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December 25, 2019

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Home » Sports » Basketball

Holiday fires Pacers past Raptors

Source: Agencies | 00:00 UTC+8 December 25, 2019 | Print Edition

Aaron Holiday likened the back-and-forth test of resiliency against the defending National Basketball Association champions to that of a playoff game.

Each time the Indiana Pacers or Toronto Raptors sank a dramatic shot, the intensity level increased that much more, the escalating emotion eventually spilling into overtime.

That’s when Holiday hit his two most important attempts, both 3-pointers, to help the hosts Pacers snap the Raptors’ five-game win streak with a 120-115 overtime triumph on Monday.

“It’s a big win for us,” said Holiday, who finished with 19 points in getting the start at point guard for the injured Malcolm Brogdon. “It’s fun playing with emotion, especially in big games.”

His fourth 3-pointer of the game gave the Pacers a 116-113 lead with 2:05 remaining in overtime. His fifth and final 3 provided a 119-115 advantage with 54 seconds remaining at Bankers Life Fieldhouse arena in Indianapolis.

“It just shows the toughness, 48-plus minutes, we’re going to be relentless on both ends,” said TY Warren, who along with Myles Turner led the Pacers with 24 points apiece. “I am glad the way we responded, tough shots and we got some key stops at the end.”

The Pacers (21-10) set a franchise record with 42 3-pointers attempted and matched a season high with 18 made. That included four in the fourth quarter and overtime.

The Raptors (21-9) missed 17 of their first 19 shots from 3-point range in falling behind by 15 points in the second quarter. They eventually rallied, despite finishing 11 of 40 from beyond the arc.

Both teams missed potential game-winning shots in the final minute of regulation as Holiday’s layup was too long off the glass before Kyle Lowry’s last-second 3 bounced off the front of the rim.

Lowry tried his best to be the hero for a second consecutive night in leading all scorers with 30 points. He scored 32 points in a record comeback win from 30 points down at home against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.

“We gutted it out, we played our butts off and gave ourselves a chance to win at the end,” Lowry said of the Raptors, who were missing two starters due to injuries. “Unfortunately, we came up short.”

Lowry managed just 2 points in overtime, when the Pacers outscored the Raptors 13-8.

“We got ourselves a five-point lead, probably should have put it away there but give them credit,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said of the Pacers’ fourth-quarter deficit. “A bunch of 3’s late, a bunch in the fourth quarter, a bunch in overtime.”

Serge Ibaka added 23 and Fred VanVleet 21 for the Raptors.

The Pacers’ Turner sank 5 of 6 3’s in finishing 9 of 12 from the floor. Domantas Sabonis scored 12 points and grabbed 17 rebounds for Indiana. Jeremy Lamb and TJ McConnell both had 12 points. Lamb missed the two previous games with a groin problem.

“Resilience, that’s what we showed tonight,” said Pacers coach Nate McMillan. “That’s one of the better teams in the conference. We knew they were going to be a team that scrapped, and our guys came and they fought. They kept their composure throughout the game, despite losing the lead, and stayed with it.”

This was the first meeting between the teams this season after Toronto won two of three from Indiana last season.

The Pacers beat the visiting Raptors 110-106 on January 23 in the final meeting, which saw Indiana star Victor Oladipo suffer a serious knee injury in the second quarter. Oladipo has yet to play this season as he is still rehabbing that injury.

The Raptors are playing without key injured players, comprising Pascal Siakam (groin), Marc Gasol (hamstring) and Norman Powell (shoulder).

Elsewhere in the NBA on Monday, it was: Nuggets 113, Suns 111; Rockets 113, Kings 104; Warriors 113, Timberwolves 104; Pelicans 102, Trail Blazers 94; 76ers 125, Pistons 109; Spurs 145, Grizzlies 115; Heat 107, Jazz 104; Cavaliers 121, Hawks 118; Magic 103, Bulls 95; and Wizards 121, Knicks 115.

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