Oct 8, 2008 - 9:55 PM
0 shoutsTORONTO (Ticker) -- Chris Bosh scored 20 points as the Toronto Raptors spoiled the debut of coach Mike D'Antoni with a 113-111 victory over the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
Andrea Bargnani scored 15 points and newcomer Jermaine O'Neal added eight and six rebounds for the Raptors, who received double-digit scoring performances from seven players.
Ironically, that is the type of unselfish offense championed by D'Antoni, who is in his first season at the helm of the Knicks after five successful seasons with the Phoenix Suns.
New York, which has become one of the biggest laughingstocks in professional sports, relieved embattled coach and team president Isiah Thomas of his duties in the offseason. Veteran executive Donnie Walsh came over from the Indiana Pacers to replace Thomas.
While the Knicks showed some positive play in D'Antoni's up-tempo offense, the Raptors emerged victorious behind All-Star Bosh, who won a gold medal this summer with Team USA at the Beijing Olympics. Bosh shot 9-of-16 from the field and grabbed seven rebounds.
Spanish point guard Jose Calderon, who missed the Olympic gold-medal game against the Americans with an ankle injury, had eight points, six assists and four rebounds for Toronto, which fell behind by one point with 1:52 left but then scored seven straight to take control of the game.
David Lee collected 22 points and nine rebounds while Zach Randolph added 19 and 13 for New York, which started newly acquired point guard Chris Duhon and brought the controversial Stephon Marbury off the bench. Marbury, who made headlines last week when he agreed to play a reserve role, scored 10 points and Duhon added five.
From the Bleachers
-
NEW YORK: 111
TORONTO: 113
Final
Oct 8 9:29 PM -
NEW YORK: 78
TORONTO: 80
End of 3rd
Oct 8 8:52 PM -
NEW YORK: 57
TORONTO: 53
Halftime
Oct 8 8:13 PM -
NEW YORK: 30
TORONTO: 26
End of 1st
Oct 8 7:38 PM
