LA Lakers 109, Toronto 107 (OT)

TORONTO, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Toronto's Lindsey Hunter missed two free throws with 2.4 seconds left in overtime Sunday night, then was ruled out of bounds on the final play, allowing the Los Angeles Lakers to escape with a 109-107 victory over the Raptors.

The Lakers, who capped a 1-3 road trip and improved to just 3-13 away from home, took a 108-107 lead on a steal and layup by Kobe Bryant after he intercepted a pass from Morris Peterson to Alvin Williams.

After Williams missed a leaner in the paint, Robert Horry made one of two free throws with 8.2 seconds to play, giving Toronto another chance. Hunter drove the lane and was knocked to the ground by Shaquille O'Neal as the center blocked his shot with 2.4 seconds left.

Hunter, who was slow to get up from the court, missed the first free throw and intentionally missed the second. But the ball went out of bounds off Los Angeles, giving the Raptors another opportunity.

Hunter, however, stepped on the sideline while trying to receive the inbounds pass with 0.9 seconds left and the Lakers ran out the clock.

O'Neal scored 31 points and grabbed 15 rebounds and Bryant also had 31 points for Los Angeles, which shot 53 percent en route to just their second victory in seven games.

Peterson scored 27 points, Hunter added 17 and Williams 16 for Toronto, which has lost three in a row and seven of eight.

The Lakers led, 101-96, after Derek Fisher made a jumper with 1:11 remaining in regulation. But Williams got Toronto within 102-100 on a jumper with 40 seconds to play and, after Jerome Williams blocked Bryant with 20 seconds left and grabbed the rebound, the Raptors called timeout to set up a final play.

Peterson hit a jumper from the right corner with 9.2 seconds remaining, but the referees signaled it was a two-pointer.

Replays seemed to indicate that Peterson had both feet behind the line, prompting the Air Canada Centre crowd to chant, "Three, three!"

Fisher missed a jumper from just inside the arc with one second to go, sending the game to overtime.