The Toronto Raptors are looking to win their third straight game against the Indiana Pacers.
This is the fourth and final meeting between these two teams with Toronto leading 2-1. Every game has been a high scoring affair and that could be the case for the finale.
However, Immanuel Quickley is out for tonight’s matchup, which is a designated rest day for the rising star. This puts pressure on RJ Barrett to pick up the offensive workload without his running mate.
To no surprise, Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl remain out with the addition of Gradey Dick, who exited early in Sunday’s win with a groin injury. There is no need to rush him back with the Raptors eliminated from the postseason.
A familiar face in this one is Pascal Siakam who makes his second visit to Scotiabank Arena as an opponent. In the most recent meeting, Siakam put up 27 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists on 11-for-22 from the field.
However, the Pacers No. 1 option, Tyrese Haliburton struggled with 9 points on 2-for-11 from the field. For Toronto to win their third-straight, turning Haliburton into a playmaker may bode well for them.
Indiana is not a great defensive squad, so the Raptors may be in store for additional firepower alongside Barrett. Gary Trent Jr. and Kelly Olynyk are two capable scorers outside of Barrett.
A battle of the benches could be another factor in tonight’s matchup as both teams rely on their starters for production. With Dick out, there are no proven scorers on the bench for Toronto, but it presents an opportunity for someone else to step up.
For the Pacers, T.J. McConnell has been a great bench piece who can put up double figures and provide energy on both sides of the ball. Toronto needs to force Indiana into tough offensive looks in order to pull this one out.
Indiana Pacers (45-34) vs. Toronto Raptors (25-53)
7:00 p.m. EST, Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario
TV: Sportsnet
Projected Pacers Starting Lineup:
PG: Tyrese Haliburton
SG: Andrew Nembhard
SF: Aaron Nesmith
PF: Pascal Siakam
C: Myles Turner
Key Reserves: T.J. McConnell, Ben Sheppard, Obi Toppin
Projected Raptors Starting Lineup:
PG: Javon Freeman-Liberty
SG: Bruce Brown
SF: Gary Trent Jr.
PF: RJ Barrett
C: Kelly Olynyk
Key Reserves: Jordan Nwora, Jalen McDaniels, Kobi Simmons
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