DeRozan's 31-point effort leads Raptors over 76ers
PHILADELPHIA -- DeMar DeRozan scored 31 points, 23 over a blistering 15-minute stretch in the middle of the game, as the Toronto Raptors beat the Philadelphia 76ers 123-114 Wednesday night.
DeRozan, the NBA's fifth-leading scorer, was 11 of 18 from the floor and 9 of 11 from the foul line. He did not play in the fourth quarter.
Kyle Lowry added 20 points, and Jonas Valanciunas finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Atlantic Division-leading Raptors, who won for the 10th time in 11 games. Cory Joseph added 13 points off the bench, and he matched Lowry's team-high total of seven assists.
Another reserve, Terrence Ross, also had 13 points for Toronto (18-7).
Robert Covington finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds, both season highs, to lead Philadelphia (6-19). The Sixers, who dropped their seventh consecutive home game, saw a two-game winning streak end.
Jahlil Okafor notched 17 points for Philadelphia, while Gerald Henderson and Sergio Rodriguez had 16 apiece.
The Sixers led by as many as five early in the game, and they were up 43-39 with 4:45 left in the second quarter. DeRozan then contributed nine points, all in the last 3:16, as Toronto closed the half with a 21-11 rush to go into the break ahead 60-54.
He generated 14 more points in the third quarter, when the Raptors outscored the Sixers 32-20 to extend their lead to 92-74.
Lowry's 3-pointer with 9:27 left in the game gave Toronto its biggest lead, 99-80.
The Sixers twice closed the gap to five in the final minute, but Ross dropped in four free throws to keep Philadelphia at bay.
DeRozan had 17 points in the first half, and Lowry contributed 12. Covington and Henderson had 10 each to pace Philadelphia before intermission.
NOTES: The Sixers started C/F Joel Embiid and C/F Jahlil Okafor together for the first time this season, and they combined for 26 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Coach Brett Brown said the decision was predicated in part by matchups, as Toronto starts C Jonas Valanciunas and F Pascal Siakam. Moreover, Brown said, "It's my job to grow our program, grow our guys and see what we actually have." ... Raptors coach Dwane Casey on G Kyle Lowry: "Kyle's Kyle. He's a pain in the butt sometimes, as everyone here knows. But I tell you what, he's our pain in the butt, and we love him." ... Philadelphia C/F Nerlens Noel, who missed the first 23 games after knee surgery in late October, sat out after spraining his left ankle Sunday against Detroit.