Raptors mount comeback, survive at the buzzer. Lead series 3-2.
 | P. Patterson 0 MIN | 0-0 FG | 0-0 3FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | -2 +/- Got the start and never looked comfortable in the role. Had clean looks from three which were front-rimmed, and wasn’t nearly as aggressive on the boards as in the first three games. |  |
 | D. Carroll 26 MIN | 1-3 FG | 0-1 3FG | 3-4 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 2 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 5 PTS | -11 +/- If you needed an example of someone playing good defense and getting lit up, look no further than DeMarre Carroll in this series. He’s doing the best he can against Paul George, but the latter’s deceptive dribbling, clever use of screens, and slithery frame make this an unenviable task for Carroll. Got benched briefly after picking up his fourth, but wouldn’t say it made a material difference in the game. | |
 | J. Valanciunas 0 MIN | 5-8 FG | 0-0 3FG | 1-3 FT | 5 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 2 BLK | 4 TO | 11 PTS | -6 +/- Horrid start to the game where he got stripped in the post about three times. Slowly settled himself and probably deserved a lot more touches. Felt like he was a bit behind the pace of the game, and looked sluggish at times despite the efficient shooting. Got benched in favor of the energetic Biyombo in the fourth, which was the right call. |  |
 | K. Lowry 37 MIN | 3-11 FG | 1-5 3FG | 7-8 FT | 4 REB | 5 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 14 PTS | +7 +/- Not shooting as much as I thought he would in this series, especially since he’s playing a bunch of minutes at the two. Despite the poor shooting, he continues to come up big, like those two FTs and the big three in the fourth. Can’t also discount just how much attention Indiana pays to him on the court, which frees up space for guys like DeRozan. | |
 | D. DeRozan 40 MIN | 10-22 FG | 2-4 3FG | 12-13 FT | 3 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 34 PTS | +5 +/- Had the long-two working early as the Raptors did a better job of freeing him from George’s defensive grasp. The big difference from previous games were that the shots were of slightly better quality (no crazy turnaround fadeways with a guy hanging on him), and the refs were kinder to him. Had a big jumper in the fourth which must’ve felt good, and his reaction demonstrated as such. Two big FTs to make it a three-point game with seconds left. Let’s see if this is his series turning around, or just the percentages giving him his due game. |  |
 | T. Ross 14 MIN | 1-6 FG | 1-6 3FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 3 PTS | +2 +/- There were a couple possessions where he guarded George only to be humbled, but his one shot was part of the most important sequence in the game. |  |
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 | B. Biyombo 24 MIN | 3-5 FG | 0-0 3FG | 4-4 FT | 16 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 10 PTS | +10 +/- Supplier of defense, giver of second chances, maker of FTs, invoker of second thoughts, finisher of strong proportions. You can see the Pacers feel his presence well before they attempt their drives. This guy’s doing his part and then some. |  |
 | C. Joseph 23 MIN | 3-6 FG | 1-2 3FG | 1-1 FT | 3 REB | 1 AST | 2 STL | 1 BLK | 0 TO | 8 PTS | +12 +/- Back to blowing by whoever’s checking him, and his drives in that fourth quarter surge seem to break the Pacers. All good lineups for the Raptors have him playing the point with Lowry at the off. | |
 | N. Powell 4-11 FG | 0-4 3FG | 2-2 FT 4 REB | 0 AST | 2 STL | 0 BLK | TO | 10 PTS | +16 +/- Came up with a huge defensive play in the fourth, guarded George better than Carroll, and supplied the requisite energy in the fourth which seemed to pull the team emotionally. Likely one of the toughest guys on the team. No fake thugness here. | |
 | Dwane Casey Finally got rid of Scola from the starting lineup, and though it didn’t pay off offensively, did have a positive impact on defense overall. Stuck with Biyombo in the fourth which was the right call, and had the nouse to intentionally foul down 3, though why he didn’t do that again is surprising, luckily for us, time ran out. |  |
Five Things We Saw
- Bismack Biyombo’s FTs were huge. Usually when you foul him, the Pacers might expect him to miss at least one, and if he drains them both, it deflates them. Though the Raps were even on the boards, the fourth quarter second possessions the Raptors got sucked the wind out of the Pacers.
- The lineup that continues to pay out for the Raps is Joseph, Lowry, Powell, Carroll, and Biyombo. This lineup has good perimeter defense, adequate rebounding against a so-so Pacer frontline, and enough offense at the wings to keep the Pacers busy. More of this, please.
- The Pacers shot 11 threes in the first half, and 2 in the second. You knew that down 9 at the half wasn’t a big deal because the Pacers offense is so prone to going scoreless for 3-4 possessions, that even a small run brings the crowd and the scoreline back, especially if George is sitting. You saw clear evidence of this in the fourth where the Raptors, rather easily, overcame a 13-point deficit.
- The Pacers ran a lot of sets which saw George Hill open in the corner which the Raptors got burned at. They made the adjustment of not being so help-aggressive in the second half, and Hill was forced to put it on the floor, where he’s far less effective.
- DeRozan with a big game, which he was due for. The big question is whether this carries over to Game 6 in Indiana.
