Raptors 95, Pacers 82
TORONTO -- Guard DeMar DeRozan scored 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the Toronto Raptors defeated the Indiana Pacers 95-82 Wednesday to extend their winning streak to a season-best four games.
Forward/guard Terrence Ross added 18 points for the Raptors (15-15). Guard Kyle Lowry had 13 points and a season-best 14 assists for Toronto, and center Jonas Valanciunas added 13 points and nine rebounds.
The Pacers (25-6) saw their five-game winning streak end.
Center Roy Hibbert led Indiana with 16 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Forward Paul George added 12 points and eight rebounds. Forward Danny Granger had 11 points off the bench, and forward David West contributed nine points and seven rebounds.
Toronto took a three-point lead into the fourth quarter, but Indiana led by one point when Hibbert picked up his fifth foul with 10:32 to play and went to the bench.
Guard Greivis Vasquez gave the Raptors a two-point lead with a 3-pointer, and Toronto pushed the lead to six when DeRozan made two free throws with 5:23 left.
When DeRozan made a jumper with 4:22 left, the Raptors led 84-75. Hibbert was back in the game by then, but he fouled out with 3:25 to play. Lowry's uncontested layup after guard George Hill's turnover gave Toronto an 11-point lead with 2:54 to play.
Indiana stretched its four-point halftime advantage to eight with 7:07 left in the third quarter on a turnaround jumper by Hibbert. The Pacers led by five when Hibbert picked up fourth foul with 4:56 to play in the third and took a seat.
The Raptors closed out the quarter with an 11-3 run, with guard/forward John Salmons hitting a 3-pointer to give Toronto the 66-63 lead that it took into the fourth quarter.
The Pacers trailed by eight after the opening quarter, but a 3-pointer by Granger capped a 10-0 run that gave them a 33-32 lead with 4:44 left in the half. With the game tied at 40, Granger hit two free throws and center Ian Mahinmi scored on a layup to give the Pacers a 44-40 lead at the half.
Ross scored seven points and Lowry had seven assists and five points in a first quarter that ended with Toronto leading 26-18. Hibbert scored 10 points in the first quarter.
NOTES: The Raptors played a home game on New Year's Day for the first time in franchise history. ... Toronto's current starting five of G DeMar DeRozan (19.6 points a game), G Kyle Lowry (18.3), F Amir Johnson (13.8), C Jonas Valanciunas (12.4) and F Terrence Ross (11.6) each averaged double-figure scoring in December. The Raptors had three double-figure scorers in November (DeRozan, Lowry and F Rudy Gay, who was traded on Dec. 9). ... The Pacers defeated the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers 91-76 Tuesday, giving them an NBA-best 15-1 home record. ... The Pacers won their first meeting with the Raptors, 91-84, on Nov. 8 in Indianapolis. ... The Raptors visit the Washington Wizards on Friday. The Pacers play host to the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday.
