Scoring points is nothing new for the Toronto Raptors. Preventing them is another story, though they took a step in the right direction Friday night.
After giving up 115 points to Memphis and 125 to Orlando in recent losses, the Raptors held the Hornets to 14 points in the third quarter in a 107-90 victory. Chris Bosh scored 27 points for the Raptors, who used a 27-4 run in the third quarter to take control and improve to 3-0 when holding opponents under 100 points.
The Raptors trailed 56-51 early in the third quarter before hitting a barrage of open three-pointers to put the game away. Bosh's three gave them the lead for good, 57-56, and Hedo Turkoglu and Andrea Bargnani both hit three threes in the next seven minutes as Toronto went ahead 81-63.
"It really started on defence," Turkoglu said. "We got stops and rebounds. We've been great offensively since they built the team, but we were helping each other on defence tonight."
Turkoglu and Jose Calderon both had 16 points for Toronto, while Bargnani added 14.
Elsewhere in the NBA it was: Los Angeles Lakers 114 Memphis 98; Cleveland 100 New York 91; Phoenix 110 Boston 103; Orlando 110 Detroit 103; Milwaukee 87 Minnesota 72; Miami 96 Denver 88; Indiana 102 Washington 86; Philadelphia 97 New Jersey 94; Charlotte 103 Atlanta 83; Houston 105 Oklahoma City 94; Los Angeles Clippers 118 Golden State 90; and Portland 96 San Antonio 84.
At New Orleans, Chris Paul led the Hornets with 21 points and a season-high 18 assists, but he did not score in the third quarter, when the Raptors hit more three-pointers (8) than the Hornets had field goals (6).
"Our focus tonight was on Chris Paul," Toronto coach Jay Triano said. "Any time he gave it up for the most part our guys had a hand in his face. He had to work for everything he got."
Bobby Brown added 16 points and David West had 14 for New Orleans.
The Hornets (2-4), who are below .500 after six games for the first time since 2005-06, trailed 83-65 at the end of the third quarter and heard some boos as they walked to the bench.
The Hornets started the second half with a three-pointer from Morris Peterson and a dunk by Emeka Okafor to go ahead 56-51, but it was all downhill from there.
Bosh hit all nine of his shots, mostly from inside, and the Raptors were almost as proficient from the three-point line in the second half. After connecting on only three of 11 threes in the first half, they made 11-of-18 after the break. Their eight threes in the third were a franchise record for any quarter.
"Out of the eight three-pointers made, I saw us contend two," Hornets coach Byron Scott said. "I saw a lack of energy. For the life of me, I can't understand why we came out without any energy."
Toronto led 83-65 after its 34-point third quarter and stretched the lead to 98-73 as the Hornets never made a run. Midway through the fourth quarter, the New Orleans Arena was more than half-empty.
"We are feeling more comfortable with each other each game," said Turkoglu, in his first year with the Raptors after helping Orlando reach the NBA finals last season. "We know where everybody wants to get the ball."
Neither team led by more than seven points before Toronto's decisive spurt.
The first half was the "Paul and Bosh Show" as two of the NBA's five leading scorers went back and forth. Paul hit six of eight shots, scored 17 points and had 10 assists. Bosh went 5-for-5 from the field and 6-of-7 from the line, leading Toronto with 16 points.
Paul scored seven points in less than two minutes as the Hornets went ahead 33-26. Bosh responded with eight quick points to give the Raptors a 46-43 lead.
The second half was a different story.
With the threat of Bosh inside, the Hornets repeatedly failed to close out on the Raptors' three-point shooters. Bargnani had a game-high nine rebounds, but the Hornets did not have much chance to grab defensive rebounds as shot after shot fell for the Raptors in the second half.
"Bosh got rolling, and we didn't do a good job of guarding as a team," West said. "They move the ball and really make you defend them."
Lakers 114 Grizzlies 98
At Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant scored 41 points while becoming the youngest player to reach 24,000, leading the short-handed Lakers over Memphis.
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Cavaliers 100 Knicks 91
At New York, LeBron James scored 33 points in his only visit to Madison Square Garden this season, leading Cleveland past the Knicks.
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Suns 110 Celtics 103
At Boston, Jason Richardson bounced back from his worst game of the season to score 34 points with 10 rebounds, and the Phoenix Suns rebounded from their only defeat.
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Magic 110 Pistons 103
At Orlando, Fla., Dwight Howard had 22 points and 12 rebounds to help the Orlando Magic hold off Charlie Villanueva and Detroit.
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Bucks 87 Timberwolves 72
At Minneapolis, Andrew Bogut bested Al Jefferson inside with 17 points and 10 rebounds, Luke Ridnour had 16 points off the bench and Milwaukee used a second-half surge to top Minnesota.
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Heat 96 Nuggets 88
At Miami, Dwyane Wade scored 22 points, Jermaine O'Neal added 18 and Miami dealt Denver its first loss of the season.
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Pacers 102 Wizards 86
At Indianapolis, Tyler Hansbrough scored 13 points in his pro debut as Indiana beat Washington.
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76ers 97 Nets 94
At Philadelphia, Andre Iguodala scored 16 points, including a late three-pointer to give Philadelphia the lead.
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Bobcats 103 Hawks 83
At Charlotte, N.C., Raja Bell scored 24 points and the Charlotte Bobcats looked nothing like the NBA's lowest scoring team against road-weary Atlanta.
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Rockets 105 Thunder 94
At Houston, Trevor Ariza and Carl Landry scored 21 points apiece and the Houston Rockets extended their winning streak over the Oklahoma City franchise to 11.
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Clippers 118 Warriors 90
At Oakland,Calif., Chris Kaman had 22 points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes and Los Angeles ended a seven-game losing streak in the Oakland Arena.
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Trail Blazers 96 Spurs 84
At Portland, Ore., Brandon Roy had 24 points and five rebounds, Steve Blake added 15 points and the Trail Blazers got a lift from their new-look lineup.
