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TORONTO - With Sebastian Giovinco on board ahead of schedule, Toronto FC will be at full strength to negotiate a brutal opening to the 2015 MLS season.It may be the best piece of business Toronto GM Tim Bezbatchenko has done, although he credits Giovinco and his agent for prying the five-foot-four Italian playmaker loose from Juventus ahead of July when his existing contract was to expire.The official announcement came via Juventus on Monday, the final day of the transfer window.Giovinco has today left the club to begin his new adventure with FC Toronto. Good luck, Seba! the club tweeted.In getting Giovinco into camp next week, head coach Greg Vanney will have close to a month to work with him ahead of the March 7 season opener in Vancouver. And the player himself will have time to adjust to his new surroundings, on and off the pitch. With Toronto facing seven straight road games to open the season due to stadium renovations, Giovincos early arrival is extremely helpful to getting off on the right foot, Bezbatchenko said Monday from Orlando, where the team is training.Im very excited today, he added. Especially because of the way it went about, its really worked out to TFCs advantage.Since announcing Giovincos signing Jan. 19, Toronto has been low-key about the players early arrival. Bezbatchenko denied any further negotiations with Juventus but with Giovinco not playing, there was plenty of speculation he would come earlier than expected.In the end it worked out for everyone. Juventus rid itself of an asset that was going anyway. Giovinco gets his MLS pay sooner than later and Toronto can start building around its offensive schemer.Bezbatchenko said his club did not pay Juventus anything extra for the early release, although Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment will have to pay the full seven-figure freight for Giovinco this season instead of a pro-rated half-season.The Toronto GM also said, to his knowledge, the Giovinco camp did not have to pay anything to Juventus. The five-foot-four forward known as The Atomic Ant made 130 appearances for Juventus over his career but only 10 this season. He scored twice in his final appearance last month, a 6-1 Italian Cup win over Verona.Bezbatchenko said the club is still looking for one or two more pieces. We always are.The club may look to add on the wing. It also has to unload Brazilian striker Gilberto, who is the odd man out in a designated player group that also includes Giovinco, midfielder Michael Bradley and striker Jozy Altidore.Toronto has until March 1 to meet roster compliance, which means only three designated players. Then it has to produce on the pitch after a 2-6-2 finish to the season under Vanney, who took over after Ryan Nelsen was fired Aug. 31.Other additions bolstering last years 11-15-8 squad are veteran defender Damien Perquis and midfielder Benoit Cheyrou, who may join the team Tuesday in Florida. Winger Jackson is still awaiting the birth of his child in Brazil.Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter Dan-Axel Zagadou Dortmund Jersey . Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Raptors have traded forward Steve Novak along with a second-round pick to the Utah Jazz in exchange for guard Diante Garrett - who will then be waived. Eric Oelschlagel Jersey . The CFL will help tackle womens cancers by playing four special "CFL PINK" games this weekend. http://www.footballdortmundpro.com/Kids-Mahmoud-Dahoud-Jersey/ . -- Arizona came out of its last meeting with California a bit discombobulated, hurting from its first loss and the loss of forward Brandon Ashley for the rest of the season. Manuel Akanji Dortmund Jersey . - Titans quarterback Jake Locker will miss the rest of the season with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot, leaving Tennessee trying to rally with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Alexander Isak Dortmund Jersey . The group of Slava Fetisov, Igor Larionov, Vladimir Konstantinov, Sergei Fedorov, & Slava Kozlov were a dominant force for The Wings at one point in the 90s. BOSTON -- Jordan Crawford says the young Boston Celtics have a few things to learn about finishing out close games. Crawford took over the role of teacher Tuesday night, scoring 15 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter to help the Celtics hold off the Milwaukee Bucks 108-100. "Weve just got to learn to stay focused and pull out these wins -- grind them out," said Crawford, who was 5 for 5 from the field in the fourth, including three 3-pointers. Jeff Green added 18 points and Brandon Bass added 16 points and nine rebounds for the Celtics, who were coming off a 92-85 loss to the Bucks on Saturday in Milwaukee. Of Milwaukees three wins this season, two have come against Boston and the Celtics avoided having the total reach three by holding off the Bucks down the stretch. "We moved the ball side to side and inside-out way better than we did Saturday," coach Brad Stevens said. "Maybe thats a little bit of karma for why the shots went in." Avery Bradley scored 15 and Jared Sullinger finished with 12 points as all five starters scored in double figures for Boston, which had lost two of three. The Bucks had just snapped an 11-game losing streak by beating the Celtics on Saturday in Milwaukee, but couldnt quite rally from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter. "I think were getting a little better. They still made a run and made it close," Crawford said. O.J. Mayo scored 19, and Brandon Knight had 15 points and six assists for Milwaukee. Khris Middleton added 14 points for the Bucks, who were outrebounded by the Celtics 40-33. The win put the Celtics at least in a temporary tie for first place with Toronto, which played later Tuesday at Golden State. But in the Atlantic Division, which currently doesnt have a team with a winning record, the standings arent all that impressive. "Were 8-12. Its not like were lighhting the world on fire," Stevens said.dddddddddddd The Celtics led by as many as 15 points and had a 13-point lead in the final period cut to three twice before holding on for the win. "I felt we were right there. They just made the tough shots," Milwaukee coach Larry Drew said. "They made the plays down the stretch and we did not." Giannis Antetokounm pulled Milwaukee within 69-65 with an alley-oop dunk to open the fourth quarter. Crawford answered for Boston with a 3-pointer, starting the Celtics on a 15-6 run that nearly put a comeback out of reach for Milwaukee. Lee followed his 3-pointer with a jumper to put the Celtics up 81-71, then Crawford hit a 3-pointer to put Boston up 84-71 with 7:51 left. The Bucks got back in it with a 13-4 run, pulling within 90-87 on a pair of free throws by John Henson, then made another charge late in the period for a close finish. Knights 3-pointer with 1:10 remaining cut Bostons lead to 99-96, but Sullinger answered at the other end, beating the shot clock with a jumper that put Boston back up 101-96. Stevens said he put Sullinger in a bad position with the play, but the young forward beat a double-team and got the shot when the Celtics needed it. "Its a good player making a good play and bailing out a bad coach," Stevens said. Knight missed everything on another 3-point attempt for Milwaukee and the Celtics held on to win it. NOTES: Two of the Bucks three wins this season have come against the Celtics. ... Caron Butler (knee) missed his third straight game for the Bucks. ... Boston rookie Kelly Olynyk (sprained right ankle) did not dress. ... The Celtics committed just one turnover in the first quarter. ... Milwaukee was playing the first of back-to-back nights. The Bucks host Detroit on Wednesday. ... Kris Humphries and Sullinger pulled down eight rebounds apiece. ' ' '