Quick Reaction: Pacers 91, Raptors 131

Very happy with this one. 6th seed soon come.

Pacers

Final
Box Score

131

Raptors

A+

P. Siakam31 MIN, 23 PTS, 6 REB, 7 AST, 3 STL, 10-15 FG, 1-3 3FG, 2-4 FT, 0 BLK, 3 TO, +24 +/-

Makes it look all too easy. Great reads for teammates all night, deft drives to the bucket for himself, and an overall command of everything the Raptors do. This game doesn’t stand out from the norm, but that doesn’t make it any less special. Piece of cake.

O. Anunoby28 MIN, 16 PTS, 3 REB, 1 AST, 2 STL, 6-9 FG, 3-5 3FG, 1-2 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, +18 +/-

He was tremendous. Most of the early offense for the Raptors was initiated through his post-ups and mismatches and he made great decisions with the ball. Interceptions on the defensive end, cashing triples on the other side – all the trappings of a good Anunoby game. Well done.

A+

S. Barnes31 MIN, 19 PTS, 6 REB, 7 AST, 0 STL, 8-11 FG, 0-1 3FG, 3-4 FT, 1 BLK, 0 TO, +25 +/-

He’s gotten so good at working off of Pascal. Knows the places on the floor where he’ll be recognized, and knows how to trap his defenders in the paint. Collapse the defense, make the read. Get left alone, score the bucket. Easy decisions for Scottie in this one, and dominance looks best when it’s simple. Really great game, he added so much punch to the offense.

K. Birch15 MIN, 6 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 3-4 FG, 0-1 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, -1 +/-

Had a few nice rolls to the bucket (short, or otherwise), but the best games for the Raptors are where he’s a passenger along for the ride with the excellent starters. He was chilling for the most part, but that was a good thing.

F. VanVleet17 MIN, 5 PTS, 2 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 2-4 FG, 1-2 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, +17 +/-

Got a blow in. Cashed a triple. Rested that knee after the building went up in flames. Easy night.

B+

T. Young15 MIN, 11 PTS, 0 REB, 1 AST, 2 STL, 4-8 FG, 1-2 3FG, 2-2 FT, 1 BLK, 0 TO, +14 +/-

Was on the right end of some slick passing and cashed some shots around the rim. The ball still tends to stick a little bit with him, but sliding in as a finisher tonight and not much else was really helpful. Layups, push shots, and a corner three – Thad stuff.

C. Boucher30 MIN, 15 PTS, 10 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 6-10 FG, 1-3 3FG, 2-2 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, +35 +/-

Classically Boucher. Huge bump on the glass, cutting everywhere, throwing his arms at anyone who drives near him, and sprinting around on both ends of the floor. His motion is more useful than ever, and the team is doing a better job of identifying it.

A+

P. Achiuwa24 MIN, 18 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL, 7-12 FG, 4-5 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, +30 +/-

HEAT. PUMP. Achiuwa often leads with his defense, but when he’s hitting triples like this as a trailer on the break, picking n’ popping, and relocating akin to Kyle Lowry? That’s what you talk about. Later on he had a great isolation with a shoulder bump and a push shot, but he just hit from deep, man. Had a couple nice dumpoffs as well. Super nice game on the offensive end.

Inc

Y. Watanabe8 MIN, 6 PTS, 1 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 2-5 FG, 1-4 3FG, 1-2 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, +10 +/-

Nice lil punch of offense late.

Inc

D. Banton9 MIN, 0 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 1 TO, +8 +/-

Bring the ball up the floor, handoff. Bring the ball up the floor, handoff. Use length in passing lanes, be disruptive. A rote Banton game, but that’s what we’re accustomed to.

Inc

S. Mykhailiuk7 MIN, 6 PTS, 0 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 1-2 FG, 1-2 3FG, 3-3 FT, 0 BLK, 2 TO, +5 +/-

Get that free throw rate up!

B+

A. Brooks23 MIN, 6 PTS, 3 REB, 6 AST, 1 STL, 2-4 FG, 2-4 3FG, 0-0 FT, 1 BLK, 0 TO, +15 +/-

He’s really adjusted well to the defensive scheme. Had one possession where he made 3 closeouts in succession, and that seems like a rite of passage for this defense. Hit a 26-footer, hit a corner triple. Quality bench guard stuff.