VanVleet, Siakam lead Raptors to win

Fred VanVleet scored 35 points, topping 30 for a career-best ninth time this season, and Pascal Siakam added 28 points as the Toronto Raptors beat the visiting Detroit Pistons 119-118 Sunday for their fourth win in five games.

Scottie Barnes scored 20 points and Precious Achiuwa had 11 points and 11 rebounds as Toronto won its second straight over Detroit after losing the previous six meetings.

VanVleet and the Raptors bounced back after blowing a 12-point lead in the final five minutes of Friday’s home loss to Utah.

“That hurt,” VanVleet. “Everyone was frustrated for sure, but the game goes on. We’ve got to stay focused on the games in front of us and pile them up as best as we can.”

Toronto is 20-7 all-time when VanVleet scores 30 or more points. Siakam has scored 25 or more in three straight games.

“It’s certainly a treat to have two guys out there who you can coach the team through,” said Toronto assistant coach Adrian Griffin, who led the Raptors on Sunday with head coach Nick Nurse away for personal reasons.

Detroit’s Dwane Casey worked with both Siakam and VanVleet when Casey was head coach in Toronto.

“They were the difference in the game,” Casey said of Toronto’s duo. “They carried the team, they did a great job.”

Bojan Bogdanovic scored 33 points, Alec Burks had 21, and Hamidou Diallo and Jaden Ivey each had 18 for the Pistons. Detroit failed once again to win consecutive games for the second time this season.

Detroit beat San Antonio in double overtime Friday in a matchup of two of the NBA’s worst teams.

Celtics 119, Grizzlies 109: Derrick White scored 23 points to help Boston hold off Ja Morant and visiting Memphis.