Raptors beat Heat for another big comeback win

DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Toronto Raptors handles the ball during the game against the Miami Heat on March 23, 2017 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. [Photo/VCG]

MIAMI — DeMar DeRozan scored 40 points, marking the first time he's had that many in consecutive games as the Toronto Raptors pulled off their 19th double-digit comeback of the season to beat the Miami Heat 101-84 in the NBA on Thursday night.

DeRozan shot 14 for 25 from the field and 12 for 13 from the line. He needed 38 shots to score 42 against Chicago on Tuesday.

Norman Powell scored 14 and Delon Wright added 13 for Toronto, which never led until midway through the third quarter. The Raptors allowed 33 points in the first quarter, then held Miami to 35 points over the next 27 minutes.

Playing with 13 stitches in his right hand, Hassan Whiteside scored 16 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for Miami. Rodney McGruder and Goran Dragic each had 13 points for the Heat, with Dragic shooting just 5 for 18.

SPURS 97, GRIZZLIES 90 SAN ANTONIO — LaMarcus Aldridge scored 23 points and Kawhi Leonard added 19 as San Antonio beat Memphis in a possible first-round playoff preview.

San Antonio opened a four-game homestand by moving two games behind idle Golden State for the league's best record. The Spurs (55-16) close the homestand against the Warriors (57-14) next Wednesday.

Memphis (40-32) is seventh in the Western Conference, which would result in a first-round matchup with San Antonio if the standings remain.

Marc Gasol, who had 13 points, was the only other Grizzlies player in double figures.

MAVERICKS 97, CLIPPERS 95 DALLAS — Harrison Barnes made the go-ahead basket, then stole the ball from Blake Griffin with 3.9 seconds left as Dallas beat Los Angeles.

Barnes made a 14-foot jumper with 1:06 remaining for the game's 11th lead change, making it 96-95. After he stripped Griffin, Wesley Matthews made a free throw with 0.9 seconds to play before J.J. Redick missed a 3-point attempt that would have won it at the buzzer.

Griffin scored 21 points, including nine in a row in the fourth quarter, but the Clippers had their three-game winning streak snapped. Dallas, battling from behind for a playoff berth, had lost four of six.

Seth Curry led Dallas with 23 points. Barnes finished with 21 and Dirk Nowitzki had 14.

DeAndre Jordan had 14 points and 18 rebounds for the Clippers. Chris Paul scored 15 points and Austin Rivers had 13.

NETS 126, SUNS 98 NEW YORK — Brook Lopez scored 19 points and K.J. McDaniels had a season-high 16 as Brooklyn beat Phoenix to give the Nets consecutive victories for the first time this season.

Trevor Booker added 14 points as one of six reserves in double figures for the league-worst Nets, who beat Detroit on Tuesday.

Devin Booker scored 28 points and Marquese Chriss had 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Suns. Alex Len had 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Brooklyn took a commanding 84-65 lead into the fourth quarter as Lopez scored 12 points in the third quarter. Brooklyn held Phoenix to 15 points, the fewest points the Nets have allowed in the third quarter this season.

Phoenix opened the game with a 17-4 run and led 32-22 after the first quarter. However, Brooklyn turned the tide in the second quarter and took a 52-50 lead into the halftime.

TRAIL BLAZER 110, KNICKS 95 PORTLAND, Oregon — Damian Lillard scored 30 points and the Portland Trail Blazers never trailed against the New York Knicks.

Lillard had 15 in the first quarter as Portland opened a 14-point lead. The Blazers led by as much as 23 and moved within a game of the Denver Nuggets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Kristaps Porzingis scored 18 points for the Knicks, who played without Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose.

Lillard entered Thursday's game averaging 31.2 points since the All-Star break and didn't cool off. He has scored 25 or more in eight straight games, a career-best streak.

Associated Press