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Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. Bucks Jerseys 2020 . This week they discuss Kyle Lowrys All-Star blessing, Coach Q, unheralded undraftees and leaving the NFL playoffs alone. Cathal Kelly, Toronto Star: My thumb is up to the 14 NBA coaches who decided this week that raptor Kyle Lowry doesnt deserve to be on the All-Star team. Theyre wrong, of course. Badly wrong. According to reports, the player who pipped Lowry for the last bench spot was Brooklyn Nets forward Joe Johnson. Lowry is out-averaging Johnson in every statistical category – including rebounds – and Johnson is seven inches taller. In making this mistake, however, those coaches have done Raptors fans a huge service. From here until the end of the season, Toronto not only has the best point guard in the East, they now have the most motivated point guard in the East. Steve Simmons, Sun Media: My thumb is up to Joel Quenneville of the Chicago Blackhawks, who this week moved up to No. 3 on the all-time list of coaching victories in the National Hockey League. Its impressive enough to make the top three. Its even more impressive when the only coaches ahead of you in wins are named Scotty Bowman and Al Arbour. Quenneville, for some reason, doesnt get a whole lot of attention, doesnt make a lot of headlines, rarely gets mentioned for coach of the year, which he won once more than a decade ago. But here he is behind a nine-time Stanley Cup champion and a four-time Cup winner. And nobody else. Yeah, hes an all-time great. And when have we ever said that about Joel Quenneville? Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated: My thumb is up to Edmonton goalie Ben Scrivens, for impenetrability. Scrivens stopped a record 59 shots in a shutout of the Sharks, a dash of good news in a city unaccustomed to seeing a goalie make 59 saves in a week. Scrivens stellar game underscored the notion that goalies dont need pedigree. Undrafted out of Cornell, Scrivens once played in the East Coast Hockey League. Ex-Calgary Hitman netminder Martin Jones of the Los Angeles Kings, also was undrafted and played in the Coast as did the Rangers Cam Talbot, out of the University of Alabama-Huntsville. Another thing they have in common: among NHL goalies with at least 12 starts, they are one-two-three in save percentage. Dave Hodge, TSN: My thumb is down to the likelihood that the NFL playoffs will be expanded to include 14 teams, up by two from the current 12. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones delivers the argument for more playoff teams this way: „How exciting is it for fans of a .500 team to see that team in the playoffs with a chance to win the Super Bowl?“ Well, heres whats more exciting – two teams like Denver and Seattle, with 13-3 records, showing off their season-long excellence at the Super Bowl. Jerry Jones needs to improve his team, not the League. But the guy in charge of the league, Roger Goodell, supports the idea of more playoff teams, thus more playoff games – get ready for wild-card „week“. Hakim Warrick Jersey . The midfielder had an operation on Saturday, and is set to miss seven Premier League games, the third round of the FA Cup and the semifinals of the League Cup. Jon McGlocklin Jersey . Even that couldnt slow them down against the New Orleans Hornets. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook scored 31 points apiece and the Thunder overcame injuries to two key backups to beat New Orleans 101-93 Monday night for their 10th straight home win.OTTAWA – Cody Cecis dream of playing for his hometown NHL team has been given new life. The defenceman was originally recalled by the Ottawa Senators out of necessity, but the 19-year-olds play through three games earned him the opportunity to prove he belongs in the NHL. The Senators announced Tuesday that Cecis status had gone from an emergency recall to a regular recall and say they will carry eight defencemen for the foreseeable future. „Hes played with good poise,“ said Senators coach Paul MacLean. „Its good to see in a young player that hes able to come in and play that way.“ The Ottawa native was the hometown hero Monday night, scoring the overtime winner in a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. „It was just a great feeling for everyone,“ Ceci said. „Im just happy getting the first one out of the way. It was a great night.“ Marc Methot, also from Ottawa, says hes been impressed with Cecis composure since he was recalled from the Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League. „Hes handled himself so well,“ Methot said. „Were all real happy for him and hes a bright spot on this hockey club and in the future here.“ Ceci seems to have a knack for scoring big goals. His two goals with Binghamton this season were overtime winners and his first goal in the Ontario Hockey League was a game winner. But there is little doubt that his first in the NHL is most special. Being given the opportunity to stay in Ottawa is like an early birthday present for Ceci, who turns 20 on Saturday. „That was my goal coming here was that I wanted to make a good impression,“ Ceci said. „I was just trying to go out there and work my hardest and whatever happened, happened. From here on out I have to work hard to stay here.“ Ceci was paired with veteran Chris Phillips at Tuesdays practice. Phillips, a player Ceci grew up watching, says he has been impressed with the rookies game and has enjoyed playing with him. „Its good to see him step in and look like he certainly belongs,“ Phillips said. „Hes played weell. Jack Sikma Jersey. Played with confidence and its a pleasure to watch.“ The Senators have had their share of struggles on the blue-line this season. Too often the defence has been guilty of poor decision-making, which has often resulted in bad goals. But like the rest of the team, it seems to be showing signs of improvement. „We were making mistakes that were costing goals and being strong in our own zone has to be our job first and foremost,“ Phillips said. „Were supposed to be the guys that are there if there are breakdowns and not the ones causing them. I think theres been a better awareness of that lately thats helped us out.“ As the teams veteran defenceman, Phillips has been asked to take on a greater leadership role with the younger blue-liners. „You try and say things here and there, but for the most part you want to go out and lead by example,“ Phillips said. „For me to raise my game and be more accountable makes it a lot easier for them to do that.“ Mondays win was one of the Senators better efforts of late, but MacLean says the real test is seeing whether or not his team can do it again. „Its another test for us in the same way that it has been all year long,“ MacLean said. „Do it once, but can you do it twice or more often than that now.“ The Senators have not won back-to-back games since November 5-9, when they won three straight. The Senators take on the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday. The Devils have had their own share of problems trying to find consistency, going 3-4-0 so far through December. Methot has missed the last three games due to the flu, and while the defenceman feels hes ready to play there is a chance he could sit out Wednesdays game. „Sometimes when you win games if it aint broke dont fix it or dont change it,“ said MacLean. „Were going to give everyone every consideration to be in the lineup for (Tuesdays) game.“ Notes: D Erik Karlsson and RW Bobby Ryan were given maintenance days and both are expected to play Wednesday. Robin Lehner will get the start. ‚ ‚ ‚