Indiana Pacers: 2 Things to look for versus Raptors tonight
By Justin Byers
The Indiana Pacers are in Toronto tonight to take on Nick Nurse and the Raptors. Here are two things to look for as Indiana faces Toronto for the fourth time this season.
The Indiana Pacers have made the trip to Scotiabank Arena to take on the 41-15 Toronto Raptors. Toronto has provided Indiana with some of the most competitive games so far this season.
That will be no different as the Pacers look to even up the regular season’s series versus Toronto at 2-2. The Pacers’ last win against the Raptors came on December 23rd.
Unfortunately, the last two bouts against the Raptors exposed some of the team’s weaknesses.
In order to see if the Pacers have improved since then, there are two things to look for as the Pacers look to leave Toronto with a win:
How the Pacers defend Serge Ibaka
In the last two games against Toronto, Serge Ibaka has killed the Pacers.
On February 5th in Scotiabank, Ibaka exploded for 30 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. His performance included a game-winning 3-pointer that gave the Raptors a narrow 119-118 win.
Two days later, in Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Ibaka would finish with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists in a 115-106 Raptors win.
The past two games by Ibaka exposed Myles Turner’s lack of strength at the point of attack. On several occasions, Ibaka had the ability to move Turner easily when attacking the rim.
Ibaka has a solid inside-out game. That has caused Domantas Sabonis to be taken outside the paint when defending Ibaka which in return doesn’t allow the All-Star to rebound effectively.
Coach McMillan has a tough decision to make on how to defend Ibaka.
Turner may get another shot at squaring up one-on-one with Ibaka or we may see a zone-defense or trap deployed.
It’s possible that when Ibaka has the ball in the post, the Pacers may initiate a quick double which forces Toronto’s big man to use his vision or put the ball on the floor.
There are multiple ways the Pacers’ coaching staff can attack this matchup. It will be interesting to see if the team’s approach prevents another big night for Ibaka.
Will T.J. Warren’s presence make all the difference?
T.J. Warren was not available the past two bouts against the Raptors due to a concussion.
The small forward, who is averaging 18.7 points this season was unable to contribute his offensive firepower.
In the two losses, it was evident that Warren’s presence was missed.
Luckily, Warren will be looking to make up for lost time tonight in Toronto. There isn’t a better time to make this happen as Warren has been on a tear as of late.
Right before the All-Star break, Warren dropped 35 points in a win against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Then on Friday, Warren showcased his talent on the world’s biggest stage finishing with 27 points and eight rebounds in Madison Square Garden.
Not a bad performance after the All-Star layoff.
Warren will look to continue that trend with a strong offensive night against the Raptors. Warren’s availability is even more important as Victor Oladipo battles a lower back issue sustained in New York.
It is unclear whether Oladipo will give it a go for the Pacers tonight. But according to J. Michael of the IndyStar, he is doubtful.
That means it will be imperative for Warren to have a sense of urgency and take over when the Pacers need a bucket.
Warren is one of the more underrated players in the NBA. A solid performance while lifting the Pacers over Toronto can bring more notoriety to his talent.
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It will be interesting to see what impact the Warren has for the Pacers against the Raptors after missing the last two matchups. Hopefully, his presence will be the difference for the Pacers.