Raptor

Vince Carter is scoring less, which is a winning formula for the Toronto Raptors. Carter has scored more than 30 points only once in Toronto's last seven games, yet the Raptors have won five, including Wednesday night's 98-91 victory over the San Antonio Spurs at San Antonio. Carter has had help. Against the Spurs, all five Toronto starters scored in double figures, with Mark Jackson adding 23 points and Morris Peterson 15. Carter scored 27.

Toronto's Brendan Malone and New Jersey's Butch Beard were fired as coaches Monday, a day after the end of the NBA regular season. Malone, 54, was released because of differences with Raptor General Manager Isiah Thomas after coaching the first-year expansion team to a 21-61 record. "He was a tireless worker. . . . Everything that he did was about winning," Thomas said.

Nine points for the Boston Celtics and nine for the Toronto Raptors added up to the lowest-scoring third quarter in NBA history. "We didn't know it was that bad," said Toronto's Antonio Davis, who had 14 points and 12 rebounds as the Raptors defeated Boston, 93-72, Friday night at Boston. "All we know is that we won and that's really all that matters." The 18 third-quarter points also tied the record set by Syracuse and Fort Wayne on Nov. 29, 1956, for fewest combined points in any quarter.

Vince Carter usually shrugs off his heroics. On Friday night, however, he told the truth. Carter scored 42 points, including a three-point basket with 1.4 seconds left in overtime as the Toronto Raptors beat the Denver Nuggets, 98-96, at Toronto. "They are all special. I'm not going to lie to you," Carter said. "I had a game-winning three-pointer against Boston. That was one of my first. I had one against the Clippers, and they've all been the same way, all three-point shots."

Opting for strength and experience over athleticism and potential, the Denver Nuggets acquired center Kevin Willis in a six-player trade with the Toronto Raptors on Friday. Denver, seeking its first playoff appearance in six seasons, also received centers Aleksandar Radojevic and Garth Joseph and a second-round draft pick in either 2001 or 2002. Going to the Raptors were shooting guard Tracy Murray and centers Mamadou N'diaye and Keon Clark.

Trying to pick out the Clippers' most disappointing loss this season is easy when all factors surrounding the game are considered. That would be the Dec. 1 overtime loss at Toronto when the Clippers blew a nine-point lead in the final 1:22 of regulation. Playing without Vince Carter (quadriceps injury) and Charles Oakley (suspension), the Raptors sent the game into overtime on a buzzer-beating three-point basket by Alvin Williams at the end of regulation.

Vince Carter scored 39 points and the Toronto Raptors broke their own NBA mark with 24 blocked shots in a 109-92 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night at Toronto. Hakeem Olajuwon led Toronto with nine blocks. The Raptors had 23 blocks against Atlanta on March 23, 2001. "I know for sure that Hakeem didn't have nine," said Golden State's Antawn Jamison, questioning the statistics. "He can't even get up now." Golden State Coach Dave Cowens blamed an overgenerous stat keeper.

Sam Cassell couldn't pull off what Joe Namath and Mark Messier did. Cassell guaranteed Tuesday that his Milwaukee Bucks would beat the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday and clinch an Eastern Conference playoff spot. Instead, the Bucks failed miserably, losing, 123-89, and were eliminated from the NBA playoff race after the Toronto Raptors, winning 12 of their final 14 games without the injured Vince Carter, and the Indiana Pacers clinched the final playoff berths with victories.

Somehow, the Toronto Raptors look unbeatable even without Vince Carter. Alvin Williams scored 26 points, and Antonio Davis had 21 as the surging Raptors moved into playoff position with a 94-84 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday at Toronto. The Raptors, on a remarkable roll since losing Carter to a season-ending knee injury, set a franchise record with their eighth consecutive victory after losing 17 of 18. "This is amazing," said Davis, who also grabbed 10 rebounds.

Louis Bullock scored a game-high 27 points to help Real Madrid rally for a 104-103 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday in an exhibition game at Madrid. Bullock made four free throws in the final nine seconds. Charles Smith, a former player with the Miami Heat and Clippers, finished with 18 points. The Raptors completed their European tour with a 1-2 record.