Raptors snap 5-game skid with 111-97 win over Pistons, improve playoff chances

Raptors beat Pistons 111-97 to snap 5-game skid

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Andrea Bargnani had 33 points, Amir Johnson scored a career-high 26 and the Toronto Raptors improved their playoff prospects by snapping a five-game losing streak with a 111-97 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Monday night.

Toronto moved within a half-game of the Bulls for the final postseason spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Raptors, who close the season Wednesday at home against New York, will earn a playoff berth if they end the season tied with Chicago, which finishes against Boston and at Charlotte.

Detroit’s Charlie Villanueva guaranteed a victory on his Twitter account Monday afternoon, then scored 16 points in the team’s home finale. Ben Gordon had 24 for the Pistons, whose miserable season ends Wednesday at Milwaukee.

Detroit will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

Toronto fell a game behind the Bulls with a 104-88 loss to them Sunday at home, hurting its chances of making the postseason for the first time since 2008 and just the third time in eight years.

The Raptors were again without star forward Chris Bosh, who had surgery on his broken nose last week, and lost starting shooting guard Sonny Weems for the last few minutes against Detroit after he appeared to hurt his right ankle. Weems had six points and 11 assists.

Toronto reserve Jarrett Jack had 15 points and 12 assists, and DeMar DeRozan scored 12 off the bench.

Detroit’s Tayshaun Prince, who has played well lately after an injury-plagued season, scored 17 points. Will Bynum had 12 points and eight assists.

The Pistons got off to a solid start despite having only pride on the line, then got outscored by 14 points in the second quarter and never mounted much of a comeback after halftime.

Bargnani had a lot to do with that.

He scored 12 points in the third quarter and finished a point shy of his career high and matched his best game from the 3-point line, going 5 of 6 from beyond the arc.

NOTES: Johnson was selected by the Pistons with the 56th pick in the 2005 NBA draft, making him the last high school player drafted. … Villanueva, then with Milwaukee, created a stir last season when he sent a message on his Twitter account at halftime of a game. He was drafted No. 7 overall by Toronto in 2005. … Detroit has lost two straight after winning three in a row. … Pistons owner Karen Davidson, who said in January the option of selling the team was being explored, declined comment on a Detroit Free Press report that Citigroup has been retained to assess the value of the franchise.