Raptors first-round opponents: Indiana Pacers (Pt 5 of 5)

NOTE: THIS IS PART FIVE OF A FIVE-PART SERIES OUTLINING EACH 1ST-ROUND PLAYOFF OPPONENT OF THE RAPTORS. EACH PART WAS RELEASED OVER A SPAN OF FIVE DAYS.

If you have not read the series’ introduction, the link is as follows:

My Eastern Conference seed projection: 8

The Pacers barely slide in at 8th overall. They’ve lost some uninspiring games to the likes of the Nuggets and Timberwolves. A must-win game versus the Magic put them back squarely into the race for the 7th seed. Two more games remain for Indiana: the 76ers and Atlanta Hawks.

Last 10 W/L record: 4-6

Whenever you’re in such a tight playoff race, you must win games where you’re the underdog. The Pacers failed to do that losing games versus the Cavaliers, Raptors and Grizzlies. They are peaking however at a great time, winning 3 straight. These Pacers severely lack consistency but hey, once you get in, you get in.

Regular season record vs. TOR: Raptors lead 2-1

Pretty odd what we have here. These teams didn’t face off until the last 3 weeks of the regular season. Both Raptors wins have been by an average of 13 points, but Indiana’s lone win came in an 18 point blowout of Toronto.

Best player and X-factor

Best Player: Paul George

PG13 has been well-regarded as one of the league’s supreme wingmen. Comparable to Jimmy Butler, George is a complete basketball player. He’s currently at career highs of 23.5 ppg, 45.8 FG% and a stunning 89.7 FT%. A player with a beautiful shooting stroke, an ability to guard 4 positions (sometimes, even 5), and an immense basketball IQ. Paul George has been linked to an abundance of trade rumours, pointing to his discontent in Indiana. He does have a point. Larry Bird simply didn’t do enough. George wants stars to play and win with. In the past three years, his Pacers have seeded 7th, 7th and 9th respectively. Am I the only one hearing the faint “I’m going going back back to Cali Cali”?

X-Factor: Born Rea-… I mean, Lance Stephenson

I’ve waited patiently to write this paragraph for days. Now that I’m here, I’m not sure where to start. ‘Born Ready’ has finally made his awaited return back to where he created his NBA name. Paul George for one, was completely ecstatic with the news of his ‘brother’ returning to Naptown. Stephenson has been the literal definition of a spark-plug for the Pacers. Physical altercations, hilarious dances and believe it or not, quality play have come from Stephenson in just barely over a week in Indiana. Prior to his return, Stephenson wore out his last few chances in the NBA. His unorthodox style just didn’t fit anywhere. Now, he fits perfectly where he is which is exactly why he’d be my x-factor for this potential playoff series.

For all that haven’t seen his antics versus the Raptors, here it is (in ALL of its glory):

https://twitter.com/theScore/status/849653263259635712

My take on it? I wasn’t irritated or even possess a shred of anger towards Lance. Why? It’s like being angry at the old man across your street for… being old. This is who Lance Stephenson is.

Oh, and just in case you forgot what Lance Stephenson’s capabilities were in an Indiana Pacers jersey, you might want to watch this:

How the Pacers matchup vs. Toronto

TOR Projected Starting Lineup: Lowry, DeRozan, Carroll, Ibaka, Valanciunas

IND Projected Starting Lineup: Teague, Stephenson, George, Young, Turner

I’m going to put this out there before I even mention the PG-DeRozan matchup. Myles Turner cannot guard Valanciunas. Now that we have that fact out of the way, let’s continue. DeRozan, who’s become a legit top-5 offensive weapon in the NBA, hasn’t struggled versus many players. DeRozan almost always finds weaknesses, no matter how good the defender is. With PG, it seems different. George’s wingspan and lateral quickness, mixed with his strength routinely gives DeMar trouble. Teague and Lowry should be fun, while the frontcourt battle should point to a Raptors advantage. These teams have some bad blood still boiling over. I’d love to see this series become a reality.

Now, let’s get to my keys to this potential series.

Apr 4, 2017; Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The key for the Raptors is to:

Attack the glass. The Pacers frontcourt should be outmatched by Toronto’s. Indiana ranked 25th in the league in total rebounds per game. Just like last year’s playoff series, the Raptors must have Valanciunas dominate in and around the paint.
Get it and RUN. If you’re a Raptors fan reading this, you know team broadcaster Jack Armstrong always talks about beating good defensive teams on the transition. Why? Because you don’t want their defensive structure to be set. The Raptors have the right guys to run, but will they?
Don’t outsmart yourself. Toronto struggled last year with Paul George because it was DeMarre Carroll and… nothing. DeRozan could not effectively guard him and neither could the miniscule Norman Powell. Dwane Casey, please stick PJ Tucker tighter to Paul George than Al Harrington’s cornrows were to his skull. Thanks, in advance.

Rapture Nation, don’t forget to leave questions/comments/concerns on any of the team previews. I WILL respond to all of them.

Here are the first 4 parts of this series: