Powell picks up slack as Raptors beat Pacers

[January 07, 2019]  Norman Powell scored a season-best 23 points off the bench and the Toronto Raptors, playing without Kawhi Leonard but with Kyle Lowry back in the lineup, defeated the visiting Indiana Pacers 121-105 Sunday night.

Lowry had 12 points and eight assists after missing six straight games with a stiff back.

It was the Pacers' 11th regular-season loss in a row in Toronto. Their last win in Toronto was March 1, 2013. They also have lost four straight, and 14 of their past 17 regular-season games overall, against the Raptors.

The loss ended the Pacers' six-game winning streak overall, although they have still won 13 of their past 16 games.

Serge Ibaka added 18 points for the Raptors, who beat the Bucks in Milwaukee on Saturday night. Danny Green scored 15, Pascal Siakam had 12 points and 10 rebounds, Fred VanVleet 12 points, Greg Monroe 11 and Delon Wright 10

Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pacers with 21 points and nine rebounds, while Domantas Sabonis scored 16 points and had 11 rebounds. Victor Oladipo added 16 points, Thaddeus Young 14 and Darren Collison 11 for Indiana.
 

Leonard, who played 38 minutes in Milwaukee, did not play Sunday. He has yet to play both ends of a back-to-back set this season after missing most of last season with a quadriceps injury.

The Pacers were without Myles Turner, who was out with a sore right shoulder.

Toronto led by 14 points with 1:57 left in the third quarter. The lead shrunk to nine early in the fourth quarter before Powell's layup extended the lead to 17 with 6:13 remaining.

The Raptors led 37-35 after the first quarter.

Toronto used a 12-0 run to take a 10-point lead four minutes into the second quarter.

Raptors forward Norman Powell (24) drives to the basket as Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo (4) tries to defend during the fourth quarter at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

The lead reached 11 with 6:19 to play in the second quarter after Monroe made two free throws.

The Raptors led 70-63 at halftime.

Sabonis tied the game on a dunk with 9:42 left in the third quarter.

Toronto used a 10-2 spurt capped by Ibaka's 3-pointer after an Indiana turnover to lead by eight.

Powell's driving layup with 1:57 to play in the third quarter bumped Toronto's lead to 14. The Raptors led 96-84 after three quarters.

--Field Level Media

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