INDIANAPOLIS (AP) DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points, Jonas Valanciunas added 16 points and 17 rebounds, and the Toronto Raptors rallied late to get past the Indiana Pacers 106-99 on Thursday night for their 10th straight victory.
The Raptors need one more win to tie the franchise’s longest winning streak. They haven’t lost since Feb. 23 and broke a tie with the 2016-17 squad for longest road winning streak, which is now at eight.
But it sure wasn’t easy on a night Darron Collison scored 22 points and Al Jefferson had a season-high 20 for Indiana.
The Pacers took the lead late in the first quarter and didn’t trail again until midway through the fourth.
Toronto finally seized control when C.J. Miles made three 3-pointers during a 12-3 spurt that turned an 85-81 deficit into a 93-88 lead with 5:21 to play. The Raptors never trailed again and led by as much as eight twice in the final eight minutes.
Indiana got within 102-99 in the final minute, but the Raptors closed it out when DeRozan stole an inbounds pass and scored on a breakaway dunk with 10.5 seconds left.
TIP-INS
Raptors: Ended a two-game losing streak in Indy. … Toronto is now 2-1 against the Pacers this season. Only two teams – Golden State and Washington – have beaten the Raptors twice this season. … Toronto has topped the 100-point mark in 21 consecutive games, breaking the franchise record set in 2009-10. … The Raptors need one more road win to match the franchise’s single-season record (24). … Valanciunas has scored in double figures in a season-best nine straight games. … Serge Ibaka had 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Pacers: Victor Oladipo scored 18 points and had three steals, extending his streak of consecutive games with at least one steal to 52. … Domantas Sabonis missed the game with a sprained left ankle and Myles Turner missed the end of the first half after spraining his left ankle. Sabonis has already been ruled out of Saturday’s game. Turner returned in the second half. … Indiana had a moment of silence before the game for New Orleans Pelicans owner Tom Benson, who died earlier Thursday. … Indiana was outrebounded 58-35.
UP NEXT
Raptors: Host Dallas on Friday after a three-game road trip.
Pacers: Visit Washington on Saturday.
