TORONTO, ON — FINAL: Spurs 105, Raptors 104
San Antonio went on a 17-point run to take a 9-point lead late in the fourth quarter before the Raptors hit back-to-back-to-back three-pointers to knot it at 100.
A three from Marco Belinelli put the Spurs up 2 with under a minute left in the game. Raptors forward Pascal Siakam missed a layup, and Lonnie Walker IV came down with the rebound and got the ball to DeMar DeRozan, whom the Raptors were forced to foul.
DeRozan knocked down both free throws, but a quick three from Raptors guard Kyle Lowry cut the lead to 1 with 4 seconds remaining. LaMarcus Aldridge was fouled on the ensuing possession, but missed both free throws. With only 4 seconds remaining, the Raptors forced up a desperation three, which missed.
The Raptors lead by as many as 18 before the Spurs outscored them 34-19 in the 4th.
DeRozan went on a tear in the second half, dropping 22 points in the final two quarters.
4th Quarter: Spurs 88, Raptors 87 (5:30 remaining)
How many games this season have the Spurs won with their defense? Not many, but that's the case here. The Silver and Black went on a 17-0 run to take the lead. The Spurs switched to a zone defense, and Toronto then missed 9 shots in a row.
DeRozan now has 14 points in the second half. Serge Ibaka leads the scoring effort for Toronto with 16 points.
3rd Quarter: Raptors 82, Spurs 69
DeMar DeRozan put on a dunk clinic in the third quarter.
Halftime: Raptors 51, Spurs 43
San Antonio scored just 22 points in the second frame, yet the Spurs are still in this one due in part to some stellar defense, something this team hasn't displayed much of this season.
Dejounte Murray continues to lead the Spurs with 8 points (yep, no Spur has hit double figures yet). The young guard has also grabbed 4 rebounds and dished out 3 assists in 12 minutes of action.
Pascal Siakam, meanwhile, registered just 2 points in the quarter after notching 12 in the first frame. The Raptors are limiting his action in his return from injury, having played just 13 minutes in the half.
DeMar DeRozan finally scored with 1:25 remaining in the half. He has a paltry 3 points in his return to Toronto.
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Raptors 36, Spurs 27 (7:00 remaining)
The Spurs shooting woes continue. The Silver and Black are just 10-31 (32.3%) from the field this game and a horrendous 1-11 (10%) from 3. Entering tonight, the Spurs were shooting lights out from the field - just under 50%, third in the NBA - and a league-best 41.8% from three over their last 12 games.
Credit the defense, then, for keeping the Spurs in this game.
1st Quarter - Raptors 28, Spurs 21
A 10-0 run propelled the Toronto Raptors to an early 11 point lead, but the San Antonio Spurs' second unit clawed their way to a 7 point deficit at the end of the 1st quarter.
For the Spurs, guard Dejounte Murray leads the team in scoring with 6 points on 4 shots. Forward LaMarcus Aldridge is 1-3 with his only make coming from behind the 3-point arc.
DeMar DeRozan has yet to score in his return to Toronto, his second appearance since being traded from the franchise where he started his career.
The Raptors are thriving in Pascal Siakam's return from injury; the forward has 12 points in 7 minutes to lead the Raptors in scoring.
In that first quarter, the Spurs were 1-7 (14.3%) from three. Ouch.
Pregame
One of the NBA's best midrange shooters, Spurs forward DeMar DeRozan is in the midst of a midseason run that could land him in the All-Star Game after missing the big show last year in his first season with the Silver and Black.
DeRozan returns Sunday to where his NBA career started when the Spurs play the Raptors in Toronto. The meeting will be the first of two this season between the teams, and DeRozan's second game in Toronto since being traded during the 2018 offseason.
Sunday's game tips off at 5:00 p.m. CT Follow along here for live updates.