LOWRY LEADS LARGEST RALLY IN TEAM HISTORY
RAPTORS TRAILED MAVERICKS BY 30 POINTS IN THIRD QUARTER BEFORE GUARD TOOK OVER
• Kyle Lowry scored 20 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter and added 10 assists and eight rebounds as the Toronto Raptors overcame a 30-point third-quarter deficit to post a 110-107 victory Sunday over the Dallas Mavericks.
The 30-point deficit was the largest the Raptors have overcome to win a game in franchise history. The previous high was 27.
Toronto extended its winning streak to five games and handed Dallas its first road loss since a 106103 setback to New York on Nov. 14.
Chris Boucher added a career- best 21 points for the injury- depleted Raptors. Rondae Hollis- Jefferson had 18 points and Fred Vanvleet had 10.
Jalen Brunson had 21 points and Kristaps Porzingis added 19 points and 12 rebounds for Dallas. Dwight Powell had 17 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. added 16 and Dorian Finney-smith 14 for the Mavericks.
Dallas took a 23- point lead into the fourth quarter.
Toronto came back and cut the lead to four when Lowry made a floating five- footer and converted the free throw with 5:59 left.
Hollis- Jefferson tied the game 95- 95 on a layup and then put the Raptors ahead by one with two free throws with 4: 31 to play. Lowry’s three-pointer with 3:05 remaining gave Toronto a five-point lead.
After Dallas cut the lead to two, Lowry made a driving layup with 1: 18 left. Brunson’s layup and free throw cut Toronto’s lead to one.
After two Toronto misses, Dallas regained a one- point lead on two free throws by Porzingis. Boucher put Toronto ahead by one on a dunk with 25.8 seconds left.
Brunson missed a shot with 1.6 seconds to play and Boucher made two free throws.
The Raptors led 20-17 after the first quarter.
Dallas led 51-42 at halftime after Porzingis hit a 30-foot three-pointer at the buzzer.
Hardaway made a three-pointer with 4: 33 left in the third quarter and Porzingis converted the technical foul called on Toronto coach Nick Nurse for a 28- point Dallas lead.
Dallas increased the margin to 30 points before finishing the third quarter with an 86- 63 lead.
The Mavericks continue to play without Luka Doncic (sprained ankle).
The Raptors are playing without Pascal Siakam ( groin), Marc Gasol ( hamstring) and Norman Powell (shoulder).
BUCKS MATCH BEST START
On Saturday, Giannis Antetokounmpo totalled 22 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his third triple-double of the season and the Milwaukee Bucks never trailed to match the best 30- game start in team history with a 123-102 victory over the host New York Knicks.
The Bucks won for the 20th time in 21 games and improved to 26- 4, matching the start by the 1971-72 team that won 63 games with hallof- famers Kareem Abdul- Jabbar and Oscar Robertson.
Listed as probable due to back soreness, Antetokounmpo produced his 17th career triple-double and first in 23 career games against the Knicks. His latest big game helped the Bucks to their 10th win in the last 11 meetings with New York.
On Saturday, James Harden drained nine three- pointers while recording 47 points, six rebounds and seven assists to lead Houston over host Phoenix.
Russell Westbrook added 30 points and 10 assists as the Rockets defeated the Suns for the 13th straight time. Houston shot 58.6 per cent from the field, including 19 of 41 from three- point range. Harden hit 15 of 27 shots and was 9-for-19 from behind the arc.
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 26 points for the Suns, who lost their sixth in a row and 14 th in their last 18 games.
Devin Booker added 19 points, nine assists and six rebounds. Centre Deandre Ayton (ankle) and point guard Ricky Rubio ( illness) sat out for the Suns.
SPURS FANS BOO LEONARD
On Saturday, Kawhi Leonard was booed loudly every time he touched the ball, but still poured in 26 points, leading six Los Angeles players in double-figure scoring as the visitors routed the San Antonio Spurs.
Leonard was traded from the Spurs to Toronto before last season, then signed with the Clippers in the summer. He added nine assists and seven rebounds. Montrezl Harrell had 21 points with Lou Williams scoring 20 for the Clippers.
Demar Derozan led San Antonio with 24 points (20 in the first half ), while Marco Belinelli added 17, Lamarcus Aldridge scored 12 and Dejounte Murray and Derrick White contributed 10 apiece.