Both Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps face tricky games this weekend, as both teams cling to their respective playoff lives. [url=https://www.cheapyankees.com/621g-nestor-cortes-jr-jersey-yankees.h tml]Nestor Cortes Jr. Jersey[/url] . TFC sits in seventh place in the MLS Eastern Conference with

Both Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps face tricky games this weekend, as both teams cling to their respective playoff lives. Nestor Cortes Jr. Jersey . TFC sits in seventh place in the MLS Eastern Conference with six games left to play, while Vancouver sits in sixth place in the Western Conference with five games remaining. Canadaa€?s third MLS team, the Montreal Impact, is already eliminated from playoff contention. Whitecaps fans will have one eye on the earlier game on Saturday, as TFC takes on the Portland Timbers (TSN1, TSN4, TSN5 1pm et/10am pt). A Toronto victory, coupled with a Vancouver win over Real Salt Lake (TSN2, 7pm et/4pm pt) would see the Whitecaps leapfrog the Timbers into the fifth and final Western Conference playoff place. However, victories for both teams will not be easy to come by. While Jermain Defoe returned to Toronto from England this week, the injured star is not fit to play and will be a spectator at BMO Field on Saturday. Defoe hopes to join in full training on Monday, but his involvement in TFCa€?s remaining fixtures will be largely dependent on how quickly he can get up to speed. The Timbers are coming off a massive 3-0 home victory over Vancouver. It was a clinical performance from Portland, who dominated the game in both penalty areas. A glorious finish from Diego Valeri opened the scoring for Portland before striker Fanendo Adi added a brace to seal the points in the second half. Portland will be buoyed by finally having their playoff chances in their own hands - outdo the Whitecaps over the remaining five games and the Timbers will claim a playoff place. A settled back four has certainly helped Portlanda€?s cause of late, but the midfield duo of Canadian international Will Johnson and Diego Chara provide the real bite in Portlanda€?s team. That defensive solidity allows Diego Valeri, Darlington Nagbe and Rodney Wallace the freedom they need to support and supply their front man, either Adi or former TFC striker Maximiliano Urrutti. In order for Toronto to beat Portland and boost their own playoff hopes, they will need to put in another strong performance, like the 3-0 victory last week against Chivas USA. Granted, Chivas is the joint worst team in MLS, tied with the Montreal Impact on 24 points, but there were positive signs in Torontoa€?s overall performance. The return of Steven Caldwell at the heart of defence was a massive boost for TFC and I liked head coach Greg Vanneya€?s decision to play Michael Bradley at the base of the midfield diamond with Jonathan Osorio at the tip. Vanney will need to replace Jackson on Saturday, as the Brazilian was red-carded against Chivas and is suspended. Vanney may opt for a tactical change, as Portlanda€?s 4-2-3-1 formation will likely be what the home side has to contend with, but the midfield diamond can work for TFC if Bradley and Osorio perform up to their capabilities. If Gilberto can continue his rich vein of form up front, he will cause problems for Portlanda€?s back line. In Vancouver, the Whitecaps might face a less-than-full-strength Real Salt Lake team. a€?We need a result, RSL head coach Jeff Cassar said earlier this week. Were going to put the best team out there that we feel is going to give us a result. But at the same time, we have to be smart, since were getting toward the end of the year. But I feel very confident in the team that were going to be putting on the field.a€? He has every reason to feel confident in his team. RSL has won five of its last eight games, including a 5-1 win over Colorado last weekend. They get goals from multiple players and have a tried and tested tactical approach to the game. The 4-4-2 with a diamond midfield has become synonymous with RSL over the last few years and their players are well-drilled in its workings. They will line up in that way, but Vancouver has options to counter RSLa€?s formation. Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson could opt for a 4-2-3-1 formation, like the one that came from two goals down to steal a point in Aprila€?s 2-2 draw with RSL in Utah. Or he could opt to match up RSLa€?s formation with their own 4-4-2 diamond midfield, with Russell Teibert and Mauro Rosales flanking Matias Laba and Pedro Morales in midfield. The 4-2-3-1 formation provides more width and leaves Vancouver less exposed defensively in wide areas, but the 4-4-2 diamond is probably best suited to the strengths of the Whitecaps midfield quartet. Whatever formation Robinson elects to employ, he will need better from his front men a€“ the Whitecaps have failed to find the back of the net in five of their last seven games. Honduran Johnny Leveron trained all week with Vancouver after returning from international duty, and could return to the lineup to partner the impressive Kendall Waston in the heart of Vancouvera€?s defence. Mike Tauchman Jersey . -- Another baseball tradition is about to largely disappear: a manager, with a crazed look in his eyes, charging the field and getting into a face-to-face shouting match with an umpire. Tommy Kahnle Yankees Jersey . 1. Lions WR Calvin Johnson (6 REC, 101 YDS, 1 TD, 10 targets) leads receivers with 1,299 yards and 12 touchdowns, though his 118.1 receiving yards per game ranks second behind Clevelands Josh Gordon. Gordon (10 REC, 261 YDS, 2 TD, 15 targets) is emerging as a superstar, putting up huge numbers even with Jason Campbell and Brandon Weeden at quarterback. https://www.cheapyankees.com/2331g-elston-howard-jersey-yankees.html . His absence against the Celtics comes a day after he scored 43 points in the Heats 100-96 win at Cleveland.TORONTO - As Kyle Lowry walked off the podium, on a day in which he cleaned out his locker following a heartbreaking end to his career season, he looked back at the throng of media that had just finished grilling him on his future. "Goodbye, everybody," he shouted. What he really meant was, see you later. With the wounds of a Game 7 loss beginning to heal and the dust settling on the season that was, the attention immediately shifted to Lowry, an impending free agent, and whether or not hell be back in a Raptors uniform next fall. Although the star point guard is prohibited from putting pen to paper until the NBAs moratorium period concludes after the first week of July, there is a resounding belief within Torontos locker room that he is planning on sticking around. It was written on the face of his teammate and good friend DeMar DeRozan as the all-star guard deflected question after question regarding Lowrys future with the subtlety of a hand grenade. Will it be difficult to watch Lowry go through the free agency process? "No, no, no," he said Monday afternoon, accompanied by a big smirk. Why not? "Because," he replied, as reporters began to snicker. "No" How would you feel if, for whatever reason, he wasnt back? "Im not worried about that," DeRozan insisted. Do you know something we dont? "I didnt say that. I didnt say he was, I didnt say he wasnt. I just said Im not worried about it." The 24-year-old spends the bulk of his summers working out in Las Vegas. If that was his poker face, its a good thing he rarely strays from the gym. "Why would he leave?" DeRozan asked in the rhetoric a day earlier. A fair question and one Lowry could not find an answer for when pressed shortly after Torontos one-point loss and first-round elimination to the Brooklyn Nets. "Of course I can see myself back," said the Raptors point guard. "We just went to Game 7, first round. Nobody expected us to be there. Of course I can see that." Coming off a breakout campaign in which he averaged career-highs of 17.9 points and 7.4 assists, the 28-year-old will take his time and weigh his options before making a decision, that much he made clear. "At the end of the day, its still a business and you have to be a businessman for the situation that youre in," he said, "but I am very happy. This has been one of the best seasons Ive had, through and through. Best coaches, teammates, [front office]. Its been great. I am happy. Without a doubt, I can say Im happy." While money and the terms of his next deal should play a big part in the negotiation process that will take place in roughly two months, its hard to put a price on happiness. Thats something that any other suitor may have difficulty matching. Finally, in his eighth NBA season, Lowry started to scratch the surface of what many believed had been there all along. Only, it very nearly played out at Torontos expense. "We knew if we lost [after the Rudy Gay trade] it was going to get blown up," Lowry wisely pointed out. "Thats just the fact that, once we made the trade, if we would have lost a little more, I probably wouldnt be sitting here today, just being honest." As it turned out, the Raptors were his perfect storm. For the first time, he was entrusted to lead a team without looking over his shoulder or pretending to be something hes not. Stitched Yankees Jerseys. He came to training camp with a rejuvenated approach, in the best shape of his playing career. "The most important difference Ive seen in Kyle is his ability to lose weight," said Patrick Patterson - a teammate of Lowrys in Houston - with a straight face, if you can believe it. "When he was in Houston, he was on the heavy side." He and DeRozan formed the leagues second-highest scoring backcourt, only behind the Golden State Warriors "Splash Brothers" of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. "Why wouldnt you want to be on a team with a guy like that?" he said of DeRozan. Most of all, hes grown up. A year ago he stood in the Raptors practice gym, head down, embarrassed after a lost season and promised to be back, better than ever. "[Im] very disappointed for myself because I know Im a much better player than what Ive shown this year," he had said on Apr. 15, 2013. This version of Lowry, sitting at the front end of the ACC media centre, couldnt have been more dissimilar. Hes channeled the very things that used to work to his detriment - his hardheaded, stubborn nature - to become an indispensable player. As a result, he has a greater understanding and appreciation for whats important to him at this stage of his career. First and foremost, his priority is to win. "I want to be happy," Lowry repeated, identifying overall team situation as the primary factor in making his decision. "I want to win, but its something that me and my agent, we have yet to talk about. But I know I want to win, and thats important to me." How does Toronto stack up? "I love this place," he exclaimed. "I love the situation. Its simple as that." No, Lowrys not going anywhere. The Raptors give Lowry his best opportunity to win and Lowry does the same for the Raptors. They need each other. "Kyles like my biggest brother," said sophomore Terrence Ross. "I look up to him, ask for advice on a lot of different things, on and off the court. Hes hands down the best point guard Ive ever played with. Hes taught me a lot. He motivates everybody. I really hope he comes back. I even talk to him all of the time, saying You got to come back, youre basically the heart of the team, we need you to come back." Lowrys response to Ross frequent sales pitches; "He always played it off like weve got to worry about something else right now." Now, Lowry tops the teams offseason agenda. Hes their highest priority and it wont take long after the clock strikes 12:01 AM on July 1 for Masai Ujiri and agent Andy Miller to sit down and finalize an agreement to keep the star point guard in Toronto long term. "We wouldnt have been here if it wasnt for Kyle," DeRozan said. "Kyle is an elite player," added Patterson, "and as far as him staying here, Im sure a lot of people in Toronto would love that. It all depends on him. But definitely if Toronto wants to get better in the future, have someone to build around and be the key, the glue for the basketball team, what better person to start with than Kyle?" ' ' '