Sports

NBA

Magic minus Hill can't stop Raptors

Associated Press
Published March 10, 2005

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TORONTO - The Magic could have used Grant Hill.

Chris Bosh had 15 points and 15 rebounds, and six other Raptors reached double figures in scoring en route to a 106-96 victory Wednesday night.

Orlando rookie Dwight Howard had 17 points and tied a season-high with 20 rebounds for the Magic, which was missing the injured Hill for the second straight game.

Hill bruised his left shin when he was kicked last week. The Magic said the injury is not related to the left ankle problems that kept Hill out of all but 47 games the past four seasons, but the team wants to be careful about rushing him back.

He is expected to return for Friday's game against Minnesota.

"When you got a guy like Grant out, who produces every night, you definitely need guys to step up," Magic point guard Jameer Nelson said. "We needed one more guy."

Steve Francis scored 27 and Hedo Turkoglu added 21 for the Magic, which played the night before. Turkoglu started in place of Hill.

"We sensed they were tired and dragging a little bit," Bosh said.

Morris Peterson and Rafer Alston each had a team-high 16 points for the Raptors, who are fighting to stay in the playoff race. Donyell Marshall and Matt Bonner each added 14 points, and Jalen Rose and Rafael Araujo had 13 apiece.

SUNS 107, SPURS 101: Amare Stoudemire scored 44 and host Phoenix got its first win over San Antonio this season.

The Spurs played without injured All-Stars Tim Duncan (ankle) and Manu Ginobili (groin), so it was no preview of a possible playoff meeting between teams battling for the league's best record. They are tied at 47-14, but the Spurs hold the tiebreaker, winning the season series 2-1.

But it was satisfying to the Suns, who snapped their longest current losing streak to one team.

Since beating Phoenix in a playoff game April 27, 2003, the Spurs had won six consecutive regular-season games and two playoff games against the Suns.

The victory wasn't locked up until Stoudemire dunked for a 105-98 lead with 1:19 to go on a play that began with Steve Nash missing a short jumper. Stoudemire had 13 points in the fourth quarter.

NETS 86, HORNETS 85 (OT): Jason Kidd's rebound of a blocked shot and driving layup as he was fouled with 2.5 seconds left in overtime lifted visiting New Jersey.

New Orleans had a chance to win when rookie J.R. Smith was fouled on a 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds left. But Smith missed the first two free throws, then tried to miss the third but ended up putting it in off the backboard, allowing New Jersey to inbound the ball and run out the clock.

Vince Carter led the Nets with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Jacque Vaughn added 13 points and Nenad Krstic 12 for New Jersey, which nearly blew a 19-point lead.

CELTICS 95, HAWKS 91: Antoine Walker stole the ball from Al Harrington with 35 seconds left and fed Ricky Davis for the clinching basket for host Boston.

Atlanta, which has the worst record in the league and two road wins in 32 tries, led for the first 42 minutes and didn't trail until Paul Pierce hit a fallaway jumper with 3:53 left. Pierce finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds, making 10 of 12 free throws in the fourth quarter.

Walker had 15 points and nine rebounds for the Celtics, who are 5-1 since getting him from Atlanta at the trading deadline. Davis scored 21 for the Atlantic Division-leading Celtics.

PISTONS 92, WARRIORS 88: Tayshaun Prince and Antonio McDyess scored 20 each as Detroit snapped a three-game losing streak. The Pistons lost the final three games of a six-game West Coast trip, but were able to beat Golden State to extend their season-best home win streak to eight. The Warriors are 2-4 on their eight-game road trip.

MAVS: Coach Don Nelson is once again turning the team over to assistant coach Avery Johnson, this time to be with his wife as she recovers from surgery. Nelson will miss tonight's home game against the Lakers then a road trip to Milwaukee and Minnesota.

[Last modified March 10, 2005, 01:15:14]

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