NEW ORLEANS - The Toronto Raptors were without Jonas Valanciunas on Wednesday for their game in New Orleans against the Pelicans. Valanciunas, who left Tuesdays loss to the Hawks late in the third quarter with a lower back sprain, missed his first game of the season. Head coach Dwane Casey announced the news an hour and a half prior to tip-off. "His back is still tight," Casey said. "[He] wasnt able to get it loose. (Director of Sports Science) Alex (McKechnie) put him through some preliminary work and it still was tight so hes going to be out." Valanciunas sustained the injury turning to set a screen, feeling immediate pain in his lower back before McKechnie and the Raptors training staff made the call to pull him from the game. After navigating through a mini-slump to close the month of February, the Raptors sophomore centre had been playing some of his best basketball of the season over the past week. Getting off to hot starts in each of his last three games, Valanciunas has totalled 34 points on 14-of-20 shooting in the first quarter of those contests. The Raptors were already undermanned in the frontcourt, missing Patrick Patterson for a seventh straight game Wednesday. He is expected to be out at least another week resting an elbow injury. Tyler Hansbrough started in place of Valanciunas. Both he and Chuck Hayes will see increased playing time as long as the teams starting centre in sidelined. Amir Johnson also played against the Pelicans after tweaking a lingering right ankle injury at the end of regulation in Tuesdays overtime loss. "Weve been very fortunate not to have that many injuries up until this part of the season," said Casey. "A lot of teams had them earlier and its unfortunate were hitting them now but its part of the NBA. Now weve got to adjust to it and make hay from it." Valanciunas is considered day-to-day. Air Max Saldi Online . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers (5) - Simply put, Lundqvist was brilliant. Air Max Scontate Italia . Moors, from Cambridge Ont., landed a double-twisting, double somersault in the layout position, en route to a score of 14.600 points in the womens floor exercise, more than a full point ahead of runner-up Pia Tolle of Germany. http://www.airmaxscontateoutlet.it/ . The American secured his first back-to-back ATP match wins since June to leave Tsonga relying on his performance at next weeks Paris Masters to clinch one of the final three places for the season-ending event in London. Tsonga would have moved up one spot to No. 6 with a win over Querrey at the City of Arts and Sciences, but his serve deserted him in the second set as the 116th-ranked American broke twice to reach the quarter-finals. Air Max Outlet Italia . Andrews, Scotland - Oliver Wilson fired a final- round, 2-under 70 on Sunday and he held on to win the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship by one shot. Air Max In Offerta .Brooks, a three-year veteran, was slow to get up after suffering the injury during a 5-yard run by Arian Foster.Brooks limped off the field midway through the quarter and then slowly walked to the locker room a few minutes later.Diego Costa might have had an ulterior motive for his behaviour in Chelseas defeat at Goodison Park, according to the Sunday Supplement panel. The enigmatic Blues striker was sent off for the first time since arriving in England in Chelseas 2-0 defeat at Everton, after clashing with Gareth Barry.There were allegations that Costa tried to bite Barry, which have since been denied by the Everton midfielder, but The Suns European football correspondent Antony Kastrinakis told the Sunday Supplement he believes Costas actions were part of a plan. Diego Costa (middle) is shown a red card at Goodison Costa had exactly the same reputation at Atletico Madrid as he has developed in England, Kastrinakis said. His behaviour over the last few months is purely to show Roman Abramovich that he wants out.He wanted out last May. There were stories from various friends of his that he wanted to return to Atletico Madrid. It could have been done in January when Atletico made a bid, but Chelsea would not let him go.I think all of this is his frustration, because he wants to play elsewhere.Regardless of his motives, Costa could face further action after yet another flashpoint in his career, and the Daily Stars chief sports writer Jeremy Cross is in agreement there is more to it this time. Guus Hiddink says he didnt see the incident that saw Costa sent off, but believes his player was provoked There is probably an ulterior motive to his behaviour, but he is idolised by children all over Europe and here in the Premier League - you just dont do it, Cross said.dddddddddddd.It just sums him up. He obviously has a switch that goes on and off.Chelsea will worry because he will have a reputation that precedes him with referees, and opposition players will be out to wind him up.Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink admitted in his post-match news conference he had not seen the incident but admitted frustration may have played a role. (Costa) was chased a bit in the game. They went after him. They knew it. It is within the rules, Hiddink said.I like him still going towards the edge but you also have to take into consideration he was desperate to play. It is all the combination; not fully physically fit and all the provocations and he has to take responsibility for the incident. 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