Raptors at Pacers
Jonas Valanciunas has been Toronto's most reliable performer through the
first two games of the series and the Raptors hope the 7-foot center
has another strong effort in him when they visit the Indiana Pacers in
Thursday's Game 3. Valanciunas averaged team-leading figures of 17.5
points and 17 rebounds as second-seeded Toronto split the first two
games with seventh-seeded Indiana.
Valanciunas had 23 points and 15 rebounds in Monday's 98-87 victory as the Raptors evened the series in a contest in which All-Star guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan continued to struggle. "We've all got to step up," Valanciunas told reporters. "It's not an individual sport. Some nights are tough for Kyle, some nights it's tough for DeMar, tough for me. Everybody has tough times, so everybody has got to pull for each other." All-Star forward Paul George is averaging 30.5 points in the series but he was annoyed the Pacers returned to Indianapolis with a split instead of a 2-0 lead. "You usually feel good walking away from a road trip with the series tied at one, but I'm upset because a lot of stuff that we gave up was preventable," George told reporters. "(Game 2) was set up the same way for us as Game 1 to rally back and win this game. I thought our focus was lost and we gave up some plays that we shouldn’t have."
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, Sportsnet One (Toronto), FSN Indiana
ABOUT THE RAPTORS: Lowry is averaging 14 points on 7-of-26 shooting and DeRozan is averaging 12 points on 10-of-37 shooting as neither player has come close to his All-Star form in the series. Most concerning was DeRozan's Game 2 showing as he didn't attempt a single free throw - he averaged 8.4 per game in the regular season - and coach Dwane Casey kept him on the bench for the entire fourth quarter. "I feel like it's nothing to get frustrated about, I really do," DeRozan told reporters at Tuesday's practice. "I don't mind having bad shooting nights. You have to be able to take the good with the bad. I had a great season, the season is over with and I've had two rough shooting nights. I don't think it's the end of the world; we still won (Game 2)."
ABOUT THE PACERS: George has been terrific but could certainly use some help from his teammates as shooting guard Monta Ellis (15 per game) is the only other Indiana player averaging in double digits in the series. "We all have to do a better job of helping Paul out," Pacers guard Rodney Stuckey told reporters. "We're at our best offensively when we're moving the ball around and moving (our feet)." Other than George, Indiana's frontcourt production has been practically non-existent with starting center Ian Mahinmi (0-of-8 shooting) and starting power forward Lavoy Allen each averaging three points per game and reserve forwards Myles Turner (nine per game) and Solomon Hill (7.5) also with room to improve.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Game 2 victory halted the Raptors' seven-game playoff losing streak.
2. Mahinmi (back) is day-to-day after being injured in Game 2.
3. Toronto backup PG Cory Joseph is averaging 17 points on 11-of-14 shooting through the first two games.