Lowry has 33 points, Raptors outlast Pelicans in OT
Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) reacts after hitting a 3-pointer during overtime against the New Orleans Pelicans in an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, in Toronto. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
TORONTO, Canada—Kyle Lowry had 33 points and 10 assists, and made the tiebreaking jumper with 4.3 seconds left in overtime as the Toronto Raptors outlasted the New Orleans Pelicans 108-106 on Tuesday night.
Jonas Valanciunas added 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Lowry matched his season high from 3-point range, going 6 of 14. It was the Raptors’ third straight win over the Pelicans, and their ninth in the last 11 meetings.
Jrue Holiday scored 30 points and Anthony Davis had 18 points and 17 rebounds for his 30th double-double as the Pelicans lost their second straight.
Down 106-102 with just over a minute to play in OT, New Orleans tied the game on Davis’ floating jump shot with 29 seconds to go.
But Lowry worked the shot clock at the other end, finally putting the Raptors in front for good on his step-back jumper.
E’Twaun Moore, who tied a career high with five 3-pointers, had a chance to win it from beyond the arc for the Pelicans with 1.9 seconds to go, but his shot missed.
The Raptors limited Davis to four points in the first quarter, but New Orleans got plenty of offense from beyond the arc, as Buddy Hield and Holiday had two 3-pointers apiece and each finished with eight points as the Pelicans took a 25-23 edge.
The Pelicans shot 8 of 16 from beyond the arc in the first half, compared to 2 of 12 for the Raptors. The Pelicans closed the half on a 7-0 run for a 60-46 lead.
But the Raptors started the third quarter on a 12-1 run to get right back into the contest. They took their first lead since the 3:32 mark of the second on DeMarre Carroll’s jump shot with 5:01 remaining in the period, ultimately taking a 77-75 lead into the fourth.
In a game with 19 lead changes, Davis a chance to put the Pelicans back in front with 49 seconds to play, but could only hit the backboard, giving possession back to the Raptors. Holiday then stole the ball from Lowry with 23 seconds left and had a chance to win it with 0.9 seconds remaining in regulation, but he missed with his jump shot.
For the second and last time this season, the Raptors wore their red Chinese New Year uniforms to pay tribute to Chinese culture. One of four NBA teams to sport the alternate uniforms, alongside Golden State, Houston and Washington, the Raptors had a number of themed events during the game, such as rooster toy giveaways and dance recitals.
Toronto guard Norman Powell, 6-foot-4, brought the home crowd to its feet 4:12 into the second half, driving at the 6-10 Davis, before rising above him to throw down a one-handed dunk.
Before the game, both teams and the rest of the Air Canada Centre observed a moment of silence in memory of the six victims of Sunday’s shooting at a Quebec City mosque.
