Raptors find gear in the fourth

TORONTO The Toronto Raptors didn’t have the help of newcomer Serge Ibaka on Wednesday night. Turned out, they didn’t need him.

Instead, an unlikely lineup of three point guards — Kyle Lowry, Cory Joseph and Delon Wright — plus DeMarre Carroll and rookie Jakob Poeltl powered the Raptors to a fierce fourth-quarter comeback, and the Raptors beat the Charlotte Hornets 90-85 on a rollercoaster night at Air Canada Centre.

“We were searching and we were searching and went to the Fountain of Youth and those guys came through and played their behinds off,” coach Dwane Casey said.

Lowry had 21 points to lead the Raptors (33-24), who snapped a three-game losing skid and own for just the fifth time in 16 games.

“Tonight we needed that, just emotionally,” Lowry said. “We emotionally needed that type of game.”

Norm Powell added 17 points, Carroll added 13, Wright had 11, Jonas Valanciunas finished with 11 rebounds and 10 points, and DeMar DeRozan chipped in with 10 points.

Frank Kaminsky led Charlotte (24-32) with 27 points, while Kemba Walker added 24.

The slumping Raptors received reinforcement Tuesday in the trade with Orlando that brought Ibaka to town in exchange Terrence Ross and a first-round pick in the upcoming draft. But Ibaka wasn’t ready to play Wednesday.

Playing its last game before a nine-day break, Toronto came out with plenty of energy to take an early 14-point lead, but then things quickly went south. The Raptors imploded in the second and third quarters and the Hornets turned their double-digit deficit into a 75-58 lead to start the fourth quarter. The disgruntled crowd ushered the Raptors off the floor with a smattering of boos.

Perhaps it was the push they needed. The Raptors came to life in the fourth, and when Lowry drilled a threepointer with 7:11 left to play, it capped a 20-2 run that gave Toronto a one-point lead and had the fans out of their seats.

Nicolas Batum drilled a three with 29 seconds left, but Carroll squelched any Charlotte comeback with a three of his own with seven seconds left.

THE CANADIAN PRESS/FRANK GUNN Charlotte Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) is blocked by Toronto Raptors guard Delon Wright (55) and guard Norman Powell (24) during second half NBA basketball action in Toronto on Wednesday.