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Raptors take out Pistons

by The Canadian Press , Waterloo Region Record


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Chris Bosh had 25 points and Andrea Bargnani added 22 points and 12 rebounds as the Toronto Raptors held off the Detroit Pistons 110-99 on Wednesday.

Hedo Turkoglu added 16 points and six assists for the Raptors (2-2), who erupted for 44 points in the second quarter, then held off a spirited second-half charge from the Pistons to end a two-game losing streak. It's Toronto's first win over Detroit since an 89-82 home triumph on March 26, 2008.

Ben Gordon had a game-high 30 points for the Pistons (2-3), while ex- Raptors forward Charlie Villanueva added 16 and Will Bynum had 16 off the bench. Rodney Stuckey chipped in with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

After trailing for most of the game, the Pistons came out firing in the fourth quarter, cutting an eight-point deficit to three on a Jason Maxiell dunk with 8:42 remaining. Detroit might have dealt more damage had it not been for Bargnani, who electrified the Air Canada Centre crowd with a pair of emphatic blocks.

Following a Toronto timeout, Bynum hit a three and followed with a layup to give Detroit a 91-90 lead. Jose Calderon responded with a three to put the Raptors back out in front, and Turkoglu buried a 17-foot pull-up jumper with 3:45 left to cap an 11-2 run that gave Toronto a 101-93 advantage. They weren't seriously challenged the rest of the way.

The win was especially important for the Raptors , who will play seven of their next eight games in different time zones. They begin a three-game trip in New Orleans on Friday, then return home for a game against Chicago next Wednesday before heading out on a four-game jaunt to the West Coast.

Detroit backcourt mates Stuckey and Gordon dominated early on, scoring 14 of the Pistons' first 16 points as the Pistons opened up a six-point lead. Gordon added a pair of floating runners later in the quarter to extend the advantage to nine, and had a game-high 12 points as Detroit led 28-24 after one.

Toronto regained its scoring touch in the second quarter, connecting on seven of its first eight shots. An Antoine Wright three-pointer evened the score 29-29 early in the quarter, and the Raptors took the lead seconds later on a Bargnani layup.

The Raptors then went on a 19-5 run that gave them a 43-33 lead.

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