• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Peterson, Ford help Raptors capture third straight win

Dec 17, 2006 - 10:52 PM TORONTO (Ticker) -- The Toronto Raptors aren't missing All-Star Chris Bosh too much.

Morris Peterson scored 23 points and T.J. Ford had 21 and 14 assists as the Raptors pushed their season-high winning streak to three games with a 120-115 victory over the Golden State Warriors.

Toronto dropped the first two games without the 6-10 Bosh, who was sidelined indefinitely with a bruised left knee Friday, but the club has been playing well of late, beating Orlando and New Jersey before facing the Warriors.

"We are all having to step up with Chris not playing," Raptors rookie Andrea Bargnani said. "Now that we have three wins in a row we are playing with confidence. We need to stick together and try to keep it going."

The Raptors began the second quarter with a 15-8 surge highlighted by two 3-pointers from Peterson for a 49-36 bulge with 7:03 remaining. He made 9-of-15 shots from the floor and pulled down nine rebounds.

"I have been feeling a lot more comfortable after coming back from my injury," said Peterson, who missed eight games with an elbow injury. "I've never had to come back from an injury so it's new to me."

The No. 1 overall pick in June's draft, Bargnani scored five of his 18 points during the run. The 21-year-old also collected season highs of 10 rebounds and six blocks for his first career double-double.

"It is my most complete game so far," Bargnani said.

"Andrea has really been showing growth every game and was great defensively," Peterson said. "With the blocks and rebounds he helped us as well as his shooting, he is really showing a lot more confidence."

After the lead to 70-65 in the third quarter on Baron Davis' 3-pointer at the 9:48 mark. But the Raptors pulled away for good when Ford found rookie Jorge Garbajosa in the left corner for a shot from the arc to rebuild an 11-point lead.

Garbajosa had a season-best 18 points and 11 boards and Anthony Parker also scored 18 points for Toronto, which shot 47 percent (41-of-87) and held a 50-38 edge in rebounds.

Raptors guard Jose Calderon was carried off on a stretcher late in the contest with an apparent back injury. He finished with four points and five assists.

"He (Calderon) is neurologically in tact. His arms and legs are moving," Toronto director of media relations Jim Labumbard said. "He felt pain in his lower torso. He will remain in Toronto for tests and precautionary reason."

Monta Ellis scored 28 points and Davis contributed 20 and 11 assists for the Warriors, who shot 50 percent (42-of-83) and outscored the Raptors, 52-38, in points in the paint.

"We didn't play with intensity on the defensive end and I think that we turned the ball over too much," Davis said.

"You take the good with the bad and we didn't get the bounce on the ball," Golden State coach Don Nelson said. "I mean they had shots that bounced in and we didn't get very many."