For a team that was making 51.2% of their shots, the Raptors led 58-54, even though they had built as big an advantage as 14 points. Once again, they had a tough time containing the dribble. What kept the Pacers in the game was the team’s ability to protect the basketball. It’s very unusual, remarkable, in fact, for a team to play an entire half by not turning the ball over, which is precisely what the Pacers managed to accomplish. When there’s little pressure on the ball, that’s what you get, an Indy team that will run off turnovers, but one that likes to play in the half court. At no point did Indiana lead and one point the Raptors had a chance to create additional separation, but shot selection and an inability to make sustained stops prevented the visitors from truly taking command.
The Raptors, not long after, spent the first half doing what they do best — happily endeavouring to outshoot an opponent while paying occasional heed to the getting stops. Ultimately, it should be noted, the visitors sprinkled in enough credible work on the defensive end to carve out a win, 117-98. Kyle Lowry did most of the heavy lifting, notching his seventh career triple-double with 20 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds. But it was a team effort all the way. DeMar DeRozan had 22 points. Jonas Valanciunas added 14 points and 12 rebounds. And more to the crux: The Raptors held the Pacers to 43% shooting from the field. Given that the Raptors came into the game allowing opponents to shoot at a 46% clip — the fifth-worst defence in the league this season — it was fine enough labour. Toronto’s win-loss record improved to 20-6 in games in which they hold foes under 45% from the field. “That’s the way we’ve got to play,” said the coach after it was over. “That was one of the best close-to-48 minutes we’ve had in a while … We faced adversity and we attacked it. That’s the mark of a good team.” The win was nice enough — especially given the Raptors had lost 10 of their previous 12 games, especially given they were playing on the second end of a back-to-back that began with Sunday’s 16-point home loss to Portland. What was better were the signs of a team upping its intensity. The Raptors out-rebounded the Pacers 51-36. And they improved to 9-6 in the second game of back-to-back sets this season, which spoke, Casey said, to the team’s resilience. “There’s fight in this group,” Casey said, even if the recent returns haven’t always shown it.
Both Williams and Lowry wore their cotton crowns, and DeRozan considered donning one, too, on what turned out to be a special night for the Atlantic Division-leading Raptors (40-27). Toronto won for only the third time in 13 games, but finally earned its 40th in fewer than 70 games for the first time in franchise history. It also pulled off a season sweep of the Pacers, something last done in 2000-01. And not surprisingly, Lowry and his new digs were right in the middle of it. He went 7 of 13 from the field, matched his season high in rebounds and became the first Toronto player since Alvin Williams to post consecutive 100-steal seasons. Williams did it three times from 2000-03.
“I was almost about to put it on too,” DeMar DeRozan said of the red headbands worn by Lowry and Lou Williams, the first time either guard has played with them this season. “But the headband ain’t my style. [Lowry’s] going to start rocking it until something bad happens, watch.” It’s a good thing he’s not superstitious, or he may never take it off. Moments after turning in his finest outing of the season, and one of the best of his nine-year career, Lowry tossed the souvenir to a fan above the tunnel in a symbolic gesture as it appears his headband-wearing days are over. “No, I’ve got to have something in the pocket,” said Lowry, who recorded his seventh career triple-double – 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists – in Toronto’s 117-98 victory over the Pacers. “So the headband is done, don’t worry about that again.” Professional athletes are very much creatures of habit, of routine. A change, any change, can be a nuisance. Lowry and DeRozan both experimented with a sleeve on their shooting arms in a game last month before ditching it at halftime. So, why the headband? Lowry said he did it for fun, a one-time thing, hoping to change things up. Because, why not?
The Good: Not to much as far as the Indiana Pacers are concerned. They started poorly and were outplayed wire to wire by a Toronto Raptors team that, at its best, showed the it is just better than Indiana. The Pacers did only commit 4 turnovers in the game, however, which reversed a trend of ball control looking like a problem again in recent games.
Insider: Pacers begin streak in wrong direction | IndyStar
On Monday night, the previously red-hot Indiana Pacers dropped their second straight game with a 117-98 loss to the Toronto Raptors. After winning seven straight games, the current streak in the opposite direction comes at a perilous time for the Pacers (30-36), who are still holding on to postseason hopes near the rear of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Still, the Raptors (40-27) needed some uplifting of their own and earned only their second road win in the past six attempts. “That was one of the best 48 minutes we’ve had in a while,” Toronto coach Dwane Casey said. Conversely, it was one of the worst 48 minutes of defense the Pacers have had in a while. Indiana neglected the 3-point line, allowing the Raptors to make a dozen shots from deep. The Raptors controlled the glass with a 51-36 rebound edge and scored the most points by an opponent at Bankers Life Fieldhouse this season.
Pacers drop second straight in blowout loss to Raptors | Indy Cornrows
While the Pacers have well documented struggles against teams that pick up the tempo, as noted by season sweeps by Denver and Phoenix, that doesn’t do much to console that general lack of execution. The Pacers were sloppy, and not in a turnover sense; the Pacers had only four turnovers the entire game. But there was a notable sloppiness in how they closed out on shooters, defended without fouling, came up with 50/50 balls, and finished plays around the rim that snowballed into a frustrating night, especially on the defensive end. The Pacers allowed 47.6% to Toronto in their 117-98 loss, but worse than that, allowed the Raptors to shoot 12-23 from beyond the arc. Obviously, three point defense is a crap shoot on most nights, but it didn’t appear Toronto was all that threatened by the way Indiana was defending the three point line, especially early in the third quarter when the Raptors hit three consecutive threes as the Pacers defense looked too worried they were going to foul rather than challenge the shooters beyond quick fakes. However, fouling the shooter was an issue for the Pacers. The Raptors shot 33 free throw attempts on a night when the Pacers only committed 22 fouls. Indiana did a terrible job defending without fouling, just as they did a terrible job rebounding period. The Raptors outrebounded Indiana by 14 and dominated the 50/50 plays, not only in regards to loose balls, but especially in rebounding.
Game Rewind: Pacers 98, Raptors 117 | Indiana Pacers
“We didn’t do anything differently tonight that we had in our seven-game winning streak. The difference was Toronto made tough shots. They forced some shots but made them while others we played recently missed those same shots. They’re a tough team. They play tough. They’re good. Give them their due.” -Pacers guard C.J. Miles
Raptors show flashes of early-season form, trounce Pacers 117-98 | Raptors HQ
It’s pretty clear that Kyle Lowry’s three-game break has done wonders for him. Notching his second triple-double of the year with 20 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, Lowry looked startlingly close to the player he was during the Raptors hot start. Another encouraging sign: he is now 22-43 (51.1 percent) from beyond the arc since his return. That scorching pace is probably unsustainable, but it seems safe to assume his 24.0 percent clip from deep in February will go down as an outlier, especially since shots like this are now going down for the Raps’ point guard Lowry wasn’t the only one turning back the clock to the Raptors’ November and December heyday. Lou Williams had a Lou Williams kind of night – dropping 24 on 8-17 shooting, and making up for his porous 1-6 on threes with a 7-7 night at the stripe. DeMar DeRozan did his thing too, eclipsing the 20-point mark for the seventh time thanks in large part to his ability to get to the line (the team shot 27-33 on free throws as a whole). All of those factors contributed to the Raptors’ offense finding a level that is has rarely reached during their recent dip. Coming into the game, Indiana boasted the seventh best Defensive Rating in the league (100.0) and during its last 10 games, had been the 2nd-best defensive squad behind only the Utah Goberts. Putting up 117 points on that stout a defense provides cause for optimism.
Kyle Lowry Leads Raptors To 40th Win With Triple-Double | Pro Bball Report
The Raptors have an unspoken goal of 50 wins this season and with 15 games remaining their objective is in sight. Toronto has the easiest remaining schedule in the Association with their remaining opponents winning just 40.5 percent of their games on average. Except for the Bulls home and away and the Rockets at home, all of their remaining opponents have sub-.500 records. The Raptors have never won more than 48 games in their franchise’s history. Toronto is at home on Wednesday in the first of their two remaining meetings against the 14-52 Timberwolves.
Photo by Darron Cummings/AP
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