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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
CLEVELAND (AP) – Not only did Vince Carter strut his usual stuff
for Toronto, he even tried to give Cleveland some help, too.
Carter scored 33 points but was sitting down when the Raptors
opened a big lead in the second quarter Tuesday night as Toronto
rolled to a 120-105 win over the demoralized Cavaliers, who lost
their eighth straight game.
|  | | Andre Miller dives for cover as Toronto's Antonio Davis senses a loose ball. Miller was able to roll the ball to a teammate. |
Antonio Davis matched a season-high with 25 points – 15 on free
throws – and added 13 rebounds for Toronto.
Carter scored 16 points in the third quarter and tried to save
Cleveland coach Randy Wittman from an early ejection as the Raptors
won their third in a row to move four games over .500 for the first
time this season.
"I said to him, 'Randy I want you to stay in the game,' " Carter said. "I tried my hardest, but I guess he didn't want to
listen to me. I tried."
Midway through the third quarter, Carter was standing near
halfcourt and listening in on Wittman's heated conversation with
referee Rashan Michel. Carter then playfully pushed the Cavs coach
in the chest with both hands just as Michel was hitting Wittman
with a second technical and sending him to the locker room.
"He (Wittman) winked at me, so I knew it was cool," Carter
said. "But then he started going at it pretty good."
Wittman, whose team has lost 21 of 26, barely calmed down
following the game.
"From this point on, if we have to play four guys, I will,"
Wittman said. "There might be one, it might be two, and it might
be five that are willing to play the game with heart. If there is
only four, we'll play with four.
"But from now on, things are going to be determined on the
practice floor. We have got guys with egos now that have gotten in
the way. It has got to change."
Mark Jackson had 16 assists and reserves Keon Clark and Dell
Curry fueled a first-half run that put the Raptors up by 17.
Toronto, the NBA's best team at taking care of the ball,
committed just 10 turnovers – three below their average – and
didn't have a miscue in the third quarter when they outscored the
Cavs 33-21.
"I felt like after the All-Star break that everybody would be a
little ratty," Toronto coach Lenny Wilkens said. "When you're
off, you lose a little rhythm but we got it back."
Clarence Weatherspoon scored 21 points and Andre Miller had 18
points and 11 assists for the Cavs, who have lost six straight at
Gund Arena after opening the year 6-0 at home.
"We're not the same team we were," Weatherspoon said. "We've
been through a lot, but no excuses. We've got to get it done."
Carter, who finished 13-of-19 from the floor, hit a 3-pointer to
start the second half as Toronto quickly pushed its lead to 63-48
on two free throws by Davis, who was a force at both ends of the
floor.
"He played just like an All-Star," Carter said of his All-Star
teammate. "I think making the All-Star team puts your confidence
on the next level. It did it for me."
With Carter scoring 10 consecutive points, the Raptors
eventually built their lead to 22. The Cavs got it down to
11 during extended garbage time in the fourth.
In the first half, while everyone was waiting for Carter to go
off, it was Clark and Curry who buried Cleveland.
The Raptors outscored the Cavs 20-6 to start the second quarter
and opened a 17-point lead while Carter, who had three spectacular
baskets in the first quarter, sat on the bench. Curry had eight
points and Clark seven during the spurt.
But after getting an earful from Wittman, the Cavs reeled off a
9-0 run and managed to pull within 10 at halftime.
Game notes
Raptors C Mamadou N'diaye scored his first NBA career
points on a hook shot with 1:02 left. ... Davis' free throw
attempts and conversions were career-highs. ... Toronto's point
total was a season-high. ... Cavs G Trajan Langdon scored the
team's first four-point play since 1997 in the first half. ... The
Raptors are 19-1 when leading after three quarters. ... With rookie
Chris Mihm sidelined with a knee injury and Robert Traylor coming
off a zero-rebound performance, 6-foot-8 small forward Chucky Brown
started at center for the Cavs. Brown, who signed his second 10-day
contract with the club Monday, hadn't started at center since
1996 for Houston. ... Cavs G/F Wes Person is expected to travel
with the team to Texas this week and could play Thursday night at
Dallas. He has been out since Dec. 23 with a bruised nerve in his
right elbow.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Toronto Clubhouse
Cleveland Clubhouse
RECAPS
Charlotte 77
Indiana 66
Toronto 120
Cleveland 105
Miami 101
LA Clippers 99
LA Lakers 113
New Jersey 110
Philadelphia 107
Milwaukee 104
Sacramento 97
Utah 94
Chicago 96
Atlanta 92
Houston 99
Washington 89
San Antonio 104
Dallas 92
Denver 96
New York 77
Portland 109
Minnesota 88
Vancouver 99
Boston 98
Phoenix 93
Golden State 83
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Vince Carter Official Site
Mark Jackson Official Site
Lenny Wilkens Official Site
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