INDIANAPOLIS (AP) โ Bennedict Mathurin scored 21 points and Buddy Hield added 19 to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 122-114 victory over the Toronto Raptors for their fourth consecutive victory Monday night.
Myles Turner had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Tyrese Haliburton added 16 points and eight assists for the Pacers.
Gary Trent Jr. scored 32 points and Pascal Siakam had 26 for Toronto. Scottie Barnes added 23.
Indianaโs bench outscored Torontoโs reserves 54-7. The second unit included Mathurin, T.J. McConnell (15 points) and Jalen Smith (11 points and 11 rebounds).
โTheir starters are a tough matchup for anyone in this league,โ Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said of the Raptors. โThey were tough at the start of each half. Our second unit came in and gave us what we needed โ force, energy, attacking, unselfish play. They were the difference in the game as a whole.โ
Carlisle had special praise for McConnell, who made a career-high seven free throws in seven attempts.
โT.J. McConnell is a once-in-a-decade player,โ Carlisle said. โYou donโt find those guys like that who have boundless energy and indomitable spirit that can lift the entire building with one defining loose ball play. His minutes have been a little less. But he gets everything he can out of the minutes.โ
McConnell said defense was the difference.
โWe locked in and got stops and do what we do best โ thatโs get out and run,โ McConnell said. โWe moved the ball and I thought we did that at a high level. Things kind of slowed down. (Mathurin) really bailed us out like heโs done all year. Itโs been special to watch.โ
Mathurin went 6 of 9 from the field and 7 of 10 on free throws.
โIt was amazing the difficulty of some of those shots,โ Carlisle said.
The Pacers, who shot 45% from the field, had a 50-36 edge in rebounds.
โWhen you play Toronto, itโs always a possession game,โ Carlisle said. โThey keep coming and coming. You have to outlast them.โ
With the score tied at 101 in the fourth quarter, Haliburton sank a 3-pointer to put the Pacers ahead for good.
Toronto used a 20-2 run in the third period to take an 83-75 lead. With the Raptors leading 83-77 with 3:25 left in the quarter, O.G. Anunoby was called for a technical foul after pushing Mathurin.
Mathurin missed the technical free throw, but he scored six points, including a step-back 3-pointer, the rest of the quarter to help the Pacers grab a 91-90 lead after three.
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