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Bosh, Raptors surge past Grizzlies

Nov 22, 2007 - 4:59 AM By Jason Smith PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Ticker) - The Toronto Raptors couldn't hit much from inside the arc, but they knocked down a couple of key 3-pointers on Wednesday in a 95-89 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum.

Toronto, the NBA's second-best 3-point shooting team entering Wednesday's contest, connected on 52 percent (11-of-21) of its shots from the arc, including two over the final 2:15 of the game in earning their second victory in as many nights.

"If you look at it statistically, either team could win," first-year Memphis coach Marc Iavaroni said. "But the thing that really hurt us was 52 percent on threes. They're second in the league, and they made their threes."

Raptors center Andrea Bargnani's 3-pointer with just over two minutes to play gave his team the lead for good before reserve guard Carlos Delfino drained another from the left side more than a minute later to stretch the Raptors' advantage to 88-82.

Chris Bosh had 22 points and 19 rebounds for Toronto, which connected on just 25-of-71 shots inside the arc.

"It's no secret, we love the 3-point ball, but we can't fall in love with it," Bosh said. "That's one thing about us - if we have open shots, we're going to keep shooting, no matter where it is on the court."

Memphis had trailed by as many as six points late in the third quarter, but Pau Gasol hit a pair of free throws, Rudy Gay buried a 20-footer from the right side and Mike Miller converted a layup over the final 1:54 of the third quarter to tie the game at 68-68 after three.

Gay's finger-roll in the lane on an assist from Kyle Lowry with 8:49 left to play in the fourth gave Memphis its first lead (75-73) since late in the second quarter, but Toronto responded by outscoring Memphis, 15-7, over the final 2:15.

"Once again, it was not a pretty game," Iavaroni said. "Once again, we did not make the little things happen. The little things did not go our way, and that's our responsibility.

"We've got to come up with loose balls - we've got to make the little shots in the lane. That's so important going down the stretch."

Gasol and Miller each finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds for Memphis (3-8), which was looking to earn consecutive wins for the first time this season.

Jason Kapono had 14 points and Bargnani and Delfino added 13 points each. That trio and reserve guard Jose Calderon (10 points) combined to go 10-of-17 from the arc.

"Jason Kapono came in and played well," Toronto coach Sam Mitchell said. "And Chris was a presence. He forced them to double-team him, and when he does that, we've got guys who - if we can get them open - they can shoot the basketball.

"Carlos would make a timely shot, JK (Kapono) would make a timely shot, and then Jose would make one."

After shooting just 25 percent (7-of-28) in the first quarter, Toronto hit seven of its first nine shots to start the second period and took its biggest lead of the first half at 34-27 on forward Jamario Moon's layup with 8:28 left in the half.

Bosh registered his sixth double-double of the season by the 5:08 mark of the second quarter. After going 2-of-8 from the floor in the first quarter, Bosh connected on 4-of-5 shot attempts in the second to help give Toronto a 46-44 lead at halftime.

Despite outscoring the Raptors, 26-14, in the paint in the first half, Memphis finished just 37.5 percent (15-of-40) from the field before the break. Toronto was worse, connecting on just 35 percent (19-of-54) of its first-half shot attempts.

"We played hard," Miller said. "There were a lot of things we didn't do correct and those things are going to come back to bite you. Our offense was decent, but we have to get a little more loose balls. Down the stretch, they made shots and we didn't."