TORONTO -- David West scored 14 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter Wednesday as the Indiana Pacers edged Toronto 90-88, spoiling what had been a thrilling Raptors' regular-season opener at Air Canada Centre.
Kyle Lowry scored 21 points, while Jonas Valanciunas had 12 points and 10 rebounds in his NBA debut for the new-look Raptors in a game that -- despite the loss -- had more of a positive vibe than Toronto sports fans have experienced in a long time.
Five Raptors scored in double figures as Andrea Bargnani added 16, Jose Calderon finished with 15, and DeMar DeRozan, who earlier in day agreed to terms on a four-year contract extension worth US$38 million, finished with 10.
Roy Hibbert and Paul George added 14 apiece for the Pacers.
The Raptors took a 71-63 lead into the fourth quarter of nailbiting see-saw battle that featured 15 lead changes to that point.
Calderon, leading the Raptors' second unit that was virtually Toronto's starting unit last season, came up big in the fourth quarter, draining a pair of three-pointers less than two minutes apart, bringing the sold-out crowd of 19,800 to its feet. His second with six minutes to play gave the Raptors a 10-point lead.
But some major defensive lapses left a wide-open West draining shot after shot in the final few minutes, with his basket with 1:20 left pulling the visitors to within 88-87.
After a George Hill free throw evened the score, Indiana was given possession of the ball after a video review and Hill drained the driving hook shot that sealed the Pacers' victory with 2.1 seconds left. Bargnani missed on a last-second shot.
Despite the fact Indiana was missing Danny Granger, who's out indefinitely with a knee injury, the Pacers were considered a stiff test for Toronto. Indiana has been picked by some basketball experts to finish second in the East this season behind the Miami Heat.
The Raptors played with three new starters in Valanciunas, Lowry and Landry Fields.
Valanciunas endeared himself to fans immediately. The 20-year-old Lithuanian looked completely unfazed by the fact he was matched up against an NBA all-star in Hibbert. He blocked a shot in the game's opening minute, grabbed an offensive rebound for a layup less than two minutes later, and scraped and clawed under the basket all night.
His rim-hanging dunk in the third quarter brought the crowd to its feet.
Lowry was exactly as advertised -- hustle and hard work, dripping sweat all game long, and grinning like a kid at the coaching staff when he drained a three-pointer.
The feeling in the darkened pre-game arena was electric with fans waving purple glow sticks as a gospel choir sang. Images of Raptors in action were flashed across the floor. The largest cheer went up for Calderon.
DeRozan took centre court on a big night for the 23-year-old swingman, thanking fans for their support.
"We're definitely going to work hard on the court and in the community," DeRozan said. "Enjoy the game."
How long the positive vibe lasts remains to be seen, as the Raptors face a gruelling early-season schedule, playing 15 of 22 games on the road.
"Our growth may not show until after the first 22 games," coach Dwane Casey, whose team went 10-23 on the road last season, said prior to the game. "But it's the NBA, nobody's feeling sorry for you, the schedule is what it is."
Bargnani scored 11 points in a first quarter that saw the lead change hands eight times. The Pacers led 27-25 after one.
The teams closely paced each other through the second, with Indiana taking a five-point lead with just under two minutes to play. The Raptors scored the final five points of the half and the teams went into the dressing room knotted at 48-48.
The Raptors used a 12-2 run capped by a DeRozan jumper to take a 64-53 lead midway through the third. The Pacers battled back to cut Toronto's advantage to 71-63 with a quarter left to play.
NOTES: The Raptors are in Brooklyn to face the Nets on Saturday and back at the ACC to host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. ... The Raptors went 6-1 in the pre-season, including 5-0 at home. ... Joe Carter, hero of the Toronto Blue Jays' 1993 World Series win, was at the game, along with the band The Sheepdogs. ... It was the seventh time Toronto has played on Halloween.
Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99
Babe Of The Month
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99/babeofthemonth.html
Hunk Of The Month
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99/babeofthemonthman.html
No comments:
Post a Comment