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Raptors edges Rockets for first win streak since April

Updated: 2012-12-17 10:51
( Agencies)

TORONTO - The injury-depleted Toronto Raptors won consecutive games for the first time in eight months with a 103-96 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday.

Raptors edges Rockets for first win streak since April

Toronto Raptors guard Jose Calderon (C) reacts in front of teammates Amir Johnson (L) and John Lucas III after drawing a penalty to the Houston Rockets during the second half of their NBA basketball game in Toronto, on Dec 16, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

Alan Anderson scored a team-high 24 points while DeMar DeRozan added 19 to lead a spirited Toronto effort that handed the Rockets a seventh straight road loss.

"We've been working so hard, we've been practicing so hard and we were staying together and trying to do a lot of things," Raptors guard Jose Calderon, who had 18 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds for a triple-double, told reporters.

"I know it's been a tough time and we couldn't turn that into a win (earlier) but it feels great."

Playing without injured Andrea Bargnani and Kyle Lowry, two of the Raptors' top three scorers, Toronto built an early 12-point lead and held off a late Houston charge for its first win streak since April of the 2011-12 season.

Houston pulled to within two points twice during the final minute but Anderson helped put the game out of reach with a reverse layup with 11 seconds left in regulation.

James Harden had a game-high 28 points for the Rockets, who were unable to bust out of their longest road-losing streak since dropping eight in a row in 2001.

For Toronto (6-19), the win avenged last month's 117-101 road loss at Houston (11-12), which came during a dismal run that saw the Raptors loss 12 of 13 games.

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