Raptors use late surge to put Kings away
 
02/07/2010
 
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Let's use the Sacramento Kings as an example of how bad teams kill themselves every time.

There was one of the NBA's worst clubs, putting a scare into the Toronto Raptors on Sunday afternoon and threatening to break off a 0-10 run on the road.

Up 91-84 early in the fourth and playing above their talent, the Kings gave up a quick three pointer.

Then they allowed Chris Bosh to break away from two defenders under their own basket for another pair plus a foul, and then turned over the ball to Sonny Weems who dunked to wipe out the lead entirely.

It took just over a minute and Toronto pretty much sailed off from there to put in a 115-104 victory.

That gave the Raptors seven straight and 13 of the last 14 at home as they improved to 28-23. Sacramento is 16-34, and has won just three times against 20 losses in its last 23.

Bosh had another monster game, hitting for 36 points and 11 rebounds, plus five assists and an emphatic late game block. Andrea Bargnani added 22 points and eight boards.

Hedo Turkoglu, fussing all game with a new face mask needed to protect a broken right orbital bone, put in a strong outing with 16 points, three rebounds and five assists before fouling out in the final seconds.

Kevin Martin led the Kings with 24 points and seven boards, while Spencer Hawes had 14 and 11.

Early track meet

A zippy first quarter seemed to be going Toronto's way, up nine points near the end of the opening 12 minutes, but the Kings decided despite their record they were going to give the Raps a game.

Martin led the way back, finishing the opening half with 12 points and three boards, and Tyreke Evans added nine as Sacramento had this one tied at 59 in the final seconds.

The Kings had 26 fast break points during their comeback and were helped along by six Toronto turnovers in the half.

But Turkoglu drew a foul with seconds left and he hit the front end and bounced the back end off the rim where Bosh met the ball and pounded it in for a 62-59 halftime lead, Toronto.

Things unravelled in the third quarter when the Kings went on an 11-0 run to put Sacramento ahead for the first time in the game, a lead that became five when Evans hit a long two.

When the Kings put one in that was still sitting in the cylinder on the rim to end the third, Toronto's bench erupted at the missed call and Jack sailed the ball the length of the floor and well into the stands at the other end, drawing a technical foul after he added a few choice words.

That free chance was missed to start the fourth quarter, however, and the Kings would eventually implode.


 
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