2015-16 Game Preview

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Needing to grind out a win to continue their season, the Pacers fired away in the second half of Game 6, scorching past the Raptors 101-83 on Friday night.

In the win, which forced a Game 7, Indiana outscored the Raptors 61-39 after halftime. The Pacers contained Raptors guards DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry to a combined 7-of-27 shooting, limiting the All-Star pair as they've done nearly the entire series.

As the the series shift back to Toronto for its dramatic conclusion at 8 PM, the pressure shifts back on the Raptors as well. Toronto hasn't won a Playoff series since 2001 and has fallen in the First Round in each of the past two seasons.

Get VIP Access to Playoff Tickets: Sign Up For Pacers Insider »

If the Pacers can play like they've played for the better part of the past three games, they have a real chance to become just the second seventh seed since 1999 to upset the two seed in the first round.

After having just 16 assists in their Game 3 loss, the Pacers have eclipsed 20 dimes as a team in their past three games, whipping the ball around the perimeter for open shots.

Ball movement has been a key element of the Pacers' success so far. Conversely, the Raptors haven't had a single game with 20 or more team assists.

The Pacers have also been helped by the spectacular play of their rookie, Myles Turner. When Turner got slotted into the starting lineup during Game 4, it was hard to know what to expect. But on Friday night, the 20-year-old had 15 points, nine rebounds and a game-high four blocks.

Turner's play seems to have shifted the series, as Indiana has been able to control Jonas Valanciunas, and regain an advantage in the rebounding column. Furthermore, the switch has caused the Raptors to adjust, and the results for the Raptors haven't been ideal.

Dwane Casey has now started Patrick Patterson in two straight games, and both nights he's struggled, going 3-for-10 on Tuesday and 2-for-7 on Friday.

With Turner's production, and the sustained excellence of Paul George throughout the series, the Pacers will look to close out on Sunday night in Toronto's raucous Air Canada Centre.

The Raptors will surely try to adjust after Friday's blowout, but is there any answer for Paul George and company at this point? We'll soon find out.

Pacers: PG - George Hill, SG - Monta Ellis, SF - Paul George, PF - Myles Turner, C - Ian MahinmiRaptors: PG - Kyle Lowry, SG - DeMar DeRozan, SF - DeMarre Carroll, PF - Patrick Patterson, C - Jonas Valanciunas

April 29, 2016: In Game 6, with everything on the line for the Pacers, Indiana responded with a 101-83 win, destroying the Raptors in the second half to force a Game 7.

Myles Turner was superb in the winning effort, going 6-of-11 from the field to score 16 points while blocking four shots.

The Raptors simply had no answer for the Pacers from the end of the third to the start of the fourth quarters, when Indiana ripped off an 18-0 run filled with highlights and 3-pointers.

By the time Paul George dropped a pass behind him to Solomon Hill, who drained his third 3-pointer of the game, the night was over for the Raptors.

Broadcast Information TV & Radio Listings »

TV: TNT - Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Brent Barry (analyst), Kevin Ray (sideline reporter)
Radio: 93.5 FM/AM 1070 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Austin Croshere (analyst), Pat Boylan (studio host)

If the Pacers advance with a win in Game 7 on Sunday, you can secure VIP access to Playoff tickets for the next round by signing up for Pacers Insider: Sign Up Now »

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Game Preview: Pacers at Raptors (Game 7)

Wheat Hotchkiss

Editor's Note: The Delaware St. entrance to the Virginia Ave. Parking Garage is no longer in operation due to the construction of the St. Vincent Center. To enter the Virginia Ave. Parking Garage, please use the entrance located at the intersection of E Maryland St. and S Alabama St.

In addition, the southbound lane of Delaware Street from Maryland to just south of the train bridge will be closed for the duration of the construction project.

PLEASE NOTE: Doors to Bankers Life Fieldhouse will open at 6:00 PM for Game 6 vs the Raptors.

After a gut-wrenching loss in Game 5 in Toronto on Tuesday night, the Indiana Pacers return home needing a win in Game 6 against the Raptors on Friday evening at Bankers Life Fieldhouse to stave off elimination.

For much of Tuesday’s game, the Pacers appeared well on their way to their second road win in the best-of-seven series with Toronto. They were moving the ball on offense and knocking down shots. All-Star forward Paul George was putting together his most outstanding performance in a series full of outstanding performances.

PLAYOFF CENTRAL: See more from the 2016 Playoffs at Pacers.com/Playoffs »

Indiana took a 13-point lead into the fourth quarter, thanks in large part to 37 points, six rebounds, and seven assists from George. But that's when everything changed.

Toronto outscored the Blue & Gold 21-2 to open up the fourth quarter as the Pacers managed just one field goal over the first 9:33 of the 12-minute period. The formerly potent offense stalled out, as possession after possession resulted in a missed shot or turnover.

Though the Pacers admirably fought back in the final minutes, that prolonged dry spell proved to be their undoing, spoiling another stellar performance from George.

GAME 6 GOLD OUT: All Fans to Receive Gold T-Shirt »

Now, they return to Indianapolis needing a win at home to keep their season alive.

The Pacers have come back from a 3-2 series deficit just once in the NBA Playoffs, but it happened in the not-so-distant past. Indiana won Games 6 and 7 against the Atlanta Hawks to advance out of the First Round in 2014.

Despite the disappointing result in Game 5, the Pacers remain confident about their prospects in the series. Although they’ve been underdogs as the seventh seed facing off against a 56-win Raptors team, the Blue & Gold have proven capable of going toe-to-toe with Toronto.

"We believe that we can beat this team," Pacers forward Solomon Hill said after Game 5. "We know it. Little things didn’t go our way, but we are going back to Indiana. And (if) we keep the same type of intensity that we had when we were there (in Game 4) and when we were here for 42 minutes, I believe we can pull out the best game."

Important Note Regarding Signs, Banners, and Flags

Bankers Life Fieldhouse welcomes guests bringing small signs, banners, and posters to show fan support during events as long as they are smaller than 11” x 17”. If the signs are too large, fans may either return the items to their vehicle or dispose of the signs before entering. Fans may also check items at the Guest Services desk they would like returned to them at the conclusion of the game. For more information on building policy, please visit our Fan Guide.

April 26, 2016: The Pacers led 90-77 heading into the fourth quarter, but the Raptors clawed back as Indiana's offense stalled out. The visitors made just one of their first eight shots and committed six turnovers over the same span as Toronto surged ahead.

The Raptors tied the game on a steal and breakaway dunk by Norman Powell with 6:31 remaining, then took the lead for the first time since then end of Game 3 on DeMar DeRozan's 3-pointer with 4:15 to play. Toronto would not relinquish the lead in the final minutes.

Solomon Hill hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to seemingly send the game into overtime, but a subsequent replay review determined that Hill's shot came a fraction of a second too late, thus sealing the win for Toronto.

Coming off an eight-point outing in Game 4, DeRozan redeemed himself in Game 5, scoring 34 points on 10-of-22 shooting. Most importantly, the Raptors' All-Star guard got to the free throw line early and often, going 12-for-13 from the charity stripe.

Paul George led all scorers with 39 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. George Hill added 15 points for Indiana, but did not score after halftime.

TV: FOX Sports Indiana - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
ESPNews/NBA TV - Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Jon Barry (analyst), Heather Cox (sideline reporter)
Radio: 93.5 FM/AM 1070 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Slick Leonard (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)Please Note: Inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Pacers radio broadcasts can be heard on 1080 AM instead of 1070.

Limited seats remain for Game 6 on Friday night. Secure your seats now: Find Tickets »

If you're downtown before the game, stop by the Simon Family Plaza in front of the Pennsylvania Street entrance to The Fieldhouse for a Pacers pregame rally. The rally starts at 5:30 PM and we'll have a DJ, Boomer, the Pacemates, and other fun activities.

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Game Preview: Pacers vs Raptors (Game 6)

The Pacers seemed like a team that might be nearing the offseason soon after the Raptors took the first home game of the series at Bankers Life Fieldhouse to go up 2-1. But on Saturday afternoon, Indiana responded like a team fighting for its life, beating Toronto 100-83 in front of a wild crowd.

Ian Mahinmi, who had been slowed down by a lower back sprain, played arguably the best game of his entire career, racking up 22 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists to help power the Pacers past Toronto and even the series at 2-2.

Pacers head coach Frank Vogel made a rather large lineup tweak, inserting rookie Myles Turner at power forward, then electing to play Mahinmi as the bench center for stretches. The move had a powerful impact, opening up the floor for the Pacers' offense while Mahinmi and Turner provided a forceful defensive presence.

While Turner's box score may have looked like an off night — 2-of-13 shooting — the rook was hitting the deck for loose balls, blocking shots, and pulling down rebounds at critical times.

Paul George spent most of his afternoon bothering DeMar DeRozan, just as he's done all postseason. DeRozan is just 21-for-71 (29.5 percent) this series, and has had George slipping under screens constantly to disrupt his offense. His running mate, Kyle Lowry, hasn't fared much better. The pair combined for just 8-of-27 shooting on Saturday, and Lowry fouled out in the fourth quarter.

So now, after their most critical win of the season, the Pacers travel back to Toronto for what could be a dramatic Game 5.

The Raptors haven't won a Playoff series since 2001, and with a blowout win on Saturday, the Pacers don't seem inclined to let them end that drought easily.

Pacers: PG - George Hill, SG - Monta Ellis, SF - Paul George, PF - Myles Turner, C - Ian MahinmiRaptors: PG - Kyle Lowry, SG - DeMar DeRozan, SF - DeMarre Carroll, PF - Luis Scola, C - Jonas Valanciunas

Pacers: Ian Mahinmi - questionable (lower back sprain)

April 23, 2016: The Pacers took care of the Raptors in a critical Game 4, blowing out Toronto 100-83 in front of The Fieldhouse crowd.

Ian Mahinmi had a career night for the Pacers, scoring a career-high 22 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and passing out a season-high five assists.

GALLERY:  Pacers Pick Up Game 4 at Home »

Indiana stymied the Raptors' key players, DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, and slowed the seemingly unstoppable Jonas Valanciunas.

Mahinmi's powerful game, paired with George Hill's 22 points, was more than enough for Indiana to blow the doors off Toronto and knot the series up at 2-2.

TV: TNT - Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Steve Smith (analyst), Kevin Ray (sideline reporter)
Radio: 93.5 FM/AM 1070 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Austin Croshere (analyst), Pat Boylan (studio host)

Limited seats remain for Game 6 of the Pacers' series with the Raptors. Secure your seats now: Find Tickets »

Select Playoff Tee - $15. Game Night Specials can be purchased online the day of each away game from 10:00 AM - Midnight. Order Online »

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Game Preview: Pacers at Raptors (Game 5)

After dropping their first home game of the 2016 NBA Playoffs, the Pacers will look to bounce back in Game 4 on Saturday afternoon and even their best-of-seven First Round series with the Toronto Raptors.

Bankers Life Fieldhouse was rocking on Thursday night for Game 3, but the Pacers fell into an early hole and never recovered. The Raptors jumped out to a 23-point lead in the first half and led by double digits the rest of the way.

Indiana's offense struggled to find any sort of rhythm, particularly over the first two quarters. The Pacers managed just 36 points and shot 33.3 percent from the field after halftime. The Pacers know that they will have to have better offensive execution to come away with a win in Game 4.

"The best offense is just us being in attack mode," All-Star forward Paul George said after Thursday's loss. "I don't think we're doing it enough."

Taking care of the ball will be another point of emphasis for the Blue & Gold. The Pacers had 17 giveaways in their Game 3 loss, which Toronto converted into 26 points on the other end.

One bright spot in Game 3 was another strong performance from rookie forward/center Myles Turner. The 20-year-old finished the night with 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting and also collected eight rebounds and blocked three shots.

Turner was so effective that head coach Frank Vogel allowed him to start the second half in place of Lavoy Allen. It is conceivable that the 6-11 big man who started 30 games during the regular season could find himself back in the starting five for Game 4.

"We'll consider everything," Vogel said after Game 3. "I don't know what our lineup will look like next game. We'll watch tape and evaluate."

Despite Thursday's loss, the seventh-seeded Pacers still have a chance to put some stress back on the second-seeded Raptors with a win in Game 4. Doing so would effectively make it a best-of-three series heading back to Toronto for Game 5.

Toronto is a team that hasn't advanced beyond the First Round of the playoffs in its current iteration and has to prove that it belongs among the NBA's elite. Heavy favorites coming into this series, the Raptors are no doubt feeling pressure to close out a series, and each Pacers win puts a little more doubt in their minds.

Pacers: PG - George Hill, SG - Monta Ellis, SF - Paul George, PF - Lavoy Allen, C - Ian MahinmiRaptors: PG - Kyle Lowry, SG - DeMar DeRozan, SF - DeMarre Carroll, PF - Luis Scola, C - Jonas Valanciunas

April 21, 2016: The Raptors led nearly from start to finish in their 101-85 victory in Game 3 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

DeMar DeRozan scored 12 of his 21 points in the first quarter to help Toronto open up a seven-point lead and then Toronto used a 12-2 run early in the second period to stretch the margin to double digits. They cruised from there, never letting Indiana cut the deficit to under 10 points over the final 34:09.

In addition to DeRozan, Kyle Lowry also scored 21 points and dished out eight assists in the victory. DeMarre Carroll added 17 points and five rebounds for the Raptors.

Paul George led the Pacers with 25 points, going 6-for-19 from the field but 12-for-12 from the free throw line. The three-time All-Star also collected 10 rebounds and six assists in the loss.

TV: TNT - Marv Albert (play-by-play), Chris Webber (analyst), Kevin Ray (sideline reporter)
Radio: 93.5 FM/AM 1070 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Bobby "Slick" Leonard (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)Please Note: Inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Pacers radio broadcasts can be heard on 1080 AM instead of 1070.

Limited seats remain for Game 4 vs the Raptors on Saturday afternoon. Secure your seats now: Find Tickets »

Select Pacers Short Sleeve T-shirts - $12. Game Night Specials can be purchased in the Home Court Gift Shop or any of our souvenir stands located on all levels of Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The special is also available online at PacersGear.com until midnight.

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Game Preview: Pacers vs Raptors (Game 4)

Doors to Bankers Life Fieldhouse open at 6 PM

Editor's Note: The Delaware St. entrance to the Virginia Ave. Parking Garage is longer in operation due to the construction of the St. Vincent Center. To enter the Virginia Ave. Parking Garage, please use to the entrance located at the intersection of E Maryland St. and S Alabama St.

As hard as it is to realize during the sting of defeat, the Pacers are in good shape.

After wresting Game 1 of the series from the Toronto Raptors, the Pacers were dealt a humbling 98-87 loss on Monday night, evening things up at one game apiece. But the Pacers now own homecourt advantage.

On top of that, the play of Paul George has forced the Raptors to flinch, making a change to their starting lineup that wasn't announced until 45 minutes prior to tipoff.

The substitution was to place DeMarre Carroll at small forward and bring rookie Norman Powell off the bench, with the idea that Carroll could be George's primary defender, leaving DeMar DeRozan free to concentrate on offense.

The experiment only lasted a few minutes, however, as Carroll became entangled in foul trouble.

But although that substitution never ended up being a factor, the Pacers' biggest problem from Game 1 remained a theme: the monstrous play of Jonas Valanciunas, who followed up his Playoff career-high in rebounds (19) on Saturday with his Playoff career-high in points (23) on Monday.

GAME 3 GOLD OUT: All Fans Receive A Pacers T-Shirt »

On Saturday, Indiana won despite getting outrebounded by 16. On Monday, the Blue & Gold was beat on the glass to the tune of 44-33.

Unless they starting hitting an obscene amount of shots, the rebounding disparity cannot remain a trend for the Pacers if they wish to complete the seven-over-two upset.

The Raptors' two most integral players, DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, have both struggled mightily to find the cylinder — due much in part to the individual defense of PG and George Hill.

Toronto's normally dynamic duo has shot just 17-of-63 (27 percent) from the field through the first two games of the series; not exactly a recipe for success.

"I'm upset about this one," Paul George said after Game 2. "You usually feel good walking away from a road trip with the series tied at one, but I'm upset about this one because a lot of stuff that we gave up tonight was preventable."

While it may be true that the Pacers could've snagged Monday's game as well had things broken right, the 1-1 split with George averaging 30.5 points leaves plenty to feel good about.

And those preventable things George alluded to? The Pacers will have their chance to fix them on their home floor on Thursday night.

Raptors: Terrence Ross - questionable (headache)

April 18, 2016: For the second game in a row, Raptors center (or centre, as they say in Canada) Jonas Valanciunas was a handful.

On Monday, Valanciunas erupted for 23 points, his Playoff career-high and the most points on the team during the Raptors' 98-87 victory.

After falling behind by as much as 18, the Pacers clawed back into the game with a 15-2 run in the second quarter and at one point in the third winnowed their deficit to just four.

But the Raptors' bench was in the zone, led by the active play of Patrick Patterson (14 points) and Cory Joseph (16 points, three assists).

With three minutes left, Pacers head coach Frank Vogel brought in the reserves, signaling the end of the game as the Pacers left Toronto with a 1-1 split in the series.

TV: Fox Sports Indiana - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
NBA TV - Kevin Calabro (play-by-play), Grant Hill (analyst), Kevin Ray (sideline reporter)
Radio: 93.5 FM/AM 1070 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Bobby "Slick" Leonard (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)Please Note: Inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Pacers radio broadcasts can be heard on 1080 AM instead of 1070.

The Pacers will be back in Indiana for Game 3 and Game 4. Secure your seats now: Thursday, April 21 »   Saturday, April 23 »

Select Playoff Tee - $13. Game Night Specials can be purchased in the Home Court Gift Shop or any of our souvenir stands located on all levels of Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The special is also available online at PacersGear.com until midnight.

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Game Preview: Pacers vs Raptors (Game 3)

The Pacers have had enough close games this season.

Perhaps that's why on Saturday, against the second-seeded Toronto Raptors, the Pacers pieced together a powerful 13-2 run in the final five minutes to shock the Raptors on their home court, winning 100-90 and firing the first shot in what could become one of the more intriguing series in the Eastern Conference.

Indiana showed it has the defensive tools to stymie Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, who are integral to Toronto's offensive success. The pair combined to go just 8-of-32 from the field on Saturday afternoon, shut down by the defensive effort of George Hill, Paul George, and several other swarming Pacers.

The main worry for the Pacers headed into Game 2 is how they can regain control of the glass. Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas set a Raptors franchise record with 19 boards, and Toronto outrebounded Indiana 52-38.

Although Indiana was outdone on the glass by just one rebound in the second half, giving the Raptors extra possessions will damage the Pacers' chances of sweeping their first two road games of the 2016 Playoffs.

The biggest take away from Game 1, however, was the play of Paul George, who thrust himself into the Pacers' record books with a 33-point, 6-assist performance, playing the role of closer for the Pacers.

George was just the third Pacers player to score 30 or more points and have five or more assists in a Playoff win, joining Jalen Rose and Reggie Miller.

If PG can carry his hot streak over to Game 2, while the Pacers continue to slow down Toronto's All-Star duo, Indiana certainly has a shot at taking both road games to start the series.

However, as many teams have learned about the second-seeded Raptors — who have won the season series against every Eastern Conference team in this postseason — they aren't a team that gets put away easily.

Pacers: PG - George Hill, SG - Monta Ellis, SF - Paul George, PF - Lavoy Allen, C - Ian MahinmiRaptors: PG - Kyle Lowry, SG - DeMar DeRozan, SF - Norman Powell, PF - Luis Scola, C - Jonas Valanciunas

April 16, 2016: On Saturday afternoon, Indiana kicked off the 2016 NBA Playoffs with a bang, recording a 100-90 win over the second-seeded Raptors.

Paul George was spectacular in the winning effort, scoring 27 of his game-high 33 points in the second half and passing out six assists as Indiana used a 13-2 run late in the fourth to put the Raptors away on their home floor.

The two most dangerous players on Toronto, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, each recorded subpar games, going a combined 8-of-32 from the field.

Although the Pacers didn't achieve their stated goal of keeping the Raptors off the free throw line (Toronto had 38 attempts), Indiana was still able to overcome a second-half deficit and pull away in a big way late in the game.

While George stole the show with his 33-point night, Lavoy Allen and C.J. Miles each chipped in seven rebounds, and Solomon Hill hit on all 10 of his free throw attempts to help secure the #PacersWin.

TV: Fox Sports Indiana - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
NBA TV - Kevin Calabro (play-by-play), Grant Hill (analyst), Kevin Ray (sideline reporter)
Radio: 93.5 FM/AM 1070 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Austin Croshere (analyst), Pat Boylan (studio host)

The Pacers will host the Raptors on Thursday, April 21 and Saturday, April 23. Find out how to get playoff tickets at Pacers.com/Playoffs »

Select Hats - $7. Game Night Specials can be purchased online the day of each away game from 10:00 AM - Midnight. Order Online »

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Game Preview: Pacers at Raptors (Game 2)

The 2016 NBA Playoffs have finally arrived and the Pacers-Raptors first-round series will tip off before you know it. Game 1 of the best-of-seven series will be at 12:30 PM on Saturday afternoon in Toronto, the very first game on the NBA's entire postseason slate.

The Pacers head into the playoffs with some real momentum, having won six of their last seven regular season games. Yes, five of those wins came against lottery teams and the sixth was against a Cavaliers team that elected to rest four-time MVP LeBron James, but putting together a few weeks of solid play has to be a major boon for the Blue & Gold's confidence.

The lone blip over that stretch came last Friday in Toronto, where the Raptors rather easily handled the Pacers despite resting several key players, including All-Stars Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. Pacers players and coaches admitted after the game that they didn't play with the necessary effort and intensity to take care of business against the Raptors' young and hungry reserves, but there is no reason to think that effort will be an issue now that we're in the postseason.

Indiana's biggest concern in this series will be keeping the Raptors off the free throw line. Toronto won three of four games against the Pacers in the regular season and attempted at least eight more foul shots in all four of those contests. In total, the Raptors took 51 more free throws over the four meetings, an average advantage of 12.75 extra shots at the charity stripe per game.

DeRozan and Lowry both excel at getting to the line early and often. DeRozan attemped the third-most free throws in the NBA during the regular season while Lowry took the exact number of foul shots as LeBron James to tie for 11th in the league.

If you're looking for two potential X-factors in this series, Solomon Hill and DeMarre Carroll would seem to be prime candidates.

Hill has been a revelation for the Pacers over the last month, playing his way into a larger role as the team's new "small-ball" power forward off the bench. Hill is an excellent defender capable of guarding all five positions, but his offense has made major strides in recent weeks. The third-year forward out of Arizona scored in double figures in four of his past five games. Perhaps even more importantly, after struggling with his outside shot for most of the year, Hill shot 48.1 percent from 3-point range in April, including a 7-for-11 performance in Wednesday's regular season final in Milwaukee.

Carroll was the Raptors' marquee free agent acquisition over the summer, but his year has been hampered by injury. Carroll missed 41 games after undergoing right knee surgery in January, but has returned to the court in the last week. A versatile veteran who started for last year's Hawks team that reached the Eastern Conference Finals, Carroll's presence could be a significant boost to a Toronto core that has not yet advanced past the first round of the playoffs.

April 8, 2016: Rookies Norman Powell and Delon Wright had career nights to lead the Raptors to a 111-98 win over the Pacers at the Air Canada Centre. Powell had a career-high 27 points, six rebounds, and four assists while going 14-for-19 from the free throw line. Wright added a career-best 19 points off the bench.

The Raptors made five of their first six shots from 3-point range in the third quarter and put together a 13-3 run to stretch their lead to 16 a little over seven minutes into the second half. Toronto remained on cruise control in the fourth quarter, leading by as many as 19 and never letting Indiana back within single digits en route to a surprising victory, given that they were resting four starters.

PHOTO GALLERY: Pacers-Raptors 2015-16 Regular Season Series »

"We didn't play well enough in any area," an honest Pacers head coach Frank Vogel said after the loss. "I don't think we respected the guys that were out there and we didn't bring it at a high enough level."

Monta Ellis led the Pacers with 17 points in the loss, going 7-for-14 from the field but 0-for-5 from 3-point range. Solomon Hill, fresh off a season-high 15-point performance in his last game, one-upped that figure, registering 16 and making 3-of-7 attempts from beyond the arc.

TV: ESPN - Mark Jones (play-by-play), Doris Burke (analyst), Israel Gutierrez (sideline reporter)
Radio: 93.5 FM/AM 1070 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Austin Croshere (analyst), Pat Boylan (studio host)

PLEASE NOTE: FOX Sports Indiana will air a special edition of the Pacers Live postgame show following nationally-televised games, giving fans a complete wrap-up and postgame reaction from a Pacers perspective. Saturday, following Game 1, FOX Sports Indiana’s coverage will start at approximately 3:00 PM ET. Chris Denari hosts with Quinn Buckner from the FOX Sports Indiana set at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, with Jeremiah Johnson reporting from Toronto.

Select Long Sleeve Tee - $15. Game Night Specials can be purchased online the day of each away game from 10:00 AM - Midnight. Order Online »

game-preview-pacers-at-raptors-game-1

Game Preview: Pacers at Raptors (Game 1)

In game 82 of the Pacers' season, the team can finally exhale after it secured the seventh seed in the postseason with a 102-90 win over the Knicks on Tuesday night.

Pacers head coach Frank Vogel demurred to reporters after the game when asked if Indiana would rest players on Wednesday night, but with a few Pacers — including Paul George and C.J. Miles — nursing minor injuries, it wouldn't be a surprise to see some players taking a seat on the bench during the season finale against the Bucks.

PLAYOFF TICKETS: Register for VIP Access at Pacers.com/Playoffs »

On Tuesday, Indiana used a balanced scoring effort and a dominating second-half performance to grab the seventh seed-clinching win over the Knicks. The Pacers outscored New York 49-36 in the second half.

With just one game remaining before the postseason, where Indiana will square off in a best-of-seven series with the Toronto Raptors, the final outing could be a chance to give some burn to bench players who haven't had seen extended minutes lately.

The Bucks have been in that mode for weeks now, after being mathematically eliminated from the postseason on March 27. But although their record has been poor since being knocked out of contention (3-4), their young star, Giannis Antetokounmpo has flourished.

Antetokounmpo has averaged 17 points and 7.6 rebounds this season, while registering an impressive five triple-doubles after having none in his previous two seasons.

The Greek Freak likely poses the biggest challenge to the Pacers on Wednesday night, but win or lose, the Pacers are locked in to their playoff series against Toronto, regardless of the outcome.

A win in Milwaukee would just be a bonus, and a chance for the Pacers to enter the playoffs on a three game winning streak.

Pacers: PG - George Hill, SG - Monta Ellis, SF - Paul George, PF - Lavoy Allen, C - Ian MahinmiBucks: PG - Tyler Ennis, SG - Khris Middleton, SF - Giannis Antetokounpo, PF - Jabari Parker, C - Miles Plumlee

Pacers: C.J. Miles - out (sore right shoulder)

Bucks: Jerryd Bayless - doubtful (hyperextended right now), Michael Carter-Williams - out (post-surgery, left hip), O.J. Mayo - out (fractured right ankle), Steve Novak - out (post-surgery, left hand)

March 2, 2016: After losing three straight games, the Pacers topped the Bucks 104-99, avoiding what would have been their only four-game skid of the season.

The Pacers' lead was 100-96 with 29.4 seconds left, despite leading by as much as 19 in the third quarter, but a huge layup from Monta Ellis pushed Indiana's advantage to six.

But the Bucks weren't done, as Jerryd Bayless connected on a three-point play to bring Milwaukee within striking distance.

With a chance to tie the game, Khris Middleton's 3-point attempt sailed wide and Solomon Hill wrapped up the game by grabbing the rebound.

TV: FOX Sports Indiana - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 93.5 FM/AM 1070 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Pat Boylan (studio host)

Get VIP access to Pacers playoff tickets by signing up for Pacers Insider: Get Access Now »

Select Pacers Shorts - $25. Game Night Specials can be purchased online the day of each away game from 10:00 AM - Midnight. Order Online »

2015‑16 Game Preview