Through much of Wednesday night’s loss to the Toronto Raptors, the Indiana Pacers’ chances of extending their season-high three-game win streak appeared dead in the water.
The Pacers pared down what had been a 27-point deficit in the second quarter to just four, but Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes closed the door late for Toronto in a 115-101 triumph in Indianapolis.
Ingram had a game-high 30 points to go with seven rebounds, while Barnes added 26 points, 13 assists, and seven rebounds as the Raptors won for the seventh time in their last 10 games.
Pascal Siakam, Indiana’s leading scorer, was held without a basket until early in the second quarter. He recovered quickly, scoring 10 points in the second and another 12 in the third, and finished the night with a team-high 26 points and 10 rebounds.
Toronto’s advantage dipped into single digits when Andrew Nembhard hit a jumper with 8:09 to play to get the Pacers within nine. A Nembhard layup with 5:35 to play got Indiana within four before Ingram and Barnes responded with authority.
Those two players scored Toronto’s last 12 points. Ingram made back-to-back 3-pointers and added another basket, while Barnes made a pair of jumpers to keep the Pacers at bay.
Barnes, the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, had 10 first-quarter points while Ingram tallied eight in the first frame as the Raptors jumped out to a 15-4 lead before four minutes had elapsed and raced to a 39-18 advantage through 12 minutes.
Toronto shot 73% (16 of 22) from the field in the opening frame, including 80% (4 of 5) from beyond the arc.
Gradey Dick, who posted his first double-double of the season with 21 points and 11 rebounds, had three baskets at the end of the first quarter to spur a breakthrough night. Dick had scored just 15 total points in his last four games.
Collin Murray-Boyles was the third Raptors player to post a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Nembhard and Quenton Jackson each contributed 14 points for Indiana. Jarace Walker shot 3-for-5 from beyond the arc and scored 11 points, and Johnny Furphy had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
–Field Level Media
