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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
PHOENIX (AP) -- Jason Kidd thrives on fast breaks, but he also
can succeed while standing still at the foul line.
| | Raptors guard Muggsy Bogues takes his 5-foot-3 frame into the lane against Suns power forward Tom Gugliotta.
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Kidd had 15 assists and 16 points, including two free throws
with 1.3 seconds left that gave the Phoenix Suns a 94-93 victory
over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night.
With Toronto leading by a point, Doug Christie missed two free
throws with 5.1 seconds left. Cliff Robinson grabbed the rebound
off the second miss, and Phoenix called time with 4.8 seconds
remaining to set up the final play.
Kidd was fouled by Antonio Davis after driving underneath and trying to get free for a hook shot in the lane. He made both free throws for the winning margin, capping an 8-for-8 performance from
the line.
"My first option was to shoot the jump shot, because I knew
Christie didn't want me to get to the basket, but in those
situations you have to go right to the basket and either get the
shot or hope to get fouled," Kidd said. "Then you have to step up
and make the free throws."
Kidd had eight points and seven assists in the fourth quarter,
when the Suns made up a seven-point deficit in the final 1:22 to
win their fourth straight.
"We were very fortunate to win," coach Danny Ainge said. "We
were throwing the ball all over the map. Our turnovers (21) were
atrocious."
Vince Carter, who scored 19 points, made Toronto's last field
goal with 1:22 left to put the Raptors up 93-86. Kevin Willis had
16 points and seven rebounds off the bench for Toronto.
Penny Hardaway scored 17 points and Tom Gugliotta 16 for the
Suns.
Christie said both free throws felt good when they left his
hand.
"That's the worst way to lose, but that's why we play the
game," Christie said. "You have to give a lot of credit to them.
They kept hanging in there and working hard. You can't take
anything away from their effort, but you also can't give games away
that way."
Muggsy Bogues hit a jumper to give Toronto a 74-73 early in the
fourth quarter, and the Suns didn't regain the lead until Kidd went
to the line for the last time.
Phoenix pulled within 88-86 on a left-handed jumper in the lane
by Kidd with 3:42 left. But the Suns had only one field goal after
that, and Dee Brown hit a 3-pointer to give Toronto a five-point
lead with 1:56 left.
Carter hit a 17-footer 34 seconds later.
The Raptors started the fourth quarter down by three points, but
Willis had three straight baskets during a 13-2 run that carried
them to an 83-75 lead.
Willis also stopped a 7-1 surge by the Suns with a tough jumper
with 5:34 left, restoring an 82-86 lead for the Raptors.
Rodney Rogers had 10 of his 14 points in the second quarter,
helping the Suns stay within range.
The Raptors took their biggest lead of the game at 47-36 on a
three-point play by Davis with 4:26 left in the second quarter. But
Rogers had a layup and a 3-pointer during a 7-0 surge in the next
two minutes that tightened the game again.
Phoenix caught up in the third quarter, taking a 61-60 lead on
an 18-foot jumper by Gugliotta with 5:22 remaining in the period.
The lead changed hands twice before the Suns went up 73-70 starting
the third quarter.
"We had a sub-par third quarter. We should have been in better
position in the fourth quarter," coach Butch Carter said.
Game notes The Suns have not allowed a 100-point game by an opponent
in their last five games, or in any of their eight wins. ... Dell
Curry, the NBA's top 3-pointer shooter, broke a 7-for-7 streak when
he missed with 4:28 left in the second quarter. He was 1-for-3 from
long range in the game. ... It was only the seventh meeting between
the teams. The Suns are 5-2 in the series. ... The Suns' Gorilla
mascot broke and dislocated his right ankle when he landed
awkwardly after a trampoline-assisted dunk between the third and
fourth quarters. The team said he would have surgery Wednesday.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Toronto Clubhouse
Phoenix Clubhouse
RECAPS
Washington 89 Vancouver 87
Atlanta 113 Miami 106
Cleveland 103 Portland 100
Houston 119 Dallas 99
Phoenix 94 Toronto 93
LA Clippers 100 New York 95
Sacramento 105 New Jersey 92
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