Raptors hand Clippers worst loss of season

LOS ANGELES (AP):

Kyle Lowry was in a funk right along with his Toronto Raptors. He had a combined 15 points in his last five games while the team had lost three of four.

Adding to their woes, leading scorer Kawhi Leonard was out with a bruised right hip against the surprising Clippers.

"It was just time for me to step up and play," Lowry said.

Serge Ibaka had 25 points and nine rebounds, Lowry added 21 points while making four of the Raptors' 14 3-pointers, and Toronto cruised past Los Angeles 123-99 on Tuesday night.

"We didn't slow it down," Lowry said.

Toronto shot 52 per cent from the floor, had 34 assists and outscored the Clippers 28-4 in fast-break points.

"This was a game everybody thought would be very difficult for us to win," coach Nick Nurse said, "but we kind of lined up all these things and were very focused."

Fred VanVleet kept the ball moving in place of Leonard with a career-high 14 assists.

LEADING SCORER

"From the start you could see the Raptors pushing the pace at us the entire game," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said, "and we really never caught up to it."

With leading scorer Tobias Harris held to 10 points he averages 21.4 the Clippers were led by a pair of reserves.

Boban Marjanovic had 18 points and Tyrone Wallace added 15. Their fourth loss in six games dropped them into a tie for second with the Lakers at 17-10 in the Pacific Division.

Other results on Tuesday: Houston 111 Portland 104; San Antonio 111 Phoenix 86.