Raptors 117, Kings 109
Kyle Lowry scored 27 points and tied his season high of 13 assists as visiting Toronto defeated Sacramento.
Terrence Ross matched his season high of 20 points and James Johnson scored a season-best 19 off the bench as the Raptors played with standout guard DeMar DeRozan (groin) for the second straight game. Jonas Valanciunas added 15 points and eight rebounds for Toronto, which broke a string of four straight losses in Sacramento.
Ben McLemore scored 21 points and Rudy Gay had 20 points and a career-best 10 assists for the Kings, who were without standout center DeMarcus Cousins (virus) for the third straight game. Derrick Williams scored 18 points off the bench and fellow reserve Ramon Sessions had 15 points.
Sacramento trailed by 11 early in the fourth quarter before pulling within 103-99 on Williams’ hoop with 6:43 to play. The Kings were again within four after Sessions’ basket with 1:39 to play before Lowry and Johnson made back-to-back baskets to put it away.
Ross had 15 first-half points as Toronto led 57-55 at the break. The Raptors boosted the lead to 14 later in the third quarter before settling for a 92-83 lead entering the final stanza.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Ross made four 3-pointers and Toronto was 10-of-23 overall. … PF Reggie Evans added 10 points and seven rebounds for the Kings. … Sacramento shot 37 free throws, making 28, while the Raptors were 19-of-21.