| 22 | 17 | 32 | 20 | |
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Recap: Toronto vs. Cleveland
By Sports Network
Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Andrea Bargnani scored a game-high 28 points and Chris Bosh contributed 21 points and 16 rebounds, as the Toronto Raptors began their season with a 101-91 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Hedo Turkoglu, brought in during the offseason, notched 12 points and seven rebounds in his debut with the Raptors, who stumbled to a 33-49 record last year and a fourth-place finish in the Atlantic Division.
Marco Belinelli came off the bench and scored 10 for Toronto, helping snap a five-game losing streak to the defending Central Division champs.
LeBron James notched his 25th career triple-double with 23 points, 12 assists and 11 boards for Cleveland, which also dropped a 95-89 decision to the Celtics in its season-opener on Tuesday.
Mo Williams ended with 16 points, and Shaquille O'Neal recorded 12 points and seven boards for the Cavs, who shot 34.9 percent from the floor.
A small lineup sparked the Cavs after a lifeless first half. Williams capped a 13-2 spurt with a three-pointer and a running layup, the latter coming with just under five minutes left to cut Cleveland's deficit to 67-62.
The visitors pulled even several minutes later, but Toronto scored the final five of the frame with Turkoglu's layup making it 78-71.
The hosts fed off the Air Canada Centre crowd in the fourth. Bargnani hit an early three and Bosh's layup made it 87-74 with under nine minutes remaining.
The margin stayed in double digits until James hit a free throw and one from behind the arc to get within 96-90 with 1:37 to play.
Jarrett Jack hit 1-of-2 from the free throw line for Toronto, and James missed a big three and the Cavs couldn't pull off the comeback.
Bargnani scored 13 of his 21 first-half points in the opening stanza to pace Toronto to a 27-22 lead after 12 minutes.
The Raptors embarked on a 16-2 run late in the second to further their lead. James hit a free throw and a layup in the final minute of the half, but the Cavs were still staring at a 57-39 deficit at the break.
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