Raptors Keep Surging by Upsetting the 76ers

Vince Carter and Allen Iverson were equally spectacular. The difference was that Carter consistently put on a show, and Iverson could only do it in spurts.

Carter scored 35 points, including Toronto’s final four, as the Raptors stole home-court advantage from the 76ers with a 96-93 victory Sunday in Game 1 of their second-round series at Philadelphia.

“I can sense this team has grown up,” said Carter, whose team surprised New York in the first round. “In a crucial and intense situation like that, we’re able to run the plays instead of taking a wild shot. We’ve learned, I think.”

The 76ers trailed for the final 40 minutes but came close to forcing overtime. Inbounding from midcourt with 5.8 seconds left, Iverson broke for the backcourt and Philadelphia got the ball to Aaron McKie for an open three-point attempt that missed just before the final buzzer.

Iverson finished with 36 points, including a three-pointer with 7.8 seconds left that pulled the 76ers within one--the closest they had been since the first quarter.

Iverson said he was supposed to receive the final inbounds pass, but did not explain why he ran into the backcourt to receive it.

“We had about six options on that play. Aaron was the second option. Everyone on the bench was hoping we could get a shot like that,” 76er Coach Larry Brown said.

Carter, who tipped in his own missed shot with 12.8 seconds left to give the Raptors a four-point lead, made two free throws with 5.8 remaining for the final points.

Carter shot 13 for 29 from the field and had seven assists, while Iverson was 11 for 34 with eight rebounds, seven steals and four assists.

Iverson made three of his first four shots, then missed 11 of his next 13. He was four for eight in the third quarter and two for nine in the fourth.

A timekeeping error cost the 76ers eight seconds early in the fourth quarter.

On Philadelphia’s first possession of the quarter, Dikembe Mutombo scored on a layup and got fouled. The clock continued to run and was reset to 11:31 as Mutombo completed the three-point play.

The problem was Mutombo could not have made the shot 29 seconds into the fourth quarter or the 24-second shot clock would have expired because Philadelphia had not taken a shot after opening the quarter with possession.

Brown said he tried questioning the call, but nobody wanted to discuss it.

Milwaukee 104, Charlotte 92--Ray Allen celebrated his first NBC appearance in a Buck uniform by scoring 26 points at Milwaukee.

Nine of his points came in the fourth quarter, when the Bucks saw their 22-point third-quarter lead whittled to four.

The Bucks hadn’t been on NBC since Feb. 18, 1996, while Allen was still at Connecticut.

“I never care about being on TV because the game to me is the same,” he said. “But being on TV is respect.”

Sam Cassell added 20 points for the Bucks and Glenn Robinson had a career-high 11 assists.

Jamal Mashburn led Charlotte with 23 points, but his only basket of the fourth quarter came with 28 seconds left.

Game 2 is Tuesday night.

The Hornets, who beat the Bucks by double digits three times during the regular season, trailed by 15 at halftime and fell behind by as many as 22 before pulling within five entering the fourth quarter.

Dallas forward Juwan Howard was not suspended for the flagrant foul that may end San Antonio guard Derek Anderson’s season because of a separated right shoulder suffered as a result of it Saturday.

Dallas Coach Don Nelson, who asked the NBA to downgrade the foul from a flagrant 2 to a flagrant 1, said the league let the Game 1 call stand but did not suspend Howard. Anderson is expected to be sidelined three-to-six weeks.