NBA Playoffs 2016: Indiana Pacers vs. Toronto Raptors Game 2 Preview
The seventh-seeded Indiana Pacers were able to draw first blood in the first round of their NBA Playoffs series with the second-seeded Toronto Raptors last Saturday, April 16th.
The visiting Pacers were able to ward off the Raptors' attack, as they finished the game with a final score of 100-90. One of the key factors in Indiana's victory was having forward Paul George back in the post-season rotation.
In a report by NBA.com, George was sidelined for almost the entire season last year due to a broken right leg. In his first game back in a Pacers jersey in the playoffs, George dropped a total of 33 points, along with four rebounds, six assists and four steals, shooting 12 out of 22 from the field (4 out of 5 from three-point country), through 33 minutes of playing time.
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Pacers' head coach Frank Vogel attributed his team's victory to George's "spectacular" shot-making during the latter periods of the game, but for George himself, being able to play in the post-season once again is the most fulfilling factor of them all.
"That hurt more than the actual break, not getting this team to the playoffs last year. This means a lot, it means a lot to be back here, it means a lot to be on this stage again," George said.
For their part, the Raptors' main factor for losing their subpar field goal shooting in game one, as they only sank 38 percent of their shots from the field.
But head coach Dwane Casey promises a different performance from his wards in Game two.
"As a team, I thought we were tight offensively and that frustration carried over to the defensive end. It wasn't us," Casey said. "I hadn't seen us play that tentative on the offensive end all year. That'll change."
Game two is slated to take place on Monday, April 18th, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
