Raptors extend hot streak; Sixers continue to slide at home

By Andy Jasner, for NBA.com
Posted Friday January 8, 2010 11:08PM

PHILADELPHIA (NBA.com exclusive) -- It's a play Chris Bosh worked on all summer.

With the game on the line, the Toronto Raptors forward managed to spin across the lane, go around 6-foot-11 center Samuel Dalembert and flip up a right-handed layup off the glass. Bosh made the difficult basket and was fouled, converting the three-point play for a 108-106 lead.

The Raptors then played terrific defense on the final possession, forcing Lou Williams to toss up an off-balance 3-pointer as time expired.

The final score held up for the Raptors, marking their eighth win in nine games and pushing them above .500 (19-18) for the first time since being 5-4 all the way back on Nov. 13.

It was Bosh who propelled Toronto to back-to-back road wins. After an 18-point performance in a 108-103 win at Orlando two nights earlier, he came back with an even better effort -- 29 points, nine rebounds and six assists against the Sixers.

And one clutch right-handed shot.

"I've been working on my right-handed shots all offseason," Bosh said.

More importantly, Bosh wanted the basketball in his hands with the game on the line.

"I don't think he touched the ball for a couple of possessions," Toronto coach Jay Triano said. "He was bound and determined to get the ball."

The Raptors fell behind 60-49 at halftime and they were an uncharacteristic 0-for-5 from 3-point territory.

Somehow, they were going to find their rhythm from long range.

Toronto was 5-for-10 from beyond the arc in the second half and extended their amazing league-leading streak of hitting at least one 3-pointer in 897 consecutive games.

"I didn't even know about the streak," said Raptors guard Jarrett Jack. "Really, what wins for us is defense. That last possession, we stepped up and got a big stop. We've been winning games lately with defense. Even though we scored 108 points, we got a big stop at the end."

At the end, the crowd of 15,264 booed the Sixers as they left the court. It has been an extremely difficult stretch for the Sixers, who fell to 10-25. Philadelphia has lost nine of its last 10 games at home, including four straight.

Williams led the way with 23 points and Allen Iverson scored 22 points, despite having his knee drained earlier in the day. Iverson will not travel with the team to Detroit for Saturday's game. Thaddeus Young had 18 points and 13 rebounds while Andre Iguodala was solid with 17 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists.

Elton Brand missed the game with a stomach virus.

Still, it was the second consecutive loss to a team with a .500 record or less. Four of the next five opponents all have records below .500.

Before the game, Sixers president Ed Stefanski was asked a variety of questions surrounding the franchise, which has the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference.

"It's not just the head coach," Stefanski said, referring to Eddie Jordan. "It's the coaches, the players and myself. No one is happy here."

How can they be?

"We're not getting the job done and we're going to have to get it done," Stefanski said.

Added Williams, "The last couple of games have been tough losses for us. I think it's kind of taken a toll, so the only thing we can do is focus on the next game."

The Raptors have done a nice job of doing that as evidenced by their stellar stretch of late.

They're winning with defense.

"Defense is going to be critical for us the rest of the season," said Toronto guard Jose Calderon. "The coaches always stay on us to focus on our defense. It helped us in a big way. We made a play when we needed it most."

• Raptors: Evans, O'Bryant
• 76ers: Brezec, Ivey

• Raptors: Bargnani
• 76ers: Iguodala

• Lead Changes: 5
• Times Tied: 8

• Arena: Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA
• Officials: #13 Monty McCutchen, #46 Matt Boland, #77 Kane Fitzgerald
• Attendance: 15264
• Duration: 2:19