Rockets at Raptors
The Toronto Raptors try to extend the longest home winning streak in franchise history when they take on the Houston Rockets on Sunday. The Raptors are 2-0 on a seven-game homestand and have taken 12 straight at Air Canada Centre after a 117-115 victory over Portland on Friday.
DeMar DeRozan hit a team-record 24 free throws on 25 attempts in the contest as part of a season-high 38-point effort for Toronto, which enters 2 1/2 games behind first-place Cleveland in the Eastern Conference. "I was just taking what they were giving me, honestly," DeRozan told the media. "I wasn't trying to force anything. Every time I saw an angle I was trying to take advantage of it." This is the first meeting of the season between the Rockets and Raptors, who have split the season series nine straight times. Houston fell 108-100 at Chicago on Saturday and has lost 10 of 15 overall to leave it clinging by a game to the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.
TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston), Sportsnet ONE (Toronto)
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (30-32): James Harden had a team-high 36 points Friday but needed 26 shots to get there and turned the ball over nine times, which gives him 17 giveaways against 15 assists over the last two games. The star guard is averaging 35.4 points in a span of seven road contests. He was 4-of-12 from 3-point range on Saturday for a team that has gone 12-of-70 in the last two games.
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (41-19): DeRozan's effort grabbed plenty of headlines, but so too did the 50-point night by Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, whose performance highlighted Toronto's recent defensive downturn. "It's not like (our) guys are slacking or anything or just not giving an effort, it's just attention to detail and doing a few little things that will help us defensively and make it harder for (opponents) to make shots," coach Dwane Casey told the Toronto Sun on Saturday. The Raptors have allowed an average of 104.2 points - more than six over their season average - in the last nine games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. DeRozan had a career-high 42 points in a 99-96 victory over the Rockets in the previous meeting March 30, 2015.
2. Rockets F Michael Beasley made his team debut Saturday and had two points on 1-of-5 shooting in four minutes.
3. Toronto needs one win to tie the franchise record for victories against Western Conference opponents (16).