Raptors-Jazz Preview

By JEFF MEZYDLO
Posted Jan 25 2012 1:56AM

The Toronto Raptors snapped what had previously been their longest current losing streak against one opponent. One night later, they face the same challenge against a different team.

Coming off their first victory in just over two weeks, the visiting Raptors look to avoid a 13th consecutive loss to the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.

Not only did Toronto (5-13) snap its eight-game overall losing streak with a 99-96 win at Phoenix on Tuesday, but it ended a 14-game skid against the Suns.

"Everybody played good together," said Toronto forward Andrea Bargnani, who scored 36 points in his first game after missing the previous six with a strained left calf. "We want to keep playing like this and having fun."

With both of those dubious droughts in the past, the Raptors can now focus on trying to end a 12-game losing streak to Utah (10-5) - currently the club's longest against one opponent. That's also the Jazz's longest active winning streak against any team.

Toronto, which last beat the Jazz 98-86 at home Dec. 22, 2004, has dropped six in a row at Utah since a 104-95 win there Nov, 10, 2004.

Though the Raptors rode a stellar performance from Bargnani while posting their second-highest point total of the season Tuesday, they could be in for a major challenge as they try to post back-to-back wins for only the second time in 2011-12.

The Jazz have averaged 104.4 points and shot 50.4 percent while going 12-3 all-time at home against the Raptors. Utah also has won nine of 11 overall since a 1-3 start.

Paul Millsap had 26 points with nine rebounds while Al Jefferson added 18 with 12 boards as the Jazz improved to 8-2 at home with a 108-98 victory over Minnesota on Saturday.

"We're just trying to get better and trying to win games," Millsap said.

Millsap remains a big reason for Utah's success, averaging 22.0 points and 9.1 rebounds in the last seven games.

"Paul just continues to work to get better," coach Tyrone Corbin said. "As a result, we're better because he's so effective on the floor. He's been doing it all year."

Millsap had 21 points, six rebounds and five assists during a 125-108 home win over Toronto on Nov. 3, 2010.

Averaging 18.3 points and 9.4 rebounds, Jefferson has scored 27.7 points per game in his last three contests against the Raptors. He had 34 in a 96-94 victory at Toronto on March 9.

Bargnani missed that game for the Raptors, but posted 26 points and nine rebounds at Utah last season.

Averaging a career-high 23.4 points this season, the 7-foot Bargnani scored 18 and went 4 of 5 from 3-point range during the third quarter Tuesday.

"Andrea coming back makes everything easier for everybody else," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "He opens up the lane for (Leandro Barbosa) for layups, James (Johnson) to get in the lane and get offensive boards. He is kind of the hub for everybody to play off of."

Bargnani has averaged 26.3 points during his last six road games.

Raptors get first win in Salt Lake City since 2004

By LYNN DeBRUIN
Posted Jan 26 2012 1:17AM

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Toronto Raptors coach Dwane Casey knew the Utah Jazz would try to deliver a big punch early - and they did, pulling ahead by 18 points in the first quarter Wednesday night.

Toronto, however, was ready with the counter-punch.

Reserve Linas Kleiza scored a season-high 25 points, including four of the Raptors' 10 3-pointers, and Toronto rallied for a 111-106 victory in double-overtime for its first win in Utah since 2004.

"It was huge," Casey said. "Our guys came out and battled after the first quarter. Linas really battled and got us back into the game. "

Jose Calderon hit a 3-pointer to tie it at the end of regulation and Andrea Bargnani poured in 25 points on 10-of-26 shooting for the Raptors.

On the downside, Bargnani reinjured his strained left calf late and wasn't optimistic.

"This time it's bad," said Bargnani, who planned to undergo an MRI. "I'm pretty sure I'm going to be out for a while."

Bargnani had just returned Tuesday night after missing six games with the calf injury. He scored 36 points in a 99-96 win over Phoenix on Tuesday night which ended an eight-game losing streak against the Suns.

The Raptors fallowed that by halting their 11-game skid against the Jazz.

"It's tough," said Utah guard Raja Bell, who scored 11 points. "We had opportunities. We were right there despite some of the mistakes we made. We were in it. You just have to keep fighting in a game like this and hope you might get it out at the end. They were the better team tonight so they deserved it."

Paul Millsap led Utah with a season-high 31 points, including a 3-pointer to force the second overtime. Devin Harris added a season-best 24 points for the Jazz, but missed three late free throws.

Utah center Al Jefferson sat out because of an inflamed right ankle and was wearing a walking boot on the sideline.

The Jazz got off to a great start, hitting 8 of their first 12 shots, but they finished shooting just 43.3 percent (39 of 90). Their free-throw shooting was worse, making just 24 of 36.

Toronto scored the first five points of overtime on a layup from Calderon and Kleiza's 3-pointer.

Derrick Favors' jam off a Gordon Hayward steal pulled Utah to 95-93, and Millsap tipped in Hayward's airball with 1:13 left to tie the game at 95.

Kleiza hit his fourth 3-pointer to bump Toronto's lead to 98-95.

Millsap's free throws made it a one-point game with 43 seconds left in OT, but Kleiza hit a pair of free throws to push it to 100-97 with 52 seconds left, setting up Millsap's tying 3 at the end of the first extra period.

Kleiza hit a 21-footer in the second OT and Calderon added a 3-pointer to put Toronto up 109-103.

Harris made only one of four free throws down the stretch, and the Raptors sealed it on a jumper by Leandro Barbosa.

"We got away from playing good hard-nosed defense," Millsap said. "We got a lot of early shots off our defense. You need to give Toronto credit. They fought hard and hung in and hit some big shots down the stretch."

The loss was only the third for Utah at home this season.

The Jazz led by as many as 18 points in the first quarter, fueled by Harris, who had 12 points and a four-point play on a shot that banked in with 8:16 left.

The Raptors cut the gap to 32-23 at the end of one, with Barbosa hitting his first three shots, Bargnani draining a 3-pointer and Amir Johnson scoring on a driving layup.

Toronto opened the second quarter on a 6-0 run to pull to 34-29 and was within two on Kleiza's 3-pointer with 6:23 left in the half. Bargnani's 3-pointer with 55 seconds left in the half gave the Raptors their first lead at 50-48.

After shooting 67 percent to open the game, the Jazz missed 18 of their next 28 shots and were at 42.1 percent at halftime.

It didn't help that Utah was without Jefferson, who leads the team in scoring (18.3) and rebounding (9.4). He missed one game earlier this season with the same injury.

Second-year pro Favors started in Jefferson's place but got into early foul trouble, picking up his second with 3:34 left in the first. He finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Notes: Jazz swingman Josh Howard returned to action after missing four games with a left quad strain. He started 0 of 4 and finished with no points. ... The Jazz held a 14-2 edge in fast-break points in the first quarter. ... Toronto had not scored over 100 points since an opening-night win over Cleveland. ... Kleiza's career-high of 41 points also came against the Jazz as a member of the Nuggets in 2008.

Notebook: Raptors 111, Jazz 106

By Andrew Aragon, for NBA.com
Posted Thursday January 26, 2012 1:06AM

THE FACTS: Down 18, and on the road on the second night of a back-to-back against a team they had lost to 11 straight times. Yes, the odds were stacked against the Toronto Raptors.

But the resilient Raptors responded as Andrea Bargnani and Linas Kleiza each scored 25 points to lead the them to a 111-106 win over the Utah Jazz in double overtime on Wednesday night. It was the second straight victory for Toronto, and the first time it won back-to-back road games since 2009.

The Jazz, playing without leading scorer Al Jefferson, were carried by Paul Millsap. He had 31 points and 11 rebounds and hit a game-tying 3-pointer to force a second overtime.

QUOTABLE: "Our guys game out and fought and battled after the first quarter. Everybody that walked on the floor tonight contributed, fought to win the game."
-- Raptors coach Dwane Casey on his team's resilience after a disastrous first quarter.

THE STAT: The Raptors didn't shoot a great percentage (35.7) on their 3-point attempts -- but they kept bombing away. Their persistence from long range paid off, as they had a 10-4 advantage in made 3-pointers over the Utah Jazz.

TURNING POINT: Two free throws by DeMar DeRozan gave the Raptors the lead for good at 104-103 with 2:39 left in the second overtime. Kleiza then hit a jumper and Jose Calderon nailed a 3-pointer to make it 109-103 with 1:26 remaining. That sequence put Toronto in command, but perhaps a just as important stretch came late in the first quarter. After trailing by 18 points, the Raptors scored the final nine points of the first to cut Utah's lead to single digits. From there, it was either team's ballgame.

HOT: Leandro Barbosa was solid for the Raptors off the bench, shooting 6-for-9 and scoring 13 points. DeRozan, after scoring four points on Tuesday, bounced back with 17 points and eight rebounds in 43 minutes. James Johnson blocked six shots, and Calderon scored 12 for the Raptors. Calderon hit a 3-pointer with 13.3 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. Devin Harris played perhaps his best quarter in a Jazz uniform in the first, as he scored 12 points and dished four assists. He finished with 24 points and six assists. Derrick Favors, making his fourth start of the season, recorded his first double-double of the year with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

NOT: Poor shooting prevented both teams from wrapping it up in regulation. The Raptors made seven baskets and shot 38.9 percent in the fourth quarter, while the Jazz hit six shots and had a shooting percentage of 37.5 in the fourth. Gordon Hayward continues to struggle with his shooting touch. He was 1-for-9 and is 2-for-14 in Utah's last two games. Josh Howard, in his first game back after missing four contests with a strained quad, shot 0-for-5. Jerryd Bayless was 1-for-6 for Toronto.

QUOTABLE II: "He's been playing unbelievable for us. I'm so happy for him after everything he went through over the last year. He's going to be a great help for us."
-- Raptors guard Calderon on the performance of Kleiza, whose 25 points were a season-high.

GOOD MOVE: The Raptors were putting together an impressive highlight reel -- for the Jazz -- allowing alley-oops and a total of 14 fast-break points in the first quarter. But they turned the momentum of the game by playing more zone defense. Toronto made excellent reads, talked, pointed and kept the Jazz from running their offense efficiently.

ROOKIE WATCH: Jazz first-year player Enes Kanter, who is third among rookies in rebounds at 5.1 per game, made some important plays for Utah late in the third quarter. He played aggressively, recording two dunks and a blocked shot in the final 1:18 of the period. He finished with five points and three rebounds.

NOTABLE: Jefferson was a late scratch after aggravating an ankle injury at Utah's shootaround Wednesday morning. Bargnani sat out the final minute of the first overtime and all of the second overtime after aggravating a calf injury that forced him to miss six games. After the game, he said he expects to be out "a while." Toronto hadn't scored more than 100 points in a game since opening night.

UP NEXT: For the Raptors, Friday @ Denver, Sunday @ New Jersey, Tuesday vs. Hawks. For the Jazz, Friday @ Dallas, Saturday vs. Kings, Monday vs. Trail Blazers.

• Raptors: Alabi, Carter
• Jazz: --

• Raptors: --
• Jazz: --

• Lead Changes: 11
• Times Tied: 7

• Arena: EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
• Officials: #22 Bill Spooner, #63 Derek Richardson, #74 Curtis Blair
• Attendance: 19802
• Duration: 2:48