Now that their seven-game postseason losing streak is over, maybe it’s time for the Toronto Raptors to start a winning streak. They’ll need some help from All-Star DeMar DeRozan, who has yet to show up in the series. If he does, the Raptors likely take a series lead over the Pacers.
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LOOK AHEAD
The Pacers got the split of the first two games they wanted, but blew an opportunity to take a 2-0 series lead back home with Monday’s 98-87 Game 2 loss. Paul George did his part for the second straight game. He was the best offensive player on the court and harassed Toronto guard DeMar DeRozan most of the night into another tough shooting performance. But George was frustrated the Pacers couldn’t get the Game 2 win. “Usually you walk away from a split feeling good about it but I’m kind of upset because a lot of stuff we gave up was preventable.”
But the Indiana forward can’t win the series by himself. That was evident against a desperate Raptors team that could not head to Indianapolis down two games in the best-of-seven series. The playoffs are all about making adjustments from one game to the next, and that’s exactly what Toronto did. The third-best defensive team during the regular season, Toronto was able to shut down Indy’s complementary pieces. Now it’s time for the Pacers to counter.
INJURIES
Raptors forward Terrence Ross was held out of the second half Monday for precautionary reasons after being knocked down on an inbounds play late in the second quarter. He underwent testing for a concussion at halftime. There were no clear signs he suffered a concussion but he did have a headache. Ross will be reevaluated prior to Game 3.
Ian Mahinmi played just 21 minutes and sat out the fourth quarter with a sore lower back. Indiana’s center managed just five points and five boards while on the court. He is listed as day-to-day.
KEY MATCHUP
How the heck did the Raptors win a game in which their two best players – DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry – shot a combined 9 of 31 from the field? Well, the rest of the team shot 53 percent and got a huge boost from center Jonas Valanciunas, who had 23 points and 15 rebounds in Monday’s 98-87 victory. The Raptors big man averaged 12.8 points and 9.1 rebounds during the regular season and averages 11 points per game against the Pacers for his career.
With the highest scoring game of his postseason career, Valanciunas made sure the struggles of his All-Star guard combo didn’t matter. His 15 boards were tied for his third most in a game this season. Valanciunas helped the Raptors dominate inside with a 46-30 edge in points in the paint and a 44-33 rebounding advantage. “He’s who is causing us the problems right now and we’ve got to figure it out,” Pacers star Paul George said of Valanciunas.
QUICK PICK
The Raptors better get DeRozan playing better basketball or they could be one-and-done again. They were able to squeak out a win on Monday to even the series, but DeRozan was a non-factor. He scored just 24 points in the first two games and is shooting 27 percent from the field, ouch. Basketball is a team game, however, and the rest of the club has picked up the slack. Mainly Valanciunas, who gave the Pacers fits down low.
Indy needs some help slowing down Toronto’s frontcourt play but can’t forget about DeRozan and Lowry. That will be a fatal mistake. George has done what Indy expected so far in the series but his mates haven’t helped him out. A return home for Game 3 will help the Pacers but it’s time for DeRozan to play like the All-Star he is.
NBA Odds: Toronto 104, Indiana 98
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