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NEW ORLEANS - As All-Star festivities wrap up in New Orleans and the focus immediately shifts to Thursdays NBA trade deadline, Masai Ujiri is prepared for a busy week of fielding phone calls. “Ill be right here," he said pointing to his cell phone, "waiting and well see what happens." "I never know what to expect," Ujiri continued, speaking to TSN.ca ahead of Sundays All-Star game. "Sometimes its quiet until the last minute, sometimes its busy. As far as our team, I think the team has played well. They have done well with the platform so [well] keep trying to grow." If the Raptors general manager is feeling any pressure to make a move ahead of the deadline, hes not showing it. Ujiri remains patient, committed to sustainable long-term growth and weary of disrupting the teams newfound chemistry, but he wouldnt rule out pulling the trigger on the right deal, if its out there. Despite his teams recent success, the plan hasnt changed and neither has his composure. "I always said since I came [to Toronto], the players will dictate where we go and the team will dictate where we go," he stated. "Thats kind of how its been. So theyre growing and you want it that way." Following a disappointing 6-12 start to the season, the Raptors have gone 21-12 since trading Rudy Gay to Sacramento on Dec. 9. Whats stood out to Ujiri, coach Dwane Casey, the players and anyone that has watched this team over the last two months is their on-court chemistry. Gays absence has allowed for a more cohesive offence, predicated on ball movement, which has allowed Kyle Lowry and Torontos young players to flourish. All four incoming players have contributed and the defence has improved. Still, not even the Raptors architect could have predicted such a quick turnaround. "We try to study [but] were not geniuses," Ujiri admitted. "You have to get lucky sometimes and I think we were lucky. It kind of came together in terms of chemistry." With 30 regular season games to go, the Raptors find themselves at the top of the Atlantic Division, third in the Eastern Conference. Theyre one game ahead of fourth-place Chicago and only 3.5 games separate them from Brooklyn, sitting in the seventh seed. Ujiri wont compromise the organizations future for instant gratification but he knows where they sit in the East and would consider adding another impact player as long as it doesnt derail their long-term flexibility. "I dont want to call out the conference," he said, "I cant do that but its the measuring stick and I think we have to keep that in mind.” Lowry - a subject of trade rumours all season, the final year of his contract - has been a big part of the Raptors success and figures to be just as valuable to a their playoff cause. The question, as it has been for months is: Will he be around for the stretch run? “I hate to comment about any player in that way, but I think we are not good enough so you have to keep it open," he responded. "Thats the honest answer. These guys have done pretty good. I know weve won a couple of games but we havent done anything yet." Translation; there are no untradeable players on the roster, Lowry included. If the right offer comes along Lowry could be moved but the asking price is significant, as it should be. It should go without saying, but Ujiri wont be pressured into selling off Lowry or any of his assets simply to make a mid-season splash. Although previous regimes have fallen into that trap, the Raptors first-year GM will survey the field and go from there. His phone is on. His eyes and ears are open. Glen Rice Jersey .Two San Francisco radio stations say they wont play the song during the duration of the World Series. 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Larry Johnson Jersey .com) - The fading Ottawa Senators have a chance to make up some ground in the playoff race on Tuesday night as they play host to the New York Rangers.CLEVELAND -- Ugly, sloppy or abbreviated, the Cleveland Indians will take wins any way they can get them right now. This is no time to be picky. This is playoff time. Zach McAllister lasted five innings and the Indians got two unearned gift runs from Houston in a 2-1, rain-shortened victory over the Astros on Friday night and moved into one of the two AL wild-card spots. The game was delayed for 1 hour, 9 minutes before the umpires decided to call it after 6 1-2 innings. Shortly after Clevelands win, Texas lost to Kansas City, allowing the Indians to jump the Rangers in the wild-card standings. Its the first time the Indians have been atop the ever-changing board since Aug. 4. "For us to be able to get this win, regardless of how we got it, its all about the Ws at this point," first baseman Nick Swisher said. "And if we keep winning, the season keeps going, and hopefully everyone here in Cleveland gets real happy." The Indians, who entered the night trailing both Tampa Bay and Texas by one-half game for a wild-card spot, scored an unearned run in the second and fourth innings off Brett Oberholtzer (4-4). McAllister (9-9) allowed just one run and got a key double play in the fifth as well as a diving catch by centre fielder Michael Bourn in the first inning, a defensive gem that set the tone. Cleveland also got two innings of hitless relief from Marc Rzepczynski and Bryan Shaw, who struck out three of four batters he faced for his first save. Brandon Laird homered for the inept Astros, who committed three errors, lost their seventh straight and fell to 51-103 -- four losses shy of matching the club record set last season. "Errors are a part of the game," Astros manager Bo Porter said. "We all know that, but at the same time you expect those plays to be made in a major league baseball game." The win improved Clevelands record to 48-18 against teams currently below .500 -- the majors best mark -- and perhaps the biggest reason the Indians have a chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2007. With a very favourable schedule ahead, the Indians were hoping to capitalize on a four-game series against baseballs worst team to stay in the wild-card fray. They needed 11 innings on Thursday to finally beat Houston 2-1, and then got a major assist from the awful Astros -- and Mother Nature -- to win again. As they waited out the delay, Indians fans kept tabs on the Tampa Bay-Baltimore and Texas-Kansas City games on Progressive Fields giant scoreeboard.dddddddddddd. It was a similar scene in Clevelands clubhouse as players stayed tuned to the action elsewhere. "Theres 18 TVs in here, theres games all over the place," Swisher said. "Theres games you might not even want to be watching that are on. Right now, its watch time. Weve got ourselves in a great spot and just to be able to be here, a complete turnaround from last year, its exciting. Its nice. It feels like people are jumping on board right now and its the perfect time to do it." McAllister worked in and out of trouble in the fifth, when his slim lead seemed about to vanish. The Astros loaded the bases on a single, walk and single, but the right-hander got leadoff hitter Jonathan Villar to bounce into a 4-6-3 double play to preserve Clevelands 2-1 lead. McAllister threw four straight balls to Jose Altuve to start the sixth and was immediately lifted by Indians manager Terry Francona, who wasnt going to wait for the situation to worsen and went to his bullpen. Rzepczynski came on and got two outs -- one when catcher Carlos Santana threw out Altuve trying to steal -- before Shaw struck out Chris Carter. With the heavy rain approaching, and the weather forecast looking bleak, the Indians took a 2-1 lead in the fourth thanks to two errors by the Astros on one play. Ryan Raburn hit a one-out single and Asdrubal Cabrera walked. Michael Brantley then hit a grounder to first baseman Carter, who tried to get a forceout at second but threw wildly into left field, allowing Raburn to score. Both runners advanced when a throw to the plate by left fielder Marc Krauss hit a sliding Raburn in the shoulder and the ball skipped to the backstop, a sequence more suited to a Little League field than a major league ballpark. McAllister got two quick outs in the second before Lairds fourth homer gave the Astros a 1-0 lead. NOTES: The Indians are 14 games over .500 for the first time since May 24, 2011. ... Indians RHP Justin Masterson (oblique) threw a 33-pitch bullpen session, and its possible the All-Star could pitch if the Indians make the post-season. Masterson, who has been out since Sept. 2, will be re-evaluated Saturday and could throw a simulated game as soon as Monday. ... The Indians have spread around the walk-off wealth. They have had 10 wins in their final at-bat with nine different players getting the game-winning hit. Jason Kipnis is the only player with two walk-off hits. ... Aviles snapped an 0-for-23 slid with a double in the sixth. ' ' '