TORONTO - Chris Bosh had 31 points and eight rebounds, and Andrea Bargnani poured in 13 of his 24 points in the third quarter as the Toronto Raptors routed the Sacramento Kings 113-97 Sunday evening.
The two starting big men had their way with a foul-ridden Kings frontcourt as the Raptors (18-28) won their second straight following a seven-game losing skid. The mini-hot streak couldn't have come at a better time for Toronto, with consecutive games against powerhouses Orlando, Cleveland, the L.A. Lakers and New Orleans looming in early February.
Jose Calderon had 16 points and eight assists in his second game back from a hamstring injury, while Anthony Parker and Jermaine O'Neal added 11 points apiece. O'Neal also had a game-high 10 rebounds.
John Salmons led the way with 21 points for the Kings (10-35), who have lost five in a row overall and are winless in 18 games against Eastern Conference opponents this season. Sunday's loss dropped Sacramento's road record to 3-20, second-worst in the NBA.
Francisco Garcia had 18 points and Brad Miller overcame foul trouble to add 15 in defeat.
While Bosh led the way with 17 points in the first half, it was Bargnani's big third quarter that helped the Raptors turn a modest three-point halftime lead into a 13-point advantage after three.
The seven-footer hit a three-pointer early in the quarter and followed with a nifty layup on a pick-and-roll to make it 72-62. He added six free throws in the quarter for good measure, and is now averaging 21.2 points in 15 games since returning to the starting lineup.
Kapono added a jumper to put the finishing touches on a 21-6 run, and Toronto led 87-74 entering the fourth quarter.
Bosh hit a 19-footer with 8:06 remaining in the fourth to give the Raptors a 96-78 advantage, and the lead remained at double digits the rest of the way.
Toronto shot 52.6 per cent for the game compared to 43.4 for Sacramento, and outrebounded the Kings 43-32.
Sacramento actually led 28-26 after a fast-paced first quarter that saw both teams shoot over 52 per cent.
The teams traded baskets until the Raptors went on an 8-0 run -- keyed by six points from Bosh -- to take a 24-18 lead. Consecutive three-pointers from Miller cut the lead to two, and Bobby Brown's three with just under a minute left put Sacramento out in front.
The Raptors finally regained the lead on a long Calderon jumper with four minutes left in the second, and his no-look dish to Jamario Moon for a three-pointer capped a 14-4 run that extended the advantage to 51-45. Bargnani added a three with 10.9 seconds left to give Toronto a 56-53 lead at the break.
Notes: Bargnani and Garcia had to be separated in the third quarter after Garcia shoved Bargnani following a hard foul near the Sacramento basket. Garcia was given a technical foul on the play. ... Calderon was perfect on three free throw attempts Sunday, extending his streak of consecutive makes to 86 -- the second-longest run in NBA history. Michael Williams made 97 in a row for the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1993. ... The Kings hit six three-pointers in the opening 12 minutes, one shy of their franchise record for threes in a quarter. ... Expect the Kings' road woes to continue for at least the next two games. Sacramento plays back-to-back games Tuesday and Wednesday in Cleveland and Boston, which have a combined home record of 41-2 this season.
