by Wheat Hotchkiss
Game Preview
Fresh off a record-setting performance on Tuesday night in Atlanta, the Pacers (8-5) will look to keep their offense rolling on Wednesday, when they host the Toronto Raptors (6-8) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on the second night of the back-to-back.
The Pacers made history on Tuesday night in Atlanta, becoming the first team ever to advance to the Knockout Round of the In-Season Tournament with a 157-152 win. Numerous records fell in the victory, as the Blue & Gold set new NBA franchise records for points in a game and points in the second half, while All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton established a new franchise mark for points in a quarter, dropping 26 points and making seven 3-pointers in the frame.
Haliburton’s brilliance (37 points and 16 assists) led a potent offensive attack, as seven players topped double figures and Indiana went 22-for-45 from beyond the arc.
Head coach Rick Carlisle elected to shake up the starting lineup for Tuesday’s contest, swapping in veteran wing Buddy Hield for second-year guard Bennedict Mathurin and also moving Aaron Nesmith into the starting power forward role in place of Obi Toppin. The move paid off in a big way, as all four players had big nights.
Hield, who had scored just five total points over his past two games, found his groove playing alongside his good friend Haliburton in the starting lineup. The veteran sharpshooter scored 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting, going a perfect 6-for-6 from 3-point range, including the game-winning triple in the final minute. Nesmith also came through in his first start of the season, tallying 17 points.
Toppin and Mathurin, meanwhile, combined for 40 points off the bench. Toppin scored 21 points and matched his career high with six assists, while Mathurin scored 10 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter.
There are still some things for the Pacers to clean up, particularly on the defensive end. Atlanta scored 86 points in the first half — tied for the most points the Pacers have ever allowed before halftime — and led by as many as 20 before Indiana came back. But the Blue & Gold have the NBA’s best offense and are well-equipped to beat any team in a shootout.
Toronto will also be on the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday after the Raptors dropped a 126-107 decision in Orlando. All five starters scored in double figures for the Raptors in the loss, with Dennis Schroder leading the way with 24 points.
The Raptors made a coaching change after last season, firing Nick Nurse — who led the franchise to its first championship in 2019 — and replacing him with Darko Rajakovic. Toronto also saw former All-Star guard Fred VanVleet depart in free agency, replacing him with Schroder.
It’s been an up-and-down start to the season for Toronto, but Rajakovic has brought the best out of third-year wing Scottie Barnes. Barnes was the Rookie of the Year in 2021 but his statistics remained stagnant in his second season. This year, Barnes has Barnes has increased his production across the board.
The 6-7 swingman was averaging 20.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks entering Tuesday, all of which would be career highs. Most impressively, Barnes is converting 39.4 percent of his 3-point attempts, a substantial improvement after shooting under 30 percent from beyond the arc over his first two seasons.
Projected Starters
Pacers: G – Tyrese Haliburton, G – Bruce Brown, F – Buddy Hield, F – Aaron Nesmith, C – Myles Turner
Raptors: G – Dennis Schroder, G – Scottie Barnes, F – OG Anunoby, F – Pascal Siakam, C – Jakob Poeltl
Injury Report
Pacers: Andrew Nembhard – questionable (sore lower back)
Raptors: Christian Koloko – out (respiratory issue), Thaddeus Young – out (illness)
Last Meeting
March 22, 2023: Ontario native Andrew Nembhard had 25 points and 10 assists in his first NBA game in Canada, leading the Pacers to a 118-114 victory over Toronto.
It was a special night for Nembhard, who was a part of history alongside fellow rookie Bennedict Mathurin and Oshae Brissett, who became the first three Canadian teammates to start an NBA game together. Nembhard closed the game in style, draining a stepback three in the final minute to seal the win.
“To do it tonight in essentially his hometown, the first time he’s back here…The kid used to come to the game (in Toronto) and sit in the third level and all that,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said about Nembhard’s performance. “To be in the starting lineup and to have this kind of a game…just an amazing night for him and his family.”
Six Pacers reached double figures in the win. Myles Turner tallied 16 points and seven rebounds, Mathurin finished with 15 points on 3-of-3 3-point shooting, T.J. McConnell registered 14 points and seven assists off the bench, Buddy Hield scored 13 points, and Jordan Nwora added 10.
Pascal Siakam led all scorers with 31 points to go along with 10 rebounds and seven assists, going 11-for-17 from the field and 9-for-11 from the free throw line. Fred VanVleet also recorded a double-double with 28 points and 10 assists, while Jakob Poeltl finished with 23 points on 10-of-12 shooting and eight rebounds.
The win was the Pacers’ first regular season victory in Toronto in over a decade. Indiana had dropped 15 straight regular season games at Scotiabank Arena since its last win on March 1, 2013.
Noteworthy
- The Pacers won all three games against the Raptors last season, the first time Indiana swept the season series with Toronto since 2011-12.
- Indiana is 1-1 on the season when playing on the second night of a back-to-back. Wednesday will be the first time the Blue & Gold have traveled during a back-to-back this season, as their first two back-to-backs featured two home games.
- Hield needs 33 points to reach 9,000 for his career.
- Myles Turner needs two 3-pointers to pass Billy Keller (506) for fourth place in franchise history.
Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings)
TV: Bally Sports Indiana – Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)