Lowry returns to lead Raptors past Pistons
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Kyle Lowry erupted for 27 points and 10 assists in his first game since the All-Star break, and the Toronto Raptors erased a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to down the Detroit Pistons 105-102 on Wednesday night at The Palace.
The All-Star point guard missed 21 games because of a right wrist injury that required surgery.
Jonas Valanciunas had 19 points, Cory Joseph supplied 15 and DeMar DeRozan contributed 12 points and 10 assists despite 5-for-17 shooting from the field.
The Raptors (48-31) moved a half-game ahead of the Washington Wizards for the third-best record in the Eastern Conference.
Ish Smith and Tobias Harris had 16 points apiece for the Pistons, who lost for the 10th time in 12 games. Marcus Morris added 15 points, and Andre Drummond recorded 11 points and 14 rebounds for Detroit (35-43).
Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson missed his fifth straight game because of fatigue issues. Shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope did not start the game due to a family matter but returned in time to start the second half and finished with two points.
The Raptors cut the Pistons' 10-point halftime lead in half early in the third. Detroit restored the double-digit advantage later in the quarter behind Smith and Aron Baynes, finishing it with a 15-8 spurt for an 80-68 lead.
Toronto began its big rally midway through the fourth. The Raptors used a 14-2 outburst, capped by a DeRozan layup, to tie it at 95.
Valanciunas' hook shot in the lane with 1:03 left gave the Raptors a 102-100 edge. Following a missed jumped by Smith, DeRozan hit a jumper for a four-point Raptors advantage.
The Pistons missed two potential game-tying 3-point shots in the closing seconds.
Detroit led 33-15 after the first quarter. That was the largest lead it carried into the second quarter since being up 42-18 against Atlanta on Jan. 18.
The Pistons nudged the lead to 20 but the Raptors finished the half on an 18-8 run to make it 56-46 at halftime.
NOTES: The Pistons were playing their second-to-last regular-season game at The Palace, which opened in 1988. They will move to downtown Detroit next season in the new Little Caesars Arena. "It's a great tribute to (ex-owner) Bill Davidson and the foresight he had," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said of The Palace. "All the buildings that have come after have been influenced by this building." ... Toronto coach Dwane Casey accepted a public apology by Indiana's Lance Stephenson, who scored a meaningless basket during the closing seconds Tuesday that incensed the Raptors players. "It's a little bit late but we'll take it," Casey said. ... Detroit PG Ish Smith played his 400th career game. ... Toronto needs one more victory to ensure a winning road record for the fourth consecutive season. ... The Raptors were 14-7 since the All-Star break without PG Kyle Lowry.