• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Parker scores 20; Raptors cruise by Heat

Mar 29, 2007 - 3:28 AM TORONTO (Ticker) -- With playoff positioning on the line, the Toronto Raptors looked to Anthony Parker to lead the way.

Parker scored 20 points and Juan Dixon added 18 as the Raptors snapped a four-game losing streak against the Miami Heat with a 96-83 victory.

All-Star Chris Bosh had 13 points and 18 rebounds and T.J. Ford added 14 points and nine assists for Toronto (39-32), which moved one-half game ahead of the Washington Wizards (38-32) for the fourth best record in the Eastern Conference.

"This game was for the three-seed in the Eastern Conference," Bosh said. "There were so many things with this game coming at this point in time, I think everybody got up for it."

Parker shot 7-of-11 from the field overall and had 11 points at halftime for the Raptors, who led, 58-40, entering the third quarter.

"Our effort wasn't there," Heat forward Udonis Haslem said. "As soon as they got a rebound they were pushing it down our throats or running up our backs. You've got to make shots and get back on defense."

"We got into a hole, we didn't rotate and were just a step slow against a really explosive team," Heat center Shaquille O'Neal added.

Rasho Nesterovic added 10 points, and reserves Morris Peterson and Kris Humphries had 11 points and 10 rebounds, respectively for Toronto, which shot 46 percent (29-of-63) and hammered Miami on the boards, 53-35.

"I think our smaller lineup provided us some quickness," Peterson said. "Even though we were smaller, we had some guys that can rebound and play pretty good defense."

"The rebounds just didn't come to them, they went and got them" Heat coach Pat Riley said. "They made four or five great hustle plays. Bosh is a great rebounder and Humphries had seven offensive rebounds in (27) minutes."

O'Neal scored 17 points and Eddie Jones added 12 for the Heat (38-33), who fell one-half game behind the Wizards for first place in the Southeast Division. Washington beat Philadelphia, 111-108.

"We have 10 or 11 games left and we just have to try and win as many games as possible so we can get some type of home court advantage," O'Neal said.

Reserve Alonzo Mourning had eight points to tie former Heat Glen Rice for the most points (9,248) in franchise history.

"They outworked us on the boards," Mourning said. "When you don't rebound the ball well on the road and give a team like Toronto other opportunities they make you pay for it."