FIVE QUICK NBA THOUGHTS 1. Corey Linsley Jersey . TORONTO RAPTORS: They lose on the road by five to Miami and by seven at Indiana. It just has a different feel to it. Even though they lost, Im impressed with their improvement and the way theyre playing right now. Good role definition and team play are evident. Have they arrived? No, far from it, but they are headed in the proper direction. Its a lot more difficult to play when folks have expectations for you and how you handle them on a daily basis. If they can become consistent in their production then theyll be fine. Greivis Vasquez has to start playing a lot better and with consistency off the bench for them. Hes the guy that can make a difference for them with the second unit if he can pick it up a few notches. 2. ROY HIBBERT (Pacers): We talk so much about his defence, shot blocking and rebounding that at times we lose sight of how much hes improved. Hes always been a nifty passer back to his days at Georgetown but the thing thats really impressed me has been his steady growth as a post player. His footwork is exceptional and he can score with either hand in the lane and is fluid with his skills. He gets great position in the lane and his confidence as an offensive player is at an all-time high. 3. LUOL DENG TRADE: I like this trade for the Bulls. Theyre not going anywhere with the loss of Derrick Rose and had to move on from this group. Deng was a terrific player for them yet was going to cost too much for them in the free-agent sweepstakes. They save close to $20 million with this transaction and it was time to move on and begin the process of a new look in Chicago. This is the business side of sports that isnt pleasant when you see a wonderful guy who was a very good player get moved for economics yet in this cold-hearted business, it was the right thing to do long term for them. 4. KEVIN DURANT (Thunder): I know his team lost on Tuesday night to the Jazz and that isnt a pleasant thing but how can you not be impressed with the fact that he drops 48 points in the game? Its been challenging for him and his team without Russell Westbrook yet we get to see just how special Durant is when he has to do even more. Hes truly the second-best player in the game today and his offensive skill set is off the charts. Truly a joy to watch. Great competitor and a winner. 5. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: Theyre on a roll with 10 wins in a row and Im thrilled for their loyal/rabid fan base. If I could put a finger on it the one guy who makes such a huge difference on their team is Andre Iguodala. He gives them a perimeter defensive stopper, hes an unselfish player who gladly gives the ball up to teammates and has wonderful versatility in his game. He plays the game the right way and has really allowed the other aspects of this roster to settle into their roles. Coach Mark Jackson has a guy that he can trust to do all the little things that win games for you and do it at a high level. I guess the word Glue Guy comes to mind when I watch their team. Any way you want to say it - hes made a huge difference in their team. Arnie Herber Jersey . Im very excited about the playoffs, particularly in the Western Conference with amazing match-ups, as well as the wonderful local story in the Toronto Raptors. It should be a blast. Here are my predictions, but based upon my lousy prognostications during the NCAA Tournament, you might be better off going the other way on some of mine - particularly with the Raptors, who I hope and pray are able to win an incredibly difficult match-up. Lynn Dickey Jersey . PAUL, Minn.DENVER - Corey Dickerson is still wondering why he was at the centre of a near scrum. Dickerson hit Atlanta catcher Gerald Laird with his backswing and tempers quickly flared, setting off a tense sequence and leading to several ejections Thursday as the Colorado Rockies beat the Braves 10-3. The Rockies led 8-3 in the eighth when Dickerson fouled away a pitch and knocked off Lairds facemask. "It was on a two-strike slider on a backswing that I hit Laird, but it was an accident and I think they know that," Dickerson said. A stunned Laird was on the ground for several minutes before walking off the field under his own power and being replaced by Evan Gattis. "Hes OK," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "They did all the concussion tests and the doctor cleared him to fly back with us. Im sure hes going to be a little sore. Dickersons backswing got him more on the jaw than on the head. I think we dodged a bullet there." With his next pitch, Atlanta reliever David Carpenter hit Dickerson in the thigh and was ejected. "I guess Carpenter thought it was on purpose," Dickerson said. Rockies manager Walt Weiss bolted from the dugout and began yelling at Carpenter, as well as in the general direction of Gonzalez. Weiss was held back by home plate umpire Jordan Baker before being ejected. When he returned to the dugout, Weiss smashed a bat against the wall. "If you think a guy can foul a ball off and then at the same time hit the catcher on the backswing on purpose, you got no clue," Weiss said. "They made their decision. They made a bad choice." Carpenter denied throwing at Dickerson. "I tried to run a fastball in on him, it cut a little bit and caught him," he said. "Dickerson was looking at me and I thought, You just got hit, go to first base, thats all there is to it. Get on with the next batter. I was surprised getting tossed out of the game there, I was preparing for the next hitter." In the ninth, Rockies reliever Nick Masset hit Gattis in the hip with a pitch. Both Masset and Rockies bench coach Tom Runnells were immediately tossed. Jhoulys Chacin (1-4) pitched seven scoreless innings for his first win of the season, backed by home runs from Charlie Blackmon and Justin Morneau. Chacin, who missed the first month of the season with a right shoulder strainn, struck out five and walked two. Blake Martinez Jersey. Rookie Tommy La Stella was the only Braves player to get a hit off him, singling in the second and doubling in the fifth. In his toughest inning, with the Rockies ahead 3-0, Chacin issued consecutive one-out walks in the seventh to Chris Johnson and La Stella but got out of the jam by getting Andrelton Simmons to ground into a double play. "I didnt feel that good today," Chacin said. "I was just trying to make my pitches. I was keeping my pitches down and trying to get ahead and thats pretty much what I did. Any time youre throwing strikes, youre usually going to get good results." Ervin Santana (5-3) struck out eight in 6 1-3 innings and scattered seven hits but two of them went for home runs. Chacin, who did not receive any run support in three of his outings and totalled just 10 overall in his seven previous starts, helped himself early. He singled in the third ahead of Blackmons home run. It was the 12th home run of the season from Blackmon, all from the leadoff spot, which leads the majors and is the most by a Rockies player in the No. 1 spot in team history. Morneau connected on Santanas first offering in the sixth for his 11th of the season, a two-out drive that sailed over the centre field wall into the Braves bullpen. The Rockies pulled away with a five-run seventh, getting an RBI single from Charlie Culberson and a sacrifice fly from pinch-hitter Ryan Wheeler. Josh Rutledge scored from third on a wild pitch by and Morneau delivered a bases-loaded single to drive in the final two runs of the inning. The Braves scored all their runs in the eighth on Jason Heywards RBI single and B.J. Uptons homer. After Carpenter was ejected, Anthony Varvaro took over and the Rockies added a pair of runs on RBI singles by pinch-hitter Brandon Barnes and Blackmon. NOTES: Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki was given a day off. ... Chacin fanned Gerald Laird in the fifth inning for his fourth strikeout of the game and the 500th of his career. Hes the seventh Rockies pitcher to reach the milestone. ... The Braves open a series against the Los Angeles Angels with RHP Aaron Harang (4-5) opposing C.J. Wilson (7-5) in the opener Friday. ... The Rockies travel to San Francisco, where Jorge De La Rosa (6-5) will face Tim Lincecum. ' ' '