DeRozan rallies Raptors past Knicks
NEW YORK -- DeMar DeRozan capped a 37-point night by hitting the game-winning jumper with 1.9 seconds remaining and the Toronto Raptors overcame a double-digit deficit for the fourth straight contest in a 92-91 victory over the New York Knicks on Monday night.
DeRozan turned in his 25th game with at least 30 points and capped Toronto's comeback by hitting the 19-footer from the right wing over Derrick Rose. Toronto then escaped with its fourth straight win when Carmelo Anthony missed an open 3-pointer at the buzzer.
DeRozan shot 13 of 25 from the floor and made 10 of 13 free throws for the Raptors, who trailed by 17 in the second quarter in their first game since losing Kyle Lowry to right wrist surgery.
Serge Ibaka added 15 and Jonas Valanciunas contributed 10 for the Raptors, who held the Knicks to 38 points after halftime.
Anthony led the Knicks with 24 points but shot 9 of 26 from the field. Rose and Courtney Lee added 16 apiece for New York, which was seeking consecutive wins for the first time in over two months.
The Knicks watched a 13-point halftime lead whittled to four after the third quarter. Toronto took its first lead since the first quarter on a 3-pointer by Delon Wright with 9:58 left.
The game was tied six times down the stretch before DeRozan hit three free throws for an 85-83 lead with 2:18 to play. DeRozan then gave Toronto an 88-86 advantage on a 27-foot 3-pointer with 1:35 remaining but missed his next two shots and Rose's layup forged an 88-88 deadlock with 33.3 seconds.
DeRozan then gave Toronto an 90-88 lead on the next possession with a layup by Lee hit a right-wing 3-pointer with 10.6 seconds to play, setting up DeRozan's dramatic shot.
NOTES: Toronto G Kyle Lowry said he is unsure when he initially injured his wrist but said it was a constantly sore before he decided to get it checked out. It is the second wrist injury of Lowry's career. In 2006, he broke his left wrist as a rookie and the rehab lasted approximately four months. Lowry also said he is not planning to stay away from the team during the recovery. "I'm still going to be on the bench," Lowry said. "I'm going to do as much as I can, harping on my guys and trying to get them better." ... G Brandon Jennings was waived by the Knicks Monday in a mutual decision to get him more playing time than the roughly 13 minutes per game in his last three contests. ... Toronto coach Dwane Casey said the team would not sign a veteran point guard off the waiver wire even though Jennings and Jose Calderon are now available. ... Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said C Joakim Noah (right knee surgery) began feeling pain after the team reconvened after the All-Star break. ... Hornacek also said F Kristaps Porzingis (sprained right ankle) is feeling much better and hopes to play Wednesday in Orlando.