(CP)
Thursday, March 27, 2008

A new-look starting five did the job for the struggling Toronto Raptors.
Chris Bosh scored 21 points and T.J. Ford had 13 points and nine assists in his return to the starting lineup as the host Raptors beat the Detroit Pistons 89-82 last night.

Bosh said Ford was “more comfortable” as a starter.
“It was business as usual,” Bosh said. “It was back to how we’re used to playing.”
Rasho Nesterovic had 15 points and Jose Calderon 13 as Toronto won for just the fourth time in 15 games. The Raptors avoided falling below .500 for the first time since a loss at Cleveland back on Nov. 24 dropped them to 6-7.
“It’s only one game, but it gives us a different sense of confidence,” Nesterovic said.
Toronto coach Sam Mitchell called it “a great win.”
“Our defence for 48 minutes was as good as it could have been,” Mitchell added.
Trying to change his luck after a slide that saw the Raptors drop from fifth to seventh in the Eastern Conference, Mitchell put Ford and Nesterovic into the starting lineup in place of Calderon and Andrea Bargnani.
Ford started slowly, scoring just two points in the first half, but teamed up with Jamario Moon for two spectacular baskets in the third—feeding the athletic Moon for a dunk and then a one-handed alley-oop.
Ford’s last start came Dec. 11 at Atlanta, but he was injured that night and missed the next 24 games. He had served as Calderon’s back-up since returning Feb. 4 at Miami.
Calderon, who volunteered to give up his starting spot, was happy to see Ford succeed.
“Sometimes you have to sacrifice yourself for the team,” Calderon said. “I think that was best for the Toronto Raptors and it worked.”
Bosh saluted Calderon for surrendering his starting role.
“That’s big for us. We need more guys like that,” Bosh said. “Both him and T.J. have been very unselfish with their starting position, and they want what’s best for the team.”
Ford and Calderon were on the court together as Toronto held off Detroit charge in the final minutes.
“It worked out great for us in a stretch where we both were playing well,” Ford said. “Whenever you have both of us on the court, it’s a big factor because I’m more of a penetrator and with his shooting ability, he’s a big threat.
“It worked out in our favour.”
Chauncey Billups scored 24 points for Detroit while Rodney Stuckey tied a career high with 16, including 14 in the fourth.
“We’re coming down the home stretch now, 11 games left,” Billups said. “You want to start playing with some consistency.”
Cleveland’s loss to New Orleans guarantees Detroit at least a tie for the Central Division title, but Billups wasn’t interested.
“Our thing is not the division or the East,” he said. “Our thing is the whole thing. That’s the way we think.”
Elsewhere in the NBA yesterday, Houston beat Minnesota 97-86, Boston dumped Phoenix 117-97, New Orleans nipped Cleveland 100-99, Atlanta bounced Milwaukee 115-96, New York upended Miami 103-96 (OT), and Philadelphia bombed Chicago 121-99.
New Jersey topped Indiana 124-117, San Antonio beat L.A. Clippers 97-88, Washington downed Seattle 104-99, Sacramento edged Memphis 107-106 (OT), and Charlotte dumped the L.A. Lakers 108-95.