Wattiors

Bosh set to return as Raptors host Knicks

Basketball Betting Lines

03/05/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Toronto Raptors are currently mired in one of their worst losing spells of the season, but relief finally appears to be on the way.

With Chris Bosh expected to return to the lineup, the slumping Raptors will try to remain undefeated against the New York Knicks this season when the two Atlantic Division foes square off tonight at the Air Canada Centre.

Bosh has sat out Toronto's last six contests with a sprained left ankle suffered in an overtime loss to Memphis on February 17. The Raptors were able to beat doormats New Jersey and Washington in their first two outings without their All-Star forward, but have since lost four straight games and been held under 100 points in three of those tilts.

Prior to an 101-87 home setback to Portland on February 24, Toronto had eclipsed the century mark in a franchise-record 20 consecutive games.

The Raptors struggled on the offensive end once again in Monday's 116-92 defeat at Houston, shooting a mediocre 44.2 percent from the floor and falling behind by 32 points at the end of three quarters.

"I think we have to look back (to) what we used to be successful (at) and do it again," said Toronto's Hedo Turkoglu after the game. "Hopefully we'll limit some mistakes."

Having Bosh, who had averaged 29.2 points and 11.4 rebounds in five February games prior to getting hurt, should certainly help the Raptors. So could a matchup with the Knicks, who have lost twice to Toronto at Madison Square Garden earlier this season and are 3-13 over their last 16 overall games.

New York does enter tonight's clash on a positive note, though, after coming through with a lopsided home victory over Detroit on Wednesday. Al Harrington made six three-point field goals and finished with 26 points to pace the Knicks' 128-104 rout, while Bill Walker added a career-best 22 points in his first start as a member of the team.

Tracy McGrady and Eddie House, two players the Knicks acquired just prior to the February 18 trade deadline, also made strong contributions to Wednesday's win. McGrady ended with 21 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, while House poured in 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting off the bench.

Walker, who came over with House from Boston in the deal that sent guard Nate Robinson to the Celtics, started in place of Wilson Chandler, who missed a second straight game due to a personal matter but is expected to be available for tonight's test.

On the Toronto side, Turkoglu sat out the second half of Wednesday's loss with a mild ankle sprain but is slated to play tonight. Point guard Jose Calderon, who was inactive for the Houston game with a lacerated elbow, appears ready to return as well.

The Raptors have won four of the last five overall meetings in this series, as well as nine of their past 10 encounters with the Knicks held at the Air Canada Centre. New York did prevail in its most recent trip to Toronto, however, earning a 112-103 win there on April 5 of last season.