BOSTON -- DeMar DeRozan understands that a playoff berth for the Raptors has meaning beyond Torontos locker room. Terrence Ross scored 24 points, Kyle Lowry 23 and the Raptors edged closer to their first playoff spot since 2008 with a 99-90 win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night. "Not just the franchise, the whole city of Toronto and Canada," said DeRozan, sitting at his locker with his left foot in a bucket of ice. "Ive been here five years and see how passionate the fans are. It definitely means a lot. We feed off them, the energy they bring every single night. That would be great for the city and we have to take advantage of the opportunity." DeRozan added 20 points for Toronto, which increased its Atlantic Division lead to 2 1/2 games over Brooklyn. The Raptors could have clinched a playoff spot if the Knicks lost at Sacramento later Wednesday, but New York beat the Kings 107-99. It was Lowrys eighth straight game of 20 or more points and helped the Raptors snap an 11-game losing streak in Boston. "Im not going to lie," Lowry said. "I think everybody tonight is rooting for that Western Conference team over there." The Raptors are also chasing a division title. They face Boston in the back end of a home and home on Friday. "We cant be satisfied just making the playoffs," DeRozan said. "We could go out there and play four games and be home. Weve worked too hard to get to this point just to slow down and pace ourselves. Weve got a long, long way to go." Jared Sullinger led Boston with 26 points, going 4 of 6 from 3-point range, and Avery Bradley scored 16. Boston lost for the seventh time in eight games. "Sully got hot and I thought even though we were really undersized we played pretty well in that time," Boston coach Brad Stevens said. Toronto captured its 19th road win, one off the club record set 2000-01. Boston guard Rajon Rondo was cut on the forehead midway into the third quarter and received nine stitches. He returned to the bench early in the fourth quarter with a bandage that ran from the bridge of his nose straight up to his forehead and he re-entered the game with 8:05 to play. He finished with 15 assists and nine points. "I think it obviously says a lot," Stevens said. "He wants to play and I think the most important part about it is he came back in and guarded DeRozan. He went after it and I think he did a pretty good job on him." The Raptors had opened a 79-64 lead early the fourth quarter, but Boston went on a 9-0 run. Toronto pushed it back to 85-75 before Sullinger nailed consecutive 3s 34 seconds apart, narrowing it to four points with just under 6 minutes to play. "I saw that Rondo went down so I saw that we needed production, so I took it upon myself and just tried to get the best shots possible," Sullinger said. Chris Johnsons basket -- on an officials reviewed goaltending call -- closed it to 93-90 with 1:49 left, but Lowry and Ross hit consecutive 3s on the next two possessions to send the Raptors to the victory. In the third quarter, Lowry nailed consecutive 3s on Torontos first two possessions, pushing the Raptors lead to 61-46. They held at least a nine-point lead for the rest of the quarter, opening it to 77-62 after Ross nailed a 3 at the buzzer. Toronto, which blew an 11-point second-quarter lead in less than 2 minutes, held a 55-46 advantage at halftime. NOTES: A few minutes before the opening tip-off and about 10 after the National Anthems were completed, the Celtics asked the crowd to rise for a moment of silence to honour two Boston firefighters that were killed battling a fire in the citys Back Bay section -- about three kilometres away. ... Stevens praised Raptors G Lowry before the game. "(He) is playing terrific," Stevens said. "He was arguably an All-Star earlier. He makes a lot of plays that dont go talked about." ... Sullinger had 25 points and 20 rebounds when the Celtics beat the Raptors at home on Jan. 15. He had eight boards on Wednesday. Nike Air Max Soldes . -- Derek Jeter spoke for 25 minutes, 44 seconds and answered 26 questions about his decision to retire at the end of this season. Nike Vapormax Destockage . David Perron had a career high four-point night with two goals and two assists as the Oilers experienced an offensive explosion, blasting the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-0 to record a rare home win for their second victory in a row. http://www.maxnikepascher.fr/grossiste-air-max-90-chine.html. -- The Denver Broncos retired John Elways No. Air Max Plus Homme Pas Cher . Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone dismissed Tuesdays massive anti-government protest in Manama as "a lot of kids having a go at the police." "I dont think its anything serious at all," Ecclestone was quoted as saying in The Guardian newspaper on Wednesday. Air Max 95 Homme Pas Cher . -- When Steve Blake checked in at the scorers table with 5:25 remaining in the third quarter, Stephen Curry shook his head and shouted across the court, asking Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson not to take him out.Riyad Mahrez lost out to Leicester City team-mate Jamie Vardy for the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award on Monday. Adam Bate explains why Mahrez got his vote… Everyone loves a winger. David Ginola and Gareth Bale were both rewarded with the FWA Footballer of the Year award. Riyad Mahrez wont be joining them just yet, but hes already set to do what those two did not do - propel his team to a Premier League title. Vardy wins FWA award Jamie Vardy named Football Writers Association Footballer of the Year for 2015/16. The numbers tell some of the story. Mahrez has scored 17 goals and provided 11 assists, putting him level with Jamie Vardy as the most effective player in the Premier League. Its difficult to overstate his importance to the team. Champions need flair as well as functionality. Even Watford have a dogged defence, having conceded the same amount of goals as the Foxes as recently as February. But they didnt have a Mahrez.In a team full of heroes, he still stands out. Both Vardy and NGolo Kante have been integral but Leicester have actually coped without them. Without Mahrez on the pitch in this seasons Premier League, they have conceded twice as many goals as theyve scored. Mahrez impact Player Dribbles Player Clear chances created Wilfried Zaha 127 Mesut Ozil 26 Riyad Mahrez 117 Riyad Mahrez 17 Ross Barkley 111 Dimitri Payet 13 He ranks in the top two in the Premier League for dribbles and clear-cut chances created. Hes twisted and hes turned. Hes sold the dummies and the defenders have just kept buying them. Hes been fun to watch and given the impression it was even more fun to play.I was a street footballer, he told Sky Sports recently. Every day, I was on the street dribbling, doing skills. I wasnt in an academy till I was 19. The lung-busting hunger of Vardy might be more conspicuous but Mahrez has his own story too.Perhaps the journey from Sarcelles - a dangerous ghetto, according to the man himself - doesnt evoke the same everyman qualities for English audiences, but it should. Mahrez battled for an amateur contract in Frances fourth tier. A trial at St Mirren didnt work out. Jamie Redknapp highlighted Mahrezs all-round game after the 4-0 win over Swansea As recently as 2014, one month shy of his 23rd birthday, he was with Le Havre in the French second division.dddddddddddd. Those spindly limbs didnt convince everyone of their capacity to cope in tougher conditions but Leicesters technical scouts looked at the stats and took a chance.Nigel Pearson trusted his talent but Mahrez was still an unused substitute on numerous occasions last season - most notably in the April win at Burnley that lifted Leicester out of the bottom three. Hes a more effective player now and that owes much to his dedication to improve.In the wake of Mahrezs PFA Player of the Year award, manager Claudio Ranieri said: I am very proud because Riyad is a very humble man. He asks every time, What can I do to improve? That is fantastic. He is a genius, our light. Mahrez has found a unique role for himself in Claudio Ranieris team In a recent interview with LEquipe, Mahrez spoke of the headaches brought about by Claudio Ranieris attention to detail on the tactical work. The instincts of the street footballer remain. I want so much be that player, the player who improvises, he admitted. But hes worked at it.Its been reflected in his efforts. While the compact team shape has been a feature of Leicesters success and theres a beauty in the simplicity of the roles of many within the line-up, the onus is on Mahrez to do something different. He has to pick his moments to gamble. Mahrez scored in a 3-1 win away to Manchester City in February We know hes a wide player, Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports. But the amount of times he finds himself between the lines, hes not just a headless chicken going in there. Its being in there and being decisive at the right time. Thats understanding. Thats reading the game.More often than not hes read it right. Mahrez scored in the first three games of the season - a brace against Sunderland, the winner versus West Ham and what turned out to be a significant late equaliser at home to Tottenham. Those goals alone were worth five points.By March, his goals had earned the team 20 points - and it wouldve been four more but for a couple of penalty misses. During the run-in, there were fine finishes in 1-0 wins over Watford and Crystal Palace. A brief dip followed but Mahrez has done it when it mattered. Needing to deliver with Vardy suspended, Mahrez opened the scoring against Swansea, settling the nerves and leaving Leicester on the brink. There was no goal against Manchester United on Sunday but his second-half dribbling relieved the pressure nevertheless.You were wondering whod step up, said Carragher of that win over Swansea. There was no need. Mahrez has been the decisive figure at the decisive time in the team of the season. Maybe even bigger things await, but this will always be his year - Leicesters year. He deserves every award going. Also See: Vardy wins FWA award Souness in awe of Leicester WATCH: Did Leicester get lucky? WATCH: LVG, Ranieri respect ' ' '