Final
76ers-Raptors Preview
Mar 6, 2010 - 8:22 PM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior WriterPhiladelphia (22-39) at Toronto (32-28), 12:00 p.m. EDT
The Toronto Raptors know they can win without star Chris Bosh. How much longer they'll need to keep doing so remains to be seen.
After snapping a four-game losing streak, the host Raptors could be without Bosh for an eighth straight contest as they try for a fourth consecutive victory over the struggling Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.
Set to return Friday after missing six games with a sprained ankle, Bosh was instead sent to the hospital for tests because of severe stomach pains hours before Toronto (32-28) ended its skid with a 102-96 win over New York.
"We don't anticipate it's anything serious," coach Jay Triano told the Raptors' official Web site.
While that's comforting to the Raptors, it's uncertain if Bosh (24.5 points, 11.4 rebounds per game) will return to help Toronto try to hand Philadelphia (22-39) a sixth straight loss.
Toronto is 3-4 during their All-Star's latest absence. Enjoying a career year and facing the possibility of becoming a free agent after this season, Bosh is averaging 24.0 points in his last four home games against the 76ers.
The Raptors also could be without starting swingman Hedo Turkoglu, who was knocked out of Monday's loss at Houston with a sore ankle and sat out the fourth quarter Friday after recording 12 points and nine rebounds in 25 minutes.
"You could see he was laboring," Triano said. "We tried to go as many minutes as we could with him."
Even if Bosh and Turkoglu are sidelined, the Raptors could be in good shape if they continue to get help from some unlikely contributors.
Sonny Weems scored a career-high 20 points off the bench, Jose Calderon had 16 and Amir Johnson added 14 with eight rebounds in his first start in place of Bosh on Friday. The Raptors improved to 19-0 when holding opponents to fewer than 100 points while topping that mark for the second time in five contests.
In his second NBA season, Weems is averaging 6.1 points in his first with the Raptors, but 13.3 in his last four contests.
"I'm just glad I'm getting this opportunity," said Weems, who had 14 points as a starter in a 104-93 home win over Philadelphia on Feb. 10.
Weems could be in for another big effort against the 76ers, who are mired in their longest winless stretch since losing 12 in a row Nov. 20-Dec. 11.
Lou Williams had 22 points and Elton Brand added 17 in the 76ers' 96-86 home loss to Boston on Friday. Though Philadelphia shot 48.1 percent and allowed its fewest points in its last seven games, it lost for the eighth time in 10 contests since winning a season-high five in a row.
"Last few games, for 2 1/2, three quarters it was a pretty solid performance but we really need to get the Ws," said Brand, who played 32 minutes after missing the previous two games with Achilles' tendinitis.
Earning that elusive victory could be difficult against the Raptors. The 76ers, averaging 93.8 points in their last five games, have given up 107.7 points during a three-game skid to Toronto.
Williams, however, is averaging 24.0 points on 59.0 percent shooting his last three games versus the Raptors. The veteran guard had 26 at Toronto last month.
- NBA
FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
PHILADELPHIA 24 31 34 25 114
TORONTO 24 23 28 26 101 FINAL
HIGH SCORERS: PHI - THADDEUS YOUNG 32, JRUE HOLIDAY 21,
ANDRE IGUODALA 16
TOR - JARRETT JACK 20, CHRIS BOSH 12, TWO
PLAYERS WITH 11
Mar 7 2:27 PM - NBA
PHILADELPHIA 89
TORONTO 75 END, 3RD QTR
Mar 7 1:55 PM - NBA
HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
PHILADELPHIA 24 31 55
TORONTO 24 23 47 HALFTIME
HIGH SCORERS AT HALFTIME
PHI - THADDEUS YOUNG 16, JRUE HOLIDAY 9,
ELTON BRAND 8
TOR - CHRIS BOSH 8, JARRETT JACK 8,
REGGIE EVANS 7
Mar 7 1:09 PM - NBA
PHILADELPHIA 24
TORONTO 24 END, 1ST QTR
Mar 7 12:38 PM
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