Anderson leads Raptors to victory over Bobcats

[January 12, 2013]  TORONTO (AP) -- Alan Anderson scored 16 points against his former team, Jose Calderon had 15 and the Toronto Raptors won for the 10th time in 13 games Friday night, beating the Charlotte Bobcats 99-78.

Amir Johnson had 13 points and eight rebounds while Ed Davis had 12 points and eight boards for the Raptors, who led by as many as 24.

Anderson had four of Toronto's 12 3-pointers, while Calderon and Kyle Lowry each made three.

Toronto has not trailed in each of its past three victories, including home wins over Portland on Jan. 2 and Philadelphia on Jan. 9.

Starting for the second straight game, Toronto's Landry Fields matched his season high with 11 rebounds.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kemba Walker and Ben Gordon each scored 12 points as Charlotte's modest streak of two straight road victories came to an end.

Ramon Sessions scored 11 for the Bobcats, and rookie Jeff Taylor had 10.

Charlotte came in having won 10 of their past 13 meetings with the Raptors, including three of the past four in Toronto, but were never in this one, trailing by double digits from the midpoint of the first quarter onward.

The Bobcats missed seven of their first eight shots and, for the second straight game, never held a lead. Charlotte also trailed throughout in Wednesday's home loss to Utah.

Calderon scored 10 points in the opening quarter, including a pair of 3-pointers, as the Raptors surged out to a 29-16 lead after one.

Kidd-Gilchrist and Walker combined for seven of Charlotte's nine free throws in the second quarter, but Toronto used seven points from rookie Terrence Ross to take a 53-39 lead at the half.

Anderson scored eight points in the third and Davis had six as the Raptors took a commanding 76-58 lead into the fourth.

NOTES: Toronto made a season-high 15 3-pointers in a 123-88 win at Orlando on Dec. 29. ... Anderson played for the Bobcats in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons, appearing in 53 games. ... Ross returned after missing Wednesday's win over Philadelphia with a sore left ankle. ... The Raptors conclude a season-long six-game homestand on Sunday when they host Milwaukee.

[Associated Press; By IAN HARRISON]

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