Siakam scores 29, Raptors beat Pelicans for 6th straight win

TORONTO (AP) — Pascal Siakam had 29 points and 10 rebounds, Fred VanVleet scored 32 points and the Toronto Raptors extended their winning streak to a season-high six games with a 105-101 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night.

OG Anunoby scored 12 points as the Raptors won their fifth straight and 10th of 12 at home. Toronto (20-17) is three games above .500 for the first time since opening the season 6-3.

VanVleet, who recorded his first career triple-double in Friday’s win over Utah, has scored 30 or more points six times in his past eight games.

Jonas Valanciunas had 20 points and 17 rebounds, and Brandon Ingram scored 22 points for the Pelicans, who have lost four of five. Herbert Jones scored 13 points and Devonte’ Graham and Nickeil Alexander-Walker each had 11 for New Orleans.

Pelicans guard Josh Hart did not make the trip to Toronto. Garrett Temple replaced Hart in the starting lineup.

Toronto guard Gary Trent Jr. was scratched because of a sore left ankle. Khem Birch started for the Raptors.

Valanciunas scored in the paint to tie it at 93-93 with four minutes left to play in the fourth quarter. After a timeout, VanVleet hit a tiebreaking 3, but Graham and Jones answered with back-to-back 3-pointers for the Pelicans.

VanVleet responded with a deep 3 with the shot clock winding down. After Siakam forced a steal, VanVleet connected from long distance again to give Toronto a 102-99 lead with 1:32 remaining.

Ingram’s driving layup made it a one-point game, but Chris Boucher tipped in Birch’s missed shot to restore the three-point lead and then grabbed the rebound on Temple’s missed 3.

Birch made one of two at the line with 5.3 seconds left to extend Toronto’s lead. The Raptors had made all 19 free throw attempts before Birch missed his second shot.

Graham missed a 3 on New Orleans’ final possession.

VanVleet scored 13 points in the first to put Toronto up 27-26 after one.

The Raptors led 43-32 with 6:56 left in the opening half, then didn’t score again until Anunoby’s hook shot with 2:47 remaining halted a 14-0 run by New Orleans. Anunoby’s dunk with 16 seconds to go in the quarter gave the Raptors a 49-48 lead at the break.

Siakam scored 13 points in the third, but the Pelicans closed the quarter with an 8-0 run. Toronto took a 79-77 lead to the fourth.

JONAS RETURNS

Drafted fifth overall by the Raptors in 2011, Valanciunas played in Toronto for the first time since Dec. 9, 2018. After missing time because of a left thumb injury, Valanciunas was traded to Memphis on Feb. 7, 2019.

TIP-INS

Pelicans: Signed F Gary Clark to a two-way contract and waived G Jared Harper. … G Tomas Satoransky (health and safety protocols) missed his fourth straight game.

Raptors: F Yuta Watanabe (health and safety protocols) missed his fourth straight game. … Siakam went 10 for 10 at the free throw line. He finished with seven assists.

UP NEXT

Pelicans: Host Minnesota on Tuesday.

Raptors: Host Phoenix on Tuesday.

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