MEMPHIS - Rookie Dwight Buycks sat in the corner of the visitors locker room, headphones on one ear. Rashaad Penny Jersey . D.J. Augustin occupied the locker to his right, Julyan Stone directly to his left as the three point guards shared a laugh 60 minutes prior to tip-off in Memphis. Off the court theyre good friends. On it theyve been competing for the same job since the start of training camp. Its been the Raptors most problematic position early in the season but, at least for now, they have filled the vacancy behind starter Kyle Lowry at the point. Buycks, seemingly an unlikely choice, has emerged from that trio of under-performing guards to earn a spot in Dwane Caseys rotation. Now, its his job to lose. "Hes gained some ground," Casey told TSN.ca before his teams surprising victory over the Grizzlies Wednesday. "I thought he played with a lot of confidence against Houston the other night, he played with a lot of confidence against Utah. Hes kind of stepped forward in that situation and [emerged]." For the third straight game, Buycks was the first Raptors point guard off the bench in Memphis. He missed his only field goal attempt but converted all four of his free throws in just under 12 minutes of action. Augustin checked in with a minute left and the victory all but sealed while Stone was a healthy scratch for Caseys club. "Theres definitely [an] opportunity, for sure," Buycks recognized. "[Casey has] been saying that for a while now. Weve been competing and making it tough for him." "Youve just got to stay ready and make the most of it. Most of all just go out there and have fun but at the same time its a job, its a business so youve got to take it serious." He hasnt been spectacular - far from it, averaging just 3.4 points and 0.4 assists on 36 per cent shooting in five games - but hes been solid, precisely what Casey has been looking for from the leader of his second unit. When hes come into the game hes been aggressive and has made good decisions more often than not. Most importantly there hasnt been a noticeable drop off when Lowry goes to the bench, an ongoing concern when the incumbent Augustin would check in. Five games into his NBA career, Buycks has earned Caseys trust. An undrafted rookie, Buycks was once considered the dark horse of this trio. Stone - who was kept on after a strong showing in camp - endeared himself to Casey with his versatility and defensive wherewithal while Augustin was given first crack at the job on account of his experience as a starter in the league. Their skill sets differ and the sample size with Buycks is small, which suggests the rookie may be tied to short leash. As long as Caseys options at the position remain modest, at best, the competition will be ongoing even if Buycks continues to front the platoon. "Its tough but at the end of the day were teammates," said the 24-year-old. "Were all going to give it our all; were pros, so youve definitely got to bring it. Thats what makes it tough but thats what makes us love our job more." Buycks is an unconventional NBA rookie, having spent last season playing professionally in France where he was awarded league MVP. Still, hes a first-year player and his teammates wont let him forget it. "Its a rookie duty, a little gift from [Lowry]," Buycks said of the small bumblebee backpack thats been accompanying him on road trips this season. "Its not too bad. At the end of the day its all fun and games." "It wasnt a problem for me. I was laughing and smiling right with them when I found out I had it. So [Im] just going along with the flow." It could be worse, he pointed out. The teams three sophomores - Jonas Valanciunas, Terrence Ross and Quincy Acy - all had to carry around pink bags along with a doll, Dora the Explorer or Bart Simpson. The bumblebee is slightly less conspicuous. The advice he received from those three; "Just dont forget youre book bag. Bring it everywhere you go, dont forget it and youll be alright." Will Dissly Jersey . And like the near entirety of last season, Jonathan Bernier and Torontos goaltending tandem is up to the task. Will Dissly Seahawks Jersey . - The Seattle Sounders busy off-season continues with the team acquiring defender Chad Marshall from the Columbus Crew in exchange for a 2015 third-round pick and allocation money. http://www.seahawksfansprostore.com/Customized.html?cat=902 . The Thornhill, Ont., native, who is ranked 11th in the world, said hed hoped he would be ready when Canada begins its World Group first-round tie against Japan in Tokyo on Friday.St. Paul, MN (SportsNetwork.com) - Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 25 shots to help the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 3-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Monday. James Wisniewski had a goal and two assists, while Scott Hartnell added a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets, who have won their past two. Brandon Dubinsky also scored in the win. It seems like when we stick with it, we get results, said Dubinsky. Weve got to find a way to keep climbing. Zach Parise had the only goal of the game for the Wild, who had a two-game winning streak snapped. Devan Dubnyk allowed all three goals on 23 shots in the loss. Im always a big believer in that you have to put pucks on the net if you want to score, said Minnesota head coach Mike Yeo. Weve got the bodies to create traffic and generate secondary opportunities, and we didnt have much of that tonight. The Blue Jackets took a 2-1 lead 5:35 into the third on the power play as Nick Folignos pass from the right side of the net found Wisniewski iin front and he snapped it in for his fifth of the season. Michael Dickson Seahawks Jersey. Columbus sealed the win with 3:03 to play when Wisniewskis wrister from the right point was tipped in by Hartnell. Bobrovsky made nine saves in the final period to hold on for the win. Columbus drew first blood at 7:57 of the first period as Wisniewski sent a lead pass for Dubinsky, who beat Dubnyk with a wrister for his third goal of the season. Minnesota tied the game on the power play with 1:17 to play in the opening frame as Mikko Koivu sent a hard shot on net from the high slot that Parise tipped in. The Wild had a chance to tie the game in the second when Parise was awarded a penalty shot at 9:02, but his shot was stopped by Bobrovsky and the game was tied going into the third. Game Notes Columbus plays in Winnipeg on Wednesday ... Minnesota plays in Detroit on Tuesday ... Columbus was 1-for-2 on the power play, while Minnesota was 1- for-4. Wholesale Jerseys 2019 Discount Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Store NFL T-shirts From China China NFL Hoodies Wholesale NFL Jerseys Wholesale NFL Autographed Jerseys ' ' '
