Published November 25, 2009 12:23 am - The Raptors didn't need a big game from Chris Bosh to beat the struggling Pacers. Another lackluster effort by Indiana made it easy work.
Bosh, Calderon lead way as Raptors beat Pacers
The Associated Press
TORONTO
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The Raptors didn't need a big game from Chris Bosh to beat the struggling Pacers. Another lackluster effort by Indiana made it easy work.
Chris Bosh had 16 points and 12 rebounds, Jose Calderon scored a season-high 21 points and Toronto handed the Pacers their fourth straight loss, 123-112 on Tuesday night.
"This was an unacceptable performance for us," Indiana center Troy Murphy said. "We have aspirations of making the playoffs and this is definitely not getting us going in the right direction. We have to come out and play a lot better."
Still angry at his team's showing in Sunday's double-digit loss at Charlotte, Pacers coach Jim O'Brien was even more livid after the Pacers allowed 74 first-half points in this one.
"I'm very disappointed," O'Brien said. "I thought we were horrible at Charlotte and I think the first half here was just like Charlotte. We just did not play with any defensive force and, as a result, we got pounded."
Bosh made only five of 19 shots but still got his 12th double-double in 15 games.
"I don't consider this a bad game," Bosh said. "If we had lost it would have been a bad game."
With the rest of the team combining to shoot 66 percent (38 for 58), Bosh's line was an afterthought.
"Everybody else was scoring so it doesn't matter," Calderon said. "We're as happy as if he got 30 points."
Jarrett Jack scored 18 against his former team and Andrea Bargnani and Hedo Turkoglu each had 14 for the Raptors, who won for just the second time in six games.
Jack has reached double figures twice in his past three games after failing to do so in any of his first 12 after joining Toronto this summer.
"He's different right now," Raptors coach Jay Triano said. "He's lighter off the floor. He's just playing with a lot of confidence."
Indiana's Danny Granger recovered from a poor first half to finish with a season-high 36, including seven 3-pointers, and nine rebounds. Former Raptor T.J. Ford scored 16.
"I really don't know what to tell you," Granger said. "We emphasize what we want to do and sometimes we do it and sometimes we don't. We didn't do it tonight."
Murphy and Brandon Rush each scored 11 for the Pacers, who have allowed four straight opponents to top 100 points. Indiana hosts the Clippers on Wednesday night, leaving little time to sort things out.