Raptors 100, Pelicans 81
TORONTO -- Point guard Kyle Lowry and center Jonas Valanciunas each scored 20 points to lead the Toronto Raptors to a 100-81 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.
Valanciunas also pulled in 10 rebounds for the Raptors, who dominated the second half.
Guard Eric Gordon led the Pelicans with a season-best 30 points, including 16 in the first quarter when New Orleans had the lead.
The game was tied after the first half and the Raptors (7-3) pulled away in the third quarter against the injury-depleted Pelicans (1-8).
It was the second win in a row for the Raptors after losing three in a row. They opened the season with a five-game winning streak.
Guard DeMar DeRozan added 15 points and had 11 assists for the Raptors. Forward DeMarre Carroll chipped in with 11 points and reserve forward Patrick Patterson contributed 10 points.
Guard Jrue Holiday added 19 points for the Pelicans and center Alexis Ajinca scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
Gordon scored 16 points in the first quarter in 6-for-10 shooting to give the Pelicans a 21-17 lead. Valanciunas led the Raptors with eight first-quarter points.
The first half ended 40-40 after Toronto forward DeMarre Carroll hit a 3-pointer with 52.9 seconds to play. Gordon finished the half with 10 points and Valanciunas had 15 points and seven rebounds.
Lowry hit a 3-pointer to give the Raptors a 53-50 lead with 7:39 to play in the third quarter and bumped the lead to seven points with six minutes to play.
Lowry and forward Luis Scola hit successive 3-pointers to give Toronto a 65-55 lead. Patterson hit a 3-pointer for the final points of the third quarter that gave the Raptors a 72-61 lead.
Patterson also opened the scoring in the fourth quarter to increase the lead to 13.
The Raptors led by 24 midway through the fourth quarter.
NOTES: New Orleans F/C Anthony Davis (right hip contusion) did not play Friday and no time has been set for a return. ... Also on the sidelines for the Pelicans were C Kendrick Perkins (right pectoral), G/F Quincy Pondexter (left knee), G/F Tyreke Evans (right knee), and G Norris Cole (sprained left ankle). ... F DeMarre Carroll (sore right heel) returned to the Raptors lineup Friday after missing three games while F/G Terrence Ross (left thumb ligament) missed his third straight game. ... Toronto assigned F Bruno Caboclo and C Lucas Nogueira to the Raptors 905 of the NBA Development League. The 905 play their first game Saturday at Fort Wayne. ... The Raptors play Sunday against the Kings at Sacramento. ... The Pelicans play Sunday afternoon at New York against the Knicks.