Pascal Siakam Helps Raptors Beat Pacers
Siakam Scores 25 as Toronto Wins 119-114
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Pascal Siakam scored 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and the Toronto Raptors beat the Indiana Pacers 119-114 on Wednesday night.
OG Anunoby added 20 points, Fred VanVleet had 19 and Gary Trent Jr. scored 12 for Toronto, which has won four of its last five games.
Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 25 points, while Buddy Hield had 22, Myles Turner added 18 and Andrew Nembhard scored 16.
The Raptors led by 10 points at halftime and stretched the margin to 16 in the third quarter.
The Pacers cut the lead to four points in the fourth quarter, but Siakam hit a jumper and VanVleet made a driving layup to push Toronto's lead back to eight with 3:26 remaining.
Indiana got within four points again with 1:11 left, but Anunoby made two free throws to seal the win.
Siakam Continues to Impress
Siakam has been one of the most consistent players in the NBA this season, and he continued his strong play against the Pacers.
The 28-year-old forward has now scored at least 20 points in 11 of his last 12 games and is averaging 24.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game this season.
Siakam is also shooting a career-high 49.2% from the field and 38.0% from 3-point range.
Raptors' Defense Steps Up
The Raptors' defense has been a major factor in their recent success, and they held the Pacers to just 41.7% shooting from the field on Wednesday night.
Toronto also forced 17 turnovers and blocked six shots.
The Raptors are now ranked eighth in the NBA in defensive rating, allowing just 110.5 points per 100 possessions.
Pacers' Struggles Continue
The Pacers have lost five of their last six games and are now 23-25 on the season.
Indiana has struggled to find consistency on both ends of the court, and they are currently ranked 24th in the NBA in offensive rating and 22nd in defensive rating.
The Pacers will need to find a way to improve their play if they want to make a run at a playoff spot.
Conclusion
The Raptors are now 26-23 on the season and are in eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
Toronto will be back in action on Friday night when they host the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Pacers will also be back in action on Friday night when they host the New Orleans Pelicans.
