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TORONTO - After falling victim to slow starts in each of the last two games, both losses, Raptors coach Dwane Casey hinted change could be on the way. Bill Freehan Jersey . "Weve got to look at our starts," said Casey, the afternoon following a 90-83 defeat to Miami, one in which his team fell behind by nine in the first quarter. "Thats the second game in a row thats happened." Toronto allowed the Heat to shoot 52 per cent in the first quarter four days after the Nets shot 60 per cent in the opening 12 minutes of Tuesdays loss. Despite a second-half push, the Raptors failed to dig themselves out of an early-game hole in both contests, prompting Casey to suggest that a change could be imminent as soon as Sundays game, at home to Denver, or in Oakland against Golden State on Tuesday. "Whether its a lineup change or a change in personality," he continued, "weve got to look at something to start the game because we cant expend that much mental and physical energy to fight against all the teams were going against, and thats what its been the last couple of weeks." The Raptors - who used 22 different starting lineups last season, sixth most in the NBA - have started the same unit in each game to begin the campaign. After experiencing some success on the floor together - specifically on the defensive end - towards the end of last season, the group of Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, Rudy Gay, Amir Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas has underachieved through 15 contests this year. That unit - the Raptors most used, both this season and last - outscored opponents by 85 points when they were in the game together a year ago, starting 21 of the teams final 25 games. They ranked third in the NBA in defensive efficiency among five-man units that played a minimum of 300 minutes together (only the Spurs and Grizzlies starting fives had a better defensive rating). This season they are a minus-35, per NBA.com/stats, and are allowing opponents to shoot 52 per cent from the field. They have shared the floor for 229 minutes while the teams second most-utilized unit - Lowry, DeRozan, Gay and Johnson with Landry Fields - has played just 34 minutes together. As a team, Toronto has been least effective in the first and third quarters, with the starters playing the bulk of the teams minutes. The Raptors are a plus-three in the opening frame and minus-39 in the third. Their best quarter has been the fourth - a period in which the starters have rarely played together - where their plus-45 mark is third best in the NBA (behind only the Pacers and Thunder). "I think you have to look at the chemistry, skill set, what they bring to the table, a little bit of everything," Casey said of a possible change. "I dont question our guys fight. Its not that were not playing hard, its just not meshing together with the first group." Two starters who could be on the hot seat are Johnson and Valanciunas. Both frontcourt players logged fewer than 18 minutes in Fridays loss and have failed to meet lofty pre-season expectations overall. Tyler Hansbrough, who played 25 minutes and helped turn the game around in the second half with his physicality, earned praise from his coach following Saturdays practice and could be a candidate to replace either Johnson or Valanciunas in the event Casey decides to make a change. "It may be just a matter of time to let it go," Casey said. "Were still searching, like a lot of teams in the league are doing. Were not panicking but weve got to make sure we understand and we get the right group together." Toronto hosts the Denver Nuggets Sunday afternoon, concluding a season-high four-game homestand before heading out west next week. Brad Ausmus Jersey . The Brazilian driver had the second-best time in last months tests at Jerez and said the "good start" could play to his advantage when the season gets underway in Australia in March. Al Kaline Jersey . -- Mike Shanahan gave Robert Griffin III a rest, and may have turned up the pressure on himself, too. https://www.cheaptigers.com/1879z-johnny-pesky-jersey-tigers.html . Indeed, must be among the greatest challenges in all of sports. The pressure he applies, from set to set, game to game, point to point, shot to shot.CALGARY -- Mike Cammalleri has had a knack for scoring game-winning goals for the Calgary Flames lately. Cammalleri has scored 10 times since the National Hockey Leagues trade deadline on March 5 and four of them have been winners, including his goal with 7.8 seconds left in the second period of Calgarys 4-3 win over the New York Rangers at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday. "I think it has a lot to do with team play," said Cammalleri, who also scored the shootout winner in Calgarys 2-1 win at home over the San Jose Sharks on Monday. "To get a game winner, you have to win the game. I would think that were doing a lot of things better as a group and thats putting guys in positions where they can do things like that." Joe Colborne, Mark Giordano and Kevin Westgarth also scored for the Flames (31-36-7), who tied a franchise record (set in 2005-06) with their 45th one-goal game of the season. They improved their record to 22-17-8 in those one-goal affairs. "Around the league, were well known," Westgarth said. "Its never going to be an easy game against the Flames. Obviously the season hasnt gone the way that we wanted it to. Playoffs is the goal. Were not there this year. Were looking to spoiler a lot at the end of this season and were looking forward to having a big next year." T.J. Brodie had a pair of assists for Calgary, while goalie Karri Ramo made 38 saves to improve his record to 14-11-4. Brad Richards had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (41-30-4), whose winning streak ended at five games. "We knew coming into this game that Calgary was a very good team at four-man rush and they proved it tonight," said New York coach Alain Vigneault. "We didnt do a good enough job coming back in our zone and picking up the rush and after the rush protecting the front of our net. That led to Grade-A opportunities and they capitalized." Brian Boyle and Raphael Diaz also scored for the Rangers, who sit in second spot in the Metropolitan Division, just one point ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers (39-27-7), who beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 on Friday. Goalie Henrik Lundqvist finished with 24 saves in the New York net. "Theyve been playing well," Lundqvist said of the Flames. "Theyve been beating a lot of good teams. Theyre a fast team. It doesnt matter if you play a team in the playoff race. Guys are playing for pride and for jobs and theyre going to come hard no matter what." The Flames took an early 1-0 lead on a power-play goal by Colborne at 4:51 of the first period. After Curtis Glencross wired a wicked shot from the slot off the post, the puck found its way to Colborne, who backhanded a shot over the fallen Rangers goalie. Less than two minutes later, New York appeared to tie the game when Rick Nash threw a puck to the front of the net that bounced off of Martin St. Louiss skate and past Ramo. After review, referee Mike Leggo waved off the goal after it wass deemed St. George Moriarty Jersey. Louis intentionally directed the puck into the net with his skate. Giordano put the Flames up 2-0 at 16:49 of the first when he snapped a shot over Lundqvists glove hand, off the post and in. Late in the opening frame, Ramo made a great glove save to stop a point-blank shot by Derek Stepan, who was left wondering what the Rangers had to do to score. After stopping all 18 shots he faced in the first, Ramo allowed three goals on four shots early in the second. "They came back in the second with three relatively quick ones and that can deflate teams sometimes, but I think thats been a hallmark of our game is that response and the never-say-die attitude," Westgarth said. "Were at this point of the season playing big teams, playing teams with a lot to lose. Its a huge step in the right direction to be in every game and winning a lot of them." Boyle opened the scoring for New York at 2:12 of the second. After swatting a feed from Derek Dorsett off the post behind Ramo, Boyle easily tapped the loose puck in the crease into a wide-open net. Diaz tied the game 39 seconds later when his point shot deflected off Calgarys Kenny Agostino and Tyler Wotherspoon before finding its way into the back of the net behind Ramo. Richards capped off New Yorks goal-scoring spree when he took a pass from Carl Hagelin and beat Ramo with a shot to the top corner to put the Rangers up 3-2. Calgary coach Bob Hartley commended Ramo for keeping his composure after giving up the three quick goals. "He is so strong mentally," Hartley said. "Its almost like a boxer that takes a few good ones on the chin. You get wobbling but with Karri, hes solid, he stayed focused, than came back in the third period with big saves." Calgary tied things up again at 13:49 of the second when Westgarth knocked a loose puck in the crease past Lundqvist. Cammalleri then scored with 7.8 seconds to go before the second intermission when his shot squeaked through Lundqvists pads and across the goal-line. St. Louis had a great chance to tie the game just past the seven-minute mark of the third period, but Ramo made a sprawling save to deny the veteran forward. "I was able to read it pretty well," Ramo said. "Nash didnt really have any other options than to pass it because he was being tripped so I was able to read it." St. Louis has yet to score in 13 games since being acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning by the Rangers at the trade deadline. He has just three assists in that span. Notes: After taking a hit from Dorsett late in the first period, Calgary defenceman Ladislav Smid left the game with an upper-body injury and didnt return. a The Flames are now 19-7-3 when scoring first this season and 19-4-2 when leading after two periods. a Calgary forward Sean Monahan is stuck on 19 goals in his rookie season. He hasnt scored in 11 games. During that same span, Westgarth and Brian McGrattan have combined for five goals. ' ' '