76ers Run Into Roadblock at Toronto

The Philadelphia 76ers’ road winning streak is over, and the Toronto Raptors didn’t even need Vince Carter to end it.

Carter played less than four minutes before aggravating a knee injury, but Morris Peterson matched a career high with 22 points Tuesday night as the Raptors stopped Philadelphia’s road winning streak at 13 games with a 96-89 victory at Toronto.

“We recognized our best player was gone, but we stepped up,� Peterson said. “It was a big win. Philly’s streak was almost unheard of.�

The 76ers had not lost on the road since Dec. 5 against the Lakers at Staples Center.

“I’m just happy I got a chance to contribute to something like this,� said 76er guard Allen Iverson, who scored 38 points. “It’s definitely something I’m going to cherish for the rest of my life. They played a great game because they didn’t have their man.�

Dell Curry scored 17 points, Alvin Williams had 16, Mark Jackson 15 and Antonio Davis 11 for the Raptors, who also defeated the 76ers at Philadelphia on Jan. 21.

“I was surprised by the way Toronto played--especially when Vince Carter went down,� the 76ers’ Tyrone Hill said.

Carter, the leading vote-getter for the All-Star game for the second consecutive year, has been bothered by “jumper’s knee� since November. Just before the game, Carter said he couldn’t push off on it.

Carter started but left with 8:22 to play in the first quarter. He will undergo tests today and won’t travel with the team to Atlanta.

“My knee has uncomfortable pain right know whenever I drive or move to the basket,� Carter said. “We’ll see what the problem is.�

Carter first injured the knee during a Nov. 26 game against the Chicago Bulls, landing awkwardly after a fadeaway jumper. He sat out the Raptors’ next five games.

Orlando 93, Indiana 86--Darrell Armstrong had 23 points to pace three starters in double figures at Orlando, Fla., and the Magic ended a two-game losing streak.

John Amaechi had 16 points and seven rebounds and Tracy McGrady had 19 points. Armstrong added nine assists and seven rebounds. Orlando also got a boost from reserve Michael Doleac, who had eight points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots.

Miami 103, Houston 85--Anthony Mason scored 13 of his 19 points in the second half and had a game-high 15 rebounds at Houston to lead the Heat to its fifth consecutive victory.

Anthony Carter scored 16 points, Tim Hardaway 15, Eddie Jones 14, Brian Grant 12, Bruce Bowen 11 and Eddie House 10 as the Heat won for the seventh time in eight games.

Portland 92, Chicago 81--Arvydas Sabonis scored 16 of his season-high 23 points in the fourth quarter at Portland, Ore., as the Trail Blazers extended the Bulls’ losing streak to 12 games.

Ron Mercer scored 22 points despite flu, and Elton Brand had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Bulls, who started a five-game trip by falling to 2-21 on the road.

They led by eight points in the third quarter, but let it slip away.

The Bulls are within one defeat of tying the franchise record for consecutive losses, set in 1976.

Still, Portland Coach Mike Dunleavy was in no mood to celebrate.

“We’ve got to do a much better job as a team, or we will get knocked out of the first round of the playoffs,� he said. “If you are a good team and expect to win a championship, you need to lock down every single night.�

Utah 102, Seattle 88--Karl Malone scored 25 points at Seattle to pass the 32,000-point plateau as the Jazz ended the SuperSonics’ five-game winning streak.

Malone, the No. 2 scorer in NBA history, pushed his all-time total to 32,022 points. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the league’s all-time leader with 38,387.

“It’s great, but I’ve played a long time and it’s tough right now because I’m still playing,� Malone said.

Malone made six of 11 shots and all 13 of his free throws.

Sacramento 105, Golden State 79--Chris Webber had 28 points, 12 rebounds and four steals to lead the Kings at Sacramento.

It was the third consecutive victory for the Kings, whose 30-12 record is the best in the Western Conference. The Kings are an NBA-best 19-4 at home and are 3-0 against the Warriors this season.

Golden State, which has lost 14 of 15 games at Arco Arena, has dropped three in a row and 10 of 13.