Raptors Win Home Opener, Stay Perfect With OT Win Over Warriors

Home openers continue to bring out the best in the Toronto Raptors.

Chris Bosh had 31 points and nine rebounds as the Raptors earned a thrilling 112-108 overtime victory over the Golden State Warriors in their Air Canada Centre kickoff Friday night.

Toronto (2-0) capitalized on a litany of errors by the Warriors (0-2) in the extra period as they improved to 7-1 in their last eight home curtain-raisers. Anthony Parker had 23 points and also had two key steals in overtime, while Andrea Bargnani had his second strong game in a row, scoring 19 points off the bench.

Al Harrington led the way with 26 points and 11 rebounds for Golden State, while Stephen Jackson added 19 and Andris Biedrins 17 to go along with a game-high 13 rebounds.

Tied 96-96 after regulation, The Raptors showed more energy in overtime, scoring the first eight points. Calderon hit a driving layup and two free throws, Bosh made a 17-footer while falling to the floor and Bargnani converted a short jumper from the key as Toronto opened up its largest lead since the first half.

At the other end, the Warriors couldn’t do a thing for the majority of the OT — they turned the ball over twice, and their shot selection included an airball, a missed alley-oop and a dart that clanked off the side of the rim.

Calderon — who finished with 16 points and 13 assists — and Parker combined to make six free throws in the final minute to close things out.

Following a tight third quarter in which the teams were no more than three points apart, the Raptors carried a 74-73 lead into the fourth. The Warriors took control early in the quarter, with Maggette scoring six points during an 8-3 run that put Golden State up by four.

As they had all game long, the Raptors stayed close. Trailing 90-85, Bargnani buried a three-pointer with 3:52 left to cut the lead to two. After Jackson answered with a three of his own, Calderon made a long jumper and Bargnani blocked Maggette’s layup attempt at the other end.

Trailing 93-92, Bosh gave the Raptors the lead on a driving dunk with 29.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Jermaine O’Neal followed with a poster-calibre block on Warriors star Corey Maggette, but the ball bounded right to Jackson, who calmly stroked a three.

Bosh hit a pair of free throws to tie the game 96-96 with 14.5 seconds remaining. Maggette turned the ball over on a driving layup attempt — giving Toronto possession with seven-tenths of a second left — but Parker’s three-point attempt at the buzzer rimmed out.

The sell-out crowd of 19,800 showed its festive side Friday, with Halloween costumes nearly outnumbering Raptors jerseys. While most settled for wigs or painted faces, one creative fan trumped them all by showing up dressed as former World Wrestling Entertainment oddball Golddust.

Even the Raptors mascot got into the act, toting a lime-green shag suit complete with dollar-sign necklace and cane.

Toronto began the game by spreading the scoring around, opening with baskets from each member of the starting five. Bosh led the way with nine first-quarter points while Parker added eight — including back-to-back three-pointers that fuelled an 11-0 run — as the Raptors enjoyed a 28-22 lead through the opening 12 minutes.

Toronto ratcheded up the intensity early in the second. Brandan Wright went to the hoop for a dunk and was blocked emphatically by O’Neal, falling to the court as the new Raptors centre wagged his finger in his direction. Bargnani promptly went back down the court and converted a dunk of his own.

A Jason Kapono three-pointer and O’Neal finger roll on a Calderon pass gave Toronto its biggest lead of the game at 45-33. The Warriors followed with a 15-2 run, taking a 48-47 lead on Jackson’s three-pointer with 1:20 left.

Toronto closed strong, and a pair of Calderon free throws in the final seconds gave the Raptors a 51-50 advantage at the half.