Aldridge helps Spurs edge Raptors

[January 25, 2017]  (The Sports Xchange) - LaMarcus Aldridge scored 21 points and added seven rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Toronto Raptors 108-106 on Tuesday night.

It was the fifth win in a row for the Spurs (36-9) and the fourth straight loss for the Raptors (28-17).

DeMar DeRozan did not play for Toronto and Kawhi Leonard sat out for San Antonio.

The Spurs led by as many as 13 points in the first half but the game was tied entering the fourth quarter and again with two minutes to play.

Dejounte Murray's jumper with under two minutes left gave San Antonio a two-point lead.

Terrence Ross missed a 25-foot jumper for Toronto with 1:17 to play and the Spurs had possession of the ball.

The Raptors could not take advantage of a Spurs' turnover with 45 seconds left.

Both teams missed their next shots and Aldridge made one of two free throws with 11.3 seconds left to give San Antonio a three-point lead.

Toronto's Norman Powell made a dunk with 6.2 seconds left and Aldridge converted one of two free throws with 5.1 seconds remaining. Toronto could not score on its possession.

Patty Mills added 18 points for San Antonio while Dave Bertans had 12 and David Lee and Murray each scored 11.

Kyle Lowry led Toronto with 30 points, Ross had 21 points off the bench, Powell added 16 Patrick Patterson had 12 and Cory Joseph 10. Jonas Valanciunas had nine points and 13 rebounds.

The Spurs led 29-25 after the first quarter, led by Lee's eight points.

Lowry scored 11 first-quarter points for the Raptors.

The Spurs took an 11-point lead on a driving layup by Mills with 5:28 to play in the second quarter. Green's hook shot bumped the lead to 13.

Patterson hit a 3-pointer and Lucas Nogueira scored on a tip dunk to complete the first half with the Spurs leading 61-54.

Aldridge led the Spurs with 14 points in the first half. Lowry topped all first-half scorers with 18 points.

Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) looks to make a pass as Toronto Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas (17) defends in the second half at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports

The Spurs scored the first three points of the second half to lead by 10. The Raptors did not score until Lowry made a layup with 8:18 to play in the third quarter, cutting the lead to eight.

Lowry's layup whittled the Spurs lead to four with 6:44 to go in the third.

Ross made a pull-up jumper and converted the free throw to cut San Antonio's lead to two points with 3:34 left in the quarter and Joseph tied it with a short jumper.

Ross gave Toronto its first lead of the game, 77-76, when he hit one of two free throws with 1:19 to play in the third quarter, which ended tied at 79.

Ross made two 3-pointers early in fourth quarter to put Toronto ahead 85-81.

Bertans made a driving dunk with 8:15 to play and San Antonio led by three points.

Ross put the Raptors back into a one-point lead with a driving layup with 5:19 left but the Spurs immediately moved ahead again on Kyle Anderson's put-back layup.

Lowry's layup had Toronto up by three but Aldridge tied it when he completed a three-point play when he converted the free throw with 3:25 to go.

Murray's floating jumper put the Spurs ahead by two points with 1:29 to play.

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