Pacers 106, Raptors 90
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Pacers fell into a 21-point, first-quarter hole, then countered with a 39-4 run on their way to a roller-coaster-like 106-90 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night.
Indiana's huge run that spanned the end of the first quarter and start of the second quarter gave the Pacers a 44-30 lead, and they never trailed again, beating the Raptors for the first time in the past six meetings between the Eastern Conference rivals.
Forward Jordan Hill led the Pacers (14-9) with 20 points and 13 rebounds, each a season high. Guard Monta Ellis scored 18, guard/forward C.J. Miles added 17, forward Paul George scored 16, and guard Rodney Stuckey had 10.
Guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan each had 20 for Toronto (16-10).
A George 3-pointer with 8:57 remaining gave the Pacers an 83-69 lead. Another George 3-pointer with 7:29 to go extended the advantage to 88-71. A Miles 3-pointer with 4:50 on clock gave Indiana a 97-76 lead.
Indiana led 73-64 through 36 minutes, limiting Toronto to 37 percent field goal shooting after three quarters. The Raptors wound up at 36.7 percent from the floor, while the Pacers hit 47.7 percent of their shots.
A pair of 3-pointers from Miles helped give Indiana a 64-46 lead in the third quarter. The Raptors countered with a 10-0 run to trim the deficit to 64-56. An Ellis layup extended the Indiana lead to 71-59.
Trailing 26-5 after a Lowry field goal with 5:34 remaining in the first quarter, the Pacers scored the game's next 22 points.
Indiana began the second quarter with a 17-2 run, capped by a three-point play from Ellis. Indiana led 52-41 through 24 minutes, thanks in part to a second quarter in which the Raptors made only three of 15 field goal attempts (20 percent) and were guilty of seven turnovers.
Ellis had 13 first-half points, and Hill came off the bench for nine. The Pacers' non-starters outscored the Raptors' reserves 25-8 during the first 24 minutes, making 10 of 17 field goal attempts. Overall, Indiana enjoyed a 47-27 edge in bench points.
Lowry had 14 in the opening half to lead Toronto, and DeRozan added nine.
NOTES: The Raptors played without F DeMarre Carroll (right knee contusion) and C Jonas Valanciunas (fractured left hand). ... The Pacers were without F/C Myles Turner (fractured left thumb). ... Toronto defeated Philadelphia on Sunday night and had won four in a row before Monday. ... Indiana lost Saturday at Detroit and had lost four of five before Monday. ... The Raptors entered ranked third in the NBA opponents' points per game (95.4) and fourth in opponents' field-goal percentage (.424). ... The Pacers entered ranked second in opponents' 3-point field goal percentage (.386). ... Toronto swept last season's three-game series and defeated Indiana 106-99 on opening night this season. ... Before finishing with 16 points Monday, Indiana F Paul George scored 20 or more points in 16 of his previous 17 games.