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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
TORONTO (AP) – The playoffs are looming and the Philadelphia
76ers are struggling.
|  | | Vince Carter led the Raptors past Philly with 26 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. |
Vince Carter scored 26 points as the Toronto Raptors handed the
76ers one of their worst losses of the season, 100-85 on Tuesday
night.
"We've got to get it together," Philadelphia's Matt Geiger
said. "I'm very concerned. Most teams start peaking and playing
their best basketball close to the playoffs, and it seems were
going in the wrong direction."
Alvin Williams added 14 points and 13 assists for the Raptors,
who led by as many as 35 points.
"Teams are starting to take advantage of our team now," said
Geiger as the Sixers fell to 10-9 since the acquisition of Dikembe
Mutombo. "That's different from before. When the trade first
happened, teams were playing us the same way, but now it seems like
the teams are winning against us the same way. We've got to dictate
the game, and right now we are reacting."
Toronto, which won the season series against the Sixers 3-1,
have won five of their last six.
Allen Iverson scored 18 points for the Philadelphia, which has
lost five straight road games.
"We had breakdowns offensively and defensively tonight, and
once you start getting frustrated, and thinking this will continue
to happen, that's when the whole season is going down the drain,"
Iverson said.
Kevin Ollie scored 13 points and Mutombo finished with 10 points
and 16 rebounds for the Sixers, who lead the Eastern Conference
despite losing seven of their last 10 games.
Iverson said he's not concerned about the playoffs.
"I don't think about no stride or nothing like that," Iverson
said. "We know and understand, when they throw up the ball for the
first playoff game we've got to play, regardless if we are playing
well at that point or not."
Toronto's Charles Oakley missed the game after being suspended
for one game without pay and fined $10,000 for confronting
Philadelphia's Tyrone Hill and striking him in the head with a
basketball following the morning shootaround.
Williams scored eight points during a 29-3 run in the second
quarter that gave Toronto a 26-point lead.
"Everybody was just running," Carter said. "We felt we could
get out and get some easy baskets, and once we got a few, it was
contagious."
Williams' running jumper with 6:54 left in the third quarter
gave Toronto a 35-point advantage.
The Sixers never got closer than 12 points the rest of the way.
Iverson hit a jumper with 10:05 left in the first half and tied
the game at 30. The Raptors then went on the decisive 29-3 run.
Toronto outscored Philadelphia 44-23 on the fast break.
"I haven't been in a game where teams have had 35 points on the
break in a game, let alone in the first half," Philadelphia coach
Larry Brown said. "They had 22 assists and one turnover in the
first half. We just didn't match their energy. They manhandled
us."
Game notes
Brown said he might rest point guard Eric Snow. "He
can't get up and down the court. I'm almost to the point of
shutting him down," Brown said. Snow missed a significant part of
the season with a fractured right ankle. ... Before a preseason
game, Oakley slapped Hill and both were ejected. ... Eric Montross
started at center for Toronto. Davis moved to power forward. ...
Toronto's Dell Curry missed the game with a sore left hamstring.
... Williams tied a Toronto record with 11 assists in the first
half. ... The 76ers had won a club-record 13 straight road games
before losing to Toronto on Jan. 30. ... Philadelphia's Aaron McKie
missed the game with a sprained right knee.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Philadelphia Clubhouse
Toronto Clubhouse
Sixers fired Croce's brother for stealing from Iverson
Oakley suspended for tonight's game after shootaround altercation
RECAPS
Boston 82
Miami 77
Charlotte 103
New Jersey 88
New York 94
Orlando 82
Indiana 85
Phoenix 81
Toronto 100
Philadelphia 85
LA Lakers 96
Utah 88
Detroit 110
Chicago 83
Dallas 109
Houston 97
San Antonio 107
Seattle 89
Denver 94
Portland 92
Milwaukee 107
Sacramento 101
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