TORONTO (AP) – T.J. Ford scored 28 points to lead the Toronto Raptors to a 100-97 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.
Anthony Parker added 19 points for the Atlantic Division-leading Raptors, who are 6-4 without leading scorer Chris Bosh (left knee injury).
Toronto is 8-3 at home, where it will play four of its next five.
The Raptors returned home after going 2-2 on a West Coast trip as Ford averaged 20 points and 9.3 assists. Ford had seven assists and finished 12-for-18 from the field against Minnesota.
The Raptors acquired Ford from Milwaukee after new general manager Bryan Colangelo declined to re-sign Mike James in the offseason.
James had a chance to tie the score with 8.2 seconds left after he was fouled on a 3-pointer, but missed one of his three free throws.
Kevin Garnett then missed a 3-pointer that would have tied it in the final seconds.
Garnett had 24 points and James 20 for the Timberwolves, who are 0-5 against Toronto since former Minnesota player Sam Mitchell became coach of the Raptors.
After Ford’s jumper gave Toronto a 95-91 lead with 29.1 seconds left, he took a charge and the game became a free-throw contest for Toronto.
Parker had a chance to give the Raptors a six-point lead with 25.6 seconds remaining, but he missed both free-throw attempts.
After Randy Foye made a fast-break layup to trim Toronto’s lead to two, Jose Calderon made one of two free throws for the Raptors to make it 96-93 with 18.9 seconds left.
James’ quick layup cut Toronto’s lead to one, but Ford made two free throws to give Toronto a 98-95 lead.
Ford fouled James as he attempted a 3-pointer, but James couldn’t tie it from the foul line. Parker made two free throws to make it 100-97 with 7.7 seconds left, and Garnett missed a 3-pointer.
Parker’s fadeaway jumper with 9:13 left in the fourth gave Toronto its first lead since the first quarter.
Notes: James is having an inconsistent season. “I’ve played good a few, played bad a few, but I started this way in Toronto last year,” said James, who averaged a career-high 20.3 points and 5.8 assists last season with the Raptors.
AP-ES-12-27-06 2212EST
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