Carter out sick for feuding Raptors

By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer
December 4, 2004
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Toronto All-Star forward Vince Carter has food poisoning and sat out Saturday night's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, further limiting the bickering and road-weary Raptors.

Carter, averaging a team-high 16.1 points per game, became ill early in the morning after arriving at the team's hotel from Friday night's game in Boston. He stayed behind to rest and didn't join the Raptors for their fourth game on a six-game road swing.

His absence was the latest upheaval for the Raptors, who are still dealing with coach Sam Mitc 's benching of Loren Woods and Rafer Alston in the second half against the Celtics.

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Mitc yanked the pair after they were each charged with technicals late in the third quarter, aiding Boston's comeback in a 91-89 win. The first-year coach was highly critical of his players afterward, calling their conduct ``inexcusable.''

Mitc kept Woods and Alston out of the starting lineup Saturday night but said the two would play.

``It's over,'' Mitc said before Saturday's game. ``It's dead and it's time to move on. I'm not going to keep going back there.''

But Mitc did, explaining that he benched his players because he won't tolerate behavior that could cost his team a win.

``I got upset,'' he said. ``Players get upset. You have to have a short memory in this league.''

Alston hasn't forgotten the episode and was so upset that he threatened to leave the team and quit the NBA altogether. The fifth-year guard, who signed a six-year, $30 million deal as a free agent with Toronto this summer, hadn't yet spoken with Mitc when he talked with reporters before the game.

``There is no rift,'' Alston said. ``But there is something that needs to be nipped in the bud. ... Sam is a great guy, a great coach. I would do anything for Sam. I just want to be allowed to play through the tough times. It's going to be worked out.''

Alston seemed to have softened his stance about leaving the Raptors.

``I don't want to be traded. This is where I want to be,'' said Alston, who is still bothered by something but wouldn't say what it is. ``I respect the name on the front of the jersey. Please respect the name on the back.''

Mitc hopes Woods and Alston learned a lesson from the benching.

``We can't afford to get 'T's' like that,'' he said. ``They can't lose control like that. Does that make them bad buys? No. But I still have to do my job. I love those guys, but I can't let my personal feeling do my job.

``It gives me no pleasure when something like that happens. But it's part of my job to make tough decisions. No one is going to agree 100 percent with their boss.''