Photo Gallery| Box Score Highlights Role Players Help Raptors Over Pistons Quotes | Notes Kris Humphries Points: 8 RBs: 18 Blocks: 3 "I hope the both of us are there at the Conference Finals," Flip Saunders. The Raptors out-scored the Pistons 29-15 in the final frame. Team RB ST BLK TOT TOR 52 8 3 63 DET 47 6 4 57

April 13, 2007

TORONTO (CP) -- Chris Bosh had 18 points and 16 rebounds to lift the Toronto Raptors 87-84 over the Eastern Conference rival Detroit Pistons on Friday night.

Anthony Parker finished with 21 points, while Joey Graham and T.J. Ford had 13 points apiece for the Raptors (46-33), who took another big step toward securing home-court advantage in the playoffs.

Kris Humphries grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds, for the Raptors, who rallied from a 15-point deficit in a final few dramatic minutes of a frenzied fourth quarter.

Richard Hamilton scored 24 points to top Detroit (51-28).

Detroit had already clinched the East's best record with Wednesday's 104-99 win over Orlando. But in a battle of teams that could eventually meet in the post-season, the Pistons certainly weren't mailing in this game _ despite the absence of Chauncey Billups, who didn't dress.

The Pistons took the lead midway through the first and barely looked back, taking a 69-58 advantage into the fourth.

The Raptors rallied in the fourth, using a 17-4 run to take their first lead since early in the quarter. Parker gave the Raptors the lead in dramatic fashion, hitting a three-pointer as the shot-clock sounded to put the home team up 81-79 with 1:44 left, bringing the capacity crowd of 19,800 _ the 17th sellout of the season _ to its feet.

With the Raptors holding onto a one-point lead, Ford stole the ball, then scored on a running jump shot with 12 seconds left. Hunter threw up an air ball on the Pistons' final possession and that was the game.

With three contests remaining, the Raptors, who've won 10 of their last 12 games, have already locked up their first playoff spot in five seasons and first division title in franchise history. It's all about securing home-court advantage now for the post-season, and the Raptors need to finish ahead of the Miami Heat for that to happen. A Miami loss Friday to Indiana would give Toronto homecourt.

The Raptors, who need just two more wins to set a franchise record, shot 37 per cent but outrebounded the Pistons 52-47.

The Raptors raced out to an 8-0 lead but it was short-lived, plagued by poor shooting. They shot just 32 per cent in the first and the Pistons took a 20-14 lead into the second.

The second was more of the same as Detroit, shooting 48 per cent in the first half, stretched its lead to 15 points midway through the quarter. The Pistons were up 50-37 at halftime.

The Raptors ate away at the Pistons' lead in the third, a jumper by Juan Dixon cutting it to five points with 1:36 left. But consecutive three-pointers by Hamilton to end the quarter put the Pistons up 69-58 heading into the fourth.

NOTES: Vince Carter's mom Michelle was seated courtside. . . The Raptors' No. 1 draft pick rookie, Andrea Bargnani, is expected to play Sunday when Toronto hosts New York. The forward has missed 12 games after undergoing an appendectomy. . . Jorge Garbajosa got a standing ovation when he was shown on the Jumbotron. The Raptors forward was making his first appearance on the team bench since suffering a season-ending ankle injury March 26.