Bosh, Raptors Beat Nets To Even Series

Tuesday, April 24th 2007, 10:16 pm

By: News On 6

TORONTO (AP) _ The Toronto Raptors made Sam Mitchell a winner twice on Tuesday. Anthony Parker scored 26 points, Chris Bosh added 25 points and 13 rebounds, and the Raptors beat the New Jersey Nets 89-83 to even their first-round series at a game apiece.

New Jersey's Bostjan Nachbar missed a 3-pointer from the corner that would have tied the game with 8 seconds to play. Game 3 is Friday night in New Jersey.

Toronto got its first playoff victory since a 94-84 home win over Detroit on April 27, 2002. It came hours after Mitchell was honored as the NBA's coach of the year after leading the Raptors to a 20-win improvement and their first Atlantic Division title.

T.J. Ford scored 13 points for the Raptors, including four key free throws in the final minute. Parker also made three free throws in the final 8 seconds.

``We need Anthony Parker to continue to play like that,'' Mitchell said. ``He was just unbelievable tonight.''

Vince Carter had 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Nets, who also got 14 points and 11 boards from Jason Kidd. Nachbar finished with 17 points for the Nets.

Richard Jefferson, whose 28-point performance led the Nets to victory in Game 1, was held scoreless in the first half and finished with 13 points.

The Nets led 63-60 to begin the fourth, but a three-point play by Bosh tied the score at 63 with 11 minutes left. Bosh scored 11 points in the quarter.

``In that fourth quarter, when we needed him, he stepped up,'' Mitchell said.

Neither team was able to build a lead of more than three points until a 3-pointer by Kidd put the Nets up 78-74 with 3:43 remaining. But two free throws from Bosh and a 3-pointer by Ford put Toronto back in front.

The Nets took their final lead of the game when Jefferson hit a 3-pointer with 46 seconds to play.

Ford put Toronto ahead 84-83 with a pair of free throws before Jefferson missed a 3. Ford then made two more free throws before Nachbar missed. Parker sealed the win with three more free throws.

Parker provided the highlight moment of a sloppy opening quarter, stealing the ball from Carter with less than 5 seconds to play and racing upcourt to hit a 3-pointer that gave the Raptors a 14-12 lead. Parker scored eight points in the opening 12 minutes.