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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
PHOENIX (AP) -- If Paul McPherson never scores another point in
the NBA, he can always cherish a videotape of his second quarter
against Vince Carter.
|  | | Toronto's Vince Carter scored 22 of his game-high 46 points at the foul line on Saturday in defeat. |
Carter scored 46 points, 20 in the fourth quarter, but was
burned for 15 by McPherson in the second period as the Suns rallied
from a 17-point first-half deficit to beat the Toronto Raptors
109-103 Saturday night.
"I knew he had two fouls and I felt pretty good, so I was
aggressive," McPherson said. "I just had it going. It's one of
those nights. I felt like I was back in college again."
McPherson, an undrafted rookie, doubled his previous NBA high
with 20 points on 9-for-10 shooting in 16 minutes.
Jason Kidd had 27 points, including 13 of 15 free throws, for
the Suns, who were coming off a 37-point homecourt loss to the Los
Angeles Lakers on Thursday -- their worst loss at America West
Arena.
Carter was 22-for-27 at the foul line. One of his field goals
was one of his most spectacular of the season, a reverse slam on a
lob pass.
Shawn Marion, who had struggled through a shooting slump, scored
20, including 16 in the second half, for Phoenix. Cliff Robinson
scored 16 of his 18 in the second half.
Charles Oakley scored 17 and Mark Jackson 16 for the Raptors.
The Suns outscored the Raptors 69-41 during the next 24 minutes
after a fight broke out between Tom Gugliotta of Phoenix and
Toronto's Corliss Williamson. Both were ejected with 8:30
remaining.
"You hate to see things like that because what happens is the
officials overreact after that -- to both teams," Toronto coach
Lenny Wilkens said. "And it certainly took our momentum away.
They're calling every touch and for us it just destroys the game."
There were 79 free throws in the contest.
"I wasn't happy with the way the game was called," Wilkens
said. "But what we have to learn is we can't give a team life. We
can't allow what happens in the game affect us, and I thought it
did."
Robinson scored six in a decisive 16-0 run in the second half.
Carter, who fell two points short of his season high, played the
entire fourth quarter with five fouls.
Phoenix led 93-78 with 7½ minutes to play, but Carter led a 21-8
rally that cut it to 101-99 with his 3-pointer with 2:11 remaining.
Robinson hit a running 11-footer and Kidd a short jumper to make it
105-99 with 1:21 left. Carter missed a pair of 3-pointers and a
layup after that and the Raptors never got closer than four again.
He said he was fouled on the first missed 3-pointer.
"We've been saying for a long time that we get in these
predicaments where we can't let the other team get momentum and
have to fight back," Carter said. "Because when it comes down to
crunch time the last five minutes, we've worked so hard that guys
are just run down."
McPherson's three-point play capped the 16-0 outburst that put
Phoenix up 86-72 with 10:10 remaining.
The 6-foot-2 McPherson beat Carter in the post repeatedly in the
Suns' second-quarter comeback. McPherson scored 13 of his
second-quarter points after drawing his third foul, and finally
left the game with his fourth, a charging foul against Carter, 48
seconds before halftime.
Carter had played against McPherson in the Chicago summer
league, and gave the youngster credit.
"That's what it's all about -- going out there and doing your
best for your team, and he surely did it," Carter said.
Oakley scored four and Carter hit a 17-footer to cap a 10-0 run
that put the Raptors up 35-18 with 9:42 left in the first half.
McPherson scored the first seven on a 10-3 run that cut the lead
to 40-36, and Suns were down 50-45 at the half.
Suns coach Scott Skiles kept his starters on the bench most of
the second quarter because he was unhappy with their early effort.
"My biggest job right now is convincing all these guys that
when they play hard, they play really well," Skiles said. "It's
literally that simple."
Game notes
Phoenix's Rodney Rogers left with back spams with 11:05 to
play in the second quarter. ... The Suns activated center Jake
Tsakalidis, out because of dental surgery, and placed forward Ruben
Garces on the injured list (bulging disc). ... Saturday marked the
10th anniversary of Skiles' NBA-record 30-assist performance for
Orlando against Denver. ... Davis left with a strained left groin
with four minutes to play. ... Phoenix was called for illegal
defense five times.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Toronto Clubhouse
Phoenix Clubhouse
RECAPS
Orlando 95
Boston 90
Houston 114
Dallas 99
Seattle 104
Charlotte 102
Miami 110
Detroit 102
San Antonio 89
Indiana 77
New York 88
Minnesota 79
Philadelphia 107
Sacramento 104
Phoenix 109
Toronto 103
Denver 120
Milwaukee 113
Golden State 102
Vancouver 101
LA Lakers 116
LA Clippers 114
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Vince Carter Official Site
Mark Jackson Official Site
Lenny Wilkens Official Site
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