NBA News Wire
Raptors 102, Pacers 94
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
TORONTO — On a night when Toronto was without two key starters, center Jonas Valanciuanas and guard Terrence Ross led the Raptors to a 102-94 victory over the Indiana Pacers.
Ross finished with a team-high 24 points and Valanciunas had 22.
Toronto used a late run to pull away to its fifth victory in six games.
Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan had 20 points and guard Nando De Colo added 10 off the bench. Guard Greivis Vasquez, who started in place of Kyle Lowry, also had 10 points and forward Patrick Patterson, who started for injured center Amir Johnson, had five points.
The Raptors and Pacers split their season series with two wins apiece, each team winning at home.
The loss stretched Indiana’s season-worst road losing streak to six games. Indiana has now lost nine of 11 away from home.
Guard Paul George had game-high 26 points for the Pacers. Forward David West added 21 points for Indiana.
With 1:45 remaining in the third quarter, things got heated between Raptors guard John Salmons and George. Both received technical fouls as a result.
George led the Pacers on a 6-0 run to close the third quarter, tying the score at 75.
Toronto (44-32) opened the second quarter on a 6-0 run to take a 33-28 lead. An 8-2 surge by the Pacers allowed Indiana to retake the lead midway through the quarter.
Ross and Valanciunas helped the Raptors take a 54-46 lead at intermission.
The Raptors trailed the Pacers 28-27 after one quarter. Ross led Toronto with 10 points in the first quarter, going 4 of 4 from the field. DeRozan chipped in with seven points.
West went 4 of 6 from the field in the first quarter and led the Pacers (53-24) with eight points. George added seven in the opening quarter.
NOTES: Raptors G Kyle Lowry (bruised left kneecap) missed his second straight game. Lowry suffered the injury after colliding with Heat F LeBron James in Miami on Monday. … Toronto C Amir Johnson (sore right ankle) missed his first game after suffering the injury in the Raptors’ win over Houston on Wednesday. Johnson left the game after playing the first three minutes. … Canadian recording artist and Raptors ambassador Drake was courtside on Friday night. … Indiana entered Friday’s game percentage points (.006) behind Miami for top seed in the Eastern Conference. … Pacers G C.J. Watson (hamstring) missed his 12th straight game.
