Raptors at Pacers
The Toronto Raptors had to work hard in the second half on Wednesday but eventually managed to grab the lead and extend their winning streak to a franchise-record 12 consecutive games. The Raptors will try to make it 13 in a row when they complete the home-and-home set by visiting the Indiana Pacers on Friday.
Toronto was outscored 43-18 in the second quarter on Wednesday to go into the locker room down 15 points and still trailed by 10 with under three minutes remaining before rallying to earn a 119-118 triumph. "We've just got to keep playing," star forward Pascal Siakam told reporters of overcoming the rough start. "We understand that most of the time, it's about us bringing the intensity up and you know, correcting the mistakes we make. We just always know that. It's just a matter of time until we get a rhythm during the game. And if we get stops, anything can happen." Indiana shot 52.4 percent from the floor and knocked down 19 3-pointers but committed 19 turnovers, including one in the final 30 seconds that set up the Raptors to take the lead. "Spacing, being careless with the basketball," Pacers coach Nate McMillan told reporters. "You just got to execute. You know, we knew they were a team that had a trap. And we didn't get our spacing, and just had some - we just didn't take care of the basketball."
TIME: 8 p.m. ET. TV: ESPN, Sportsnet One, FS Indiana
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (37-14): All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry collected 32 points and 10 assists on Wednesday while center Serge Ibaka went for a season-high 30 points on 13-of-21 shooting. Ibaka, who is starting in place of injured center Marc Gasol (hamstring), is averaging 23.4 points in the last five games and posts 18.9 points on 57.4 percent shooting in 18 starts on the season. Ibaka's offensive production is helping to make up for a drought from small forward OG Anunoby, who was held scoreless while missing his lone shot attempt Wednesday and scored in single digits in nine of the last 10 contests.
ABOUT THE PACERS (31-20): Indiana moved Victor Oladipo to the starting lineup for the first time since his return from quad tendon surgery last week and his shot remains a work in progress, though he did reach double figures for the first time in four games with 13 points on 5-of-14 shooting in 25 minutes. All-Star forward Domantas Sabonis showed off his wide range of skills with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in the loss while Malcolm Brogdon broke out of a slump with 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting. Brogdon went a combined 10-of-30 from the floor in home loss to the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks to begin the month.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pacers SG Doug McDermott went 4-of-7 from beyond the arc on Wednesday after going 1-of-11 over the previous three contests.
2. Raptors SF Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (ankle) returned from a four-game absence on Wednesday and went scoreless in 13 minutes off the bench.
3. Toronto's 31-14 record is the franchise's best after 51 games.