Raptor First Means an Early Knick Exit

Vince Carter wore a smile of vindication, pride and satisfaction. Latrell Sprewell spoke angrily, like a man who had been abandoned by his teammates.

The Toronto Raptors won their first playoff series and sent the New York Knicks to first-round elimination for the first time in a decade with a 93-89 victory Friday.

“The monkey is off our back. We’re moving on to bigger and better things,” Carter said. “We saw this as a good opportunity to make a name for this franchise.”

Indeed they did, and a big reason why was because of the way Carter validated himself as a superstar. Playing with poise and scoring 27 points, Carter helped the Raptors maintain their composure down the stretch to hold off New York’s comeback from a 12-point deficit.

Carter and the Raptors took control in the third quarter and held off the undersized, foul-plagued, mistake-prone Knicks in the fifth and deciding game of their first-round series to send New York to its earliest playoff exit since 1991.

Alvin Williams added 18 points, Antonio Davis had 14, Charles Oakley 12 and Chris Childs 10.

Sprewell scored 29 points for the Knicks, who missed every shot they needed late.

“It was on my shoulders. “I left it all out there on the floor and I’m exhausted right now,” Sprewell said. “I don’t know if everybody left it all out on the floor.”

Allan Houston added 16 points and Marcus Camby made five of seven shots and had 11 points and eight rebounds in 35 minutes before fouling out with 6:15 left. Glen Rice made only two of 10 shots, missing all four of his fourth-quarter shots.