Pacers use 4th-quarter scoring flurry to beat Raptors
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Malcolm Brogdon scored a career-high 36 points and Myles Turner scored 11 of his 21 in the final 8 1/2 minutes Monday night to help the Indiana Pacers pull away for a 129-114 victory over the Toronto Raptors.
Brogdon also had nine assists and seven rebounds, a day after his poorest game of the season. Jeremy Lamb matched his season-high with 22 points as Indiana earned a split in the two-game set against the Raptors. The Pacers won this one despite losing All-Star forward Damontis Sabonis to a bruised left knee in the first half.
Toronto was led by Fred VanVleet's 25 points and six rebounds. Norman Powell scored 24 points.
The Raptors rallied from a 70-60 halftime deficit and tied the score at 86-all in the third quarter. They eventually took a 102-100 lead on Kyle Lowry's go-ahead layup with 9:46 to go in the fourth.
It didn't last long.
Goga Bitadze tied the score on Indiana's next possession, Turner broke the tie by making 1 of 2 free throws and then fueled a decisive 12-4 run with his late scoring flurry. Brogdon sealed the win with late free throws.
TIP-INS
Raptors: Lowry scored 12 points before he was ejected in the waning moments. He needs two points to join DeMar DeRozan and Chris Bosh as the only players in franchise history to score 10,000. ... VanVleet made three 3-pointers to extend his franchise-record for consecutive games with a 3 to 49. .... OG Anunoby had 10 points and reached double figures for a career-best ninth consecutive game. ... All-Star Pascal Siakam missed his second straight game with swelling in his left knee.
Pacers: Turner finished with 10 rebounds and three blocks despite playing with a fractured right hand. ... Bitadze and Aaron Holiday each scored 10 points. ... Lamb added seven rebounds. ... First-year coach Nate Bjorkgren, who was previously an assistant with Toronto, got his first NBA win against Raptors coach Nick Nurse. Bjorkgren's head-to-head record against Nurse is 4-5 including seven matchups in the G League.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Sabonis' franchise-record streak of 16 consecutive double-doubles to open the season ended unceremoniously after he had 11 points, three rebounds, and two assists in the first 11 minutes. He didn't return after hurting his knee.
The All-Star is one of just six players since the ABA-NBA merger to start the season with 15 straight double-doubles and his absence — with T.J. Warren (left foot surgery) and newly-acquired swingman Caris LeVert (kidney mass) already out — left Indiana short-handed.
UP NEXT
Raptors: Begin a three-game homestand Wednesday against Milwaukee.
Pacers: Play the first of two games in Charlotte on Wednesday.
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