Lowry lifts Raptors to victory over Pelicans
TORONTO -- Kyle Lowry made a step-back jumper with 4.3 seconds left in overtime and the Toronto Raptors defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 108-106 on Tuesday night.
Lowry finished with 33 points and 10 assists as the Raptors won for only the second time in their past eight games.
New Orleans had a chance to win in regulation time when Jrue Holiday stole the ball off Lowry with 23.9 seconds to play and the game tied at 96. But Holiday could not convert a four-foot jump shot attempt as regulation time ended.
Lowry's floating jumper put the Raptors ahead by one in the overtime. Anthony Davis tied the game when he made one of two free throws with 3:17 to play.
Jonas Valanciunas made two free throws with 3:06 to play in overtime and Toronto led by two. Davis made one of two free throws to cut the lead to one.
Lowry hit a 3-pointer with 1:57 to play to give the Raptors a four-point lead.
Davis made a hook shot to cut the lead to two. After a Raptors miss, Davis made a floating jumper to tie the game at 106 with 29.4 seconds left.
The Pelicans led by 14 points after the first half and the Raptors had a two-point lead after the third quarter.
The Raptors were without DeMar DeRozan for the fourth game in their past five.
Valanciunas scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Raptors (30-19) and Norman Powell added 18 points and Patrick Patterson had 10.
Holiday led New Orleans (19-30) with 30 points while Davis had 18 points and 17 rebounds. E'Twaun Moore added 17 points, Buddy Hield had 15 and Terrence Jones 12 points for the Pelicans.
Hield and Holiday scored eight points each to lead the Pelicans to a 25-23 lead after the first quarter. Lowry led Toronto with seven first-quarter points.
The Pelicans opened a 10-point lead on a 3-pointer by Holiday with 4:40 to play in the second quarter.
Solomon Hill's 3-pointer with 26 seconds left in the first half bumped the lead to 12. Davis ended the half with two free throws and the Pelicans led 60-46 at the intermission. Holiday led New Orleans with 19 first-half points and Hield added 11.
Valanciunas led Toronto in the first half with 14 points and seven rebounds.
The Raptors scored the first eight points of the third quarter, including 3-pointers by Patrick Patterson and Lowry.
Powell scored on a layup and a jumper to cut the Pelicans' lead to three points.
Lowry's 3-pointer tied the game at 67 and DeMarre Carroll's 19-foot jumper put the Raptors ahead by two points with 5:01 to play in the third quarter.
The Raptors led 77-75 after three quarters.
Moore made consecutive 3-pointers to give the Pelicans a one-point lead with just under 10 minutes to play.
Davis made a jumper with 6:13 to play, giving New Orleans a three-point lead.
Lowry's 3-pointer tied the game at 89 with 4:38 to play but Holiday put New Orleans back into a two-point lead with a layup. Lowry's 3-pointer put Toronto up by one, but Moore answered with a 3-pointer with 3:10 left and the Pelicans led by two.
Lowry made two of three free throws to tie the game with 2:55 to play in regulation time.
NOTES: Raptors G DeMar DeRozan (ankle) did not suit up on Tuesday and will not play Wednesday in Boston. DeRozan returned to the lineup Sunday and scored 22 points in the loss to the Orlando Magic after missing three games with a sprained right ankle. Raptors coach Dwane Casey said there was some swelling after the game Sunday and will be sidelined for the next two games as a precaution. ... Pelicans G/F Tyreke Evans did not play Tuesday because he was being given a rest. ... New Orleans F Cheick Diallo was assigned to Greensboro of the D-League on Monday. ... The Pelicans will visit The Palace of Auburn Hills Wednesday to play the Detroit Pistons.