Raptors Find Nets Easy Prey

The Toronto Raptors finally found a team they could beat on the road: the struggling, feuding New Jersey Nets, who happened to be without Jason Kidd.

Morris Peterson’s free throw with 0.8 seconds left gave the Raptors a 81-80 victory over the Nets on Saturday in East Rutherford, N.J.

After squandering a 20-point second-half lead to win, the Raptors improved to 1-5 away from home.

“I think everybody was making a big deal of it,” said Vince Carter, who had 21 points and nine assists. “It was a great win, more than anything.”

The Raptors and Chicago Bulls have been in trade talks involving Toronto players Peterson, Jerome Williams, Alvin Williams and Antonio Davis.

Carter hasn’t been part of any such rumors, and he beat Kenyon Martin on a jump ball with 3.1 seconds to play that led to Peterson’s free throw.

“We made more mistakes out there than they did,” said Alonzo Mourning, who scored a season-high 15 points just two days after a shouting match with Martin at practice.

Kidd sat out the game with a sore left knee and watched the two-time defending Eastern Conference champions lose for the seventh time in 12 games.

Atlanta 92, Cleveland 83 -- Shareef Abdur-Rahim scored 26 points, the Hawks held LeBron James to 3-for-16 shooting and the Cavaliers lost their 29th straight game on the road.

James, who finished with 15 points after hitting nine of 10 free throws, was one for 12 from the floor after his six-foot leaner bounced hard off the backboard with Atlanta leading 73-66 early in the fourth quarter.

The No. 1 overall draft pick drove the baseline late in the third before Jason Terry knocked his feet out from under him and James hit the floor hard. Terry was called for a flagrant foul, but James remained in the game and hit both free throws.

New York 99, Philadelphia 88 -- Shandon Anderson replaced the injured Allan Houston in the starting lineup and scored 20 points for the Knicks at New York.

Anderson reached 20 points for only the fourth time in his three seasons with the Knicks, providing a much-needed offensive boost on a night when Keith Van Horn also sat out because of an injury.

Dallas 115, Denver 101 -- Antoine Walker scored seven of his season-high 25 points during a decisive third-quarter run and the Mavericks overcame a sluggish start at Dallas.

Antawn Jamison had a season-best 26 points, and Steve Nash added 18 points for the Mavericks. Dirk Nowitzki recovered from a three-point first half to score 19 points and 11 rebounds to help the Mavericks win their third straight game.

Phoenix 100, Miami 98 -- Amare Stoudemire scored 24 points and Joe Johnson hit three key three-pointers to lead the Suns at Phoenix.

It was the Suns’ third consecutive win and the first time this season they scored 100 points after setting a franchise record by going their first 11 games without reaching triple-digits in points.