Anthony scores winning basket, Blazers beat Raptors 101-99
TORONTO (AP) — Carmelo Anthony made the winning basket with four seconds remaining and the Portland Trail Blazers rallied to beat the Toronto Raptors 101-99 Tuesday night.
Anthony scored 28 points, Damian Lillard had 20 and Hassan Whiteside added 14 points and 16 rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who snapped a four-game losing streak in Toronto and won for the second time in 10 meetings with the Raptors.
Anfernee Simons scored 12 points and C.J. McCollum had 10 after sitting out Sunday’s loss in Miami because of an upper-respiratory infection.
Portland had lost six of seven overall.
The Blazers trailed 78-69 through three quarters, but Lillard tied it at 99 on a 35-foot 3-pointer with 38 seconds left in the fourth, leading to a Raptors timeout.
Toronto’s Patrick McCaw turned it over with 13.6 seconds remaining, giving the Blazers a chance at a winning shot. Portland got the ball to Anthony, who connected from near the free throw line.
Kyle Lowry got one final chance for the Raptors, but his off-balance 3 bounced off the rim at the buzzer.
Lowry had 24 points and 10 rebounds, and Serge Ibaka added 17 points and 11 rebounds as the injury-ravaged Raptors lost for just the second time in 16 games against opponents with losing records. Toronto’s only other loss to a sub-.500 team came against Boston in the second game of the season.
Oshae Brisett scored a career-high 12 points for Toronto and Chris Boucher also had 12, including 10 straight Raptors points in the fourth.
Raptors guard Fred VanVleet sat out because of a strained right hamstring, joining a group of injured Toronto starters that includes Norman Powell (left shoulder), Marc Gasol (left hamstring) and Pascal Siakam (groin).
VanVleet limped off late in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s win at Brooklyn and did not practice Monday. Head coach Nick Nurse said it would be “a little bit” before the team determined a timeline for VanVleet’s return.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson started for VanVleet.
Toronto’s bench players closed the first quarter with an 8-0 run over the final 3:10 and the Raptors led 24-15 after one.
Lowry scored 10 points in the second and the Raptors were up 56-46 at halftime.
Portland’s Kent Bazemore was ejected with 3:06 left in the third after a double technical.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: Portland shot 1 for 8 from 3-point range in the first quarter. … Besides the final score, Portland’s only other lead was 4-3 in the first quarter.
Raptors: In their first home game since his death on New Year’s Day, the Raptors honored late commissioner David Stern with a video tribute and a moment of silence. … Asked about Powell’s return, Nurse said “we should see him soon.” … G Matt Thomas returned after missing 21 games because of a broken left middle finger. His first shot was an airball. … Ibaka scored Toronto’s first seven points.
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers: Visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night.
Raptors: Visit the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night.