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  March 27, 2018 8:11 PM PDT

  TORONTO -- DeMar DeRozan had clearly been itching for the start of the regular season. Bruce Ellington Jersey . Like so many other veterans, he had to grind his way through exhibition games in training camp, gradually moving from 11 points in his first preseason game, to 15, to 20 and finally to 34 in the final warm-up game last week.His patience was rewarded Wednesday night as the Olympic gold medalist had 40 points in the Toronto Raptors 109-91 season-opening victory over the Detroit Pistons, his third career 40-point outing and just two off his career high.Preseason (stunk), he said. But youve got to do it and now the real deal is here and youre just trying to catch a rhythm.DeRozan made a career-high 17 field goals on 27 shots and was a perfect 6 for 6 from the free throw line, while Jonas Valanciunas was 10 for 15 from the field to go along with 11 rebounds. Valanciunas previous career high was 31, also against the Pistons, on Jan. 12, 2015.According to Elias Sports Bureau, the duo became the first teammates in NBA history with a 40-point game and a 30-point game in a season opener. DeRozan also broke Vince Carters opening-night franchise record of 39 points, set against the-then New Jersey Nets in 2003.I never keep track, DeRozan said of his record-breaking exploits. Somebody always informs me after the game.Valanciunas also played down his accomplishment, despite registering his second career 30-point game, as the Raptors led from the 5:13 mark of the first quarter and never looked back.Eighty-one games to go, he said. We should not get too excited; this is just the start.Tobias Harris had 22 points and Marcus Morris had 17 points and nine rebounds for the Pistons, who lost for the eighth time in their last 11 games against Toronto.Coach Stan Van Gundy was particularly irked with his teams defensive play in losing their season opener for the fifth time in seven years, especially the fact that Detroit was outrebounded 51-40. It didnt help that center Andre Drummond left the court after getting elbowed in the jaw by Valanciunas early in the first quarter, though he later returned.The rebounding was a major concern, he said. (Giving up) 54 points in the paint was a major concern and 29 free throw attempts, so that just means the team took it right at you.TIP-INSPistons: Henry Ellenson, Detroits first-round draft pick last June (18th overall) went scoreless in 2:10 of play, while second-round selection Michael Gbinije (49th overall), had two points in 2:10.Raptors: C Lucas Nogueira (ankle) sat out. . DeRozan started his franchise-record eighth straight season opener, breaking a tie with Carter. . First-round draft pick Jakob Poeltl became the first Austrian to play in the NBA. He finished with two points in 12:47 of court time. . Oct. 26 is the earliest date that Toronto has ever had a home opener. . The Raptors are 13-9 on opening night and have won four straight.HE SAID ITIts one thing to watch somebody on TV and see what he does every single night and actually being there and seeing how effortless it was. It was amazing, he was just getting to his spots, shooting over people and its like, `How does he do that?Rookie Pascal Siakam, drafted 27th overall in June, on the play of DeRozan. Siakam became the first Toronto rookie to start a season opener since Valanciunas in 2012, and rose to the occasion, hauling in nine rebounds to go along with four points in 21 minutes.UNITED NATIONSWith the draft-day additions of Poeltl (Austria) and Siakam (Cameroon), Torontos roster has players representing five countries other than the United States. Valanciunas (Lithuania), Cory Joseph (Canada), Nogueira and Bruno Caboclo (Brazil) round out the group. In their 21 seasons, the Raptors have had players representing 16 countries.ANOTHER DIMENSIONEvery fan at the Air Canada Centre was given a pair of 3D glasses. As the Raptors opened their season some of the players were jumping out of the Jumbotron to highlight some of the more spectacular plays from last season.UP NEXTPistons: Host Orlando on Friday in their home opener. Van Gundy is 6-1 against his former team since taking charge in Detroit.Raptors: Host Cleveland on Friday in an early season rematch of last years Eastern Conference Finals, won by the Cavaliers in six games. Johnathan Joseph Jersey .J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his left knee. J.J. Watt Jersey . LOUIS -- Theres no telling how these wacky World Series games will end. http://www.officialauthentictexansstore.com/authentic-deshaun-watson-jersey.html . "Jeff is a hard worker who was an important special-teams contributor for us last season," said Stamps GM John Hufnagel. BOSTON -- The New York Rangers have won the Jimmy Vesey sweepstakes.Vesey, 23, the reigning Hobey Baker Award winner, agreed on a two-year, entry-level deal with the Rangers, the team announced Friday.Vesey became a free agent at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. In addition to the Buffalo Sabres, who owned exclusive negotiating rights from June 20 to this past Monday, Vesey entered the market with a list of seven teams he considered, and he met with those organizations over a two-day period in Boston, along with his agents, Peter Fish and Peter Donatelli.Vesey said the history of the Rangers organization and its status as an Original Six franchise had a lot to do with his decision.This week I did do a lot of meetings, and it was definitely a tough decision, but myself, my agent and my family were very impressed with the Rangers in our meeting, Vesey said. Talking with coach [Alain] Vigneault and [general manager] Jeff Gorton and Chris Drury, I was really impressed with those guys, and I just thought that New York was somewhere I could play and hopefully stick in the NHL.The thing that jumped out at me was they seemed to really want me, and from talking to them it seemed that they really needed to have me in their lineup and it seemed like they believe in me, so that was something I was looking for, and based on our talks, New York was the right fit.During the process, it was clear that Vesey wanted to play for a team that would give him the opportunity to play in a top-six role. Asked where Vesey would fit into the Rangers lineup, Gorton said its too soon to discuss that.Its hard to say. Hes got an ability to score. He can make plays. Hes a very talented player. Where? What number? What line? I wouldnt want to go down that road and say yet, but he can come in and play, Gorton said. Hes going to come into training camp and do his best to try to fit in as high as he can in our lineup, and thats what were looking for.Vesey met with the the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils on Tuesday. On Wednesday, he entertained the Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks and finishhed with his hometown Boston Bruins, who gave the prospect an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of their new practice facility set to open this season. Lamarr Houston Jersey. During those meetings, the teams pulled out all the stops to woo Vesey.The Blackhawks Patrick Kane was in Boston for Chicagos meeting with Vesey. The Devils Cory Schneider and Kyle Palmieri spoke with Vesey, too. The Rangers Kevin Hayes, a Boston native, has talked with Vesey numerous times this summer while both work out together. The Islanders John Tavares was also in Boston on Tuesday to make his pitch on behalf of the organization. When the Bruins hosted Vesey at the teams new practice facility, numerous Bruins players were in attendance to greet him. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby also reached out to Vesey.The Sabres Jack Eichel, who is a close friend and has been working out with Vesey all summer, also has given his advice about the Buffalo organization.Vesey and his agents started discussing all the options on Thursday afternoon and finally came to a decision on Friday evening.Vesey was originally drafted by the Nashville Predators in the third round (No. 66 overall) in the 2012 NHL entry draft. He played four seasons at Harvard from 2012 to 2016 and finished with 144 points in 128 games for the Crimson. He served as team captain his senior season.The Predators expected to sign the 23-year-old prospect, but Vesey, by his CBA rights, elected to test the free-agent market. At the time, Nashville general manager Dave Poile said the organization already had received confirmation from Vesey that he would sign after his collegiate season concluded.However, Veseys agents said the organization was told before the Feb. 29 NHL trade deadline that their client would not sign and thus become a free agent after Aug. 15.Nashville traded Veseys rights to the Sabres on June 20. Even though Buffalo had exclusive negotiating rights until midnight on Monday, the Sabres knew of Veseys desire to hear other offers. Cheap Jerseys 2020 Stitched Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys From China China NFL Jerseys Jerseys Wholesale Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys From China ' ' '