Lowry has triple-double as Raptors beat Nets
Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) drives to the net against Brooklyn Nets guard Caris LeVert (22) during second-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto on Friday, March 23, 2018. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
TORONTO — Kyle Lowry had 25 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in his 10th triple-double with Toronto, Jonas Valanciunas scored 23 and the Raptors beat Brooklyn 116-112 on Friday night for their 12th straight victory over the Nets.
DeMar DeRozan scored 21 points, Fred VanVleet had 16 and Pascal Siakam 11 as the Eastern Conference leaders bounced back from Wednesday’s loss at Cleveland.
D’Angelo Russell had 18 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds for his first career triple-double, but the Nets lost their second straight. Brooklyn, which let a 23-point lead slip away in Wednesday’s loss to Charlotte, couldn’t maintain a 14-point cushion over the Raptors.
Serge Ibaka scored 10 points for the Raptors, who improved to 30-6 at home — the best record in the NBA.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Allen Crabbe each scored 18 points, DeMarre Carroll had 14 and Jarrett Allen 13 for the Nets.
Brooklyn led 91-84 through three quarters but DeRozan scored eight points in a 9-2 spurt that cut it to 95-94 with 8:30 left.
Lowry gave Toronto its first lead of the second half with four straight free throws, putting the Raptors up 100-99 with 4:50 remaining.
Allen answered with a pair at the line before VanVleet hit a 3-pointer, giving Toronto the lead for good. Lowry followed with a layup and Valanciunas added a pair of free throws.
Carroll’s 3 with 34 seconds left cut it to 112-109, and an errant pass by Valanciunas gave the Nets the ball at the Raptors end of the floor, but Brooklyn was called for a five-second violation on the inbounds pass.
The Nets led 32-31 after one at 64-59 at halftime.
Toronto called a timeout at 8:13 of the third after a 3 by Crabbe capped a 10-1 run that put Brooklyn up 78-67. The Nets led 91-84 heading to the fourth.
Lowry shot 5 for 6 from 3-point range, giving him 215 3s this season and breaking his own team record of 212 set in 2015-16.
TIP-INS
Nets: All five starters scored in double figures. … Dante Cunningham returned after missing three games, the first two because of a concussion. Cunningham was available Wednesday but did not play in Brooklyn’s loss to Charlotte. … The Nets got 16 points off the bench in the first quarter and finished with 31.
Raptors: F C.J. Miles (illness) missed his second straight game. … Former Rockets teammates Charles Barkley and Kevin Willis watched from courtside seats.
UP NEXT
Nets: Visit the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. Brooklyn won the first meeting of the season but has lost the past two.
Raptors: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. Toronto has won three straight home games in the series.
