Biyombo a rebound machine as Raptors top Pacers in sloppy win
INDIANAPOLIS• This was not a game for the basketball purist, not an evening for those offensive ly inclined.
Missed shots from virtually all spots on the floor, missed assignments on defence, stagnant ball movement and a second quarter that brought the game back to the pre-shot clock era.
Simply put, it was ugly, but despite the rough edges and stretches of wretched play, the night would require extra time, the Raptors getting offence, virtually all of their offence in crunch t i me, f rom t heir two-headed monster in Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, while Bismack Biyombo was a monster on the glass as he set a career- high in points ( 16) while posting a franchise record in rebounds (25).
It was a spectacular way to end a night, Lowry breaking ankles, Patrick Patter- son putting an exclamation point on the festivities with a dunk as Toronto would eke out a 101- 94 overtime win.
Lowry and DeRozan combined for 56 points when both were terrible in the opening half.
The teams were tied, 8585, after regulation, DeRozan unable to score on the final play that led to the extra five-minute session.
A basket f ol l owing a turnover at midcourt and a three- point play helped the Pacers in regulation.
The Raptors were in rebound- mode, overcoming a wretched second quarter to play just well enough in the third to take a 63- 60 leading into the fourth.
Biyombo was a rebounding machine, hauling down nine boards in the third.
A good start to the opening quarter for the Rapto rs, a bad finish to end the game’s opening 12 minutes, the visitors had a tough time sustaining their play when they couldn’t protect the rim and yielded secondchance opportunities.
There were also two sloppy turnovers, one involving Terrence Ross thinking the ball went off a Pacers player, the other when an outlet pass to Cory Joseph l anded in t he f ront- row seats, two extra possessions for Indiana that were easily avoidable.
At one point, the Raptors would lead by as many as 10 points.
But the whole complexion changed when Biyombo went to the bench for a breather.
The centre known as Biz has been all biz, as in business, his defence and ability to protect the paint and basket second to none.
If he can only convert from the line, but Biyombo is a beast when there’s no box out, often scoring too easily on put-backs.
As expected, Jonas Valanciunas sat out his second straight game with a sore hand.