RAPTORS: Raptors Can’t Slow Down 76ers

Raptors Can’t Slow Down 76ers

And even if the team's starting point guard doesn't miss any significant playing time with this injury, Calderon's absence Wednesday exposed could quickly turn into the team's most worrisome weakness this season _ a suitable backup to fill in.

``I was trying to get a layup, and I went up and at that moment I felt a cramp,'' Calderon said after the game. ``I feel better now, I tried to get back but I wasn't feeling 100 per cent, it was feeling sore. It is not something that I want to get worse but with the ice I feel better now.''

Elton Brand scored a season-high 25 points to lead the Sixers in their first road win of the season.

Chris Bosh had 30 points and 12 rebounds to top the Raptors (4-4), whose inconsistent night cost them their second straight game. Jermaine O'Neal added 19 points and 11 boards, while Andrea Bargnani finished with 15 points.

Calderon, who signed a five-year contract extension with Toronto this past off-season, suffered the injury late in the second quarter, doubling over as he clutched his leg and then limping to the bench. He tried to return after halftime, but left the game for good with 4:42 left in the third. finishing with four points and six assists.

Calderon will have diagnostic testing done Thursday.

``Jose will be fine, he's a warrior,'' Bosh said. ``He loves to play. I don't want him to be worried, I'm not worried, so we just want to be positive, and I hope to see him in uniform Sunday.''

In the rematch of the season-opener - a 95-84 Raptors victory in Philadelphia - Toronto trailed by as much as 17 points early in the first half and went into the fourth quarter down 78-71.

Playing the final 16 minutes without Calderon, the Raptors pulled within four points on a layup by Bosh with just over 10 minutes left that brought the crowd to its feet.

But the anticipation of a comeback was brief, as it was almost all Sixers the rest of the way.

Brand's basket with four minutes left eclipsed his previous season high of 24 points and gave Philly a 13-point lead, all but sealing the Sixers victory, prompting a smattering of boos from the ACC crowd.

Will Solomon and rookie Roko Ukic took turns running the offence in the fourth quarter - and Anthony Parker even played a few minutes at the point - but the Raptors committed nine turnovers in the frame.

``We have two guys who are trying to play in the NBA,'' Raptors coach Sam Mitchell said of the backups. ``You can watch it on TV and you can practise it, but until you get in front of 19,000 people and play against starting point guards and guys who have been in the league and know how to play, there is a learning curve.''

The Raptors don't play again until Sunday, when they host Miami, and Calderon hopes to be back for that game.

``I am looking forward to that,'' he said. ``This is the first time that we have three or four days off. I want to be there on Sunday so let's see how I wake up (Thursday).''

O'Neal said the loss can't be blamed on Calderon's absence.

``Obviously Jose is very vital but that's not really what was hurting us, we were getting beat before that,'' O'Neal said. ``We have to really buckle down on (defence), you can win games in this league if you don't play D.''

The Raptors shot 43 per cent on the night, while allowing Philly to shoot 54 per cent.

Bargnani's performance was one positive on an otherwise disappointing night for Toronto. His huge turnaround dunk early in the second quarter kick-started a run that got the sagging Raptors back in the game.

The former No. 1 draft pick poured in 11 points in the span of eight minutes, looking more and more like he's finally turned the corner and put last season's maddening inconsistency behind him.

Andre Iguodala and Andre Miller had 18 points apiece for the Sixers (3-5), while Willie Green added 17 points and Marreese Speights finished with 12. Samuel Dalembert of Montreal had just two points and two boards for the Sixers before fouling out in the final minute.

The Raptors, coming off a seven-point loss at Boston on Monday, trailed by just three midway through the first quarter. But they a woeful stretch with just two points in nearly five minutes, digging themselves a 13-point hole, and the Sixers took a 26-13 lead into the second.

Green scored on a running jumper to put Philadelphia up by 17 points early in the second quarter, but the Raptors responded with a 22-16 run to pull within a point with 1:20 left in the first half. A three by Green with five seconds to play sent the Sixers into the dressing room leading 51-45 at the break.

Iguodala led the way with nine points in the third quarter as Philly twice pulled ahead by 10 points before taking a 78-71 advantage into the fourth.

NOTES: Raptors forward Kris Humphries sat out the game with a sprained toe on his right foot. . . The Raptors played five of their first seven games on the road, but Wednesday's game marked the first in a stretch of six out of eight at the Air Canada Centre. Toronto was 25-16 at home last season. . . Toronto hosts Miami on Sunday. . . The Raptors beat Philadelphia twice at home last year and had won eight of their previous 10 against Philadelphia before Wednesday.