaway with 40 seconds left. Antti Niemi, San Jose (4): Niemi was solid all night long. He was beat on play with traffic in front and a redirection and did not get a ton of quality chances against, but he did his job to be solid in net as the Sharks put up a touchdown in goal support. ' ' '