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November 22, 2005
Bosh almighty: Raptors finally win a game
Toronto 107, Miami 94
Life is a lot more enjoyable for the Toronto Raptors now that they've finally won a game.
"Every one likes each other again," said a chuckling Mike James after the Raptors beat the first-place Miami Heat 107-94 on Sunday to end Toronto's longest losing streak since 2003.
Chris Bosh had a season-high 27 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Raptors, who opened the season 0-9 -- the worst start in their 11-year history. James added 25 points for Toronto.
Dwyane Wade had 33 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for the Heat, who were missing an injured Shaquille O'Neal.
James and Bosh both said they'll savor the win as they head out west four a four-game trip.
"The mood always lightens after a win. People are nicer, the food tastes better, practice is a lot more fun," Bosh said.
The Raptors went on an 18-2 run late in the fourth to seal the victory, ending their longest losing streak since a 12-game skid from Dec. 18, 2002-Jan. 10, 2003.
Toronto's win leaves the Atlanta Hawks as the NBA's only winless team.
"I'm happy for those guys. Being the coach is one thing, but when you have to go out there in front of 19,000 people and prove yourself every night, the way the season started, that's where the focal point is," Toronto coach Sam Mitchell said. "I get mine after the game, but during the game, those guys have to out there and be the focal point and hear the cheers and the boos."
Toronto outrebounded Miami 47-39, one of the few times the Raptors have done that this season.
"They wanted to win a lot more than we did," Miami coach Stan Van Gundy said. "They had a lot more resolve to try to get the job done down the stretch and we were hoping we would win, we were hoping some shots went in but we didn't dig down and make any possession tough on them at the end."
Wade scored six straight points and assisted on Jason Kapono's open 3-pointer, giving Miami a 86-80 lead with six minutes left.
Toronto followed with its decisive run: Bosh made layup, Rose made an open 3-pointer and Bosh made another layup, giving Toronto a 87-86 lead -- their first of the game.
Rookie Charlie Villanueva followed with a layup, Mike James made a layup and Villanueva made another layup to give the Raptors a 93-88 lead with 2:27 left.
James followed with a 3-pointer and Bosh made a short jumper off the glass to make it 98-88 with less than two minutes left.
"We knew they were going to make a run, but we didn't know we were going to go cold like we did and not execute," Miami's Gary Payton said. "We were really executing well until the end, then we stopped playing defense and let them do what they wanted."
Toronto got off to another slow start in the first quarter, missing 16 of their first 19 shots from the field and trailing by 11 after one.
Antoine Walker made consecutive 3-pointers to give Miami a 15-point lead in the second quarter -- their biggest lead of the game.
Toronto cut the lead to five by the end of the half and Morris Peterson's 3-pointer early in the second half tied it at 50.
Posted by admin at November 22, 2005 03:14 PM