Second-half defence helped the Toronto Raptors recover from a poor start and defeat the New Orleans Pelicans, 107-100. Toronto (38-29) ended a two-game skid and earned the season sweep of New Orleans (27-40). DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry combined for 54 points for Toronto. The defensive pressure of Amir Johnson and Tyler Hansbrough—who got the start in place of the injured Jonas Valanciunas—helped the Raptors steal a win at the Smoothie King Center.
Offence: A-
The Raptors put 107 points on the board. The scoring was balanced early on. Lowry led the Raptors with 10 points in the first quarter. When he and DeRozan were sent to the bench, the offence became stagnant. The Raptors were down 11 when the pair returned at the 7:17 mark. Instead of settling for jumpers, the Raptors attempted 16 of 21 shots inside the paint in the quarter. Toronto’s elite backcourt led the attack and combined to score half the team’s 32 second-quarter points to cut the deficit to one at recess. The second half was marked by second-chance points for the Raptors. Toronto outscored New Orleans 18-6 in putbacks. DeRozan finished with a game-high 31 points. Lowry added 23 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Greivis Vasquez, who used to play for New Orleans, provided 14 points off the bench.
Defence: B
The Raptors got off to a rough start on the defensive end. Here is the shot chart from the first quarter:
The Raptors allowed the Pelicans to shoot 81 per cent, scoring mostly on easy drives. Toronto gave up 32 points, 20 of them in paint (while scoring a single bucket of their own inside). New Orleans’ guards had their way creating off of dribble penetration. It was beginning to look like the Raptors were going to lose three straight games for the first time in the post-Rudy Gay era. DeRozan, Lowry, and Hansbrough returned midway through the second quarter and energized the Raptors defence. But it still wasn’t perfect. Former Raptor Alexis Ajinca managed to split through the interior as if his old team’s defence was a block of swiss cheese. His Pelicans were still shooting 60 per cent after three quarters. The Raptors maximized their defensive effort when it mattered most. Lowry and Hansbrough teamed up to get a crucial steal that led to a 
game-tying Johnson dunk with 3:34 left. The Raptors outworked the Pelicans and held them to 15 points on 5-15 shooting in the final frame.
Rebounding: A+
The Raptors did a stellar job banging inside and going after loose balls. Johnson and Hansbrough went after it on the glass, and their energy was contagious. Veteran Chuck Hayes made a point of clearing boards. John Salmons chased down one of his shots and scored on the second opportunity. The Raptors won the battle of the boards, 48-34. They had 22 offensive rebounds while only giving up five. The Raptors capitalized on the extra possessions down the stretch. Vasquez missed a three, followed it and scored on a reverse layup to put the Raptors up five with 1:21 remaining. Hansbrough grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.
Game Ball: Amir Johnson
Johnson anchored the Raptors defence and was key in surmounting their comeback. When Lowry missed a free throw with 46 seconds left, Johnson was right there to tap the ball in and seal the victory. He scored six points in the last four minutes of the game and came just shy of a double-double. He finished the game with 17 points on 8-13 shooting, nine boards, and two blocks. Johnson’s consistent effort and late-game heroics earn him tonight’s game ball.
