New Orleans, LA – DeMar DeRozan poured in a game-high 30 points on Friday, as the Toronto Raptors outlasted the New Orleans Hornets, 104-97, in overtime at New Orleans Arena.
Kyle Lowry returned from a seven-game absence and finished with 17 points and eight assists, while Alan Anderson followed with 16 points for the Raptors, who have won six of their last seven.
"The last couple of weeks, the team has been moving the ball really well," Lowry said. "I just wanted to keep that going and not try to do too much."
Greivis Vasquez finished a rebound shy of a triple-double, tallying 20 points, 14 assists and nine boards in the setback, New Orleans' 12th in its last 13 games.
Rookie Anthony Davis donated 25 points and nine boards and Ryan Anderson added 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Hornets, who snapped an 11-game losing streak with Wednesday's win over Orlando.
New Orleans was unable to win consecutive games for just the second time this season, but the Hornets did make it interesting down the stretch.
The home team trailed by 13 just past the midpoint of the fourth before a 13-2 surge found the Hornets within 85-83 following a Vasquez floater with 2:22 left in regulation.
DeRozan responded with a personal 5-0 run, but Brian Roberts buried a 3- pointer at the other end before a Vasquez layup made it a two-point game with 51.0 seconds remaining in the fourth.
After Lowry's 3-point try was blocked at the other end, Vasquez saw his potential game-tying layup rim out and land in the hands of DeRozan, who was promptly fouled.
DeRozan then split a pair at the charity stripe to leave the door open with 14.6 ticks remaining, and Anderson took advantage, as his 3-point try got a friendly bounce off the rim before falling through to knot the game at 91-91 with 8.0 ticks remaining.
DeRozan had a chance to redeem himself for the miss at the line, but his baseline jumper was off the mark to send the game to overtime.
Toronto scored the first four points of the extra session and after Anderson's tip-in brought New Orleans back within two, Lowry knocked down a triple to make it 98-93 with 1:45 left.
The Raptors were able to hold the home team at bay from there, as they knocked down all four of their free throws down the stretch to hang on for the victory.
"The energy we expended to come back in the fourth may have hurt us in overtime," New Orleans coach Monty Williams remarked. "You have to tip your hat to (the Raptors). They did what they needed to do in overtime."
Early on, New Orleans jumped out to a 19-9 lead with under 4 1/2 minutes left in the first, but the Raptors closed the quarter on a 12-4 swing to pull within 23-21 heading into the second.
Toronto shot 45 percent from the field in the second and turned five New Orleans turnovers into eight points to build a 48-42 lead at the break.
Both teams shot over 50 percent from the floor in tightly-contest third quarter that found the Raptors holding a 70-64 advantage.
Game Notes
Toronto guard Jose Calderon moved into sole possession of second place on the Raptors' all-time games played list at 510 ... Toronto improved to 3-15 on the road this season ... New Orleans fell to 0-3 in overtime games ... Lowry missed the last seven games with a partial tear to his right triceps muscle.
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