Raptors at Pacers
The Toronto Raptors have experienced few issues with Indiana of late and
look to beat the host Pacers for the sixth consecutive time when the
clubs meet Monday. Toronto shooting guard DeMar DeRozan scored 25
points and point guard Kyle Lowry had 23 as the Raptors defeated the
Pacers 106-99 on Oct. 28 in the season opener for both teams.
Indiana is opening a three-game homestand and hoping to turn around a woeful stretch in which it has lost four of its last five games. The Pacers were on the losing end of a 118-96 drubbing by the Detroit Pistons on Saturday and small forward Paul George had just 13 points on 4-of-16 shooting. Toronto is beginning a three-game road excursion and has won its last four games, including a 96-76 rout of the lowly Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday. The Raptors allowed an average of 86.5 points during the four-game stretch and have held the opponent under 100 points on 17 occasions, second in the NBA behind the San Antonio Spurs (20).
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One (Toronto), FSN Indiana
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (16-9): Veteran power forward Luis Scola is averaging 16.7 points during the last three games and had 22 points on 10-of-14 shooting against Philadelphia. The output matched Scola's season high for points and was his fourth 20-point outing of the campaign. "He can score in bunches quick and tonight he did," DeRozan said of Scola after Sunday's game. "It's not his first time doing it and we try to milk him as much as possible when he gets it going like that."
ABOUT THE PACERS (13-9): Guard Monta Ellis has struggled to find his mark with the Pacers and showed signs of breaking out a slump when he scored 24 points in Friday's victory over the Miami Heat. But the production dropped to 11 points in Saturday's loss — an amount that still represents Ellis' second-highest total in December. Ellis is averaging 12.1 points, well below his career average of 19.1, and the Pacers are hoping he will soon find his comfort zone.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Pacers last defeated Toronto on Jan. 7, 2014, when they prevailed 86-79 at home.
2. Indiana has allowed an average of 123.5 points in its last four defeats.
3. Raptors SF DeMarre Carroll (knee) is expected to miss his fifth straight contest.