Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (No 10) dunks the ball against Dallas Mavericks in the first half at Air Canada Centre. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports
DPA/Los Angeles
The Toronto Raptors have had recent troubles getting off to fast starts. That wasn’t the case Tuesday, they had problems keeping it.
DeMar DeRozan scored 28 points and Bismack Biyombo grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds, and the Raptors held off a late charge to edge the visiting Dallas Mavericks 103-99 on Tuesday night.
“It was ugly but we got the win,” DeRozan said. “We came out aggressive like we planned. We knew they’d make a run and we withstood it.”
Kyle Lowry collected 17 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, Terrence Ross had 16 while Argentine Lluis Scola chipped in with 15 for Toronto (18-12) which was without starters DeMarre Carroll (knee sprain) and Jonas Valanciunas (broken right hand).
“We were a few men down but our guys responded,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. “It wasn’t pretty but we found a way.”
The Raptors had trailed after the first quarter in 12 of their last 17 games but raced out to an 18-point cushion and appeared to be on their way to a blowout. Instead, they nearly blew it.
Dallas pulled to within five after three quarters and 75-72 on a 3-pointer by German juggernaut Dirk Nowitzki early in the final frame. But the Raptors responded with a 15-2 run behind two Cory Joseph triples, and one each by DeRozan and Ross to open up a 90-74 bulge.
Trailing by 16, Dallas coach Rick Carlisle removed his starters with 5:20 left and the reserves delivered.
Jeremy Evans’ layup capped a 25-11 spurt but he missed the ensuing free throw with 11.6 seconds left and the Mavs were within 101-99.
Ross, then, hit two game-sealing free throws with 10.5 seconds remaining and the Raptors completed a sweep of the two-game season series.
“We relaxed when they brought their second unit in,” Casey explained.
“I knew exactly what (Dallas coach) Rick (Carlisle) was trying to do. He wanted to get energy in the game; they were playing at a faster clip and they made a run at us at the end.”
Nowitzki finished with 20 points and Wesley Matthews added 15 for Dallas (15-13) losers in four of its last six games.
Carlisle was embarrassed with the Mavs’ poor first-half effort.
“It was a 24-minute, I’ll take you to the beach, kick sand in your face type deal,” he said. “We came in at halftime finally pissed, I get on their case and we decided to play a hell of a third quarter.
“But look, if it’s going to be like that, these guys aren’t going to be Mavericks very long.”
Elsewhere:
l Detroit Pistons 93, Miami Heat 92: Reggie Jackson scored 18 points, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s added 14, including the go-ahead jumper with 55 seconds left, and the Pistons (17-12) stormed from 18 down in the first half to beat the host Heat for their third straight win.
After Andre Drummond (11 points with 12 rebounds) missed a pair of free throws with 1.9 seconds left, the Heat grabbed the rebound. With a shot to win, Chris Bosh missed a jumper at the buzzer. Bosh led Miami (16-11) with a game-high 20 points. Dwyane Wade had 18 while Hassan Whiteside added 16 and as many rebounds.
l Memphis Grizzlies 104, Philadelphia 76ers 90: Spaniard Marc Gasol scored 19 points, Mike Conley added 18 to pace a balanced attack, and the visiting Grizzlies ((16-14) sent the league-worst Sixers to their 11th straight loss. Jahlil Okafor netted 18 points for Philadelphia, which became the first team in NBA history to lose 29 of its first 30 games.
l LA Lakers 111, Denver Nuggets 107: Kobe Bryant scored nine of his season-high-tying 31 points in the final 4.5 minutes and the visiting Lakers (5-23) rallied from 21 down in the first half to beat the short-handed Nuggets. Will Barton scored 25 points off the bench but just two in the second half for Denver (11-17) which was without Danilo Gallinari (left ankle sprain) and Emmanuel Mudiay (right ankle sprain)
