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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
DENVER (AP) -- Vince Carter's shooting touch returned at just the
right moment.
|  | | Toronto's Vince Carter goes up for a shot over Raef LaFrentz on Thursday. |
Carter struggled through an 11-for-27 shooting performance but
delivered a 3-pointer with 4.9 seconds left as the Toronto Raptors
beat the Denver Nuggets 94-93 Thursday night.
Carter, who finished with 25 points, shrugged off his second
consecutive poor shooting performance.
"I don't get rattled, I don't get nervous, and I don't put
pressure on myself," said Carter, who shot 12-for-31 at Minnesota
on Tuesday. "I just play the same way as I play from the beginning
of the game."
Corliss Williamson added 16 points for Toronto.
"Carter is a very capable player, and you want him involved in
he last play," Toronto coach Lenny Wilkens said. "He has great
confidence in himself, and I'm just going to keep tweaking it to
keep it on the upside."
Even the Nuggets were impressed with Carter's heroics.
"Carter is unbelievable and there seems to be no pressure on
him," Antonio McDyess said. "He has no conscience. He shot the
ball and made it."
Former Nugget Mark Jackson had 11 points and a season-high 17
assists for the Raptors, who snapped a two-game losing streak.
McDyess had 22 points, 12 rebounds and a season-high seven
assists. Raef LaFrentz had 18 points and 12 rebounds as the Nuggets
lost for the second time in seven games.
Voshon Lenard had put Denver ahead 92-91, and a free throw by
Nick Van Exel made it 93-91 with 18 seconds left. After a time out,
Jackson set up the game-winner for Carter.
"There were two options," Carter said. "I came off the pick
when nobody was expecting me to come off. I set my feet and let it
go and hoped somebody loved me."
McDyess missed a dunk with two seconds left after receiving a
lob pass from George McCloud.
"We set a back screen on Antonio's man," Denver coach Dan
Issel said. "That was the first option and I guess George thought
he was open."
McDyess, who is battling a cold, said he never really got
control of the ball.
"I tried to get my fingertips on it and never really had it,"
said McDyess.
After James Posey hit jumper to start the fourth quarter, Denver
missed its next five shots. The Raptors got two jumpers from
Charles Oakley and four points from Kevin Willis to take a 77-75
lead early in the quarter. The Raptors extended their lead to 81-77
on jump shots by Oakley and Carter.
The Nuggets regained the lead at 84-81 as McCloud hit a
3-pointer and jump shot, but Williamson's rebound basket tied the
game at 85.
McDyess and Nick Van Exel hit shots to put Denver ahead 89-85,
but Carter's reverse layup and two free throws by Alvin Williams
put the Raptors ahead 91-89 with 38 seconds left.
Denver led 51-49 at halftime.
Game
notes
Carter received a standing ovation in pre-game
introductions, while Oakley was booed. ... Denver's Robert Pack sat
out the game with stomach cramps. ... Guard Tariq Abdul-Wahad, on
injured reserve with an inflamed throat, worked out briefly with
the Nuggets the past two days. ... Williamson needs five rebounds
for 1,500 in the NBA. ... Denver is 10-4 when it allows fewer than
100 points. ... The Nuggets were 8-for-21 shooting in the fourth
quarter.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Toronto Clubhouse
Denver Clubhouse
RECAPS
Milwaukee 107
Cleveland 89
Boston 112
New Jersey 111
Orlando 102
Detroit 96
Dallas 105
LA Clippers 96
Minnesota 88
Atlanta 81
Portland 103
Utah 102
Chicago 105
San Antonio 104
Toronto 94
Denver 93
LA Lakers 115
Phoenix 78
Sacramento 91
Charlotte 87
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Vince Carter Official Site
Mark Jackson Official Site
Lenny Wilkens Official Site
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