Gameday: Pacers @ Raptors, November 18
The Toronto Raptors are once again facing off against their former star in Pascal Siakam, as the Indiana Pacers are coming to Scotiabank arena to do battle with Toronto. Indiana has not been as good as some may have thought they would be this season after they went all the way to the eastern conference finals, and this version of Indiana gives Toronto a much better shot to actually win the game.
Last season Indiana was ranked number two in offensive rating, and this season that has plummeted down to 14. The biggest reason for this precipitous decline is likely the struggles that Tyrese Haliburton has had this season. Haliburton is averaging 16.3 points per game and 8.8 assists per game which are both much lower than what he averaged last season. He is also shooting an abysmal 39 percent from the field and 29 percent from behind the arc. Haliburton is supposed to be the engine of Indiana’s offense, and with his scoring being as lackluster as it has been thus far, it hurts Indiana’s offense as a whole.
Siakam on the other hand is picking up some of Haliburton’s slack, as he is averaging 20.2 points per game, 6 rebounds per game, and 4.2 assists per game, and shooting 56 percent from the field and a career high 46 percent from three. Siakam is a very strong one on one player, and he is more than capable of going at RJ Barrett or Ochai Agbaji and getting all the way to the cup or finding his way to mid- range looks. Toronto should treat Siakam with the defensive attention that they would normally give to Haliburton, as Haliburton has not played at a high enough level this season to warrant that attention. Haliburton is a heavy pick n’ roll user, but since his shooting has been so woeful you don’t have to come up as high on the screens, and you don’t need as much help. Haliburton is likely just in a cold streak that he will have to shoot his way out of, which he may very well do tonight, but Toronto should still make containing Siakam their priority on defense tonight.
Jakob Poetl has been a revelation for the Toronto Raptors over his last two games, and he has been a powerful force inside. Tonight he is facing an established defensive center in Myles Turner which may make it more difficult for him to reach the numbers we’ve seen lately, but Poetl still has a size advantage over him and will have the opportunity to use that against him. As far as the rest of Toronto offensively such as Barrett and Gradey Dick, they need to attack Haliburton defensively, whether this means hunting for a switch and running actions with whomever is guarding him. Indiana’s depth has also taken a blow thus far into the season, so although Toronto is very depleted as well, they need to really take advantage of Indiana’s bench minutes.
Tonight should be a fun one as Toronto looks to claim victory over their former star and get back into the win column.
Broadcast Info
Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m. ET
Television: SN
Radio: Sportsnet 590
Raptors Lineup (projected)
PG: Davion Mitchell
SG: Gradey Dick
SF: Ochai Agbaji
PF: RJ Barrett
C: Jakob Poeltl
Pacers Lineup (projected)
PG: Tyrese Haliburton
SG: Johnny Furphy
SF: Benedict Mathurin
PF: Pascal Siakam
C: Myles Turner
Injury Report (Not official)
Pacers
Andrew Nembhard (Knee) – Out
Ben SHeppard (Oblique) – Questionable
Aaron Nesmith(Ankle) – Out
Isaiah Jackson(Achilles) – Out
James Wiseman (Achilles) – Out
Raptors
Immanuel Quickley (Elbow sprain) – Out
Bruno Fernando (Ankle) –Out
Scottie Barnes (Orbital fracture) – Out
Ja’Kobe Walter (Shoulder) – Questionable
Kelly Olynyk (Back) – Questionable
Bruce Brown Jr. (Knee) – Out
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