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Bosh leads way as Raptors open seven-game road trip

Dec 19, 2007 - 6:57 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - The Toronto Raptors got their seven-game road trip off to a good start.

Chris Bosh scored 16 of his 24 points in the second half as the Raptors posted an 80-77 victory over the cold-shooting Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.

Jose Calderon added 12 points and nine assists without a turnover and rookie Jamario Moon added a season high-tying 16 points for Toronto, which survived two long jumpers by Richie Frahm in the final 85 seconds to win its fifth game in six tries.

Toronto shot just 37.5 percent (30-of-88), including 3-of-15 from the arc, and was outrebounded, 50-43, but committed just six turnovers.

"It wasn't an artistic game at all," Toronto coach Sam Mitchell said. "Both teams struggled in scoring, but if you look at the defense both teams played and they are depleted, you have to give them credit."

Corey Maggette led the Clippers with 22 points. Chris Kaman added 12 and 16 rebounds and Frahm 13 points for Los Angeles, which shot 51 percent (20-of-39) in the first half but just 26 percent (10-of-38) after the break.

"We struggled making some shots," Clippers coach, Mike Dunleavy said. "We did not get a lot out of our post game. We missed some shots around the basket."

After shooting 3-of-14 from the floor in the first half, Bosh heated up after intermission, scoring 12 points in the third quarter to turn a six-point halftime deficit into a 65-60 edge. His jumper with 5:21 left in the third provided a 57-56 edge - the Raptors' first since 4-3 - and a 3-pointer by Carlos Delfino closed the period.

"I know that as a player and a leader of this team, I had to step it up," Bosh said. "I had to play better and be more aggressive."

Neither team scored for four minutes early in the fourth and the Clippers went six minutes between baskets in the period, making 3-of-24 shots in one stretch before Tim Thomas banked in a 3-pointer to cut the Clippers' deficit to 71-65 with 5:20 left in the game.

A short jumper by Calderon provided Toronto a 77-70 edge with 2:56 left, but Frahm, who was making his first NBA start, drained a 3-pointer from the left wing 100 seconds later. Then after a time out, he got freed up and hit another jumper from just about the same spot to cut the Clippers' deficit to 77-75 with 26 seconds left. Frahm was signed as a free agent on December 14.

"Richie did a nice job for us," Dunleavy said. "He has been with us for only a handful of games. He has picked up stuff well. Guys have learned to play well with him."

Calderon, playing for injured starter T.J. Ford, put the game out of reach by driving the lane and converting a layup with nine ticks left.

Bosh finished 6-of-22 from the floor but converted 12-of-16 from the free-throw line and added nine rebounds and three assists. Bosh has 2,845 rebounds in his career, seven ahead of Antonio Davis for the all-time franchise lead.