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Late in the third quarter of the Toronto Raptors’ Friday night home game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Kyle Lowry connected with a streaking DeMar DeRozan for a nasty one-handed alley-oop throw-down. DeRozan had 15 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and a steal for the Raptors in their 100-81 blowout win over the undermanned Pelicans, who are now 1-8 to start the season.
Lowry chipped in 20 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals for Toronto and was 4-of-8 from downtown, while Jonas Valanciunas posted another hugely-efficient double-double: 20 points and 10 rebounds on 8-of-11 shooting, to go along with a pair of blocks. The Raptors had five players in double figures on the night.
They spoiled a big outing from Eric Gordon, who put up 30 points on 50 percent shooting. Jrue Holiday also added 19 points for the Pelicans on 8-of-14 from the field. But only one other New Orleans player was in double figures, and they struggled shooting the ball all night, managing just 36 percent from the field.
Part of the problem is that they were without Anthony Davis in the lineup, who missed his second straight game with a bruised right hip. All in all, five New Orleans players sat out Friday night with injuries: Norris Cole, Tyreke Evans, Quincy Pondexter, and Kendrick Perkins.
The Raptors head to Sacramento next to play the Kings on Sunday, while the Pelicans will travel to New York for a Sunday afternoon matinee against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.