After starting game one of the Eastern Conference first round series on a bit of a low note, George erupted in the second half to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 100-90 victory over the Toronto Raptors.”That hurt more than the actual break, not getting this team to the play-offs last year”, said the 25-year-old, who is averaging a career-best 23.1 points per game this season. And that’s exactly what they did, resulting in a game that was never close that saw the Pacers led by as much as 25 points in the first-half. DeMarre Carroll was 4 of 8 from deep for 12 points, but as a team, Toronto only shot 26.7% (8 of 30) from 3-point range and 36.5% from the field.
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As for Lowry and DeRozan, the All-Star duo will need to build on their Game 3 success if they want any chance of winning Game 4.
George, who had 19 points, was pleased how the Pacers responded after dropping Game 3. Ian Mahinmi led the team in scoring along with George Hill. It is hard to explain just how out of character this was, so let the numbers do it: In his previous 52 playoff games, his career bests were 10 points, seven rebounds, and one assist.
Hill missed only two shots, both 3-pointers. On any other Raptor, George was in attack mode with 13 points on 3-of-5 shooting while adding another eight points in transition. PG Kyle Lowry and SG DeMar DeRozan combined for 42 points and 11 assists, while C Jonas Valanciunas scored 9 with 14 rebounds in the win. DeRozan had a mere eight points on 4-for-15 shooting, making neither of his two three-point attempts. Lowry had 12 points, five assists and three boards before fouling out with just under five to play.
The Pacers forced as many turnovers in the first 20 minutes as they had in all of Game 3, and they made five of their first seven threes – more than enough to help pull away on an afternoon that a large, loud Raptors crowd infiltrated the Pacers’ home arena. Tip off has yet to be announced. “I think that’s why we’ve been so good on the road, it’s having that self-momentum when it comes to playing basketball, and I definitely feel that way”.
In an explosive game in Dallas, Kevin Durant got ejected, Russell Westbrook was part of a shouting match in front of his bench and Serge Ibaka drew a technical for throwing an elbow in the final seconds with Oklahoma City’s 119-108 win over the Mavericks already decided. The Raptors center had been averaging 14.7 points and 16 rebounds a game coming into Game 4 but was limited to 6 rebounds and 14 points.
Game 5 is Tuesday, while Game 6 will be back in Indianapolis on Friday. “He said, ‘When you get in the post, be patient and go at them”‘. “We always make adjustments, sometimes small, sometimes big, and we’ve got to do some things that’ll improve what we’re doing on the court”, Vogel said. The Pacers outrebounded the Raptors for the first time in this series, 43-40. Neither DeMar DeRozan nor Kyle Lowry has been as aggressive early on as they’ve been later in games, and Toronto has been downright terrible defensively in the opening minutes.
“If we don’t, then we have a problem”, said a struggling C.J. Miles. “But when he’s watching the games, when he’s at some of the games, I asked him to give us some of his leadership”.
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But it’s unlikely that tempers are going to be more under control as the series goes along.
