Bosh, Raptors rally past Knicks
Chris Bosh is going back to his hometown to play in the All-Star
game, and he showed why Thursday night.
Bosh had 27 points and 15 rebounds, Hedo Turkoglu set season
highs with 26 points and 11 rebounds and the Toronto Raptors
rallied for a 106-104 victory over the New York Knicks.
It was a nice end to a fun day for Bosh, a Dallas native who
was selected Thursday for his fifth All-Star game - tying Vince
Carter's Raptors record. The NBA revealed the reserves for the Feb.
14 game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington a few hours before Toronto
earned its fourth consecutive victory.
"I think everything's clicking," Bosh said. "We're looking
for our shots, we're being aggressive. At the same time, we know
how the game's supposed to flow, who's open, the offensive sets we
want to run. I mean it's coming together bit by bit."
Jarrett Jack made one of two free throws in the final seconds
and drew a charging call on Al Harrington on New York's final
possession, helping Toronto (25-22) move three games over .500 for
the first time this season.
The Raptors, who erased a 13-point deficit Wednesday night in
a 111-103 victory over Miami, have trailed by double digits in each
game during their winning streak.
David Lee had 29 points and 18 rebounds for New York, 3-7 in
its last 10 games. The sluggish stretch includes a victory over
woeful Minnesota and an embarrassing 128-78 loss to Dallas on
Sunday - the worst home loss in franchise history.
It could get worse, too.
Knicks forward Jared Jeffries left with a hyperextended right
knee and is scheduled for an MRI on Friday. Harrington also said
he's going to the doctor to get treatment for his balky left knee.
"It's been bothering me for six weeks," Harrington said.
"It's been a while, a long time, but I was trying to hide it, and
just keep playing through it. ... This one is sticking with me."
Antoine Wright scored 13 points, and fellow reserve Jose
Calderon had 12 for Toronto, which got off to a slow start before
rallying behind Turkoglu's best game since he was acquired from
Orlando in the offseason.
"I just look at the way I bring effort and energy," said
Turkoglu, who scored 18 points in the second half. "I had 11
rebounds too so I have to just look at both ends of the court, what
I did and help the team, not just statistically. I've never been a
statistic guy."
Bosh hit two free throws with 7 minutes left to give the
Raptors a 91-85 lead, but New York battled back. Harrington
converted a three-point play and made a 3-pointer to put the Knicks
in front 100-97 at the 2:51 mark. Lee then got free for a dunk to
extend the lead to five.
Back came the Raptors, who scored the next eight points.
Turkoglu had two free throws and a rebound basket, and Jack scored
inside. Bosh then drove past Wilson Chandler to make it 105-102
with 15.9 seconds remaining.
After Lee's rebound basket, Jack hit a free throw, then got
in front of Harrington on defense to secure the victory. Knicks
coach Mike D'Antoni said the ball was supposed to be inbounded to
Nate Robinson.
"I was just the last resort and when I got it my leg killed
me and I had no brakes," Harrington said. "I just tried to make the
play and obviously got called for the charge."
Harrington finished with 20 points, and Chandler had 14 for
New York.
Lee shrugged off his All-Star miss before the game, saying it
was out of control and calling the snub "motivation" for the rest
of the season.
He sure looked motivated against Toronto.
Lee ripped the Raptors for 17 points and 10 rebounds in the
first half, showing off a nice face-up jumper and plenty of poise
inside. He powered the Knicks to a 34-20 lead after one quarter,
but Calderon had eight points in the second quarter to help Toronto
cut it to 53-49 at halftime.
"They started making shots when they were pretty cold at
first, and they did come back," D'Antoni said, "but we're up five
points with about 50 seconds to go, that's kind of where it turned
on us."
NOTES: Raptors rookie G DeMar DeRozan missed his second
consecutive game because of a sprained right ankle. He was replaced
in the starting lineup by Sonny Weems. DeRozan didn't make the trip
to New York. ... Raptors coach Jay Triano said before the game that
C Andrea Bargnani hurt his foot in the closing seconds of Toronto's
victory over Miami on Wednesday night. But Triano didn't specify
which foot, and Bargnani started against New York.