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Raptors take down Sixers

Apr 10, 2014 - 4:28 AM Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Jonas Valanciunas scored a career-high 26 points to go along with 12 rebounds and the Toronto Raptors swept the season series against the Philadelphia 76ers with a 125-114 decision on Wednesday.

Kyle Lowry, who missed Toronto's last three games with a bruised knee, registered 29 points with eight assists in his return to the lineup.

"I was happy to be back out there with my teammates," said Lowry. "The guys did a great job while I was out."

DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Patterson added 17 points apiece in the win, the Raptors' fourth straight and seventh in their last eight games.

Toronto now leads Brooklyn by three games in its quest to win the Atlantic Division for just the second time in franchise history.

Henry Sims paced the Sixers with 22 points and Michael Carter-Williams flirted with a triple-double in the setback, tallying 19 points with nine rebounds and eight assists.

"I think he's learned to take a system and get comfortable on how to maximize it for himself and the team," Sixers coach Brett Brown said of Carter- Williams' growth. "He was close again to a triple-double and I think he had a good game."

James Anderson dropped in 17 points and Thaddeus Young netted 16 points in Philadelphia's second straight loss and fourth in its last five games.

"I'm proud of them (Sixers). They're getting better," said Brown. "They are starting to learn how to play together. They play harder more times than they don't."

Lowry knocked down a 3-pointer, then hit the subsequent free throw after being fouled in the act of shooting by Tony Wroten with 22.9 seconds left in the first to give the Raptors a 34-25 lead. Elliot Williams responded with a 3 of his own to cut the margin to 34-28 after 12 minutes.

Philadelphia tied it up a couple of times in the opening minutes of the second, but it trailed by four when Toronto used a 13-4 spurt to run its spread to double digits. Patterson capped the run with a 3 at 2:54 which helped the hosts to a 62-49 advantage.

The Sixers, however, trimmed the deficit to eight, 68-60, at the half after Carter-Williams capped the scoring with a pair of free throws.

Toronto led by 10 early in the third when the Sixers went on an 11-2 run which cut the halftime deficit to one, 78-77. Sims scored six points and Anderson capped the burst with a triple just before the midway point of the quarter.

The Raptors, though, pushed the margin to nine, 98-89, entering the fourth.

Philadelphia got as close as six a few times late in the final period but that is as close as it was down the stretch. Lowry scored eight straight points for Toronto, the last four of which made it a 10-point game with under two minutes left.

Game Notes

Lowry was 9-for-9 from free throw line ... The Sixers outscored Toronto, 62-46, in the paint ... The Raptors owned a 22-10 edge in second chance points ... Philadelphia shot 44-for-85 (51.8 percent) from the field, but allowed Toronto to shoot 12-of-25 (48 percent) from beyond the arc.