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NEW ORLEANS -- A team-high 21 points and 18 assists is a good night at any level, but last night those numbers belonging to New Orleans' Chris Paul were actually good for the visiting Raptors.
Paul, who came in averaging 30 points and just over eight assists a game, came out firing last night and appeared to be on his way to another top effort when he took a 17-point, 10-assist line to the locker room at halftime.
But some key adjustments by the Raptors saw the visitors hold Paul scoreless for the third quarter and limit him to just three assists as they took over the game.
Ask Raptors head coach Jay Triano and it took a consummate team effort to pull it off.
"We showed him as many bodies as we could," Triano said. "I thought Jose (Calderon) and Jarrett (Jack) did a great job of sharing and taking turns of staying in front of him and making him work for everything he got. He still had great numbers but we wanted to wear him down and make him work." Antoine Wright, who is becoming the defensive conscience of this Raptors club, loved every minute of it, particularly the third quarter.
"It felt good and it normally does when guys are all on the same page," Wright said of the third frame during which the Raptors outscored their opponents 34-14.
"We blocked guys out and got the rebound and that's what we have been struggling with ... finishing the possession," Wright said.
mike.ganter@sunmedia.ca
