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November 25, 2009

Bosh, Calderon lead way as Raptors beat Pacers

The Associated Press Associated Press

TORONTO — The Raptors didn't need a big game from Chris Bosh to beat the struggling Pacers. Another lackluster effort by Indiana made it easy work.

Chris Bosh had 16 points and 12 rebounds, Jose Calderon scored a season-high 21 points and Toronto handed the Pacers their fourth straight loss, 123-112 on Tuesday night.

"This was an unacceptable performance for us," Indiana center Troy Murphy said. "We have aspirations of making the playoffs and this is definitely not getting us going in the right direction. We have to come out and play a lot better."

Still angry at his team's showing in Sunday's double-digit loss at Charlotte, Pacers coach Jim O'Brien was even more livid after the Pacers allowed 74 first-half points in this one.

"I'm very disappointed," O'Brien said. "I thought we were horrible at Charlotte and I think the first half here was just like Charlotte. We just did not play with any defensive force and, as a result, we got pounded."

Bosh made only five of 19 shots but still got his 12th double-double in 15 games.

"I don't consider this a bad game," Bosh said. "If we had lost it would have been a bad game."

With the rest of the team combining to shoot 66 percent (38 for 58), Bosh's line was an afterthought.

"Everybody else was scoring so it doesn't matter," Calderon said. "We're as happy as if he got 30 points."

Jarrett Jack scored 18 against his former team and Andrea Bargnani and Hedo Turkoglu each had 14 for the Raptors, who won for just the second time in six games.

Jack has reached double figures twice in his past three games after failing to do so in any of his first 12 after joining Toronto this summer.

"He's different right now," Raptors coach Jay Triano said. "He's lighter off the floor. He's just playing with a lot of confidence."

Indiana's Danny Granger recovered from a poor first half to finish with a season-high 36, including seven 3-pointers, and nine rebounds. Former Raptor T.J. Ford scored 16.

"I really don't know what to tell you," Granger said. "We emphasize what we want to do and sometimes we do it and sometimes we don't. We didn't do it tonight."

Murphy and Brandon Rush each scored 11 for the Pacers, who have allowed four straight opponents to top 100 points. Indiana hosts the Clippers on Wednesday night, leaving little time to sort things out.

"We have to stop it, regardless of what it is," Murphy said. "We have to figure it out quick."

Toronto led by 21 at the half but saw the Pacers cut the gap to eight, 100-92 to begin the fourth. Murphy made 3-pointers on consecutive possessions, the second making it 113-106 with 6:52 left, but Bosh made one free throw and, after Toronto grabbed the rebound on the missed second, Jack drained a 3-pointer to push the lead back to 11, 117-106.

Calderon and Turkoglu combined to shoot 6 for 7 in the first as Toronto led 39-31 after one, it's highest-scoring opening quarter of the season.

Toronto kept it up in the second, shooting 13 for 18 and setting a season high for points in a half to lead 74-53 lead at the break.

After shooting 3 for 12 in the first half, Granger began the third quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers. With Toronto suddenly misfiring, missing six of their first eight shots, Granger heated up, shooting 5 of 8 for 13 points in the quarter as the Pacers fought back.

"You can't play one good quarter on the road and expect to win," O'Brien said.

Calderon stepped awkwardly on a layup attempt and injured his right ankle late in the third. He spent the rest of the quarter on the bench before returning midway through the fourth, and said afterward that he expects to be healthy in time for Wednesday's game at Charlotte.

Toronto's Marco Belinelli (left groin) and Antoine Wright (left ankle) returned after sitting out Sunday's home loss to Orlando. Wright had missed four of the past five games.

Indiana's Jeff Foster made his first start, replacing Roy Hibbert, because O'Brien preferred Foster's defensive quickness when guarding Bosh and Bargnani. It's the first time this season that Hibbert has not started.

NOTES: O'Brien said swingman Mike Dunleavy (right knee surgery) could be ready to return "within days." After the Clippers, Indiana hosts Dallas on Friday. ... Toronto's first half was its biggest since scoring 75 in a Dec. 21, 1999, home win over New Jersey. ... The Raptors plays five of their next seven on the road. ... A large group of fans from Toronto's Turkish community waved flags and cheered loudly for Turkoglu. ... Toronto is 5-2 at home.

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