The Raptors will start what they hope will be a long playoff run when they host the Pacers on Saturday. The second seed in the East found another gear in the regular season, but the two early exits in the past two postseason appearances still haunt them. A win at home against a lesser Indiana squad could start them up on the right track and give them a much-needed confidence boost.
Pacers vs. Raptors, NBA playoffs 2016: Time, TV schedule and live stream for Game 1
The Raptors need to win Game 1 to truly prove that they are a different team and their playoff woes are in the past.
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
The Pacers had to fight for their place in the playoffs after a slow start, but ultimately made it in a season in which they underwent many changes. Gone were David West and Roy Hibbert, making way for more athletic big men and small lineups featuring four perimeter players. Surprisingly, the new identity didn't have a profound and positive impact on offense, but allowed Indiana to remain among the best defensive teams in the league.
They will be tested on that end by a Toronto offense that has hummed all season long en route to a top five finish. Kyle Lowry continues to be the engine that drives the team but DeMar DeRozan's improvement is what really makes the Raptors' attack so deadly. The veteran wing traded mid-range pull-ups for drives and as a result has been getting to the line at a ridiculous rate, which has fueled the most efficient season of his career.
Defensively the Raptors are not elite, but are not as vulnerable as they were in past seasons, either. They added role players who excel on that end in Cory Joseph and Bismack Biyombo and changed their scheme to a more conservative one that is better suited to hide Jonas Valanciunas' weaknesses on that end. If they have DeMarre Carroll, their big free agent addition, available to guard Paul George, they should be able to limit Indiana on offense.
That matchup will be key. George is back to being one of the most deadly offensive weapons in the league thanks largely to his jump shot. If Carroll -- who missed three months following a mid-season knee surgery -- is not physically ready for the challenge of guarding him, Toronto will have to give Norman Powell or James Johnson more minutes that would be ideal just to have a big body on the Pacers’ star.
The pressure will be on Toronto to get a win at home, set the tone for the series and show that their playoff struggles are in the past. If they don’t pull it off, the Pacers could smell blood and pull off a huge upset. There’s a lot riding on Game 1 and both teams know it.
How to watch Raptors vs. Pacers Game 1
Place: Air Canada Centre
Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Streaming: WatchESPN
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