TORONTO - The Raptors learned a little bit about themselves in a narrow defeat to the Chicago Bulls Wednesday, a game with playoff-type intensity and their third consecutive against an opponent directly behind them in the standings. Jaromir Jagr Jersey . On Thursday theyll learn even more. Despite the cloud of uncertainty that has followed them around from the moment general manager Masai Ujiri was brought in to put his stamp on the franchise, the Raptors have surpassed all pre-season expectations. They have navigated through early-season tank speculation, theyve come together after a momentum shifting seven-player deal and they continue to block out the noise emitting from the incessant batch of rumours surrounding their starting point guard. At 3:00 PM et Thursday afternoon all that noise will be muzzled until the offseason, all the uncertainty finally put to bed. Finally, they will all know where they stand, at least for the next couple months. So, with the big day rapidly approaching, will Kyle Lowry - the primary subject of trade speculation - be losing any sleep on the eve of the deadline? "Nope," scoffed the Raptors point guard, as that question was posed following his teams 94-92 loss to the Bulls. "Not at all." "Any other questions about that," he asked, daring the hoard of local media to try their luck again. There were no more questions. It was worth a try, after all, its the question thats on everyones mind. Will Lowry be wearing a Raptors jersey when the team hosts the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday? Still, it was a futile attempt to get a rise out of a player who has been relatively unshakable all season. Lowry, like the rest of his teammates, is fully aware of whats at stake as he waits to learn his fate. The upcoming deadline has been on the their minds, whether they care to admit it or not, but its not a subject thats welcome for discussion in the locker room. "Thankfully on this team, no, no ones talked about it, no ones mentioned it," said Patrick Patterson, ahead of the teams win in Washington Tuesday. "The only thing Ive seen is just stuff on Twitter, the internet, Bleacher Report, whatever, yada, yada, yada, rumours but as far as this group of guys from the coaching staff on down to each player on the roster, no one has mentioned anything." Patterson arrived in the trade from Sacramento on Dec. 9, along with Kings teammates Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons and Chuck Hayes. Since then, this team has gelled in a way that no one could have possibly imagined, going 22-12 with the new additions in uniform. Chemistry is a word thats been used to describe this group both on and off the floor and, as Ujiri has insisted, its something the Raptors general manager values above all else. Ujiri, in conversation with TSN.ca over the weekend, expressed a reluctance to disrupt that newfound chemistry unless the right deal comes along. Hes not alone. Dwane Casey wouldnt mind seeing 15 familiar faces in the locker room when he comes into work on Friday. "I like our guys," Casey said. "I know Masai is working 24/7 on the phones and looking at different scenarios. We talked a long time today. But I like our guys. If we (bring) our team back Im happy." "I always said since I came (here), the players will dictate where we go and the team will dictate where we go," Ujiri told TSN.ca on Sunday. "Thats kind of how its been." The players have spoken. The Raptors hold third place in the Eastern Conference, a 1/2 game in front of the fourth-seeded Bulls after Wednesdays loss. They were outplayed on both ends of the floor in the second night of a back-to-back. It was a brutally physical and fiercely competitive game in which seven technical fouls were handed out. The Raptors were down and out early but they fought back, as they have done time and time again, showing mental and physical toughness. Theyre a resilient bunch, theyve proven that, and they believe theyve earned the right to see this thing out. "I believe that nothing will (happen Thursday)," Patterson predicted. "No trades will be made due to the success that weve had since the (Sacramento deal)." "Why break up something thats been going so well," he asked, rhetorically. "None of us are talking about trades, none of us are talking about wanting to leave and everyone is happy with the current situation." Jacques Plante Jersey .Cullen scored the go-ahead goal at 13:47 of the third period and Nashville beat the slumping Dallas Stars 3-2 on Thursday in a game that wasnt decided until the last shot of the night. Cheap Bruins Jerseys .com) - Scott Parel carded a 5-under 65 on Thursday and he grabbed a 1-stroke lead after one round of the season-opening Panama Claro Championship. https://www.cheapbruins.com/1622m-dave-andreychuk-jersey-bruins.html . FLIP SAUNDERS (Timberwolves): Im not the least bit surprised that he appointed himself as head coach after his search concluded. MONTREAL -- A stunning climb in the world rankings and taking a set off the best female tennis player on the planet was reward enough for Eugenie Bouchards hard work in 2013. Now the native of Westmount, Que., is shooting for silverware. "I want to win a title (in 2014), thats for sure," said Bouchard, who surged to No. 32 in the WTA rankings this year from 144th. "Ill be happy with any title but the bigger the tournament is the better it will be. And my ultimate objective is a Grand Slam." Besides her lofty rise in the WTA standings, Bouchard defeated Ana Ivanovic -- then ranked world No. 12 -- in the second round of Wimbledon, forced Serena Williams to three sets in Cincinnati and was named WTA Newcomer of the Year. These accomplishments have earned Bouchard, who turns 20 in February, the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as The Canadian Press female athlete of 2013. Bouchard received 45 per cent of ballots cast, finishing well ahead of snowboarder Dominique Maltais and speedskater Christine Nesbitt, who each had 11 per cent. "Its special," Bouchard said of the award, which is determined through balloting among sports editors and broadcasters across the country. "It just shows how much hard work Ive put in this year that Ive had good results. It makes me more proud of my year." Bouchard said her first full year on the tour allowed her to appreciate the differences from the junior circuit, where she starred in 2012 while winning the Wimbledon junior championship. "I feel like Ive had a lot of good experiences this year that will help me in the future," she said. "I got to play a lot of big matches on centre courts at Grand Slams like at the French Open and Wimbledon." Fellow tennis player Milos Raonic was voted The Canadian Press male athlete of the year on Thursday. Canadas team of the year will be revealed Saturday. A number of womens tennis players have won the Canadian Press honour over the years. Aleksandra Wozniak was the last to do so, taking the honour in 2009. Helen Kelesi and Carling Bassett are also former winners. Praise poured in for Bouchard from those who selected her for the Rosenfeld Award, originally awarded in 1933 and named foor the Olympic champion and all-round athlete who was voted Canadas top female athlete for the first half of the 20th century. Sprague Cleghorn Jersey. "Eugenie Bouchard is a name I think were going to be hearing a lot of in the future," said Montreal Gazette sports editor Stu Cowan. "Shes only going to get better and seems to have the game -- and the strength -- to make it into the top 10. Her name could be at the top of this list for years to come. A real breakout year from her." Pierre Champoux, news director at Radio-Canada.ca, suggested there doesnt seem to be much that can stop her from continuing her dramatic rise in the rankings. "How far will she go?" Champoux said. "Eugenie Bouchard opened the eyes of all Canadians with her dazzling progress among the best tennis players in the world." The expectations are high, but Bouchard says shes not going to let that get to her. "I put enough pressure on myself, so Im just going to focus on that and not worry about what other people think because thats out of my control," she said. "I really just want to focus on my tennis and, if I play well, if I perform well, then the results will come." Moses Woldu, sports director at Newcap TV (CKSA, CITL) in Lloydminster, Alta., put it succinctly for why he selected Bouchard. "Moving 100 spots in the tennis world rankings speaks for itself." Maltais, of Petite-Riviere-Saint-Francois, Que., enjoyed a stellar year of her own, winning the overall World Cup snowboard cross title and a world silver medal. That was enough for Bob Addison, sports anchor for Vancouver radio station CKNW. "Tough choice, but Maltais takes it as the overall World Cup champ," he said. Others who received votes included heptathlete Brianne Theisen-Eaton, paralympic swimmer Valerie GrandMaison, gymnast Rosie MacLennan, snowboarder Maelle Ricker, mixed martial artist Alexis Davis, freestyle skier Chloe Dufour-Lapointe, snowboarder Spencer OBrien and bobsledder Kaillie Humphries. Bouchard becomes the fourth tennis player to win the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award. Carling Bassett took it in 1983 and 1985, Helen Kelesi in 1989 and 1990 and Aleksandra Wozniak in 2009. ' ' '