Kyle Lowry scored 43 points and hit a jumper with 3.8 seconds left to break a tie as the Toronto Raptors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 99-97 in a battle between the top two teams in the Eastern Conference on Friday.
The Raptors (39-19) moved to within two games of the Cavaliers (42-16) after taking the season series 2-1. It was the 10th straight home win for the Raptors, a club record for one season, and their fourth straight win overall.
The Cavaliers led by nine points with less than five minutes left, but the Raptors rallied to take a three-point lead with less than two minutes to go.
Photo: AFP
The game was tied when Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith missed a three-point attempt with 26.9 seconds left and the Raptors had the ball. Lowry, who also had nine assists, hit a pull-up jumper with 3.8 seconds to play.
Forward LeBron James, who finished with 25 points for Cleveland, missed a three-point attempt to end the game.
Reserve forward Terrence Ross added 15 points for Toronto, while guard DeMar DeRozan was held to six points.
Forward Kevin Love added 20 points and nine rebounds for Cleveland, while Smith had 13 points and guard Kyrie Irving had 10.
Knicks 108, Magic 95
The New York Knicks ended a six-game home losing streak with a 108-95 win over the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks’ last home win was a 102-84 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Jan. 29.
Forward Carmelo Anthony led seven Knicks (25-35) in double figures with 19 points. He also recorded 11 rebounds and six assists for his 19th double-double this season.
Hornets 96, Pacers 95
Guard Kemba Walker’s driving layup with 2.4 seconds remaining gave the Charlotte Hornets a 96-95 victory against the Indiana Pacers on Friday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Indiana (31-27) had taken a 95-94 lead on a Monta Ellis runner with 16.2 seconds remaining, while the Hornets (30-27) called a timeout with 10.1 seconds to play. Walker caught the inbounds pass in the backcourt and drove right to the basket for the game-winner.
Wizards 103, 76ers 94
Guard John Wall had 23 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds as the Washington Wizards beat the Philadelphia 76ers 103-94.
It was the 33rd double-double of the season for Wall, who had a triple-double in Washington’s victory over Philadelphia on Feb. 5.
He notched six of his points in a 13-0 Washington burst bridging the third and fourth quarters, when the Wizards (27-30) erased a six-point deficit and took the lead for good.
Hawks 103, Bulls 88
The Atlanta Hawks are 3-0 against the Chicago Bulls this season and turnovers have been a big part of their downfall in each of the double-figure losses.
The Bulls added 21 turnovers to 41 they committed in the first two losses and the Hawks turned defense into offense for a 103-88 victory.
Guard Jeff Teague had 19 points and nine assists, while center Al Horford scored 18 points and forward Kent Bazemore broke a slump with 17 points.
Mavericks 122, Nuggets 116, OT
Mavericks backup guard Raymond Felton took charge of a game filled with wild scoring swings to save Dallas from a near-disastrous loss, leading them to a 122-116 overtime victory against the Denver Nuggets at the American Airlines Center.
Felton scored 10 of his 16 points in the final moments of the fourth quarter and overtime as Dallas overcame a 23-point deficit in the second quarter, a 14-point deficit with more than eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter and a nine-point deficit with less than two minutes left in regulation.
Clippers 117, Kings 107
Chris Paul and the Clippers bid the Sleep Train Arena adieu in typical style, with the guard lighting up Sacramento for 40 points, and Los Angeles rolling to a 117-107 victory over the Kings.
Paul torched the Kings on 13-for-20 shooting and added 13 assists and eight rebounds.
Paul posted his fifth career 30-point game against Sacramento and scored 13 of them during a 34-11 Los Angeles blitz to close the third quarter.
Grizzlies 112, Lakers 95
For the second time in three days, the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Los Angeles Lakers.
Forward P.J. Hairston scored 21 points and forward Vince Carter had 19 points, as the Grizzles rolled past the Lakers 112-95 at the Staples Center.
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