Toronto’s run hits 11
DeMar DeRozan made the game-winning basket in overtime and the Raptors rallied to match the longest winning streak in franchise history, extending their season-best run to 11 by beating the Dallas Mavericks, 122-115, last night in Toronto.
DeRozan scored 29 points and Jonas Valanciunas had 21 points and 12 rebounds as the Eastern Conference-leading Raptors won for the 18th time in 19 games. Kyle Lowry got the night off to rest as the Raptors played the second game of the back-to-back.
Delon Wright and Fred VanVleet each scored 14 points, helping Toronto improve to an NBA-best 29-5 at home.
Harrison Barnes scored 27 points for the Mavericks, Dennis Smith Jr. had 19 and J.J. Barea 18.
Up 84-78 to begin the fourth, Dallas stretched its lead to 101-93 on a jump shot by Barnes with 5:43 remaining, but four points from DeRozan cut it to 101-97 with 4:32 left.
Toronto kept coming, pulling within two on a pair of free throws by DeRozan and, after a Dallas turnover, tying it at 106 on DeRozan’s jumper with 1:15 to go in regulation.
Each team turned the ball over before Barnes missed a jumper with 24 seconds left and VanVleet grabbed the rebound. After a timeout, DeRozan let the clock wind down before driving and kicking to Ibaka, who missed a potential game-winning shot. DeRozan also missed before the buzzer, sending it to overtime.
Sixers 120, Nets 116 — Joel Embiid had 24 points and a career-high 19 rebounds on his 24th birthday and Robert Covington hit a key 3-pointer to lead host Philadelphia over Brooklyn.
J.J. Redick added 23 points and Ben Simmons had 21 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds for Philadelphia, which pulled a half-game be- hind idle Washington for the fifth seed in the Eastern Con- ference playoff race.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson scored 21 points for the Nets, who lost their third straight and 19th in the last 22 games.
Thunder 121, Clippers 113 — Corey Brewer scored 22 points to help host Oklahoma City drop Los Angeles.
Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook had 16 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for his 22th triple-double of the season and the 101st of his career.
Clippers coach Doc Rivers was fined $15,000 for criticizing the officiating after the Clips’ loss to the Houston Rockets.