most of the promotions fights largely air on Spike TV, although a

TORONTO -- The Toronto Raptors and the Minnesota Timberwolves are coming off losses to two of the NBAs powerhouses.The Raptors lost 116-112 to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday and the Timberwolves lost 105-91 to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.Minnesota and Toronto play Thursday night at the Air Canada Centre.The Raptors (14-7) hope to finish a six-game homestand with a win, which would give them a 5-1 record during that span as well as seven wins in their past eight games overall.The Wolves (6-15) will try to prevent the kind of second-half fade they had against the Spurs.The Timberwolves led after the first half against the Spurs but were outscored 29-18 in the third quarter as they failed to carry their first-half defense into the second half.Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau approved of the way his team played in the first half. The Timberwolves held the Spurs to a season-low 19 points in the first quarter.I thought our shell was tight, I thought we challenged shots well, I thought we got back in transition well, Thibodeau said. (In the third quarter) we just got outplayed in every aspect. ...In the second half, you have to have discipline. You have to stick with your team, you have to understand what your job is, then you have to do your job. When you randomly make it up, the results arent going to be good. Thats where we need to grow and improve.One bright spot from Tuesday for Minnesota was the play of rookie point guard Kris Dunn, who came off the bench to score 15 points in 17 minutes on 6-for-7 shooting.Kris is playing really well, Thibodeau said. Its a good sign.The Raptors had their six-game winning streak stopped by the Cavaliers, who have defeated Toronto in their three games this season. The NBA champions defeated the Raptors in the Eastern Conference finals last season.Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry took an elbow to the face during the first quarter on Monday and required treatment but returned before the opening stanza had been completed and scored 24 points and had nine assists.Raptors coach Dwane Casey talked about the mental part of the game after the loss.I thought our guys competed, Casey said. But now we have to put the mental part within the game.Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas scored four points and grabbed 10 rebounds against the Cavaliers but struggled enough that he did not play the fourth quarter with his backup, Lucas Nogueira, playing only four minutes and Patrick Patterson and Terrene Ross each playing the full 12 minutes.Starting power forward Pascal Siakam also did not play in the fourth quarter.In the past five games, Valanciunas has averaged six points and 7.4 rebounds.Jonas is fine, Casey said. Its a matchup league.I thought Lucas did a little bit better job of guarding (Channing) Frye, which is a hard matchup for any (center) in the league, not just Jonas and Lucas. Hes really a four playing the five and thats why we decided to go small, that kind of got us going a little bit toward the end but, again, you give up something.The Raptors are 8-4 at home. The Timberwolves are 3-8 on the road. Shoes Canada Cheap . A knee to the thigh might have stung him the most, but his sixth straight double-double made up for the brief burst of pain. Shoes Canada Nike . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. From Pierre LeBrun While Anaheim GM Bob Murray said earlier this season he was not going to trade Jonas Hiller despite the fact hes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, some sources have told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun that Murray might be willing to move another goalie. https://www.shoescanadaonline.com/ . Hazard cut in from the left and scored with a swerving right-footed shot for ninth goal of the season, which proved to be enough for the victory despite Chelseas forwards again lacking a cutting edge up front. Shoes Canada From China . The Browns coaching search remains incomplete. Shoes Canada Sale . Burke is expected to miss two to three months after breaking a finger in the teams third preseason game. Tinsley, a 10-year veteran, spent the last two seasons in Utah, where the point guard averaged 3. LOS ANGELES -- Chael Sonnen is coming back to the cage, and hes doing it with Bellator.Sonnen will return to mixed martial arts with the UFCs biggest competitor, the veteran fighter told The Associated Press on Thursday night.The 39-year-old Sonnen signed a multiyear, multi-fight deal with Bellator, the promotion also confirmed to the AP.Sonnen hopes to begin in November by taking on fellow UFC alumnus Tito Ortiz, but the brash, loquacious, self-styled American Gangster says he starts the next chapter of his remarkable career with no other preferences about opponents, fight locations -- or even weight classes.I want to fight right now, and I dont fight in any weight division, Sonnen told the AP. I fight at gangster weight. Wherever the competition is, I will show up. (Bellator President Scott) Coker has got guys under contract from 185 to 205. Hes signing guys at heavyweight. If hes got guys that want to fight, then lets fight.Sonnen has fought for the UFC middleweight and light heavyweight titles during a tumultuous MMA run, narrowly losing a memorable matchup with Anderson Silva. He also honed world-class fight promotion skills that turned him into a pay-per-view draw on the sheer strength of his charisma.With a reputation for versatility and tenacity even in defeat, Sonnen became one of the sports most popular and polarizing figures before he received a two-year suspension in 2014 for failing a drug test.Sonnen announced his retirement after that positive test, which wasnt the first of his MMA career. He repeatedly denied interest in returning to his sport, instead starting a family and beginning a thriving career in commentary and podcasting over the past two years.When asked Thursday why he claimed he wouldnt return, Sonnen said: Im a heel. Heels lie.There might have been a blink of the eye where I thought it was time to transition behind a desk, but for the most part, I never meant it, Sonnen added. I was never prepared for it. I knew I was coming back, and there were more guys to beat up. ... I appreciate that you all read the book, but I can see that I left a few chapters out, so its going to continue.Sonnen had been a devoted UFC fighter with two stints and 14 fights for the promotion since 2005, and he re-entered the USADA testing pool earlier this year -- a required precursor to fighting in the UFC, whose anti-doping policy is administered by USADA. Sonnen remained vocally supportive of the promotion during his suspension, but Bellator apparently made a financial offer that the UFC didnt match.Whhen asked why he chose Bellator, Sonnen solemnly joked Zero apostrophe S, referring to the numbers written on his new paychecks.ddddddddddddChael is an incredible athlete that has competed at the very highest levels of the sport, and I know that he is going to continue to do just that here at Bellator, Coker said in a statement from Budapest, where Bellator is staging its next kickboxing show next week.He has that entertainer X-factor that cant be taught, Coker added. When we were talking, Chael was adamant that he wants to compete in three divisions here. He already has unfinished business with Wanderlei Silva, but he also wants to fight Tito Ortiz, Fedor Emelianenko and even Rory MacDonald at middleweight. These are all fights that Id be very inclined to watch, so hopefully we can put some, if not all, of these matchups together.Ortiz, Silva and MacDonald are former UFC stalwarts who moved to Bellator in recent years, along with former UFC champion Benson Henderson and other well-known names. Emelianenko is widely considered the best heavyweight in MMA history, but the 39-year-old Russian has fought only twice since 2012.Sonnen said he wont ask for a specific opponent beyond Ortiz, but he intends to fight early and often with Bellator.I signed with Bellator a matter of minutes ago, theyve got a card in Austin tomorrow, and Im (mad) that Im not on it, Sonnen said in reference to Bellator 161, which pits Cheick Kongo against Tony Johnson in the headlining heavyweight bout.Bellator 161 and most of the promotions fights largely air on Spike TV, although a Sonnen-Ortiz matchup seems to be a possible pay-per-view candidate. While the fight isnt set, Sonnen would love to take on the Huntington Beach Bad Boy, who has been with Bellator since 2014.The Bad Boy versus the Bad Guy in November, and thats a quote, Sonnen said.Sonnen believes he can jump back into competition quickly. He has sparred aggressively during his time off, even setting mock fight dates to prepare.But as far as dealing with the competition and the adversity and the pain and the things you have to go through to be successful, I havent done that, Sonnen said. My body still feels good, and Im still having some good moments in the practice room. Everything is fine. Ive had some personal bests. But as far as going in there and actually doing it, youve got to have those reps. Im jonesing. November cant get here quick enough. ' ' '