Raptors at Pacers
Toronto shooting guard DeMar DeRozan emerged from his playoff
hibernation in the Game 5 victory and will attempt to help the Raptors
clinch the best-of-7 series when they visit the Indiana Pacers on
Friday. DeRozan set a personal best for the postseason with 34
points in the 102-99 road win to give the Raptors a 3-2 series lead.
DeRozan shot just 29.6 percent over the first four games but rediscovered his All-Star form with the stellar effort. "It's all about patience," DeRozan told reporters. "You can't get flustered, you can't get frustrated. You've got to stay the course. That's what we're going to continue to do." Indiana faces elimination after letting a 17-point lead get away in Game 5 and helped Toronto's comeback bid by scoring just nine fourth-quarter points. "Once again, we failed to live up to that moment," All-Star forward Paul George told reporters. "Nine points in the fourth. It's the only thing to look at - nine points in the fourth."
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, ESPNews, TSN (Toronto), FSN Indiana
ABOUT THE RAPTORS: DeRozan averaged just 13.3 points over the first four games of the series before his breakout game but backcourt mate Kyle Lowry still can't find the mark. Lowry, the All-Star point guard, went 3-for-11 in Game 5 to drop his series shooting percentage to 31.4 and he has shot below 40 percent in each of the five contests. Backup center Bismack Biyombo was a big-time standout in Game 5 with 10 points and 16 rebounds and he is averaging nine boards in the series.
ABOUT THE PACERS: George is averaging 28.8 points in the series after enjoying another superb game with 39 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in Game 5 and was again trying to suppress frustration with some of his teammates. "I think our guys individually know, individually, that they have to bring it," George told reporters. "I'm not about putting guys down or putting teammates down, but individually everybody has to bring it." Shooting guard Monta Ellis is one guy Indiana could use a boost from as he has scored eight or fewer points in each of the past three games while shooting 9-of-26 from the field.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Game 5 was the first game in the series that was decided by single digits.
2. Toronto C Jonas Valanciunas averaged just 5.5 rebounds over the last two games after averaging 16 in the first three contests.
3. Indiana swingman C.J. Miles has had a poor series, averaging four points on 28.6 percent shooting - including 2-of-16 from 3-point range.