NBA Playoffs 2016: Indiana Pacers vs. Toronto Raptors Game 5 Preview
The first round series of the 2016 NBA Playoffs between the Toronto Raptors and Indiana Pacers is currently at a deadlock, as both teams are tied at 2-2.
Game five is slated to take place on Monday, April 25th, back at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
The seventh seeded Pacers were able to draw first blood in the first game last April 16th, ending the game with a final score of 100-90. Forward Paul George finished the game with 33 points, four rebounds and six assists.
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The number two-ranked Raptors managed to bounce back in Game two last April 18th, winning the contest with a final score of 98-87. This time, it was center Jonas Valanciunas who came up big, ending the night with 23 points, along with 15 rebounds.
Toronto went on to carry their winning ways in Game three last April 21st, as they shifted venues to Indianapolis. Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan was the main contributor for the Raptors, scoring 21 points, along with three assists.
But the Pacers were not willing to just give up and potentially put an abrupt end to their playoff run. They were able to bounce back in Game four, and even the series, ending the night with a final score of 100-83.
Big man Ian Mahinmi finished with a double-double, scoring 22 points, along with ten rebounds and five assists, shooting 9 out of 14 from the field, through 33 minutes of playing time.
Point guard George Hill also had a 22-point game, along with four rebounds and three assists, shooting 9 out of 11 from the field, through 31 minutes of playing time.
According to Pacers head coach Frank Vogel, it was the overall team effort that got them through Game four.
"Right from the start, we were playing for each other. The man with the basketball was thinking pass and everyone else was being aggressive spacing, cutting and rolling, much better job sharing it and protecting it," Vogel said in an NBA.com report.
