Raptors 102, Lakers 93
TORONTO -- Guard Kyle Lowry compiled 27 points, seven rebounds and six assists, and the Toronto Raptors were strong down the stretch to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 102-93 Monday.
Forward Terrence Ross added 22 points -- including nine in the fourth quarter -- for the Raptors, who lost their previous two games.
Guard DeMar DeRozan had 16 points, and center Bismack Biyombo scored 15 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for Toronto (13-9). Guard Cory Joseph contributed 14 points off the bench.
Lakers small forward Kobe Bryant scored 21 points and had eight rebounds in his farewell appearance at Air Canada Centre. Forward Julius Randle added 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers (3-18). Guard Lou Williams had 15 points, and guard Jordan Clarkson scored 13.
Los Angeles dropped its third game in a row.
Bryant received a loud ovation when the teams were introduced before the game, and when he left with 24.6 seconds to play in the game, he got a standing ovation.
The game was tied during the fourth quarter, but the Raptors pulled away.
When Lowry and DeRozan hit jumpers, the Raptors led by 13 with two minutes to play.
Ross, playing for injured forward DeMarre Carroll, poured in 13 points to help the Raptors take a 25-22 lead after the first quarter. It was the first time in six games that the Raptors scored more than 21 points in the first quarter.
Lowry made two free throws with 4:48 to play in the second quarter to put Toronto ahead 42-32, its biggest lead to that point.
With Lowry scoring 16 points in the second quarter, the Raptors were in front 52-42 at halftime. Lowry was 4-for-5 in 3-point attempts in the quarter and had 19 first-half points. Randle had 10 first-half points coming off the bench, and Bryant had six in 16 minutes.
Bryant was cheered nearly every time he had the ball. When he was on the bench for a stretch during the second quarter, the crowd began to chant, "We want Kobe."
The Lakers whittled the lead to three points early in the third quarter. A pair of Bryant free throws cut the margin to 58-57 with 7:26 left in the quarter.
Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell finished the scoring in the third quarter with four straight to tie the game 71-71.
The Raptors led 80-78 with 6:55 to play in the fourth quarter on a running dunk by Ross. A jumper by Ross made it a five-point lead, but Bryant's 3-pointer cut the lead to two.
Lowry made two free throws with 4:00 to play to give Toronto a 91-85 lead. The Raptors led by nine with 2:56 left when Biyombo tipped in a pass from Lowry.
NOTES: Lakers G Kobe Bryant, who played his final game at Air Canada Centre barring a comeback next season, was honored with a video tribute. Bryant had a career-best 81 points Jan 22, 2006, in Los Angeles against the Raptors. Bryant, who entered Monday battling a stomach virus, was held to 10 points when the Raptors defeated the Lakers 102-91 in Los Angeles on Nov. 20. ... Toronto F DeMarre Carroll (right knee contusion) did not play Monday and was ruled out indefinitely. ... The Raptors will play the fourth game of their six-game homestand against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. ... The Lakers will play the sixth game of their eight-game trip when they visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. ... Raptors F Lucas Nogueira (sprained left ankle) also did not play Monday.