Lowry, Raptors curtail Rockets’ win streak at 17
TORONTO — Kyle Lowry scored 30 points, DeMar DeRozan had 23 and the Toronto Raptors beat Houston 108-105 on Friday night, snapping the Rockets’ 17-game winning streak.
James Harden scored 40 points but the Rockets lost for the first time since Jan. 27 at New Orleans.
Jonas Valanciunas had 14 points and 10 rebounds as the Raptors won their seventh straight in a matchup between the respective conference leaders.
The Rockets shot 9 for 27 from 3-point range, matching their fewest made 3-pointers of the season.
Clint Capela had 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Rockets. Chris Paul and Eric Gordon each scored 14 points, and Trevor Ariza had 13 as Houston’s road winning streak ended at 10.
Houston tied it at 102 on Harden’s 3 with 2:10 remaining, but DeRozan restored Toronto’s lead with a jump shot with 1:49 left.
Paul missed a goahead 3 with 14 seconds to play, then fouled Lowry in the scramble for the rebound. Lowry made both, giving the Raptors a 106-102 lead with 10 seconds to go.
Gordon answered with a 3, making it a one-point game. Houston fouled Valanciunas, who made a pair to put Toronto up by 3 with 5.4 seconds to go.
Harden got the final shot but his deep 3 from the edge of the center court circle went short, giving the Raptors the win.
Lowry connected on his first five shots and scored 13 points in the opening quarter as Toronto led 32-16. The Rockets missed eight of their first 10 field goal attempts and shot 6 for 21 in the first, missing all five 3-point attempts. It was Houston’s lowestscoring first quarter of the season and just the second time they’ve failed to score at least 20 points in the first.
Harden scored nine points in the second but the Rockets continued to struggle from long range, making one of four 3-point shots. DeRozan had seven points for the Raptors, who led 58-43 at halftime. Otto Porter Jr. scored 19 points and the Washington Wizards cruised to victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, who couldn’t overcome the absence of All-Star Anthony Davis and had their 10-game winning streak snapped. Markieff Morris scored 17 and Bradley Beal added 16 for the Wizards.
Blake Griffin had 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as Detroit ended a fourgame losing streak with a home victory over Chicago. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 13 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter, outmuscling the New York Knicks in the lane to help the Milwaukee Bucks hold on. Khris Middleton had a game-high 30 points for the Bucks