Lowry scores 23 points, Raptors beat Bucks 116-94
Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry, left, battles for the ball against Milwaukee Bucks guard O.J. Mayo during first half NBA basketball game in Toronto. AP
TORONTO, Canada—Kyle Lowry scored 23 points, Jonas Valanciunas had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and the Toronto Raptors beat Milwaukee 116-94 in the NBA on Monday night to hand the struggling Bucks their sixth straight loss.
DeMar DeRozan added 19 points and Patrick Patterson 18 as Toronto won for the eighth time in nine games. The Atlantic Division leaders ended a five-game home slide against the Bucks, beating them in Toronto for the first time since Jan. 22, 2010.
With newly signed Toronto FC players Michael Bradley and former Tottenham Hotspur striker Jermain Defoe courtside, the victory gave Toronto its first five-game home winning streak for over a year.
Ersan Ilyasova scored a season-high 27 points, Brandon Knight had 16 and Giannis Antetokounmpo 11 for the Bucks, who are winless since beating the Lakers in Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve. The NBA’s worst team at 7-30, Milwaukee has lost 14 of 16 overall.
Bucks forward Khris Middleton struggled for the third straight game, making just one of eight field goal attempts and finishing with two points.
In New Orleans, Tony Parker capped a 27-point outing with several clutch layups in the final minutes, and the San Antonio Spurs won their fifth straight game, 101-95 over the reeling New Orleans Pelicans.
Tim Duncan scored 18 points before fouling out in the final period in what turned out to be a surprisingly tense contest between the Western Conference-leading Spurs and a depleted Pelicans squad that has now lost six straight since an injury to leading scorer Ryan Anderson.
Anthony Davis had 22 points and 11 rebounds to lead New Orleans, while Brian Roberts, starting at point guard for the injured Jrue Holiday, scored 19 points.
Elsewhere, Dwight Howard had 32 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Houston Rockets over Boston 104-92, and send the Celtics crashing to its ninth consecutive defeat, while John Wall and Nene had 19 points apiece as the Washington Wizards beat the Chicago Bulls 102-88.
Also Monday, the New York Knicks beat the Phoenix Suns 98-96 in overtime, the Dallas Mavericks thrashed the Orlando Magic 107-88 and the Utah Jazz outclassed the Denver Nuggets 118-103.
