Raptors overcome sluggish start for victory
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — DeMar DeRozan scored 18 of his 28 points after halftime and the Toronto Raptors overcame a slow start to beat the Charlotte Hornets, 129-111, on Wednesday night for their fourth straight National Basketball Association win.
Serge Ibaka scored 15 of his 24 points in the first half for Toronto, and OG Anunoby shot 6 of 7 from beyond the arc while scoring 20 points.
Toronto has won 10 of 11 and is in third place in the Eastern Conference.
The Hornets got a career-best 32 points from reserve Jeremy Lamb but lost for the 11th time in 13 games.
Charlotte closed the first quarter on a 14-2 run to lead 26-22, but the game turned with a 12-2 Toronto run early in the second quarter.
The Raptors scored 41 points in the second period en route to a 63-47 halftime lead.
Toronto had 10 assists and hit 15 of 23 shots, including six-of-nine three-pointers, in the quarter.
The Raptors connected on 8 of 13 threepoint shots in the first half. They finished 16 of 33.
Lamb piled up points on 11-of-17 shooting.
He scored 19 points in 15 firsthalf minutes. Lamb’s previous high of 27 came Nov. 3 at San Antonio.
Dwight Howard and Kemba Walker scored 15 points apiece, with Howard adding nine rebounds.
Johnny O’Bryant III added 10 points for Charlotte.
The Raptors lead peaked at 25. Toronto’s Pascal Siakam scored 12 points and Kyle Lowry added 11.
The loss is Charlotte’s worst since a 106-86 setback against San Antonio Nov. 25.