The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
No. 7 seed Pacers surprise Raptors
No. 2 Toronto falls to 0-8 in first-round playoff openers.
Paul George scored 33 points, Monta Ellis had 15, and the seventh-seeded Indiana Pacers upset the Toronto Raptors 100-90 in Game 1 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series Saturday.
Jonas Valanciunas fouled out after scoring 12 points and setting a Raptors’ playoff record with 19 rebounds.
All-Star guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan struggled for the second-seeded Raptors. Lowry made 3 of 13 field goal attempts while DeRozan made 5 of 19. The pair went 1 for 10 from 3-point range and 8 for 15 at the free-throw line.
DeRozan finished with 14 points and Lowry had 11. Corey Joseph scored 18.
Toronto dropped to 0-8 in the first game of an opening-round playoff series.
Two free throws by the Raptors’ Bismack Biyombo tied it at 76-all with 6:46 left in the fourth quarter, but Rodney Stuckey answered with a 3 for Indiana.
Toronto trailed 84-81 after Lowry made 1 of 2 at the line with 4:02 to go, but the Pacers scored 11 of the next 12 points to lead 95-82 after a 3 by Ellis with 1:49 left.
Toronto, first-round losers in each of the past two seasons, has never won a seven-game playoff series. Its only postseason win was in a five-game series against the Knicks in 2001.
George scored 17 points in the third quarter by making 6 of 7 field-goal attempts as the Pacers took a 70-67 lead.
(At) Warriors 104, Rockets 78: Stephen Curry dazzled from long range and drove to the basket from every angle with fire and flair, scoring 24 points before leaving with an ankle injury in the third quarter as host Golden State routed Houston.
Draymond Green added 12 points and 10 rebounds as top-seeded Golden State carried momentum from setting the all-time wins record Wednesday night with No. 73 into the playoff opener.
James Harden scored 17 points for cold-shooting Houston, held to six field goals in the first quarter.
Curry didn’t slow down until hurting his right ankle just before halftime, but he got it retaped and briefly returned before leaving for good with 8:31 remaining in the third period.
(At) Hawks 102, Celtics 101: Jeff Teague stymied a big Boston comeback, taking matters into his own hands in the closing minutes.
Teague had 23 points and 12 assists, making sure Atlanta maintained the home-court edge after the gritty Celtics rallied from a 19-point deficit.
With the score tied at 88, Teague set up a layup for Al Horford. The Celtics missed and the Hawks again got the ball to Teague, who found Paul Millsap alone under the basket for a dunk for a 92-88 lead with 2:56 remaining.