The Indiana Pacers (5-6, 3-3 Home), the NBA’s top scoring team, play host to the Toronto Raptors (7-6, 2-5 Away) on Saturday. Toronto is playing the second of a back-to-back after being dismantled by the Oklahoma City Thunder 132-113 at Paycom Center yesterday, their third consecutive loss away from home.
Chris Boucher was a top performer in the losing effort with 20 points and 12 rebounds. The Raptors are the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. Indiana dropped a close one on Wednesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, falling to the Denver Nuggets 122-119. Bennedict Mathurin had 30 points to lead the team in scoring in the loss. With 21 points and 12 assists, Tyrese Haliburton also played a part. The Pacers are the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference.
The teams are meeting for the first time this season. Toronto won three out of four games between the teams last season, including a 131-91 triumph in their last meeting at Scotiabank Arena on March 26. Pascal Siakam led the Raptors with 23 points, while Scottie Barnes played a key role with 19 points and seven assists.
Oshae Brissett had 21 points and eight rebounds in defeat. Fred VanVleet (18.4 ppg), Gary Trent Jr. (17.4), and OG Anunoby (16.5) have led the Raptors in scoring this season. VanVleet leads the league in scoring.
VanVleet also has dished 6.8 assists per game, most in the league. Meanwhile, Precious Achiuwa is grabbing 7.0 rebounds per game. Haliburton (21.6 ppg), Mathurin (20.4), and Buddy Hield (18.5) have supplied much of the Pacers’ offense. Haliburton leads the league.
Haliburton also has distributed 9.9 assists per game, most in the league. Meanwhile, Jalen Smith has pulled down 7.8 rebounds per game. With 117.3 points per game, the Pacers are the highest-scoring offense in the NBA. The Raptors have come up short in recent trips to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, losing six of the last 10.
Meanwhile, the Raptors are 0-2 this season when playing the second of a back-to-back and 0-0 in such games against rested opponents. In the last 10 games, Toronto is 6-4 with an average margin of +5.1 (113.8-108.7). Indiana has split the last 10 (5-5), allowing 118.8 points per game on average while scoring only 118.3 (-0.5 margin).
RAPTORS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points per game:
Fred VanVleet: 26.0 | 18.4 | +7.6
Pascal Siakam: 18.0 | 24.8 | -6.8
Rebounds per game:
Pascal Siakam: 7.0 | 9.3 | -2.3
PACERS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Aaron Nesmith: 6.0 | 12.6 | -6.6
Points per game:
Jalen Smith: 6.4 | 10.5 | -4.1
SportsTips’ NBA Pick:
Over 228.5 (-110)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
