The Associated Press
Jodie Valade
CHARLOTTE, N.C.–Before the season even began, C.J. Miles admitted he and his teammates boasted about just how good his Toronto Raptors’ bench might be.
“We’ve been saying we’re the best bench in the league since Day One,” he noted.
“And if it wasn’t true then, it’s got to be true now.”
Miles led the charge of Toronto reserves yesterday as he scored 24 points, while starter DeMar DeRozan had 25 points and eight assists, as the Raptors routed the Charlotte Hornets 123-103.
Six players scored in double figures for the Raptors, who won their fifth-straight game and improved to 39-16.
Dwane Casey earned his 300th victory as head coach of the team.
Miles shot 6-of-9 from three-point range as Toronto sank 48.6 percent from beyond the arc overall.
He led a charge of Raptors’ reserves who outscored the Hornets’ bench players 55-46.
“They’re phenomenal,” said Raptors’ guard Kyle Lowry. “Our young guys are phenomenal and we really need them.
“We love continuing to see them grow,” he added.
“They’re growing and playing well, and it makes it unbelievable.”
It was the starters who helped Toronto pull away in the third quarter, though. Jonas Valanciunas, who finished with 21 points and nine rebounds, scored 10 during an 18-2 run that began the second half.
Charlotte shot just 1-for-12 in that span.
Fred VanVleet added 10 points and four assists off the bench for Toronto.
“We just got a good chemistry,” Miles said. “We have a lot of fun, play well together. Move the ball.
“We don’t care who scores, who shoots,” he stressed. “We just want to get the shots that guys are supposed to take.
“That’s all that matters. And it shows.”
Kemba Walker had 23 points and nine assists as the Hornets lost their fourth in a row.
Dwight Howard added 17 points and 13 rebounds for Charlotte.
Despite returning Saturday from a West Coast trip featuring four games in six days, the Hornets jumped out to a 10-0 lead behind six points and an assist from Walker.
But Toronto responded with a 12-4 run, with four points and a rebound from DeRozan.
The Hornets’ weary legs showed in the end, as they shot 42.7 percent for the game.
The Raptors made 56.3 percent.
“Sometimes they say the schedule can catch up with you,” said Hornets’ coach Steve Clifford.
“It’s not the whole reason we lost, but this last stretch has been a lot of travelling and you can see it.”
Lowry’s three-pointer with 3:30 left in the first quarter gave the Raptors their first lead, which they did not relinquish.
The Raptors next host Miami tomorrow night.
Elsewhere in the NBA, Minnesota beat Sacramento 111-106, Atlanta shaded Detroit 118-115, Cleveland bombed Boston 121-99, Indiana topped New York 121-113, Houston downed Dallas 104-97, Oklahoma City dumped Memphis 110-92, and Utah bounced Portland 115-96.
