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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
TORONTO (AP) -- Vince Carter and the new-look Raptors are on a
roll.
|  | | Raptors star Vince Carter had 40 points Sunday as new teammates Tracy Murray and Keon Clarke helped limit the double-teams. |
Carter scored 40 points, 18 off 3-pointers, as the Toronto
Raptors beat the Charlotte Hornets 107-99 Sunday for their third
straight victory.
"We're playing with a lot confidence right now, and the new
guys have added to that fire," Carter said.
Tracy Murray, acquired from Denver on Friday, added three of
Toronto's season-high 14 3-pointers on 21 attempts. He finished
with 13 points, eight in the fourth quarter.
"It's only one game, but it feels good," Carter said. "I like
what's going on here. Murray's a 6-7 guy who can shoot the 3, and
Keon's an athlete, who can do a lot of things."
The Raptors got Murray, Keon Clark and Mamaduo N'diaye from the
Nuggets in exchange for Kevin Willis, Aleksandar Radojevic, Garth
Joseph and a draft pick. Clark scored nine points and blocked three
shots Sunday.
"It was a great night," said Clark, who was unhappy with his
erratic playing time in Denver. "It's been awhile since I've had
fun on the court."
Murray, also unhappy in Denver, likes his new role with Toronto.
"Boy, did Vince put them in the torture chamber today," Murray
said. "He's a great scorer, and a team player. I'm here to make it
easier on him. I'm here to make sure there's not as many double
teams coming at him."
Carter had 16 points in the third quarter as the Raptors
outscored the Hornets 37-19 in the period. Toronto closed the third
with a 16-4 run, including Antonio Davis' three-point play,
Carter's two 3-pointers and a shorter jumper, and Mark Jackson's
3-pointer.
That gave Toronto an 84-69 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
"The Raptors were making 3s, and that's what did us in,"
Charlotte coach Paul Silas said. "Tracy came in and shot a bunch
of huge 3s."
Murray scored eight of Toronto's first 14 points of the fourth,
and Clark added a jumper, a blocked shot and a free throw.
"They did a great job coming off the bench," Charlotte's Elden
Campbell said.
Jamal Mashburn, who missed Charlotte's five previous games with
a bruised left knee, narrowed the lead to seven points with a
three-point play with just more than 1 minute remaining.
But the Hornets couldn't get closer.
"I didn't expect the Raptors to make all those 3s,"
Charlotte's David Wesley said. "Murray and Clark are going to be
great additions to that team."
Mashburn finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds and five assists,
while Wesley added 20 points for the Hornets.
Carter went 16-for-23 from the field, including a spectacular
reverse, alley-oop dunk that gave Toronto a 10-point lead with 2:15
left to play.
The Hornets led by 10 with 2:21 left in the first half, but
Toronto went on a 9-2 run, narrowing the lead to 50-47.
Mashburn had 15 points, Carter 19 in the half.
"When you have effective people around Vince, he becomes more
effective," Toronto coach Lenny Wilkens said.
Game notes
Toronto's Jackson finished with 13 points and 14 assists.
... Fans cheered when it was announced that the Toronto Blue Jays
had traded David Wells to the Chicago White Sox. Earlier this
month, Wells said Blue Jays' fans "stink." ... Charlotte made two
of their nine 3-point attempts. ... Murray, who enjoyed his best
NBA season with the Raptors in 1995-96, received a loud ovation
when he entered the game in the first quarter.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Charlotte Clubhouse
Toronto Clubhouse
RECAPS
Toronto 107
Charlotte 99
Portland 103
Detroit 96
Miami 90
Chicago 81
Seattle 106
Phoenix 87
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Vince Carter Official Site
Mark Jackson Official Site
Lenny Wilkens Official Site
Baron Davis Official Site
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