Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
The Indiana Pacers made the Eastern Conference Finals in each of the past two seasons, giving LeBron James and the Miami Heat everything they could handle in the process. This year, the smart money would be on the team from the Hoosier State failing to make the playoffs, let alone finishing among the NBA’s final four.
With superstar Paul George suffering a gruesome injury prior to the season and everyone’s favourite ear-blower Lance Stephenson moving on to Charlotte, the 7-15 Pacers have some serious work to do if they have hopes of returning to the second season in April.
The conference-leading Toronto Raptors have cooled off a bit after a blazing start, posting a 3-3 record since all-star guard DeMar DeRozan went down with a groin injury. The team has had two full days to stew over Tuesday’s tough loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers and should be hungry to get back on the Air Canada Centre floor tonight.
Major Storyline 1: Offence vs. defence. Indy and Toronto enter the night leaning heavily on opposing strengths. The Raptors get buckets in bunches, boasting the NBA’s second-most productive offence, while the Pacers labour on the offensive end, ranking 28th in points per 100 possessions. But what Indiana lacks in scoring, it kind of makes up for with defence, fielding the 12th-stingiest unit in the NBA. Much to head coach Dwane Casey’s chagrin, Toronto’s current defensive rating of 104.5 puts them 19th in this category.
Major Storyline 2: Get down to business. Tuesday night in Cleveland, Toronto finally got out to a quick start, putting 33 points on the scoreboard by the end of the opening frame. The Pacers come into this game dead last in first-quarter scoring, so if the well-rested Raptors can come out with a similar intensity they may be able to put this one away early.
Major Storyline 3: Rebounding differential. The Pacers know how to clean the glass, ranking second in the Association in total rebounds per game. They also sit second in rebounding differential at +3.9 per night. On the other hand, the Raptors corral 40.7 boards each outing—good for 26th in the league. Closing out defensive possessions, something they were unable to do down the stretch against Cleveland, should be a point of emphasis for Toronto going forward.
Marquee Player to Watch, Toronto: Jonas Valanciunas. In the past two games, Valanciunas has scored a combined 36 points on a ridiculous 14-of-18 shooting. He’s also been a monster on the glass, grabbing 27 rebounds, and generally showing signs of the player Raptors fans have been patiently waiting for. We’ll see if he can keep up his hot play against a tough Indiana frontcourt.
Marquee Player to Watch, Indiana: Roy Hibbert. Even with all of Indy’s injuries, with Hibbert in the lineup the Pacers still boast one of the most imposing centres in the NBA. An all-star a season ago, the Georgetown product has shaken off an abysmal playoff performance last spring and increased his numbers across the board, averaging 11.9 points and 7.4 rebounds to go along with 2.3 blocks.
Role Player Who Will Make a Difference, Toronto: Greivis Vasquez. The Venezuelan point guard has yet to find a consistent stroke, shooting under 40 percent from the field for the first time in his career. Vasquez has failed to reach double digits in the past three games, but he should be able to light up the likes of C.J. Watson and the Pacers’ reserves.
Role Player Who Will Make a Difference, Indiana: Luis Scola. Scola’s days as a starter may be behind him, but he has embraced his role coming off the bench and remained a productive player. The Argentine provides Frank Vogel with a solid 23 minutes a night in which he scores 9.2 points and pulls down 7.5 boards.
Last season vs. Pacers: 2-2
Raptors Stats Leaders:
Points: Kyle Lowry (20.1)
Rebounds: Jonas Valanciunas (8.6)
Assists: Kyle Lowry (7.5)
Pacers Stats Leaders:
Points: Rodney Stuckey (12.7)
Rebounds: Louis Scola (7.5)
Assists: Donald Sloan (4.8)
Verdict: The Raptors should be fired up and eager to respond after letting Tuesday’s game against the Cavaliers slip through their fingers, so look for a well-rested Toronto squad to extend Indiana’s early season misery.