The win was the franchise’s largest Playoff comeback win. It was the last ditch effort to find a rotation that could bring some semblance of order.
Advertisement
Trailing 90-77 entering the fourth quarter in game 5 of their best of 7 series with Toronto, the Raptors dug deep, maybe deeper than this current group on the roster has ever dug. It was not that unusual, as seven-game series often necessitate a coach reaching for an odd combination here or a new play call there to throw a familiar opponent out of rhythm. They’re going to change the game, different lineup, more pressure, more 3’s, quicker shots. “They’re like your kids”. And you got to win the fourth quarter a lot of times differently than you won the rest of the game. We went right back to work. It was the impressive outing of All-Star DeMar Derozan that sealed the win for the Raptors, as he scored 34 points on a very efficient 10-22 shooting.
DeRozan had 19 first-half points, but Lowry was held to 1-of-6 shooting from the field and eight points through two quarters.
With Paul George giving his best night in and night out and the supporting cast backing him up, the Pacers can definitely force a Game 7.
But it was the same story in Game 5.
Powell finished with 10 points, but those were virtually beside the point.
In the past the National Basketball Association was rumored to have issues with Drake’s involvement with the Raptors, but they have yet to comment on this situation yet. You just try to lock in and come back, playing fast. The main reason that Toronto was able to come out with the win in game five was because of its bench.
A series full of frustrations were evaporated with a single shot. The game nearly went into overtime only if forward Solomon Hill released his three-point shot quicker.
Toronto took a six-point lead on a three by Cory Joseph with 3:26 to play. But Lowry leaps into the pack and tips the rebound backward to DeRozan, who freezes it. “It may not show with the points or the stat sheet”, DeRozan said.
Here, we dissect significant moments from that epic fourth quarter, in which Toronto outscored the Paul George-led Pacers 25-9. “We’ll give everything we have tomorrow night and make sure that that’s enough”. “Seeing the guys get into it, seeing the crowd go insane, after that we went on another run”.
“[I saw] a confident player”, Casey said. “We didn’t know the game was going to go that direction”. Guys don’t forget how to score and he did that tonight.
Where Patterson really struggled this game was beside Biyombo.
A dejected George was asked about the stat sheet afterwards.
For the Pacers, it was none other than Paul George who came up big with yet another 30-point performance, scoring 39 points.
Advertisement
Until the fourth, that is, when they turned it over five times and let Bismack Biyombo turn into a beast and grab seven boards. “It’s the only thing to look at”. When George and George Hill finally came back, Kyle Lowry and his swollen elbow had made a handful of plays, and the 13-point lead had been cut almost in half. IN led 35-20 heading into the second.
