NBA / Raptors maul 76ers to clinch first-ever division title

The Toronto Raptors clinched their first ever division title Friday with some help from the Chicago Bulls.

Chris Bosh had 23 points and 13 rebounds to help Toronto beat the Philadelphia 76ers 94-85. The Raptors, who already clinched their first postseason berth since 2002, won the Atlantic Division when Chicago beat New Jersey 105-74 to preserve their chances of winning the Central Division for the first time since the Michael Jordan era.

"You come to all of these arenas and they have division championship banners up in the rafters," Toronto coach Sam Mitchell said. "If you are trying to start a culture of winning, these guys need to start seeing the fruits of their labor and those things are important."

Toronto, which became the first Canadian-based team to win an NBA division title, also kept its slim lead over Miami for third place in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors' 43 victories are already a 16-win improvement from last season's total of 27, marking the league's biggest turnaround this season.

"Nobody believed we'd be able to win our division," guard T.J. Ford said. "Now we're setting standards of what Toronto basketball will be like."

Anthony Parker, Juan Dixon and Ford each added 12 points for the Raptors, who had a .392 overall winning percentage in their first 11 seasons - with just three winning records.

The Bulls won for the seventh time in eight games and moved within 21/2 games of Detroit for first-place Detroit in the Central Division and Eastern Conference. Chicago coasted against New Jersey despite missing center Ben Wallace (sinus) and reserve forwards Tyrus Thomas (flu), Andres Nocioni (foot) and Adrian Griffin (back spasms).

In other games Friday night, it was: Indiana 112, Charlotte 102; Miami 88, Boston 85; Atlanta 115, Milwaukee 102; Minnesota 99, New York 94; Phoenix 103, New Orleans 95; Golden State 116, Memphis 104; Cleveland 99, Washington 94; Portland 85, Houston 78; Sacramento 107, Utah 103; Denver 75, Dallas 71; and the Los Angeles Lakers 112, Seattle 109.