Valanciunas, Lowry carry Raptors to tie series with Pacers
Toronto Raptors’ Kyle Lowry (7) and Jonas Valanciunas (17) slap skin after taking down the Indiana Pacers in Game 2. AP
TORONTO — Jonas Valanciunas had 23 points and 15 rebounds, Kyle Lowry had 18 points, nine assists and seven rebounds and the Toronto Raptors beat the Indiana Pacers 98-87 on Monday (Tuesday Manila time), snapping their postseason losing streak at seven games.
The Raptors had not won a playoff game since a 115-113 home victory over Brooklyn on April 30, 2014.
Corey Joseph scored 16 points, Patrick Patterson added 14 and DeMar DeRozan had 10 as the Raptors evened the first-round series at 1-1.
Paul George scored 28 points and Monta Ellis had 15 for the Pacers, who host Game 3 on Thursday (Friday Manila time).
Lowry and DeRozan both struggled with their shooting in Saturday’s Game 1 loss, combining to make eight of 32 attempts. Neither was particularly sharp in this one, with Lowry making four of 13 and DeRozan making five of 18.
Lowry still found a way to make an impact by turning provider. He had five assists in the first quarter.
DeRozan, however, never seemed to find his rhythm and spent the fourth quarter on the bench as Lowry and Toronto’s reserves pulled away from the Pacers.
Valanciunas scored 13 points in the first quarter and added six rebounds as Toronto used a 19-3 run to lead 27-16 after one. George picked up his second foul with 4:34 left in the first and had to sit.
Consecutive 3-pointers by Terrence Ross gave Toronto a 40-22 lead with 8:00 left in the second quarter.
After George returned, he and Ellis each had 10 points and the Pacers used a 15-2 spurt to close the gap. Toronto led 53-48 at halftime.
Ross was held out of the second half for precautionary reasons after being knocked down during an inbounds play late in the second quarter. Ross underwent concussion protocol tests at halftime. Tests revealed no clear sign of a concussion but Ross did have a headache.
George scored 11 points in the third quarter but Lowry and DeRozan each had six as Toronto took a 74-66 lead into the fourth.
