Carter scores 20 as Nets beat Raptors 94-87

TORONTO (AP) Vince Carter knew just what to tell Ryan Anderson about recovering from a poor shooting performance.Carter
had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Anderson scored a career-high 21 points,
and the New Jersey Nets beat the Toronto Raptors 94-87 on Monday night
to snap a three-game losing streak."It was a big win for us,''
Anderson said. "We were in a desperate need for this win. We really
needed to get it and get our streak back.''Devin Harris scored 16 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, making 10 of 11 from the free throw line."He really rose up,'' Nets coach Lawrence Frank said. "He was the maestro and did a great job of getting into the paint.''Carter
scored a season-high 39 points in a 129-127 overtime victory at Toronto
on Nov. 21, but had just three points and shot a career-worst 0-for-13
against his former team as the Raptors beat the Nets 101-79 in New
Jersey last Friday."It was a night I've never really experienced
before but you move on,'' said Carter, who responded with 39 points in
Saturday's 113-104 loss at Chicago.Anderson shot 1-for-9 in that
loss to the Bulls, but both he and Carter were solid against the
Raptors. Carter shot 8-for-24 and Anderson went 6-for-11, including
three 3-pointers."It feels good to bounce back from a game where
I may not have shot the ball as well as I know I can,'' Anderson said.
"I just went out there and played, just hustled and did the things I
can do.''Carter and Anderson have become fast friends, with the
All-Star taking the rookie forward under his wing and checking on him
after each game."I always think back to when I was in those
situations and I was thrown in the fire,'' Carter said. "You have rough
times and rough nights and you just need somebody to be there and say
'Be yourself and play your game. We drafted you for this reason.' He
showed it tonight.''Chris Bosh and Jason Kapono each scored 17
for Toronto. Jose Calderon added 15 points and Jermaine O'Neal had 12
for the Raptors, who have lost seven of nine.Jamario Moon and Andrea Bargnani each had 10 points for Toronto.New
Jersey had a season-high 54 rebounds, including 18 on the offensive
end, and outscored Toronto 26-2 on second-chance points. Toronto has
been outrebounded in 13 consecutive games."That's our main
Achilles' heel right now,'' Bosh said. "We're giving up multiple shots.
For the game, they shot 38 percent. If I told you we held a team to 38
percent, you would ask me how much we won by.''The Raptors
closed the third with an 11-4 run to take a 70-63 lead into the final
quarter, only to watch their lead, and the game, slip away as their
shooting suddenly went stone cold. Bargnani opened the fourth with two
free throws, pushing the lead to nine points, but the Raptors missed 14
straight field goal attempts to start the period."It happens
sometimes,'' Bosh said of the shooting drought. "It is rare but rare
things happen. When that does happen, we can't let that dictate the way
we play defense.''At the other end, Harris scored nine
consecutive points to tie the game, and a layup by Lopez gave the Nets
a 74-72 lead with 7:12 remaining."The fourth quarter was kind of my time,'' Harris said. "I had the right angles and chose the right times to attack.''Calderon
finally ended the shooting drought on a 3-pointer from the corner with
2:35 left, Toronto's first field goal since Calderon's layup with a
minute left in the third.Bosh's 3-pointer with 58 seconds left
cut it to 91-86, but Calderon missed a 3 on the next possession,
allowing the Nets to seal it from the free throw line.New Jersey
had to call two timeouts within the first four minutes as Toronto built
leads of 9-0 and 16-2. Nine points from Carter and seven from Anderson
helped the Nets cut the gap to 28-20 after one quarter."We took a punch and fought back,'' Frank said. "We got back in the game with defense.''After
shooting 9-for-16 in the first, Toronto slumped to 6-for-15 in the
second, and a running dunk by Anderson with 1:14 left in the half tied
it at 43. It was 46-all at the half.Calderon made both of his free throws and has made 60 straight dating back to last season.Notes:
Toronto, which lost at home to New Orleans on Sunday, played
back-to-back home games for the first time since April 19 and 20, 1999.
... Bosh picked up a technical foul for arguing a non-call in the
second, and Toronto coach Jay Triano got one for arguing in the fourth.
... Jake Voskuhl, who signed with Toronto on Sunday, dressed but did
not play.