THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO — Chris Bosh had 29 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Raptors to a 103-95 win over the New York Knicks on Friday for their second consecutive victory.
Rasho Nesterovic added 18 points and eight boards for the Raptors (37-35). Anthony Parker added 15 points, T.J. finished with 10 points and nine assists in his second start since injuring his neck Dec. 11, and Andrea Bargnani chipped in with 12 points.
Jamal Crawford led the struggling Knicks (20-52) with 26 points, while Jared Jeffries added 21.
The Raptors led from the opening whistle, and looked headed for a relatively easy night, taking a 17-point lead in the second quarter. But instead of putting the Knicks away for good, they squandered their lead in a matter of four minutes as the Knicks cut the lead to three points.
Toronto took a 76-68 lead into the fourth quarter in front of a capacity crowd of 19,800 at the Air Canada Centre, and stretched it to 11 points early in the frame. New York fought to within eight points several times in the final few minutes, but could get no closer.
With 2:31 left in the game, Ford brought the crowd to its feet when he faked out Jeffries, leaving the Knicks forward sprawling to the court, and the Raptors went on to secure an important win with 10 games left in the regular season.
The Raptors shot 50 per cent on the night, and held the Knicks to 39 per cent. Toronto also outrebounded their visitors 45-38.
A day earlier, the Raptors signed forward Linton Johnson to a 10-day contract, waiving veteran guard Darrick Martin.
"I’m just fortunate to be in the position to do something I love doing," Johnson said at the morning shootaround. "I’ve been playing basketball all my life and I just appreciate the opportunity this organization’s given me."
Raptors coach Sam Mitchell said the move wasn’t made to send a particular message to his players, although he added that the team could play better.
"It’s on everybody, pick it up, play better," Mitchell said. "It’s a message that we’re trying to improve.
"(Johnson) is a really good young man, hard worker, and we just want to take a look at him. It’s not a message purposely being sent but if someone in that locker-room perceives it as a message, then maybe they should wake up."
The Raptors took a nine-point lead midway through the first quarter on a driving hook shot by Nesterovic. Toronto took a 32-23 advantage into the second.
The Raptors stretched their lead to 17 points in the third quarter on a three-pointer by Carlos Delfino. But a 14-0 Knicks run cut the Raptors’ lead down to just three points with 50 seconds left in the half. Toronto led 49-44 at the break.
A three by Bosh capped a mini Raptors run in the third to put the home team up by 12 points, and Toronto headed into the fourth quarter ahead 76-68.
NOTES: The game was delayed a couple of minutes in the third quarter when referee Michael Smith was hit hard into the padded baseline barrier by Quentin Richardson. . . Toronto hasn’t lost at home to New York since March 19, 2004. . . Toronto hosts former Raptor Morris Peterson and the New Orleans Hornets on Sunday, wrapping up a four-game homestand. . . Toronto was coming off an 89-82 win over Detroit on Wednesday, the Raptors’ first victory over a team with a winning record since Feb. 20.
