Raptors at Pacers
The Toronto Raptors still have their sights set on the No. 1 spot in the Eastern Conference and started out their road trip in impressive fashion on Tuesday. The Raptors will try to move up at the expense of another team fighting for postseason position when they visit the Indiana Pacers in the finale of the two-game trip on Thursday.
Toronto gave leading scorer DeMar DeRozan the night off to rest on the second game of a back-to-back Tuesday and still crushed the Milwaukee Bucks 107-89. Kyle Lowry took care of the offense with 25 points and 11 assists but it was the defense - forcing a young, athletic Milwaukee team to play at its pace - that was most impressive after the Raptors had struggled on that end in a 109-107 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Monday. The Pacers are trying to stay clear of the bottom of the East postseason bracket and are two games ahead of the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons battling over the No. 8 spot entering play on Wednesday. Indiana’s inconsistency was on full display in the last two games, when they followed up a 104-75 loss at Atlanta with a 103-98 triumph over the Boston Celtics at home.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One (Toronto), FSN Indiana
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (45-21): Toronto doesn’t have to worry much about being caught from behind for the No. 2 spot in the East and is trying to balance keeping everyone on the roster healthy with attempting to catch the Cavaliers for the top spot. The Raptors not only rested DeRozan on Tuesday but also gave starting center Jonas Valanciunas a night off to rest a bruised left hand. Bismack Biyombo, who got comfortable with the starting unit when Valanciunas missed 17 games in November and December, stepped up and delivered 12 points, 13 rebounds and a pair of blocks against the Bucks.
ABOUT THE PACERS (36-31): Indiana has won four of its last five games – including wins over San Antonio, Dallas and Boston – to make the setback at Atlanta look like a blip on an otherwise upward trend. The Pacers began a string of eight home games in nine contests with the win over the Celtics and are hoping to use the home-heavy portion of the schedule to gain a little separation in the East. "We are right there and ready for a postseason run,” Pacers star forward Paul George told reporters. “I know I am watching the standings. We have a chance to move up."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Pacers need one more home win to clinch a winning home record for the 27th consecutive season – the longest active streak in the NBA.
2. Raptors reserve F Patrick Patterson is 10-of-19 from 3-point range in the last four games.
3. Indiana earned a 106-90 win at home over Toronto on Dec. 14 despite 20 points apiece from Lowry and DeRozan.