Chris Bosh, Jose Calderon Lead Way as Raptors Beat Pacers

by

Nov 24, 2009

TORONTO — Chris Bosh had 16 points and 12 rebounds, Jose Calderon scored a season-high 21 points and the Toronto Raptors handed the Indiana Pacers their fourth straight loss, 123-112 on Tuesday night.


Jarrett Jack
scored 18 against his former team and Andrea Bargnani and Hedo Turkoglu each had 14 for the Raptors, who won for just the second time in six games.

Indiana's Danny Granger recovered from a poor first half to finish with a season-high 36, including seven 3-pointers and nine rebounds. Former Raptor T.J. Ford scored 16.

Troy Murphy
and Brandon Rush each scored 11 for the Pacers, who have allowed four straight opponents to top 100 points.

Toronto led by 21 at the half but saw the Pacers cut the gap to eight to begin the fourth. Murphy made 3-pointers on consecutive possessions, the second making it 113-106 with 6:52 left, but Bosh made one free throw and, after Toronto grabbed the rebound on the missed second, Jack drained a 3-pointer to push the lead back to 11 at 117-106.

Calderon and Turkoglu combined to shoot 6-for-7 in the first as Toronto led 39-31 after one, its highest-scoring opening quarter of the season.

Toronto kept it up in the second, shooting 13-for-18 and setting a season high for points in a half to lead 74-53 lead at the break.

After struggling in the first half, shooting just 3-for-12, Granger began the third quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers. With Toronto suddenly struggling, missing six of their first eight shots, Granger heated up, shooting 5-of-8 for 13 points in the quarter as the Pacers fought back.

Calderon appeared to injure his right leg late in the third and spent the rest of the quarter on the bench before returning midway through the fourth.

Toronto's Marco Belinelli (left groin) and Antoine Wright (left ankle) returned after sitting out Sunday's home loss to Orlando. Wright had missed four of the past five games.

Indiana's Jeff Foster made his first start, replacing Roy Hibbert, because Pacers coach Jim O'Brien preferred Foster's defensive quickness when guarding Bosh and Bargnani. It's the first time this season that Hibbert has not started.

Notes
O'Brien said swingman Mike Dunleavy (right knee surgery) could be ready to return "within days." Indiana hosts the Clippers on Wednesday and Dallas on Friday. … Toronto's first half was its biggest since scoring 75 in a home win over New Jersey on Dec. 21, 1999. … The Raptors play five of their next seven on the road. … A large group of fans from Toronto's Turkish community waved flags and cheered loudly for Turkoglu.

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