HOUSTON -- For a half the Toronto Raptors were everything they longed to be defensively, and when things broke down on that end of the court, they had DeMar DeRozan available to deliver the sort of backbreaking offense required to finish the job.

Behind a third-quarter eruption from DeRozan and a swarming defensive effort that yielded an insurmountable lead, the Toronto Raptors rolled to a 115-102 victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night at Toyota Center.

DeRozan scored a team-high 24 points, including 21 in the third quarter on 8-for-12 shooting, to help Toronto (9-6) snap a nine-game losing skid in Houston. True to form, DeRozan scored in a variety of ways inside the arc but also broke script with a pair of corner 3-pointers to keep the Raptors rolling when the Rockets tried to rally.

"We ran more (plays) from my comfort zone, a couple post-up plays, a couple high screen-and-rolls," DeRozan said of his breakout third quarter, one that followed his 0-for-5 shooting in the first half. "Tried to get them to switch a big on me. Just try to be aggressive and with that, take what they gave me.

"I know I was getting my shots off. It was just up to me (to) not force anything."

Houston (9-6) sliced what was a 20-point deficit to 106-99 on a James Harden 3-pointer with 2:18 remaining, but Raptors forward DeMarre Carroll (20 points) followed a corner 3 with a transition dunk to stifle that rally. That fast break came off the Rockets' 27th turnover. Toronto turned 28 Rockets turnovers into 33 points.

Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas finished with 15 points and 16 rebounds, five on the offensive glass, while guard Kyle Lowry added 17 points and nine assists. Reserve guard Cory Joseph added 17 points off the bench, nailing all three of his 3-point attempts. The Raptors finished 12 of 23 (52.2 percent) from behind the arc.

All five starters reached double figures for Houston for the third time in five games. Harden paired 29 points with 15 assists but had a season-high 12 turnovers.

"I think it's a product of maybe for whatever reason we got fat and happy," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We got home and sometimes you come off the road -- we've been on the road a lot -- you come off (the road) and you think it's a safe place and you don't come out with the fire. This (the Raptors) was a desperate team."

The Rockets' early miserable shooting was due in part to the Raptors' commitment defensively and Houston's inability to convert open looks. Houston finished 0 of 8 from behind the arc in the first quarter, and while Harden made a driving layup at the buzzer to cut the deficit to 24-20 at the end of the first, the Rockets' shooting woes continued deep into the second quarter and fueled the Toronto advantage.

The Rockets didn't make much progress from the perimeter by the intermission, and Toronto worked hard to press the arc while scrambling to fill in on penetration. Valanciunas had a double-double (11 points, 12 rebounds) by the break, while Terrence Ross chipped in 10 points off the bench as Toronto led 54-39 at the half.

The Rockets shot 39.5 percent in the first half, including 3 of 20 in 3-pointers. They warmed up after the break, but the hole they dug was too steep to escape from.

"I just think we didn't make characteristic plays," Rockets forward Ryan Anderson said. "We didn't play like we really have been. I don't know what the reason was but we were just a little flat."

NOTES: Rockets C Clint Capela appears to have turned a corner with his conditioning, logging at least 30 minutes for a third consecutive game. Prior to last Saturday, Capela had not eclipsed 27 minutes in a game this season. He had 12 points, six rebounds and five blocks Wednesday. ... The Raptors' focus remains on the defensive end of the court, where they entered Wednesday ranked 24th in defensive rating allowing 109.2 points per 100 possessions. Of specific concern is their transition defense, particularly against an up tempo offense like that of the Rockets. ... The Rockets recalled rookies Kyle Wiltjer and Chinanu Onuaku from NBA D-league partner Rio Grande Valley. Both players appeared in all five games with the Vipers, with Onuaku averaging 12.2 points and 13 rebounds while Wiltjer averaged 21 points.