Toronto Raptors vs New Jersey Nets Feb.13/08

All-star Chris Bosh had 27 points and Jose Calderon added 22 points and 12 assists as the Toronto Raptors entered the all-star break on a high, trouncing the undermanned New Jersey Nets 109-91 Wednesday night.Jamario Moon scored 15 points and Andrea Bargnani 14 as Toronto (28-23) ended a three-game home losing streak. Bosh, Moon, Jason Kapono and Bargnani will represent the Raptors during this weekend's all-star festivities in New Orleans.Richard Jefferson and former Raptors superstar Vince Carter scored 15 points apiece as New Jersey (23-30) saw its three-game winning streak come to an end.The Raptors showed little mercy in the Nets' first game without all-star point guard Jason Kidd, who was on the verge of being traded to the Dallas Mavericks in a blockbuster deal that would send the 34-year-old back to the city where he began his career. Kidd was in Toronto with the team but didn't speak to reporters before the game.Carter gave the Air Canada Centre crowd plenty to jeer about in an uninspiring 5-for-15 shooting performance. In what has become an ACC tradition, the once-beloved, now-reviled swingman was booed lustily every time he touched the ball. The largest cheer of the night came late in the second quarter, when Carter fouled Andrea Bargnani beyond the three-point line and was given a technical foul for arguing the call.The Raptors built a 13-point cushion through one quarter and were never seriously challenged all night as they posted their second lopsided win of the season over the Nets. Toronto, which fell to New Jersey in six games in the opening round of last year's playoffs, has outscored the Nets by 56 points in two games this year.Matched up against backup point guard Marcus Williams, Calderon controlled the tempo from the start. Six of his eight first-quarter points came on layups, and he added three assists _ highlighted by alley-oop gems to Moon and Bosh _ as Toronto built a double-digit lead less than eight minutes in.Bosh had a game-high 10 points, Moon added seven and the Raptors shot 50 per cent to take a 30-17 advantage through one quarter.New Jersey closed to within eight after Darrell Armstrong stole an inbounds pass and hit a three-pointer, but Toronto promptly restored its double-digit cushion on a Bargnani three and back-to-back layups by Calderon. Bosh finished the half 7-for-8 for 18 points and Calderon chipped in with 16 as the Raptors led 62-41 at the break.Moon provided some electricity in what was an otherwise humdrum second half, converting an alley-oop pass from Calderon and adding an emphatic dunk moments later in a possible warmup for Saturday night's slam dunk contest. Moon had eight points in the quarter, and the Raptors held a 92-63 lead through three.Notes: The trade, when finalized, will send Kidd, swingman Antoine Wright and forward Malik Allen to the Mavericks for point guard Devin Harris, veteran Jerry Stackhouse and reserves DeSagana Diop, Devean George and Maurice Ager. ... The Raptors enter the all-star break with a winning record for the fifth time in team history. They were 29-24 at the break last season. ... Toronto outrebounded New Jersey 41-28. ... The Raptors are 127-150 since trading Carter to the Nets on Dec. 17, 2004. New Jersey is 148-129 over that span. ... With the Raptors heading into the all-star break, PG T.J. Ford was given the night off _ allowing him to have nine days off between games as he nurses a sprained right wrist. ... The teams conclude their regular-season series with games Apr. 5 in New Jersey and Apr. 11 in Toronto.

Channel: Sports
Uploaded: February 14, 2008 at 5:26 am
Author: monuow

Length: 05:58
Rating: 4.79
Views: 9799

Tags: Feb.13/08  Jersey  Nets  New  Raptors  Toronto  vs  

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