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TORONTO -- The schedule does not get any easier for the Toronto Raptors after they took a hard-fought 121-117 loss to the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.The Raptors, who dropped the Eastern Conference final to the Cavaliers last season, returned home Wednesday to face the Golden State Warriors at Air Canada Centre.The Warriors were NBA finalists last season, losing a seven-game series to Cleveland after winning the championship the season before.The computer that spit out the schedule, Im going to find it and break it, Raptors coach Dwane Casey said.The Raptors (7-3) also lost to the Cavaliers 94-91 at the ACC in their second game of the season, Oct. 28.Casey feels the games are too early in the season to draw conclusions.Its good for us; its not a measuring stick, Casey said. I think were still trying to get our rotations down as far as what we want to do in certain situations, who we want to guard, who can do what in certain situations. (We are) still trying to figure those things out a little bit. Its that part of the year. Id rather go ahead and get these (games against) two of the best teams in the league in now and go from there.The Warriors arrived in Toronto on a four-game winning streak in which they outscored the other teams by a total of 68 points.Golden State (8-2) faces a test of its own on a four-game trip that opens in Toronto and is followed with visits to the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers in a six-day span. The four Eastern Conference teams have a combined record of 22-18.The challenge gets bigger now, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. Were playing playoff teams on the road, East Coast and all of that. Its not going to be easy, but its coming at a good time, and were going to embrace it.Stephen Curry said, Obviously on the road, itll expose us to different challenges and well see where we are. I think were ready for it.Curry remains the catalyst for the Warriors even with the addition this season of Kevin Durant.(Curry) kind of gets us started almost every game, Durant said, when we need an extra surge of energy, coming down to make shots. But also making the right play, scramble for guys. Hes just doing it all to be a complete player.Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry, who had 28 points and nine assists Tuesday, said he took no solace in being a tough opponent for the Cavaliers.Im not encouraged by any loss, Lowry said. We want to win every single game.Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan failed to score 30 points for only the second time this season when he was held to 26 on Tuesday. DeRozan has been the main story on the Raptors this season.He is mature, Casey said. Hes a man now, as opposed to a kid getting beat up in those situations, and the officials respect him now; whereas, three or four years ago they probably would let the veterans get away with a lot of stuff. The game has slowed down for him, and I see that as being the biggest change for him.Toronto forward DeMarre Carroll did not play for the second game in a row Tuesday as he continues to come back from right knee surgery.Don Larsen Astros Jersey .Y. -- Injured Buffalo Sabres forward Marcus Foligno did not practice with the team Monday and head coach Ron Rolston said its unlikely hell play in Wednesdays season opener in Detroit. Cy Sneed Jersey . The Americans, skipped by John Shuster, seized the advantage in the eighth end by scoring five points for a 7-3 lead. The Czechs pulled two back in the ninth, but Shusters team of third Jeff Isaacson, second Jared Zezel and lead John Landsteiner ended with another point to secure the last Olympic berth on offer. https://www.cheapastros.com/813o-cesar-cedeno-jersey-astros.html . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Fake Astros Jerseys . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. Brad Lidge Astros Jersey . LUCIE, Fla.RIO DE JANEIRO -- The best baseball news this past week -- outside of the Yankees basically abandoning their postseason chances, of course -- was Wednesdays long expected announcement that the sport will return to the Olympics in 2020.There will be only six teams in those Olympics, which isnt great, but at least they will be played in Tokyo, which is very good. Japan is passionate about baseball, making those Olympics a much better location for the sports return than when the IOC decided to bring back golf beginning with the Games in Rio, where the sport is not widely played and an expensive new course had to be built, adding to financial woes.Which brings up an important issue. While baseball is returning for the 2020 Olympics, there is no guarantee it will continue in the 2024 Games because the host city could replace it with another sport. If the 2024 Olympics are awarded to Los Angeles, its a good bet baseball will be there. But if one of the other three candidates -- Paris, Rome and Budapest -- get the Games, then it becomes less likely.One reason is the cost of constructing baseball and softball stadiums in cities where the sports are not played very much. That is one of the reasons the IOC dropped the two sports after the 2008 Olympics. Many host cities simply would never use those ballparks again, though the 1992 Olympic baseball stadium was still being used in Barcelona when I visited there a couple of years ago.Another reason is that the IOC wants baseball to send its very best major leaguers, as do most other sports, such as basketball. That, however, is not easy for baseball since the Summer Olympics, unlike the NBA season, come smack in the middle of the major league season. Hockey interrupts its season for the Olympics (which the players love, but the NHL team owners dont) as does the WNBA. Japans baseball league did the same thing in 2008. But dont expect the major leagues to do so when so much is at stake, particularly money. That limits many countries from sending their best players.Of course, not sending the best players isnt considered a major issue in mens soccer where age rules greatly reduce the number of top stars from competing. But the IOC doesnt seem to care about that because soccer is so globally popular.The IOC needs to get over that. Basseball is an international sport.dddddddddddd There are current major leaguers from all across the globe, including Japan, Australia, Brazil, Cuba, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, South Korea and Germany as well as America. Heck, there was a player from Lithuania in the Futures Game last month. Aside from Antarctica, Africa is the only continent without a major leaguer, though there are rising prospects from there who might crack the majors soon.Baseball also is much more popular than most events at the Olympics. Does anyone really care about the modern pentathlon? Or sailing? Or trampoline?As former Olympian R.A. Dickey told me last year: If you want to get the greatest athletes in the world together, why not baseball?Even without major leaguers, baseball has sent top prospects to the Olympics. Among them have been Jake Arrieta (2008), Stephen Strasburg (2008), Dickey (1996) and Nomar Garciaparra (1992), plus Tino Martinez (1988), Jim Abbott (1988), Barry Larkin (1984), Mark McGwire (1984) and Will Clark (1984) when it was a demonstration sport. And thats just the U.S. teams.The problem is that those players were generally just prospects and so not very well-known at the time, especially not outside America. How then can the majors get bigger names into the Olympics?One possibility is sending a few recently retired players to the Olympics. They clearly will not be at their peak but they definitely will attract attention and ratings. Imagine the passion if Ichiro is playing for Japan in Tokyo -- if he actually retires by then, since he will be only 46 and has said he doesnt plan to retire until age 50.Another move is for baseball to establish the Olympic team early and then heavily publicize it. Make it clear to fans who the players are and that they are likely to become All-Stars. Have them play exhibitions against major league teams in the leadup to the Olympics. That will give them attention and great experience.Whoever goes, baseball should stay in the Olympics beyond 2020. It is one of the biggest sports in the world and it certainly deserves to be in the Olympics every bit as much as synchronized swimming and rhythmic gymnastics. ' ' '