If the Indiana Pacers are going to even their first round series with the Toronto Raptors in Game 4 on Saturday (3 p.m. ET, TNT), they need to get off to a good start. If Dwane Casey could reduce Scola’s minutes to around 10 per game and get Patrick Patterson up to 30, Toronto could really take it to Indiana.
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Having played four rather physical games against one another, it was nearly predictable that some type of fracas would come up and the Raptors and Pacers did not disappoint. IN has played in two of the last three Eastern Conference Finals and could very well do so in 2016 should the Pacers upset the Raptors.
Mahinmi entered the game shooting an abysmal 23% from the floor, partially due to shots not falling, but also in a big way due to being completely overwhelmed with Jonas Valanciunas, who entered action with a playoff high 40 rebounds in three games. Of course, after two consecutive strong team showings, we’re just nitpicking here. His presence was much needed since throughout the first three games, Raptors forward Jonas Valanciunas dominated the paint averaging 14.7 ppg and 16 rpg.
The Heat, which combined to shoot 57.8 percent from the field in its two wins, hit 10 of their first 15 shots and then went completely cold. The Raptors fell behind 28-16 after the first quarter and were never able to recover.
The Toronto Raptors were supposed to make easy work of the Indiana Pacers in the teams’ first-round playoff series.
For the first time since the All-Star break, Chris Bosh was with the Miami Heat for a road game, joining his teammates Saturday in Charlotte for Game 3.
After Dallas coach Rick Carlisle called out Durant while complaining during the day off over what he essentially said were dirty plays by the Thunder in Game 3, the teams had a confrontation in front of the Oklahoma City bench early in the second quarter. George will get his numbers but Toronto can’t allow him to get other players off by over helping. He replaced veteran Lavoy Allen in the lineup….
Mason Plumlee had six points, 21 rebounds and nine assists for Portland, which hosts Game 4 on Monday night. Solo was active everywhere, scoring seven with three rebounds (two offensive), and three assists of his own. Paul George added 19 points for IN, which shot 47 percent from the field during a game IN which it never trailed.
DeRozan has not gone to the free-throw line in two games this series after ranking third in the National Basketball Association in free-throw attempts per game during the regular season.
Raptors All-Stars DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry continued to struggle shooting in this series. “I’m not going to shy away, going to try to continue to get to the basket and try to draw fouls like I normally do, but can’t cry over it. I’m not going to whine about it. I’ll figure it out”. The only player IN couldn’t get a handle on was DeMarre Carroll, who was 4-8 from deep for 12 points.
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Win on Saturday and the series is virtually over, but lose Game 4 and the narrative will be “the sky is falling” again with all the pressure back on Toronto heading home.
