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As 2013 winds to a close, TSN. Cheap Jerseys AUthentic .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. TSN.cas writing staff reflects on the best basketball moments from the past 12 months including the return of Kobe, the fall of the Raptor, D-Roses poor luck and more! The Kobe Bryant Saga By: Isaac Owusu The year for the LA Lakers went from bad, to worse to maybe optimistic, back to bad again. With their star studded lineup that included Dwight Howard, Steve Nash, Metta World Peace, Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant they fell way below expectations. The team created in 2012 with aspirations of an NBA Finals appearance opened the calendar year with a 24-28 record. As the team found themselves pushing for the eight seed in the western conference, Bryant willed himself to lead the Lakers until his body wouldnt allow him to do it anymore. On April 12 facing the Golden State Warriors, he finished with 34 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists but it was the final two points that are mostly remembered. He limped to the free throw line and made his final two free throws under obvious pain in his legs. and after the game it was revealed that he had torn his Achilles. The NBA and sports community took a morose tone when news hit and the immediate question was if Kobe could return and at what capacity. The Lakers never wavered in their belief of Bryants return, extending him to a two-year, 48.5 million dollar contract extension. On December 8, He made his triumphant return to the court against the Raptors. He started the game, logging 28 minutes and finished with 9 points and 8 rebounds. But on December 17, in his sixth game of the season, he seemed to be coming back to form. He finished with 21 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists against the Memphis Grizzlies. There was a scary moment in the third quarter when he appeared to have been favouring a hurt left leg but came back into the game. It was announced on December 19 that he would have to miss 6 weeks going forward due to a fracture in that knee. Surgery is not required, but this is another chapter, in possibly the finality of his Hall of Fame career. Toronto Raptors lose their beloved mascot to injury By: Ryan Horne Toronto Raptors fans have said goodbye to some crowd favourites over the years. Jerome "The Junk Yard Dog" Williams, Morris Peterson, Matt Bonner, Jose Calderon. But when their beloved mascot - The Raptor - went down with a torn Achilles tendon in October that will likely cost him the season, it was as if they had lost their franchise player. And thats not too far from the truth. The Raptor has been with the organization since 1995 and has arguably become the most popular mascot in the Association (and maybe the best thing about going to a Raptors game), entertaining crowds with acrobatic slam dunks, eating referees and rollerblading down stairs. Not often does a head coach talk about the teams costumed cheerleader during a presser, but Dwane Casey did. "The Raptor will be back," he said after a pre-season game. When Casey told his daughter of the bad news, she cried. Stripes - The Raptors younger cousin - stepped in to replace the fallen hero for the 2013-2014 season, but will be in tough to provide half the joy of his predecessor. Now we must wait until next season when The Raptor hopefully makes his return. Sadly this could be the most exciting thing Raptors fans have to look forward to. Derrick Rose cant catch a break By: Ken Rodney At this point it doesnt even really seem fair. Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose is not only one of the most dynamic and talented players in the NBA, but is by all accounts also a very well-liked teammate and member of a community where he not only plays but was born and raised. It was with league-wide excitement that Rose finally returned to the court to start the 2013-14 season after missing the entire 2012-13 campaign recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee. On Nov. 22, Just as his game was starting to show sparks of returning to the form that already has one MVP trophy in his cabinet case, the 25-year-old point guard suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee once again causing him to go under the knife, ending his season prematurely and stealing more games from the prime of his career. Those around Rose - former and current teammates and coaches - believe that he will make it back from this latest injury just as he did the previous one, but how much of this promising career was lost on that November night in Portland? Jason Kidd says "Hit Me!" By: Isaac Owusu Theres often an idea of a coach "dropping the ball" in regards to a bad job, but dropping the cup? Thats a brand new low. Theres no denying that Jason Kidd will be a Hall of Famer for his contributions in the NBA as a point guard. NBA Champion, 10-time NBA All-Star, perennial All-NBA team member, second on the all-time assist list, second on the all-time steals list, third on the all-time three pointers made list and Olympic gold medalist Kidds coaching career however hasnt been as glorious, and can be exemplified by one night in Brooklyn. During the late stages of losing a game to the Lakers inside the Barclays Center, and out of timeouts Coach Kidd executed probably the most creative play of his career. Who knew spilling some diet soda on hardwood would cost you $50,000! Stephen Curry torches the Knicks, then loses By: Shane McNeil In the grand scheme of things, Stephen Currys night at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 27 wasnt really that historic. After all, whats 54 points in a game where Wilt Chamberlain can drop 100 or Kobe Bryant can torch the Raptors for 81? But what was impressive was how Curry racked up his points. The Knicks kept giving him open looks and he kept draining threes, winding up with 11 on 13 attempts. As if that wasnt enough, when he wasnt launching from behind the arc, he was driving the lane or hitting pull-up jumpers. Yet, in the dying minutes, J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony come through and the Knicks win by four, 109-105. Its one thing to have a career night. Its oddly exceptional to do it and not even get a W out of it. Raptors blow 27-point lead against the Warriors By: Ryan Horne There have been plenty of moments in Toronto Raptors history that fans wish they could forget. Kobe Bryant dropping 81 points in 2006, trading Vince Carter for spare parts in 2004 and the drafting of Rafael Araujo are all memories that sting. On Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2013, the Dinos added to that list in sunny California. The Raptors led the Golden State Warriors 75-48 with 9:20 remaining in the third quarter. Up 27 points with less than half of the game remaining. Surely theyd be able to close it out, right? Nope. After an onslaught of three-pointers, Toronto was outscored 42-15 in the final quarter and lost by nine. It was arguably the worst - most miserable loss - in franchise history and may or may not have led to the trading of the trigger-happy Rudy Gay a week later. The pill was made even tougher to swallow when it was reported former Raptor, Jermaine ONeal, apparently made an inspirational halftime speech that led to the dramatic and historic comeback. Just more salt in the wound. The supporters of Canadas lone NBA franchise must be wondering how many more years of suffering will they have to endure before things improve. Heres hoping 2014 is the start of something better. NFL Jerseys Wholesale . The Union looked to have grabbed a big win in the 88th minute when Amobi Okugo finally put the hosts in front. But a terrible giveaway by Union goalkeeper Rais Mbolhi handed Earnshaw the equalizer in the second minute of stoppage time, keeping the Union two points back of fifth-place Red Bull New York for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. China Jerseys Authentic . Scheffler told The Associated Press on Wednesday he made the choice because he had three concussions over the past four years. http://www.cheapnfljerseyschinayear.com/ . -- Colin Kaepernick insists he just happened to pull on a pair of socks with dollar bill prints all over them Wednesday morning -- before he learned he had struck a new fortune with the San Francisco 49ers.Flushing Meadows, NY (Sports Network) - For the second time in two years the womens final at the U.S. Open will pit world No. 1 Serena Williams against former top-ranked star Victoria Azarenka. Williams overcame Azarenka in three sets in last years high-quality finale in New York City. In Fridays semifinal nightcap, the top-seeded Williams whipped fifth-seeded Chinese star and fellow 31-year-old Li Na 6-0, 6-3, while the first semi on Day 12 saw the second-seeded Azarenka defeat unseeded Italian Flavia Pennetta 6-4, 6-2 at Ashe Stadium. Williams took the first set at love in a mere 29 minutes against an overwhelmed Li on Day 12. The Chinese star improved in the second set, as she broke Williams for a short-lived 2-1 lead. But Williams righted the ship by breaking right back on her way to a commanding 5-2 lead. Williams and Li battled in a brilliant eighth game in the second, as the Chinese veteran saved a whopping six match points on her serve. But the match came to an end in the next game, as Williams served her way into the final, converting on a seventh match point when Li netted one final forehand return. "It was tough at the end," Williams said. "I got a little bit nervous, but I was able to close it out finally." Williams needed 1 hour, 27 minutes to move on, as she broke Li five times while coughing up her serve only once. The high-flying Williams improved to 9-1 lifetime against Li, including a perfect 4-0 mark in Grand Slam action. The former French Open titlist Li was this years Australian Open runner-up to the two-time reigning Melbourne champion Azarenka. Shes now 3-2 in her career Grand Slam semis, with Friday marking her one at the U.S. Open. The amazing Williams will now play in her 21st career Grand Slam final, seeking a 17th major title. She owns 54 career titles overall on the WTA circuit, including eight already in 2013. She was the French Open champion in June and currently holds half the major titles. Williams is 4-2 in her U.S. Open finals, but has never titledd back-to-back in Flushing. Cheap Soccer Jerseys. Shes now 71-9 overall at the Open. The powerful American is a sizzling 66-4 overall this year. Meanwhile, the Belarusian stalwart Azarenka needed six set points and 52 minutes to win the first set against the 83rd-ranked Pennetta. The second set, however, was another story, as Azarenka cruised through that one in 42 minutes. Serving for the match, Azarenka converted on her third match point with a solid forehand winner. The shrieking Belarusian broke her Italian counterpart eight times, while Pennetta tallied five breaks in a losing effort. The slightly off Azarenka prevailed despite committing 25 unforced errors while striking only 15 winners and improving to a tour-best 31-1 on hardcourts this year. "It was a little bit tricky," Azarenka said. "I couldnt find my rhythm at the beginning. I felt I was rushing too much. I couldnt really put the ball in play. Its good I stayed tough, played well in the return game at important moments." The 31-year-old Pennetta is a former top-10 star who was playing in her first- ever Grand Slam semi. Shes reached at least the quarterfinals in four of her last five trips to New York. The Italian missed last years Open due to a wrist injury. Azarenka is now 2-1 lifetime against Pennetta, who was the first-ever Italian woman to crack the WTAs top 10 back in 2009. The 24-year-old Minsk native Azarenka will appear in her fourth career Grand Slam final, seeking her third title and first outside of Melbourne. Shes 17-13 in her career finals overall, including 3-2 this season. Azarenka has now reached four of the last eight womens Grand Slam finals. Williams is 12-3 lifetime against Azarenka, but the Belarusian has won two of their three meetings this year -- all in finals. The American great, however, is a dominant 7-0 in their career Grand Slam matchups. The 2013 womens U.S. Open champ will earn $2.6 million. Williams would claim an additional $1 million as a result of capturing the U.S. Open Series. ' ' '