DeRozan, Raptors outlast resilient 76ers
PHILADELPHIA — Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan spent an off night in town at Villanova watching the best basketball team in the Philly area dominate in another victory. A night later, Lowry and DeRozan ditched the courtside seats to team up and keep Philadelphia the worst team in the NBA.
DeRozan scored 31 points and Lowry added 20 to help the Toronto Raptors win their fourth straight game, 123-114 over the 76ers on Wednesday night.
DeRozan continued to make the 30-point mark a routine part of his game and scored 31 points through the first three quarters. DeRozan posterized Jahlil Okafor with a dunk over the Sixers big man and easily rolled to his second straight 30-point game. He scored 30 points on Monday against Milwaukee and came in averaging a robust 27.9 points per game.
“It’s just experience. My work ethic,” DeRozan said. “I just try and be better every single year.”
He’s having his best one yet.
Lowry helped blow the game open in his Philadelphia homecoming. Lowry made a 3-pointer in the fourth that stretched the lead to 99-80 and earned some applause for the All-Star raised in the area.
DeRozan and Lowry helped squash the Sixers’ modest two-game winning streak. Long one of the NBA’s worst teams, the Sixers haven’t won three straight games since they took four in a row from Dec. 29, 2013-Jan. 4, 2014.
Robert Covington led the Sixers with 26 points and Okafor had 17.
The Sixers had won two straight on the road and seemed like they could win a rare game at home when they opened with a strong first 17 minutes. Lowry brought the Sixers crashing back to reality.
Lowry buried two quick 3-pointers that brought the…