National Basketball Association

Spurs rally for win over Raptors

Published Jan. 19, 2011 11:32 p.m. ET

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DeJuan Blair had 22 points and 11 rebounds to help the San Antonio Spurs rally from an 11-point halftime deficit to beat the Toronto Raptors 104-95 on Wednesday night for their seventh straight victory.

Manu Ginobili scored 23 points and Tony Parker added 17 for the Spurs, who improved their NBA-best record to 36-6, their best ever after 42 games.

DeMar DeRozan scored 28 points for the Raptors, who lost their fifth straight and ninth in the last 10 games.

The Spurs surged into the lead midway through the third quarter. Tim Duncan's turnaround jumper to open the third got the Spurs off to a solid start, starting a 15-4 run to tie it at 57 when Duncan found a cutting Blair for back-to-back running layups.

Two quick baskets by point guard Jose Calderon helped Toronto regain the lead, but it would be short-lived. Blair's follow shot off Parker's miss capped a 12-0 run to give San Antonio a 71-65 lead.

The Raptors would get no closer than six points the rest of the way.

Calderon and Andrea Bargnani each finished with 14 points for the Raptors.

The Spurs struggled in the first half, shooting just 35 percent. DeRozan scored five points during a 9-0 run that gave the Raptors a 49-38 lead with two minutes left in the half.

Notes: Guard James Anderson, the Spurs' 2010 first-round draft pick from Oklahoma State, was activated and in uniform, but didn't play against the Raptors. ...The Spurs tied the 1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers for the fourth-best start after 42 games.