DeRozan scores 25, Spurs rally from 18 down, beat Raptors

TORONTO (AP) — DeMar DeRozan scored 25 points, Rudy Gay had 15 and the San Antonio Spurs rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat the Toronto Raptors 105-104 on Sunday.

San Antonio used a big fourth quarter to win for the third time in four games. Derrick White scored 13 points for the Spurs, and LaMarcus Aldridge had 11. DeRozan also collected eight rebounds and four assists while topping 20 points for the 11th straight game.

San Antonio trailed 82-69 to begin the fourth but opened the quarter with a 19-5 run, taking an 88-87 lead on Aldridge’s layup with 6:34 to play.

The Spurs led 100-91 with 2:37 left, but Kyle Lowry, Norman Powell and Serge Ibaka each made 3-pointers as Toronto tied it 100-100 on Ibaka’s shot from distance with 1:17 left.

Siakam broke the tie by making the second of two free throws with 41 seconds left, but Marco Belinelli replied with a 3 for the Spurs, making it 103-101 with 28 seconds remaining.

After a Toronto timeout, Siakam missed a shot that would have tied the game. San Antonio’s Lonnie Walker IV grabbed the rebound, Lowry fouled DeRozan, and the former Raptors star pushed the lead to four points by making a pair from the line.

Lowry replied with a deep 3, cutting the deficit to one, and Aldridge missed a pair of free throws with four seconds left, but Siakam’s long 3-pointer bounced off the backboard at the buzzer.

DeRozan missed his first three free throws but made 11 straight the rest of the way. He didn’t score until 1:25 remained in the first half and attempted just three shots in the first two quarters, but made six of nine attempts in the second half.

Ibaka had 21 points and a season-high 15 rebounds, and Lowry had 16 points and a season-high 15 assists for the Raptors. Ibaka’s double-double was his career-best eighth straight. He’s the third Toronto player to achieve the feat. Chris Bosh did it five times and Donyell Marshall did it once.

San Antonio’s comeback spoiled the returns of Siakam and Powell, each of whom had missed 11 games since a Dec. 18 win at Detroit. Powell scored 20 points and Siakam had 15, including 12 in the first quarter.

FAMILY FIRST

While battling San Antonio’s Bryn Forbes for a loose ball in the third, Lowry landed heavily on Toronto’s baseline, just in front of where his family was seated. Lowry got up and gave his son a kiss on the cheek, then returned to the court.

TIP-INS

Spurs: Playing in Toronto as a visitor for only the second time, DeRozan received loud applause when he was introduced before the game. Fans rose for a standing ovation when DeRozan was honored with a tribute video during a first-quarter timeout, part of Toronto’s 25th anniversary celebration.

Raptors: Toronto is still without center Marc Gasol, who has also been out since Dec. 18, and guard Fred VanVleet, who sat for the third straight because of a strained right hamstring.

UP NEXT

Spurs: Visit the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.

Raptors: Visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night.