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Toronto Snaps Streak; Upset Pistons
Topic Started: Friday Apr 14 2006, 09:12 PM (146 Views)
Cougar
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http://www.tsn.ca/nba/news_story/?ID=162603&hubname=

Quote:
 
James drops 39 on Pistons, Raps snap skid

Canadian Press

4/14/2006 8:49:29 PM

TORONTO (CP) - Mike James poured in a career-high 39 points to lead the Toronto Raptors 108-103 over the Detroit Pistons on Friday, putting an end to their 10-game losing streak.

James was a perfect 18-for-18 from the free throw line, and scored 20 points in the final five minutes.

Morris Peterson added 20 points while Charlie Villanueva had 15 points for the Raptors, who improved to 27-53.

Richard Hamilton led the Pistons (63-16) with 16 points, while Chauncey Billups and Tony Delk added 15 apiece.

The Pistons, who boast the best record in the NBA, had a 10-point lead with 8:32 left in the game, and looked well on their way to an easy victory. But the Raptors poured it on the final minutes, a three-pointer by James giving Toronto an 89-88 lead with 4:44 left in the game, to the delight of the 19,800 fans at the Air Canada Centre - just the fifth sellout of the season.



James connected on another three two minutes later that capped a 20-4 Raptors run and put Toronto up 96-90.

Former Raptor Lindsey Hunter scored five straight points to make it a one-point game with 1:28 left to play, and the final minute came down to free-throw shooting, James' four foul shots in the final 12 seconds sealing the victory for Toronto.

James' previous career high in scoring was 38 points.

The game had some ugly moments. In the third quarter, the Pistons launched an array of rim-rattling dunks, including one by Ben Wallace that had Raptors head coach Sam Mitchell in fits on the sidelines when the officials didn't give Wallace a technical for slapping the backboard.

Moments later, a right-handed Rasheed Wallace, showing little respect for the opposition, lofted up a left-handed three-point attempt that fell well wide of the net.

The Raptors were playing against what was essentially a Pistons B team for much of the night. Detroit had clinched homecourt for the playoffs a night earlier when San Antonio lost, and Pistons coach Flip Saunders chose to sit his starters for the second and fourth quarters.

Toronto outrebounded the Pistons 42-35, Loren Woods grabbing 11 for the Raptors. The Pistons outshot Toronto though, connecting on 51 per cent from the floor to Toronto's 45 per cent.

All of the Raptors' losses on their streak had come without star forward Chris Bosh, gone for the season with a sprained thumb. Matt Bonner (sprained ankle) is also done for the season.

The win was sorely needed by the slumping Raptors, who, with two games to go in another season of disappointment, will finish with their worst record in three seasons and miss the playoffs for the fourth year in a row.

The Pistons took an early six-point lead on Toronto. But the Raptors outrebounded Detroit 15-7 in the quarter and cut the Pistons' lead to just 24-23 heading into the second.

The Raptors took advantage of Detroit's bench players in the second quarter, taking a 52-47 lead into the locker-room at halftime.

Saunders went back to his starters for the third quarter and Pistons cruised to an 11-point lead - their biggest of the game - on an alley-oop by Maurice Evans with 56 seconds left in the quarter. The Pistons led 76-70 with a quarter to play.

Notes: The Raptors host Indiana on Monday in their final home game, then close out the season Wednesday in Chicago ... The Raptors' longest-ever losing streak was 17 games, from Nov. 6-Dec. 9, 1997.
 

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PSUSyr5
The Board Idiot

Not a steak this time huh? ;)

Speaking of steak, eating some right now.

Nice to see the Pistons lose. I don't want Spurs-Pistons series in the Finals...
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Cougar
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I want the Pistons or Suns to win but I'd rather have both of them not win to see the Spurs-Pistons again.
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PSUSyr5
The Board Idiot

I'd like to see both 8 seeds make it. :lol: It won't happen, but that's what I want. I'll settle for both 7s though.
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