Box Score

 

TORONTO (89)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
M Peterson          36   2-7   0-0   0-4   1   3    5
J Williams          35  4-10   0-0   3-7   2   5    8
A Davis             41  5-14   1-2   1-5   5   4   11
V Carter            37 10-17   4-4   1-3   3   3   24
A Williams          29   4-7   3-4   0-2   4   1   11
R Alston            17   3-5   3-6   2-2   3   3   10
M Bradley           20   3-7   0-1   4-7   1   3    6
V Lenard            25  5-15   2-2   0-4   0   1   14
L Hunter           DNP  - SORE LOWER BACK                                
J McCoy            DNP  - SPRAINED LEFT ANKLE                            
M N'diaye          DNP  - STRESS FRACTURE                                
M Baston           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
C Jefferies        DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 36-82 13-19 11-34  19  23   89
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.439, FT-.684. 3-Point Goals:
4-11, .364 (M Peterson 1-3, R Alston 1-2, V 
Lenard 2-6). Team Rebounds: 10. Blocked 
Shots:5 (A Davis 3, R Alston, M Peterson). 
Turnovers:11 (A Williams 3, A Davis 2, V 
Carter 2, M Peterson 2, R Alston, M Bradley).
Steals: 11 (V Carter 6, R Alston 2, A Davis, 
J Williams, A Williams).


WASHINGTON (86)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
J Stackhouse        43  8-22   5-6   1-2   3   1   21
C Laettner          31   3-8   6-6  4-12   3   3   12
B Haywood           37   2-7   6-7   1-5   1   2   10
M Jordan            15   2-5   0-0   1-3   2   1    4
J Dixon             18   0-5   4-4   0-1   1   4    4
K Brown             24   4-5   4-6   3-8   1   0   12
L Hughes            37  7-11   1-1   1-6   4   2   15
B Russell           21   4-7   0-0   1-5   0   2    8
C Oakley             4   0-0   0-0   0-1   0   1    0
A Goldwire           4   0-0   0-0   0-0   0   0    0
B Simmons            6   0-2   0-0   0-0   1   1    0
J White            DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 30-72 26-30 12-43  16  17   86
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.417, FT-.867. 3-Point Goals:
0-11, .000 (J Stackhouse 0-4, J Dixon 0-2, L 
Hughes 0-1, B Russell 0-3, B Simmons 0-1). 
Team Rebounds: 11. Blocked Shots:6 (B Haywood
2, C Oakley, C Laettner, K Brown, B Simmons).
Turnovers:18 (J Stackhouse 4, M Jordan 3, J 
Dixon 3, L Hughes 2, B Haywood 2, B Russell, 
A Goldwire, K Brown, C Laettner). Steals: 7 
(B Russell 2, L Hughes 2, J Stackhouse, J 
Dixon, C Laettner).

-------------------------------------------
TORONTO              24  20  21  24   -  89
WASHINGTON           25  23  16  22   -  86
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: None.
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 20,173. T: 2:10.

Game Story

WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- Voshon Lenard scored all 14 of his 
points in the fourth quarter, including a pair of key 3-pointers
in the final four minutes, as the Toronto Raptors edged the
Washington Wizards, 89-86.

The Wizards played the entire second half without Michael
Jordan, their 40-year-old superstar who hobbled into the locker
room with back spasms midway through the second quarter and did
not return.

"I had no idea that he was hurt, to tell you the truth, I found
out in the second half," Carter said.  "We were just trying to
play our game, regardless."

Jordan did not speak with reporters after the game.  The team
announced his status was day-to-day.

Lenard caught fire after missing all six shots in the first
three quarters. With 4:03 left, he sank a 3-pointer that gave
the Raptors the lead for good at 83-80.  Thirty seconds later,
he drained another shot from the arc.

"It's all about having confidence in yourself, but it all starts
with your coach and your teammates having confidence in you,"
Lenard said.

Carter's bucket with 1:52 to go put Toronto ahead, 87-80.

The Wizards clawed their way back, pulling within 87-86 on two
free throws by Christian Laettner with 50 seconds left.  But
Carter sank two foul shots with 14 seconds to go, then stole the
inbounds pass with eight seconds left to seal the win.

Carter finished with 24 points and career high-tying six steals
for the Raptors, who improved to just 7-21 on the road.

"Six steals?  That's what I'm saying, I'm just trying to do it
all," Carter said.  "This was a fun game to be a part of, more
than anything.  As a player, you live for these moments."

Jerry Stackhouse scored 21 points for Washington, which was
fighting to retain a share of the eighth and final playoff spot
in the Eastern Conference.

"It was a disappointing game for us," admitted Stackhouse.  "We
had opportunities tonight."

The teams were separated by no more than six points the entire
second half.

After Stackhouse's bucket with 8:45 to play gave the Wizards a
72-66 lead, Lenard ignited a 7-1 spurt with a 15-footer.  A free
throw by Toronto's Alvin Williams evened the game at 73-73 with
6:20 to play.

Stackhouse sank a free throw, but Lenard countered with two foul
shots to give Toronto a one-point edge.  The free throws were
the first two of 10 straight Raptors points scored by Lenard.

"We couldn't get (Lenard) stopped," said Washington coach Doug
Collins. "We looked at him on tape, and we knew that when he
comes in that he's not passing.  He took 15 shots in 25 minutes.
We knew that he wasn't going to pass, but we couldn't get him
stopped."

Antonio Davis had 11 points and six rebounds and Williams scored
six points for the Raptors, who shot 44 percent (36-of-82) in
completing their second win of the season at the MCI Center.

Jordan, who averaged 25.6 points per game in his five prior
contests, left with four points on 2-of-5 shooting.

"Michael wants to play every game as if it's his last, and
that's the way we're going to do it," Collins said.  "If we're
in a game and we have a chance to win and I tell Michael I'm
going to sit him down for a few minutes to rest, I'm going to
get lasered."

Larry Hughes returned from a sprained ankle to score 15 points
and Kwame Brown and Laettner each netted 11 for Washington,
which shot 42 percent (32-of-72) from the floor and missed all
11 3-point attempts.