NEW ORLEANS - When DeMar DeRozan found out he had made his first NBA All-Star Game two weeks ago, receiving the news on the team plane upon landing in Denver, he wasnt surprised but instead described the feeling as a surreal one. Now - 48 hours before the main event - the Raptors leading scorer is soaking it all in, still a little starry-eyed, mindful of how far he has come and what its taken to get him to this point. "Its starting to become real now," he told TSN.ca Friday afternoon, as the All-Star participants gathered in the cavernous ballroom of a New Orleans hotel for their annual media day circus. "I think when I really go out there, put the jersey on and head to the arena Sunday evening [it will really hit me]." The 24-year-old DeRozan does not have to look very far to find mementos of his NBA journey, the closest one will be sitting adjacent to him on the Eastern Conference teams bench when the game tips off on Sunday. Heat forward and fellow All-Star reserve Chris Bosh was one of the first to pull DeRozan aside upon arrival in New Orleans this weekend. Bosh - the Raptors last representative in the All-Star Game, four years ago - left for Miami following DeRozans rookie season. He, as much as anyone, can attest to DeRozans growth as a player and the message he had for his former teammate was just that. "Im proud of you," he told the Raptors guard. "It means a lot," DeRozan said of Boshs kind words. "We were just laughing because I remember being the only rookie, 19-years-old on the Raptors, him being a star and seeing all the things he was going through when he was [in Toronto] and how he had to carry the team on his back." "After he left I had to step up and learn. Its just crazy, we were laughing at how fast time flies. It seems like yesterday I was that rookie who wouldnt shoot the ball and passed it to Chris every time." There was pressure on DeRozan to contribute right out of the gate, starting 65 games - most of them alongside Bosh - as a rookie in Toronto. He was, to his own admission, a deer in the NBA headlights. He attempted fewer than seven shots per game - which more than doubled in his second year, without Bosh in the lineup - yet averaged less than an assist in over 21 minutes a night. At the time, becoming an All-Star was not even on his radar, his focus was self-preservation and proving his worth as an NBA player. "Youre always stuck in the moment," he remembered. "You stay on course with your everyday tasks and you work towards something like this, you just work every single day. I knew if I just stay consistent, stay focused and didnt get down on myself too much I knew I had a chance." Five seasons later - one year removed from signing a long-term contract extension - his work ethic has not wavered, if anything its gotten stronger, more relentless. "Im proud of DeMar," said Terrence Ross, who has become a protégé of DeRozans. "Hes put in so much work. To see him here is like, man, I wish we could give him more for all hes done. Im just happy hes here getting a chance to prove to the world what he can do." Now that hes here, now that hes come this far he knows not to take it for granted. DeRozan - who is tied for fourth in the league in minutes played, also nursing an ankle injury - could have used the time off but youll never get him to admit it. Hes honoured to be representing the third-place, division-leading Raptors on the world stage. He was caught off guard when his agent called to deliver the leagues invitation to participate in Saturdays Skills Challenge, an event usually reserved for point guards, one thats out of his comfort zone. Originally he declined but it didnt take much prodding to convince him to change his mind. "Everybody doesnt get a chance to be a part of All-Star Weekend," he said when he was announced as a participant last week. "The big thing for me is to go out there and have fun. I think it will be cool to go out there and represent my team as much as I can and you never know, I might mess around and win it." DeRozans attitude is a refreshing change of pace from many of todays star players who decline invitations to participate in All-Star Saturday Night each year to preserve their energy, prevent injury or simply because they feel like theyve graduated from it. Sure, LeBron still wont dunk but perhaps times are changing after all. For the first time since 1988 three All-Stars will compete in the Slam Dunk contest, one of them, Damian Lillard will participate in all five major events this weekend. His rationale is on par with DeRozans. "Im happy Im really a part of the weekend," said Lillard, another first-time All-Star. "Ive gotten great reception from the fans. Fans are excited about having someone who is participating in the All-Star Game being in all the events." DeRozan is considered a long shot to defeat Lillard, the reigning champion, in Saturdays Skills Challenge but hes not putting too much pressure on himself. For him, the weekend is all about embracing a new opportunity, his first real All-Star opportunity. Carl Yastrzemski Jersey . They never thought it would take some blood, too. Kevin Love grabbed his 4,000th career rebound as part of a 19-point, 13-board effort to lead the Timberwolves over the Utah Jazz 112-97 on Tuesday night. Boston Red Sox Jerseys . They were expecting him there all along. The Pacers announced Friday night that George has been cleared "to return to normal basketball activity," a decision made three days after he was concussed in Game 2 of the Indiana-Miami series. http://www.theredsoxteamshop.com/Red-Sox-Jackie-Bradley-Jr-Kids-Jersey/ . Before that, Rousey needed a total 23 minutes and 26 seconds to take care of her last eight opponents - and one of those fights lasted 10 minutes and 58 seconds. Carlton Fisk Jersey . -- Get a flow chart ready to follow the Packers quarterback situation. Johnny Pesky Jersey .com) - The Calgary Flames were again involved in a game in which a team was held scoreless, only this time they came out on the winning side.WINNIPEG -- Rookie Winnipeg Jets goaltender Michael Hutchinson couldnt stop grinning after his first NHL win Thursday night. That will happen when its a 2-1 shootout victory against the NHL-leading Boston Bruins, a team that cast him aside. Hutchinson, who made 32 saves in only his second NHL game, was drafted by the Bruins in the third round (77th overall) in the 2008 entry draft and was signed by the Jets prior to this season. "You really want that first win against them, kind of show them what they gave up on," said the 24-year-old. Bryan Little scored in the shootout in what was Winnipegs (36-35-10) last home game of the season. They finish the schedule Friday in Calgary. Little beat Bruins netminder Chad Johnson with a low shot between his pads, the only scorer in three rounds. Olli Jokinen missed for Winnipeg, while Reilly Smith, Ryan Spooner and Brad Marchand missed for the Bruins. Marchand did score Bostons only goal of the game in the first period. Jets forward Evander Kane took a pass from leading scorer Blake Wheeler and tied the game 1-1 with a wrist shot that beat Johnson over his glove with 1:57 left in the third period. Just a couple of minutes earlier, Kane had hit the post after fans started chanting "Go Jets Go" to try to propel their team to a victory. Jokinen was called for holding with 40 seconds left in overtime, but Hutchinson made a snapping glove save on a blast from David Krejci with seven seconds left to send it to a shootout. "He was outstanding," Wheeler said of Hutchinson, whose first NHL game was a 1-0 loss on Monday against Minnesota. "He really kept us in the game. They had some point-blank opportunities to add to their lead and he kind of put us away and he gave us an opportunity to tie the game." Johnson made 36 saves and Marchand scored his 24th goal of the season at 10:12 of the first period for the Bruins (53-18-9). While Boston has clinched top spot in the Eastern Conference and have 115 points, three ahead of the idle Anaheim Ducks, they have just one win in their last five games (1-1-3). Head coach Claude Julien was none too happy with the latest effort. "We looked like a disinterested team tonight," Julien said. "(The Jets) were determined to have a good, strong finish here and they did.dddddddddddd. They were the better team tonight from start to finish. "I thought our goaltender was the reason we were able to come out of here with at least a point." The fans gave the Jets a standing ovation after the game, and the players skated to centre ice and raised their sticks toward the sold-out crowd of 15,004 at MTS Centre. It was the third straight season the local fans bid farewell to the Jets without watching a playoff game, and the seventh season in a row the former Atlanta franchise has missed the post-season. "They show up every night and cheer us on hard and were very appreciative of that," Wheeler said. "The results arent where we want them to be so the only thing we can do is try to work on that and improve in the future." Wheeler recorded his 41st assist of the season and 64th point, which bumped up the career-high points hes set this season. The Bruins host Buffalo on Saturday and finish the season Sunday on the road in New Jersey. Marchand agreed with his coach that the team wasnt fine-tuning itself for the playoffs. "It felt more like an exhibition game out there," Marchand said. "The only thing that would have impressed was 1-0 till the last minute. We can play much better hockey than that." Marchand opened the scoring when he used Smiths dumped-in shot off the back boards to beat Hutchinson with a backhand shot. Jarome Iginla almost added to the lead with a breakaway, but Hutchinson came out and stopped the wrist shot with just under four minutes to go in the period. Winnipeg had a 35-31 edge in shots of goal after regulation. "He read those seams perfectly," Jets head coach Paul Maurice said of Hutchinson, who will be returned to the St. Johns IceCaps for their AHL playoffs. "His push was perfect, square on that shot, and he knew where that was going. The players played as hard as they could to give him a chance to be great and win and thats what happened. He was great, we win." Notes: Boston rested centre Patrice Bergeron and defenceman Zdeno Chara. a Winnipeg was without captain Andrew Ladd (elbow) and defenceman Dustin Byfuglin (upper-body), who wont play the final game. Authentic Bills Jerseys Dolphins Stitched Jerseys Cheap Patriots Jerseys Wholesale Jets Jerseys Wholesale Texans Jerseys Cheap Colts Jerseys Jaguars Jerseys Store Authentic Titans Jerseys Authentic Broncos Jerseys Authentic Chiefs Jerseys Cheap Raiders Jerseys Chargers Jerseys Store Cheap Ravens Jerseys Wholesale Bengals Jerseys Cheap Browns Jerseys Steelers Jerseys Store Wholesale Cowboys Jerseys Wholesale Giants Jerseys Authentic Eagles Jerseys Cheap Redskins Jerseys Authentic Falcons Jerseys Panthers Jerseys Store Wholesale Saints Jerseys Authentic Buccaneers Jerseys Wholesale Cardinals Jerseys Cheap 49ers Jerseys Seahawks Jerseys Store Wholesale Rams Jerseys Wholesale Bears Jerseys Authentic Lions Jerseys Cheap Packers Jerseys Vikings Jerseys Store ' ' '