INDIANAPOLIS – Toronto got 21 points and eight assists from Kyle Lowry and 21 points from DeMar DeRozan in a dominating 101-85 Game 3 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday.
The Raptors lead the series 2-1 and regained home-court advantage after losing Game 1 in Toronto.
DeMarre Carroll scored 17 points for Toronto, which took a 10-9 lead and never trailed again. Game 4 is set for Saturday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Paul George led Indiana with 25 points, Myles Turner scored 17 and George Hill added 13.
Toronto shot 41.5 percent and Indiana shot 38.2 percent. The Raptors scored 26 points as the result of the Pacers’ 16 turnovers.
Consecutive 3-pointers from Lowry and Patrick Patterson pushed the Toronto lead to 81-63 with 8:51 remaining, prompting an Indiana timeout. Another Lowry 3-pointer with 5:26 to go extended the advantage to 88-69.
Carroll’s layup with 5:30 remaining in the third quarter stopped a brief Pacer run and pushed the Raptors’ lead to 62-47. Carroll’s 3-pointer and a driving layup from DeRozan gave Toronto a 67-49 lead with 2:33 left in the period.
Solomon Hill’s 3-pointer and Turner’s basket pulled the Pacers to within 71-59 with 12 minutes remaining.
Toronto took complete advantage of Indiana’s 11 first-half turnovers and 33.3 percent field goal shooting to build a commanding 53-36 lead through two quarters.
The Raptors scored 17 first-half points as the result of Pacers’ turnovers and 16 points from DeRozan and nine points and six assists from Lowry.
Toronto led by as many as 23 in the second quarter before Indiana scored the half’s final six points.
George had 14 first-half points to lead Indiana, which was 1 of 8 from 3-point range.
NOTES: Raptors G-F Terrence Ross was listed as questionable because of the NBA’s concussion protocol. … Although bothered by a lower back sprain, Pacers C Ian Mahinmi was in the starting lineup. … Toronto C Jonas Valanciunas entered Game 3 averaging 17.5 points and 17 rebounds in the series. … Indiana F Paul George came in averaging 30.5 points, four rebounds and 3.5 assists. … The Raptors outrebounded the Pacers 96-71 during the first two games of the series, but Indiana made 15 3-pointers to only 9 of 37 (24.3 percent) for Toronto. … Of the eight Eastern Conference first-round playoff games, the Pacers’ Game 1 victory in Toronto was the only one by a road team. … Indiana and Toronto are meeting for the first time in the playoffs. … The Raptors are 7-1 in their eight most recent regular-season games against the Pacers. … Indiana ranks second thus far in the NBA playoffs in forcing turnovers at 16.5 per game against Toronto. … The Raptors are second in limiting their opponents in rebounds to 36.5.