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  Friday, Jan. 28 7:00pm ET
Raptors get to the point, topple Heat
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

TORONTO (AP) -- Maybe the Toronto Raptors don't really need a point guard.

Tracy McGrady
Tracy McGrady scores two of his 20 points from extremely close range.

Vince Carter scored 23 points and five other Raptors reached double figures as Toronto beat the Miami Heat 108-93 Friday night.

With starting point guard Alvin Williams day-to-day with a sprained ankle, the Raptors have Carter and Doug Christie in the backcourt. Christie, playing the point, had 15 points and five assists.

"Playing a 6-5 point guard created some mismatches," Miami coach Pat Riley said. "They outplayed us in every position. They handed us our heads on a platter."

Tracy McGrady had 20 points and Antonio Davis, questionable until gametime with back spasms, added 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Dell Curry had 11 points in his first start since Dec. 6, 1997, and Charles Oakley had 10 points and seven assists for the Raptors.

"We moved the ball up the court quickly. We've been practicing that, and it's been working," Oakley said.

The Raptors, who have been trying to acquire a point guard, won their third in a row following a three-game losing streak.

Before the game, Toronto coach Butch Carter said if Christie and Carter play well at the guard positions, Williams might lose his starting job.

"Whatever the team needs," Christie said. "In practice Butch has been putting shorter time on the clock. He'll give us 14 seconds and say go run the play. My biggest thing is getting it and turning and just going and seeing if anything is there. If something is there I'm kicking it out or dropping it in."

Heat point guard Tim Hardaway, activated off the injured list last week after missing a month with a jammed right knee, had just two assists and nine points. Hardaway is 6 feet tall.

"We had trouble with Toronto's size and athleticism," Riley said.

Alonzo Mourning scored 26 points for the Heat, who are 11-11 since opening the season 14-4.

Davis dunked over Mourning in the third quarter for a 76-68 Raptors lead. Davis then hit four consecutive free throws to put Toronto up by 10 midway through the quarter.

"When a guy like Alonzo Mourning comes in, I will try my best to come back," Davis said. "Nothing was going to stop me."

Davis' free throws came during a 26-10 run, with Curry scoring seven points in a two-minute span.

Curry hit two jumpers, and his 3-pointer with 6:21 remaining gave Toronto a 102-81 lead.

Carter scored 16 points as the Raptors led 61-51 at the half.

Game notes
Dennis Rodman might sign with the Dallas Mavericks soon, but his agent, Steve Chasman, claims there are two other teams in warm-weather cities that are interested in him. He has refused to name them. Asked if Miami was one of the teams, Riley said: "He was talking about warm-weather planets -- Mars and Mercury." ... McGrady is the subject of trade rumors, but the Raptors say the 20-year-old player is not available. "It's in the interest of every team in this league to mention the kid's name, but he's not allowing it to become a distraction," coach Carter said.
 


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Boston 91
Phoenix 88

Toronto 108
Miami 93

Atlanta 98
New York 96

Sacramento 102
Chicago 90

Denver 104
Houston 98

LA Lakers 117
Milwaukee 89