Indiana Pacers secure season opening victory despite the absence of Danny Granger – NBA Recap
The Indiana Pacers opened their 2012-13 season without their main scorer and frontline player Danny Granger, but it did not stop them from continuing with their winning ways. David West scored 25 points and the Pacers outscored
the Toronto Raptors 27-17 in the final period to pick up a 90-88 victory in a close game here at the Air Canada Centre that came right down to the wire. George Hill scored the game winning shot for the Pacers with less than 5 seconds left on the clock.
West finished with 25 points while going 12 of 19 from the field as he attempted to take more responsibility on the offensive end in the absence of Granger. Paul George had a huge game, finishing with 14 points, 15 rebounds and
5 assists. Kyle Lowry made his debut as a Toronto Raptors member on the night, and scored 21 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds while going a perfect 7 of 7 from the foul line. Lowry was traded from the Houston Rockets over the summer and made his new team very
happy with his performance.
Both teams started off hot from the field and scored some quick points in the early going to make the first period a high scoring one. There were a series of lead exchanges in the opening eight minutes, but Indiana eventually took
a 25-22 lead through a jump shot by Sam Young. After scoring 22 points in the first eight minutes of the quarter, Toronto managed only three more in the final four minutes and went 1 of 9 from the field to close the first period. The Pacers also lost momentum
near the end of the period but did enough to hold on to a 27-25 lead. Toronto scored the first six points of the second period to take a 31-27 lead, but a three point shot by Gerald Green had the Pacers up by one again. A jump shot by West extended the Pacers
lead to 48-43 but Lowry was fouled while attempting a three and nailed all three free throws, and Aaron Gray closed the period for Toronto with a turnaround hook to tie the game at 48 at the end of the first half.
Toronto entered the third period strong and went on a 12-0 run in the early going of the period to take a commanding 64-53 lead. Indiana committed five turnovers during the Raptors run. The Pacers attempted to cut into the deficit
by putting together a 6-0 run but Toronto once again closed the period by scoring the final four points and led 71-63 with only one quarter of play remaining. Indiana attempted to come back into the game early on in the final quarter, but two three point shots
within one and a half minute of each other by Jose Calderon helped Toronto hold on to an 84-74 lead. Indiana were finally able to put together an 11-2 run that helped them to cut into the Raptors lead and trail 85-86 with 2:37 left in the game. A driving hook
shot by Hill with 2 seconds left in the game helped the Pacers pick up a 90-88 victory in the end.
The Pacers shot 47.4 percent from the field and were 5 of 11 from three point range, where as the Raptors shot 36.3 percent from the field and were 6 of 17 from three point range. Indiana had 18 turnovers in the game compared to
only 10 for Toronto as the Raptors managed 12 steals while the Pacers could only manage 3.
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