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Tuesday, Jan. 4 7:00pm ET
Blazers win sixth straight | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
TORONTO (AP) -- Although a fan almost punched him out, Damon Stoudamire had fun against his former team. Stoudamire, playing his first game in Toronto since demanding a trade two years ago, scored 22 points as the Portland Trail Blazers won their sixth straight with a 114-90 victory over the Raptors on Tuesday night. Stoudamire, one of Toronto's most popular athletes during his 2½ years in the city, was booed every time he touched the ball. As he left the court after the game, a fan took a swing at him, but struck a security officer instead. "It wasn't necessarily stuffing it down people's throats, but it was just fun," Stoudamire said. "I don't think the fans really understand how real competitors like to hear boo birds. It makes you want to play that much harder." Stoudamire added five assists and four rebounds. Vince Carter, who found out before the game that he was left off the U.S. Olympic team, scored just 13 points on 5-for-15 shooting. "Vince was out of sync," Toronto coach Butch Carter said. "I don't know if hearing that Olympic thing before the game bothered him." The Raptors were within one in the third quarter, but Steve Smith, who scored 19 points, sparked a 9-3 run with a 3-pointer to give the Trail Blazers a four-point lead. Rasheed Wallace, who had 17 points, followed with a nine-foot jumper and the Raptors got no closer than five thereafter. Stoudamire and Smith each scored eight points in the third quarter, and Portland led 81-68 going into the fourth. "Damon came out and played a real solid game," Portland coach Mike Dunleavy said. "He didn't press the issue. He let the game come to him." Stoudamire, the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1996, wanted out of Toronto because of continued losing, an uncertain ownership situation and the departure of general manager Isiah Thomas. "I have to give Damon credit for keeping his composure and keeping his focus on the game," Toronto's Antonio Davis said. "He didn't worry about what the fans were saying or doing." The game was tied at 50 in the final seconds of the second quarter when Davis had a monstrous two-handed dunk off Carter's missed 3-pointer. Scottie Pippen then followed with a 3-pointer at the buzzer to make it 53-52.
Game notes | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard Portland Clubhouse Toronto Clubhouse Hill, Mourning, Allen complete U.S. Olympic team
RECAPS Indiana 116 New Jersey 111
Portland 114
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