The Toronto Raptors enjoyed the best season in franchise history with 56 wins and captured the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. They have a good chance of advancing beyond the first round for only the second time in eight postseason appearances.
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Indiana Pacers +6
Toronto Raptors -6
Over/Under 196
LOOK AHEAD
The Pacers head into the playoffs with some momentum having won six of their last seven regular season games. Sure, five of those wins came against lottery teams and the sixth was against a Cavaliers squad that elected to rest four-time MVP LeBron James. Still, the Pacers needed to win those games, and they did. Putting together a few weeks of solid play has to boost the team’s confidence.
The lone blemish over Indiana’s season-ending stretch came on Apr. 8 in Toronto when the Raptors easily handled the Pacers despite resting several key players, including All-Stars Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. The Raptors took three of four from Indy during the regular season and relied on their size advantage for a healthy edge in rebounding.
INJURIES
Indiana forward Paul George continues to be bothered by a bone bruise in his left ankle but continues to play. He logged 29 minutes in Tuesday’s win over the Knicks before sitting out the regular season finale on Wednesday for additional rest.
Both teams had the chance to rest starters and key reserves in the finale with playoff seeding already determined. Neither team is dealing with significant injuries heading into Game 1.
KEY MATCHUP
Returning from a gruesome leg injury that cost him all but six games of the 2014-15 season, forward Paul George has led the Pacers back to the playoffs. George is enjoying the finest season of his young career, averaging a career-best 23.1 points to go along with 7.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists. He put up those numbers while averaging 35.2 minutes a game, the lowest since his second year in the league. He has also increased his scoring without sacrificing efficiency, as his current 41.8 field goal percentage is right around his career average. The new style of coach Frank Vogel to increase the tempo and space the floor has worked because George is making it work. He’s a versatile threat who can hit the three and take the ball to the hole. And when he gets to the stripe he knocks down 86 percent of his free throws.
QUICK PICK
The Raptors have a top-notch backcourt in Lowry and DeRozan and the two have led Toronto all season. But don’t overlook the contributions of big men Jonas Valanciunas, Bismack Biyombo and Luis Scola. The trio can do some damage down low and they give the Raptors a big advantage in the block. The Pacers move to a three-guard lineup leaves them vulnerable in the paint and it’s an area Toronto has to exploit before Indy makes adjustments. The Raptors also need a win to put first round disappointments from the past two seasons behind them. They were ousted as the higher seed in each of the past two seasons and lost the first game at home in both series. They get over the hump in their first NBA playoff meeting with the Pacers.
NBA Odds: Toronto 104, Indiana 99
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