Toronto Raptors Team Report - December 21

(Basketball News) - The Toronto Raptors found themselves on the wrong end of a 114-102 decision against the Houston Rockets on Monday at the Toyota Center.

Chris Bosh led seven Raptor players in double-figures with 16 points, while Donyell Marshall compiled 15 points and 12 rebounds for Toronto, which fell to 1-1 in the post-Vince Carter era and is just 2-14 on the road this season.

Toronto missed seven of its first eight shots and quickly fell behind 12-3 after the first five minutes of play. The Rockets maintained a nine-point lead until Morris Peterson’s three-pointer started an 8-2 Raptors run which pulled the visitors to within 20-17 at the 2:26 mark of the opening period.

Milt Palacio began the fourth with a jumper and hit one of two free throws on the Raptors’ ensuing possession to cut Houston’s edge to 80-76. Toronto trailed by five points, 92-87, with seven minutes to go, but Yao Ming put together a three-point play and Maurice Taylor followed with a layup to lengthen the margin to 10.

Yao scored 12 points in the final four-plus minutes to thwart any comeback hopes.

Toronto returns to the court on Wednesday when they host the Utah Jazz.