NBA: Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan inspire Toronto Raptors' fightback
Last Updated: 24/03/14 7:27am
The Toronto Raptors produced a superb fourth quarter to dig out victory over the Atlanta Hawks and move third in the Eastern Conference.
Trailing 71-60 going into the final quarter, which quickly became 74-60, the Raptors suddenly produced a 36-point outburst to win 96-86. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan combined to score 23 of those and finished with 25 and 21 respectively.
It is the 10th time this season Toronto have won after trailing at the start of the fourth, compared to three in the whole of last season.
The Brooklyn Nets are two places further back after a 107-104 overtime win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Joe Johnson scored 22 points and Marcus Thornton 20. Dallas' Monta Ellis led all scorers with 32 but his three-point attempts on the buzzer in regulation and overtime both stayed out.
Brooklyn are now two games ahead of the Washington Wizards, who lost 105-102 to the Denver Nuggets as Kenneth Faried scored 20 points.
Revived
The New York Knicks' revived post-season hopes took a dent as their eight-game winning streak ended against the Cleveland Cavaliers, leaving them three games behind the eighth-placed Hawks.
Jarrett Jack scored 31 points and Dion Waiters 22 as the Cavs won 106-100.
The Minnesota Timberwolves were beaten despite scoring 41 points in the first quarter as the Phoenix Suns produced a remarkable 127-120 win to move within half a game of the Western Conference play-offs.
Markieff Morris scored 25 points and Eric Bledsoe 21 as the Suns overcame 36 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists from Kevin Love.
The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Orlando Magic 103-94, Jordan Hill with 28 points and 13 rebounds, while the Sacramento Kings hammered the Milwaukee Bucks 124-107.
