Balanced Scoring Trumps Granger’s 36, Raptors Soar Past Pacers 123-112

Posted by Stephen Rhodes under NBA Game Recap

Jose Calderon (#8)

Danny Granger had one of his better games as the Indiana Pacers visited Air Canada Centre to take on the Toronto Raptors; he would score 36 points, exploiting the Raptors’ frontcourt at will. Unfortunately for the Pacers, the rest of the team could not support Granger as any good team should. Toronto had seven players in double-digits and shot 55.8% from the field, breezing past Indiana 123-112.

The first quarter was a track meet, of sorts, as both teams combined for 70 points in the first quarter; Jose Calderon made a pair of free throws, capping a Raptors 12-4 run at the 9:40 mark. The Pacers would gradually reduce their deficit to six on a pair of Granger free throws but Toronto would take an eight-point lead going into the second quarter. The Raptors would pile it on further as they managed to up their cushion to 18 as Calderon drained a three-pointer with 4:20 left in the half and they would grab a 21-point lead going into halftime.

It isn’t certain exactly what Pacers coach Jim O’Brien said in their locker room, but apparently it worked as a Brandon Rush basket would put Indiana within 88-79; Tyler Hansbrough’s 6 points in just over two minutes brought the Pacers to within 97-92 with 33 seconds left in the period. Toronto would go into the final 12 minutes up 100-92. The final quarter would see the Raptors increase their lead to as much as 14 on a Chris Bosh dunk and they would coast to the victory.

Seven Raptors scored in double-digits, led by Calderon with 21 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists and a steal while Jarrett Jack came off the bench to haunt his former team with 18 points (including 3 treys), 3 rebounds, 6 assists and a steal; Bosh added 16 with 12 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal and 4 blocks.

Indiana was led by Granger with a game-high 36 points (including 7 three-pointers), 9 rebounds and 5 assists while T.J. Ford added 16 with 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Toronto (7-8) plays again on Wednesday when they jet to Charlotte to take on the Bobcats while Indiana (5-7) returns home to host the Los Angeles Clippers – also on Wednesday night.

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