Raptors at Pistons
All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry will try to stay hot after a remarkable performance as his Toronto Raptors go after their fifth straight victory Sunday night when they visit the Detroit Pistons. Lowry scored a career-high 43 points on 15-of-20 shooting, including the game-winning basket, and dished out nine assists in a 99-97 victory over Cleveland on Friday night.
“The bigger deal is that we won the game,” Lowry told reporters. “That’s all that matters. I think we grew (Friday), but we’ve got the team to get better. Now we’ve (got to) put our efforts into Detroit and worry about Detroit.” The Raptors trail Cleveland by two games for the top seed in the Eastern Conference while the Pistons are just out of playoff position after knocking off Milwaukee 102-91 on Saturday for their third consecutive victory. Reggie Jackson is averaging 24 points during the last four games and Andre Drummond leads the league with 50 double-doubles, including 13 in a row. The Pistons attempt to salvage the finale of a three-game season series.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One (Toronto), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (39-18): Lowry became the first Toronto player to score at least 40 points twice during a season since Chris Bosh in 20019-10 and it was needed badly Friday with his backcourt partner under the weather. DeMar DeRozan, who leads the team at 23.2 points per contest, was held to six on 1-of-11 shooting against Cleveland while suffering flu-like symptoms after scoring 31 in the previous game. Swingman Terrence Ross stepped up with 15 points Friday and is averaging 12 during his past three outings.
ABOUT THE PISTONS (30-29): Marcus Morris scored 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting to go along with eight rebounds Saturday for his best performance in more than a month while Jackson scored 22 to lead the way. Drummond has grabbed at least 15 rebounds in three straight contests (17 on Saturday) and five times in 12 games this month. Forward Tobias Harris has made a major impact since being acquired from Orlando at the trade deadline, averaging 17.6 points and shooting 50.7 percent from the field in five games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Lowry has made 579 shots from 3-point range, tied with Andrea Bargnani for second on the team’s all-time list, behind only Morris Peterson (801).
2. Detroit G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is averaging 14 points during the last four games and missed the last meeting against Toronto because of injury.
3. Toronto C Bismack Biyombo is averaging nine points, on 12-of-16 shooting from the field, and eight rebounds during the last three contests.