AP News, March 15th, 2007
Chris Bosh scored 22 points, T.J. Ford matched a career high with 18 assists, and the Toronto Raptors beat the New York Knicks 104-94 on Wednesday night to strengthen their hold on the Atlantic Division lead.
Jorge Garbajosa had a career-high 20 points, while fellow rookie Andrea Bargnani added 18 for Toronto (36-29). Ford also scored 18 points for the Raptors, including an 8-for-8 showing at the free throw line.
Stephon Marbury led the Knicks (29-35) with 31 points and nine assists, while Steve Francis scored 17 points and Eddy Curry added 13. They were the only three New York players to reach double figures.
Trailing 50-44 at the half, Toronto surged ahead in the third quarter thanks to 10 points from Garbajosa, who had scored just 22 points in his past five games.
Toronto shot 72 percent (13-for-18) in the period, outscoring New York 35-18 to take an 11-point edge into the final frame.
Toronto is 23-9 at home this season, the third-best home mark in the Eastern Conference. Only Cleveland and Chicago (both 25-8) are better.
Knicks forward Quentin Richardson returned to the starting lineup but played only 10 minutes before leaving for good with a sore back. Richardson sat out New York's last game, a 90-89 victory over Washington last Saturday, because of back and ankle problems.
Raptors guard Anthony Parker was knocked out of the game in the third quarter after spraining his right ankle, but returned in the fourth. Parker, who finished with 15 points, had missed five of Toronto's past seven games with a sprained right ankle.
Ford made a 3-pointer as the halftime buzzer sounded, but video replays confirmed that Ford did not get the shot off in time. The Raptors trailed 50-44 at the break.
Notes:@ Toronto guard Jose Calderon left the game after spraining his left ankle in the second quarter and did not return. ... Knicks coach Isiah Thomas slipped to 4-9 in 13 career games coaching against the Raptors, the team he worked for as executive vice president of basketball operations between 1995 and 1997.
