Carter Scores 50 in a Rout of 76ers

Vince Carter made his first eight three-point shots and finished with 50 points Friday night as the Toronto Raptors defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 102-78, for a two-games-to-one lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal.

“If he’s that type of player that can turn it off and on like that, I’m scared to see what he’ll do the next game,” said the 76ers’ Allen Iverson, who could only watch in amazement as Carter put on a show.

With everyone wondering what Iverson would come up with after his scintillating 54-point outburst in Game 2, they should have been more concerned with how Carter would respond.

The third-year forward had what was by far the best playoff game of his career as he became the 16th NBA player to score 50 points in a postseason game.

“I don’t know. Three-point shooter doesn’t sound right yet. I’m still working on that one,” said Carter, who has maintained for more than a year that he wants to be known as more than a dunker. “I still want to be an all-around player, not just get to the hole and dunk the basketball, not just pass, not just shoot, not just penetrate, but do it all at one time.”

Carter reached 50 points with 2:58 left, throwing down his signature shot--a dunk--to give Toronto a 22-point lead. He left the court to a huge ovation moments later, giving Coach Lenny Wilkens a slap on the hand and then pumping his fist to the crowd.

Carter, who finished a point shy of his career high, tried to figure out whether he had ever had a game quite like this one.

“Not in college,” he said. “In high school I think I had 47, so it was a great thing to be in the zone like that. All the right things were happening at the same time.”

He finished with nine three-point baskets, tying the postseason record set by Rex Chapman of Phoenix in 1997, and his eight three-point baskets in the first two quarters broke the record of six in a half shared by several players.

Carter made his first eight three-point attempts before pulling up and missing from 26 feet with about four minutes remaining in the second quarter. Carter had 34 points at halftime, five short of the NBA record for points in a half set by Sleepy Floyd of Golden State in 1987.

Antonio Davis added 20 points and 14 rebounds, dominating his matchup with the 76ers’ Dikembe Mutombo.

Iverson led Philadelphia with 23 points, making only seven of 22 shots from the field. Aaron McKie added 17 points.