Game Preview: Pacers at Raptors (Game 7)

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.

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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.

George Hill

Monta Ellis

Paul George

Myles Turner

Ian Mahinmi

Kyle Lowry

DeMar DeRozan

DeMarre Carroll

Patrick Patterson

Jonas Valanciunas

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

Pacers: None

Raptors: None

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.

GALLERY: Game 6 Photos »

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.

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 »