Field Level Media
Feb 26, 2018
Guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan scored 20 points apiece as the Eastern Conference-leading Toronto Raptors overwhelmed the struggling Detroit Pistons 123-94 on Monday night in Toronto.
Lowry added six rebounds and four assists, while DeRozan chipped in a team-high seven assists. Serge Ibaka supplied 19 points, nine rebounds and two steals for Toronto, which bounced back after having its seven-game winning streak snapped by the Milwaukee Bucks in overtime on Friday night.
Pascal Siakam had 11 points, five rebounds and six assists off the Raptors' bench. Toronto shot 52.5 percent from the field and made 17 3-point attempts. The Pistons shot 38.3 percent and hit seven 3-pointers.
Toronto was also nearly perfect from the foul line, making all but one of its 23 attempts. Detroit made 15 of 20 free throws.
The Raptors, who outscored the Pistons 64-41 after halftime, have an NBA-best 25-5 record at home.
Andre Drummond led Detroit with 18 points, 18 rebounds, four steals and three blocks. Ish Smith scored 16 points, Reggie Bullock had 14 and Dwight Buycks and Blake Griffin tossed in 12 apiece.
The Pistons have lost six of their last seven, including all three of their games since the All-Star break.
The Raptors took the lead with three minutes left in the opening quarter and never relinquished it. Early in the second quarter, Toronto reeled off 10 unanswered points to grab a 12-point lead.
Detroit was able to cut that deficit in half before the break, trailing 59-53. The Raptors took complete control with a 14-0 outburst early in the third.
Ibaka got it started with a 3-pointer. DeRozan made four free throws, sandwiching an Ibaka jumper. OG Anunoby scored the last five points during that span to make it 75-55.
Toronto's lead was 93-75 entering the fourth quarter. It only got uglier for the Pistons in the final 12 minutes.
--Field Level Media