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Chris Bosh
Points: 25
Rebounds: 9
Assists: 6
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| "Not be satisfied, don't get content, and just continue to do what we've been doing," Kobe Bryant.
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The Raptors shot 59% on the night.
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| Team |
RB |
ST |
BLK |
TOT |
| TOR |
31 |
8 |
1 |
40 |
| NJN |
37 |
5 |
2 |
44
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February 14, 2007
TORONTO (CP) -- Chris Bosh had 25 points to lead the Toronto Raptors 120-109 over the New Jersey Nets in a key Atlantic Division matchup Wednesday.
The surging Raptors (29-24) stretched their division lead over New Jersey to 4{ games with the win, which marked their 10th victory in their last 12 outings and eighth straight at Air Canada Centre.
Six Raptors scored in double figures with Morris Peterson finishing with 18, T.J. Ford scoring 17 point plus adding eight assists, Jose Calderon and Anthony Parker scoring 16 apiece, and Jorge Garbajosa pitching in with 11.
Bostjan Nachbar had 26 points to top the Nets (25-29), while former Raptors star Vince Carter added 17.
The Raptors led for most of the night against the undermanned Nets, and were up 93-86 heading into the fourth quarter.
They buckled down on defence in the fourth and consecutive three-pointers by Bargnani and Calderon gave Toronto a 14-point advantage over their visitors with just over five minutes to play. The Nets pulled to within eight points on a basket by Williams with 31 seconds left, but the outcome was no longer in doubt, Bargnani sinking a three-pointer for good measure at the buzzer to the delight of the capacity crowd of 19,800.
It's been two years and two months since the Raptors traded Carter away to the Nets, but the fans at Air Canada Centre still booed the former Raptor with gusto during team introductions and whenever he touched the ball.
When the crowd chanted ``M-V-P'' when Bosh stepped to the free throw line in the first quarter, a television camera caught Carter mouthing, ``Come on, MVP?''
Nets coach Lawrence Frank said before the game the Carter-hating in Toronto is getting old.
``You get tired of the criticism of Vince here. You have to move forward,'' said Frank. ``Vince is a Net, the Raptors are a very good team. This no longer should be about Vince Carter any more.
``Vince is part of our family now so every time he gets criticized or booed we take that personally.''
The Raptors held Carter to 5-for-15 shooting, but the former Raptor compensated with a game-high 10 assists.
Bosh had six assists of his own, plus nine rebounds in his last game before heading to Las Vegas for Sunday's all-star game, where he's been voted a starter for the Eastern Conference team.
The Raptors outshot the Nets 59 per cent to New Jersey's 51, but were outrebounded 37-31 by the Nets. Toronto outscored the Nets 16-6 though on fast-break points.
The Nets were without Jason Kidd, who missed his second game with a strained lower back. They've already been without starters Nenad Krstic (knee) and Richard Jefferson (ankle) for nearly a month,
Both teams were playing the second of back-to-back games, the Raptors coming off a thrilling 112-111 win at Chicago, the Nets still reeling from a 107-82 loss to San Antonio on Tuesday. Both teams arrived in Toronto in the wee hours of the morning Wednesday.
Bosh scored 12 points to lead the way for the Raptors in the first quarter who led for most of the frame. A Peterson three late in the quarter put Toronto up 30-20 and the home team took a 32-23 advantage into the second.
New Jersey opened the second quarter with a 22-13 run to cut tie the game 45-45. But the Raptors countered with a 14-6 run of their own to lead 61-51 at halftime.
Toronto stretched its lead to 12 points early in the third but the Nets battled back and a three-pointer by House late in the quarter cut the Raptors' advantage to two points. A steal by Parker led to a Bargnani three-point buzzer-beater with no time on the clock and Toronto led 93-86 with a quarter left to play.
Notes: The Raptors are 2-2 against New Jersey this season ... The Raptors host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Feb. 21 in their first game after the all-star break.
