TORONTO – Chris Bosh showed he can dominate a game in another way.
Bosh had 24 points, 10 rebounds and two key blocks down the stretch, leading the Toronto Raptors past the New Orleans Hornets 102-99 on Sunday.
Lee Nailon scored a career-high 32 points for the Hornets but had two blocked by Bosh in the final 1:44.
“That was the best thing I did all night. If I don’t block Lee’s shots we’re probably down five or three points down the stretch,” Bosh said. “I just got two big blocks and we took advantage.”
Morris Peterson had 25 points and 10 rebounds for Raptors, who are 7-7 since trading Vince Carter to New Jersey on Dec 17. Jalen Rose added 19 points off the bench, and Bosh finished with his seventh straight double-double.
The Raptors are hoping to rebuild around the second-year forward.
“We talk to Chris about it every day,” Toronto coach Sam Mitchell said. “You can affect the game in a lot of ways, you just don’t have to score. He has to rebound, block shots and he has that ability. We ask a lot of a 20-year-old.”
New Orleans point guard Baron Davis left late in the third quarter with a bruised right ankle and did not return. Davis had 15 points and 11 assists.
“It really hurt us in that last quarter,” New Orleans coach Byron Scott said. “We didn’t have anybody to penetrate their defense.”
Scott expressed frustration that his message isn’t getting through. The Hornets are an NBA-worst 5-31.
“Either we are not listening or hearing or we’re not bright enough to understand what I’m saying,” Scott said.
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