Toronto Raptors vs Denver Nuggets Mar.23/08

Allen Iverson scored 36 points and Carmelo Anthony added 33 as the Denver Nuggets beat the Toronto Raptors 109-100 on Sunday.

Chris Bosh flirted with the first triple double of his career, with 17 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists to top the Raptors (35-35).

Jose Calderon added 17 points for Toronto, which had seven players score in double figures. Andrea Bargnani added 16 points, all of them in the first quarter, while Jamario Moon added 15 points and 15 rebounds, Anthony Parker had 14 points, T.J. Ford finished with 11, and Rasho Nesterovic added 10.

The Raptors appeared poised to exact some revenge on Denver (42-28) on Sunday. Only nine days earlier, the Nuggets had handed the Raptors their worst loss of the season, beating Toronto 137-105.

The Raptors led by as many as 17 points early in Sunday's game, but they'd squandered their sizable advantage by early in the fourth quarter, and led just 73-71 heading into the fourth.

A three-pointer by Linas Kleiza on Denver's first possession of the fourth gave the visitors their first lead of the game.

Denver drained four threes in the first three-and-a-half minutes of the quarter to put the Nuggets up by six points. The Raptors fought back in front of a sellout crowd of 19,800 at the Air Canada Centre, and the game was tied 98-98 with 2:31 left to play. But a couple of turnovers by Bosh and Calderon proved costly as a dunk by Moon with 45 seconds left was Toronto final basket of the game, sealing the victory for Denver.

The Raptors shot 50 per cent on the afternoon, while Denver shot 48, and both teams grabbed 41 rebounds.

The Raptors, hoping for a strong finish to the regular season, have lost seven of eight, but they struggled without Bosh in the lineup, coupled with a gruelling West coast road trip. The Raptors won just two of their 10 games without Bosh in the lineup.

Bosh's performance was one of the highlight's of Sunday's game, as the all-star forward shot 6-for-16 from the floor, but was instrumental in leading the offence in easily his best game since he returned from injury.

Alvin Williams is the last Raptor to record a triple-double, exactly seven years ago, on March 23, 2001.

The Raptors had the Nuggets on their heels in the early going, and led by Bargnani's 16 point performance, took a 17-point lead over Denver late in the first period. The Raptors took a 35-23 lead into the second.

The Nuggets opened the second quarter with a 10-2 run to cut Toronto's lead to four. But that was as close as Denver would get in the first half and the Raptors led 54-46 at the break.

A three by Moon had the Raptors up by nine points early in the third quarter, but the Nuggets battled back to within a point with just over a minute left in the frame. The Raptors led just 73-71 with a quarter left in the game.

Notes: The Raptors host Detroit on Wednesday, followed by the New York Knicks on Friday and the New Orleans Hornets next Sunday. . . The Raptors had beaten the Nuggets just once in their seven previous matchups.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Toronto
• Raptors
• vs
• Denver
• Nuggets
• Mar.23/08

[S1ZZL3]

That raps play good first half, but they keep slacking off during the final minutes of play.

[FilmTheNoob]

Fuck im tired of the Raptors losing!

[jblaze14123]

I think that Jose Calderon is one of the elite players in the National Basketball Association because you have LeBron James Kobe Bryant Chris Bosh Chris Paul Tim Duncan Kevin Garnett Jermaine Oneal, Shaq Oneal I believe that the NBA is fun to watch because you can watch how the players hustle determination and focus when the big games are on the line I believe that coaches who do not put their teams on a winning track deserves to get fired for example Sam Mitchell and Reggie Theus.

[jblaze14123]

Denver Nuggets Chauncey Billups who grew up in Denver and that is why he wanted to played for his home team I think that Jose Calderon is one of the elite players in the NBA and don't forget about Kobe, LeBron, D-Wade, Bosh, Carmelo, Iverson, Tony Parker, CP3, Tim Duncan Shaq KG because the league has not seen since the Jordan Bird and Magic era I still think that Kobe and Lebron will meet in the finals because the Cavaliers and the Lakers are two best teams in the NBA.

[liloneal15]

im canadian and we love every team except the pistons i don't think that much ppl like the pistons but there funny

[FilmTheNoob]

Hey i think they can tie they're franchise record cause some of the teams The raps are gonna face are below .500 but of course Raptors are gonna face the Hornets but i still believe they're gonna win

[gsixty]

Me too!! However thank God you aren't a Miami Heat fan. LOL Raptors can beat the heat at least!

[hnfCKY]

what is the name of the music/beat in the 1st scene ???

[JWalk]

wow what a matchup...tj ford against iverson....but of course iverson came up big for his team...

[cbo1360]

man fuck we cant go to 7th or we face boston or detriot well get killed big time we need to face orlando or something we have a better chance to win then