TORONTO - Linas Kleiza poured in 23 points to lead six Toronto Raptors to reach double digits in scoring during a 121-100 pre-season whipping of the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.
Jarrett Jack and Amir Johnson added 17 apiece for the Raptors (3-3), who trailed by 33-22 after the first quarter and 55-53 at the half.
Sonny Weems added 16, Andrea Bargnani 15 and DeMar DeRozan 14 before an Air Canada Centre that lustily booed Suns forward Hedo Turkoglu, who put in an uninspired season with Toronto last year.
Turkoglu, traded to Phoenix over the summer for Leandro Barbosa, was also booed whenever he had the ball, and finished with five points and five rebounds.
Steve Nash of Victoria led the Suns (1-5) with 16 points and had six assists, while Hakim Warrick had 14 points and Jason Richardson and Josh Childress each chipped in with 12.
Kleiza was 9-for-15 from the field including 3-for-6 in three-point attempts. He also had seven rebounds and three assists.
The Raptors, who beat the Suns in Vancouver 129-78 on Oct. 6, took a 13-point lead into the fourth quarter Sunday after outscoring the Suns 39-24 in the third quarter.
The Raptors went into the third quarter trailing by two points but put on a spurt that took them into an 85-75 lead with 1:46 left in the period, after Johnson made a lay-up while being fouled and converted the free throw.
Turkoglu had two points and three rebounds in the first quarter as the Suns built a 33-22 lead. Bargnani, who has been struggling in the pre-season, led all scorers with 10 first-quarter points on 5-for-7 shooting from the field. He didn't score in the second quarter.
The Raptors pulled closer in the second quarter. They scored eight consecutive points to pull within two, 54-52, on Johnson's dunk with 38.4 seconds left in the first half.
Nash and Warrick each had 10 points in the first half for the Suns who led 55-53. Nash also had six assists by the half.
Johnson and Bargnani each had 10 points in the first half for Toronto.
Notes: The Raptors used the same starting lineup for the second game in a row and the third time in the pre-season -- Bargnani, Jose Calderon, DeRozan, Reggie Evans and Kleiza. Raptors head coach Jay Triano said not to read much into it. "I just don't think we're going to commit to anything being set in stone," he said. "We want our guys to work hard and compete for that spot or those who have a spot to keep wanting that spot." ... Raptors C David Andersen did not play Sunday because of tightness in his lower back. ... The Raptors are home to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.
