(The Sports Xchange) – The Toronto Raptors have a reputation for being one of the NBA’s best defensive teams and it is that defense that has allowed the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed to regain control of its first-round series against No. 7 seed Indiana.
Toronto forced 17 Pacers’ turnovers in Thursday night’s Game 3 in Bankers Life Fieldhouse and converted those Indiana mistakes into 26 points in a dominating 101-85 victory, also limiting the Pacers to 38.2 percent field goal shooting and 6 of 22 from 3-point range.
While standout guards DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry continue to struggle with their collective shooting, it hasn’t mattered in Games 2 and 3, which the Raptors won with their defense.
Toronto got 21 points and eight assists from Lowry and 21 points from DeRozan in taking a 2-1 series lead and regaining home court advantage after losing Game 1 in Toronto.
DeMarre Carroll scored 17 points for Toronto, which took a 10-9 lead and never trailed again. Game 4 is set for Saturday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
