Season series: Raptors, 3-1. Toronto got 24.3 points per game from DeMar DeRozan and 23.7 from Kyle Lowry in extending its success against Indiana to seven wins in the last eight games, including five straight at home.
The Pacers won 106-90 on Dec. 14 at home when Toronto was on the second night of a back-to-back. “They spanked us really good at their place,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey recalled.
Story line: The Raptors put together the best regular season in franchise history and now it’s time to get working on some post-season failure. Toronto has been ousted in the first round as the higher seed in consecutive seasons, getting swept by Washington last year.
Key Matchup: Lowry vs. Monta Ellis. Lowry was banged up and appeared on fumes by the time the playoffs arrived last year, and his struggles in being outplayed by John Wall doomed the Raptors to their quick exit.
He got some rest down the stretch – he and DeRozan sat out the Raptors’ victory over the Pacers on April 8 – and is ready to go. Ellis averaged 13.8 points in 81 games and Casey called him a “human scoring machine.”
X-Factor: Norman Powell. The second-round pick capped a surprisingly strong April with a career-best 30 points in the Raptors’ season-ending victory in Brooklyn.
But he’s made just 24 starts and now may find himself matched up against seasoned playoff veterans such as Paul George and George Hill.
Prediction: Raptors in 5.
FULL SCHEDULE:
Game 1 — Sat. April 16, Indiana at Toronto, 12:30 p.m. , ESPN
Game 2 — Mon. April 18, Indiana at Toronto, 7 p.m., NBA TV
Game 3 — Thu. April 21, Toronto at Indiana, 7:30 p.m., NBA TV
Game 4 — Sat. April 23, Toronto at Indiana, 3 p.m., TNT
Game 5 * Tue. April 26 , Indiana at Toronto, TBD, TBD
Game 6 * Fri. April 29, Toronto at Indiana, TBD, TBD
Game 7 * Sun. May 1, Indiana at Toronto, TBD, TBD