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 The forward was 6-for-7 from 3-point range and scored a season-best
20 points as the Suns started a six-game trip with a 107-102 victory
Sunday over the Toronto Raptors.
The win ended a four-game losing streak by the Suns (8-9).
"The most important thing for a shooter I think is to get into a
rhythm and then just start knocking down shots," Teletovic said. "I
was moving, too, I tried to go behind my defenders' back so they
couldn't see me."
Teletovic, who did not play in the first quarter scored 14 points in
the second quarter and six in the fourth, said guards Eric Bledsoe
and Brandon Knight did a good job of finding him.
Bledsoe was particularly adept and had 11 assists as well as scoring
20 points, including some important free throws in the final two
minutes.
Guard DeMar DeRozan scored 29 points and had seven assists for the
Raptors (11-7), who had their four-game winning streak stopped.
"They came out knocking down 3s," DeRozan said. "If we could have
just cleaned up half of those 3-pointers and forced them to take
different shots, then we easily win this game."
While the Suns made 11 3-pointers in 27 attempts, Raptors coach
Dwane Casey blamed second-chance points. "They had 14 second-chance
points," Casey said. "In fact, we shot better from the 3 than they
did (12-for-29). Doing the dirty work, the gritty work are things
that we have to do."
Raptors guard Kyle Lowry, who had 17 points, hit three free throws
with 13.2 seconds to play to pull the Raptors to within two points.
With 12.3 seconds left, Bledsoe made of two free throws. The Raptors
could not make their shot at the other end with Bledsoe earning the
block on a 3-point attempt by forward Luis Scola, who had nine
points on the game.
"We were just scrambling," DeRozan said. "(Lowry) was looking for a
good shot to get off a 3. Scola got a shot off but he had it
blocked."
"They did a good job of switching and taking it out," Casey said.
"It was a busted play."
Bledsoe finished off the game with two free throws.
"We just happened to make the plays at the end to pull this one
out," Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said. "I think defensively we were
better. We have been giving up a lot of points. We had been scoring
a lot but had been giving up a lot and I thought our defensive
effort was better tonight."
Forward Jon Leuer and guard Brandon Knight each scored 16 points for
Phoenix and forward T.J. Warren added 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Forward Markieff Morris had seven points and eight rebounds.
"It starts with defense and coach Hornacek knows I can score,"
Warren said, "So it's just one of those things where I've got to go
out and play 100 percent on both ends of the floor."
Forward DeMarre Carrol added 20 points for Toronto.
"We used a lot of energy trying to get back into the game," Carroll
said. "We had some bonehead mistakes and I think we really lost that
game instead of them beating us."
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The Suns' reserves outscored the Raptors' reserves 51-25.
The Suns led 21-18 after the first quarter with Warren coming off
the bench to score six points. Morris had seven rebounds in the
first quarter for Phoenix.
Phoenix led by as many as 12 points in the second quarter and led
53-49 at the half.
The Suns pulled away by nine points on a 3-pointer by Knight with
2:56 to play in the third. Phoenix led 81-72 after three quarters.
Warren put the Suns into an 11-point lead to open the fourth.
The Raptors trimmed the lead to 89-84 with 8:08 remaining on a
3-pointer by forward Patrick Patterson.
A layup by guard Cory Joseph brought the Raptors to within three
points before Warren got the lead back up to five.
Joseph hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to two and, after a Phoenix
miss, DeRozan tied it at 95 with 4:03 left.
Tucker made one of two free throws with 3:12 to play to give the
Suns a one-point lead before DeRozan gave the Raptors a 97-96 lead
with a jumper.
Morris gave Phoenix the lead with 2:24 to play and converted the
ensuing free throw to make it 99-97.
Bledsoe made two free throws and the Suns led 101-97 with two
minutes to play.
After a Raptors turnover, Tucker gave the Suns a six-point lead.
NOTES: Phoenix C Tyson Chandler (strained right hamstring) did not
play Sunday. He was injured during the loss to the Golden State
Warriors on Friday. C Alex Len started in Chandler's place against
the Raptors. ...The Suns opened a six-game, nine-day trip against
the Raptors after opening their season with 10 of 16 games at home.
They had a record of 5-5 in those home games. ...The game Sunday
started a stretch of seven of eight at home through Dec. 13 for the
Raptors. After they visit the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, the
Raptors are home for six straight games. ...The Suns play their game
on Tuesday when they visit the Brooklyn Nets.
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