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Tuesday, Feb. 13 7:30pm ET
Raptors prevail with Carter (33) on bench

RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

CLEVELAND (AP) – Not only did Vince Carter strut his usual stuff for Toronto, he even tried to give Cleveland some help, too.

Carter scored 33 points but was sitting down when the Raptors opened a big lead in the second quarter Tuesday night as Toronto rolled to a 120-105 win over the demoralized Cavaliers, who lost their eighth straight game.

Andre Miller
Andre Miller dives for cover as Toronto's Antonio Davis senses a loose ball. Miller was able to roll the ball to a teammate.

Antonio Davis matched a season-high with 25 points – 15 on free throws – and added 13 rebounds for Toronto.

Carter scored 16 points in the third quarter and tried to save Cleveland coach Randy Wittman from an early ejection as the Raptors won their third in a row to move four games over .500 for the first time this season.

"I said to him, 'Randy I want you to stay in the game,' " Carter said. "I tried my hardest, but I guess he didn't want to listen to me. I tried."

Midway through the third quarter, Carter was standing near halfcourt and listening in on Wittman's heated conversation with referee Rashan Michel. Carter then playfully pushed the Cavs coach in the chest with both hands just as Michel was hitting Wittman with a second technical and sending him to the locker room.

"He (Wittman) winked at me, so I knew it was cool," Carter said. "But then he started going at it pretty good."

Wittman, whose team has lost 21 of 26, barely calmed down following the game.

"From this point on, if we have to play four guys, I will," Wittman said. "There might be one, it might be two, and it might be five that are willing to play the game with heart. If there is only four, we'll play with four.

"But from now on, things are going to be determined on the practice floor. We have got guys with egos now that have gotten in the way. It has got to change."

Mark Jackson had 16 assists and reserves Keon Clark and Dell Curry fueled a first-half run that put the Raptors up by 17.

Toronto, the NBA's best team at taking care of the ball, committed just 10 turnovers – three below their average – and didn't have a miscue in the third quarter when they outscored the Cavs 33-21.

"I felt like after the All-Star break that everybody would be a little ratty," Toronto coach Lenny Wilkens said. "When you're off, you lose a little rhythm but we got it back."

Clarence Weatherspoon scored 21 points and Andre Miller had 18 points and 11 assists for the Cavs, who have lost six straight at Gund Arena after opening the year 6-0 at home.

"We're not the same team we were," Weatherspoon said. "We've been through a lot, but no excuses. We've got to get it done."

Carter, who finished 13-of-19 from the floor, hit a 3-pointer to start the second half as Toronto quickly pushed its lead to 63-48 on two free throws by Davis, who was a force at both ends of the floor.

"He played just like an All-Star," Carter said of his All-Star teammate. "I think making the All-Star team puts your confidence on the next level. It did it for me."

With Carter scoring 10 consecutive points, the Raptors eventually built their lead to 22. The Cavs got it down to 11 during extended garbage time in the fourth.

In the first half, while everyone was waiting for Carter to go off, it was Clark and Curry who buried Cleveland.

The Raptors outscored the Cavs 20-6 to start the second quarter and opened a 17-point lead while Carter, who had three spectacular baskets in the first quarter, sat on the bench. Curry had eight points and Clark seven during the spurt.

But after getting an earful from Wittman, the Cavs reeled off a 9-0 run and managed to pull within 10 at halftime.

Game notes
Raptors C Mamadou N'diaye scored his first NBA career points on a hook shot with 1:02 left. ... Davis' free throw attempts and conversions were career-highs. ... Toronto's point total was a season-high. ... Cavs G Trajan Langdon scored the team's first four-point play since 1997 in the first half. ... The Raptors are 19-1 when leading after three quarters. ... With rookie Chris Mihm sidelined with a knee injury and Robert Traylor coming off a zero-rebound performance, 6-foot-8 small forward Chucky Brown started at center for the Cavs. Brown, who signed his second 10-day contract with the club Monday, hadn't started at center since 1996 for Houston. ... Cavs G/F Wes Person is expected to travel with the team to Texas this week and could play Thursday night at Dallas. He has been out since Dec. 23 with a bruised nerve in his right elbow.

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NBA Scoreboard

Toronto Clubhouse

Cleveland Clubhouse


RECAPS
Charlotte 77
Indiana 66

Toronto 120
Cleveland 105

Miami 101
LA Clippers 99

LA Lakers 113
New Jersey 110

Philadelphia 107
Milwaukee 104

Sacramento 97
Utah 94

Chicago 96
Atlanta 92

Houston 99
Washington 89

San Antonio 104
Dallas 92

Denver 96
New York 77

Portland 109
Minnesota 88

Vancouver 99
Boston 98

Phoenix 93
Golden State 83

FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT

Vince Carter Official Site

Mark Jackson Official Site

Lenny Wilkens Official Site


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