The Toronto Raptors used the strong play of Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani to turn back the Dallas Mavericks 110-88 on Sunday.
Bosh had 23 points and 13 rebounds and Bargnani added 22 points as Toronto won for the seventh time in their last eight home games.
“We came out ready and didn’t have any lapses,” Toronto guard Jarrett Jack, who had 11 points and seven assists, told reporters. “We were able to put a very good team away early.”
PHOTO: REUTERS
The victory lifted the Atlantic Division’s No. 2 team above the .500 mark to 21-20. The Raptors trail the idle Boston Celtics by seven and a half games.
Southwest leader Dallas (26-14) was led by Dirk Nowitzki’s 19 points and Jason Terry’s 18.
Toronto overcame a 23-20 first-quarter deficit to outscore the Mavericks by 16 points in the second quarter. The hosts were never threatened after that, leading by as many as 26 points late in the fourth.
The loss was the third in four games for Dallas.
■NUGGETS OUTSHINE JAZZ
AFP, DENVER, COLORADO
Carmelo Anthony finished with 37 points and Chauncey Billups scored 29 as the Denver defeated Utah 119-112, snapping the Jazz’s four-game NBA win streak.
Ty Lawson returned to Denver’s lineup after missing four games with a sprained ankle and scored 11 points, while Nene added 18 points.
Denver improved to 3-0 against Utah, winning the season series, which could be key for playoff seeding should the Nuggets and Jazz finish with the same record in their conference.
Guard Deron Williams led the Jazz with 23 points, while Kyle Korver had 19.
Carlos Boozer had 18 and Paul Millsap 17 for Utah in a game that came down to the final minute.
The Jazz didn’t go down quietly. They used a 13-2 run to pull to 85-81 heading into the fourth quarter and Mehmet Okur’s bucket cut Denver’s lead to 85-83.
Boozer’s drive made it 108-104 with under two minutes left, but the Jazz got no closer. Billups cinched it with a three-point basket with 57 seconds left that made it 113-108.
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