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Again-to-back video games of questionable effort had the Toronto Raptors needing to show themselves.
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A rebuilding crew might be given a certain quantity of slack in terms of outcomes, however apparent lack of effort is unacceptable from a followers perspective and positively from a head coach.
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Darko Rajajovic didn’t maintain again after a woeful show Monday night time in a loss to San Antonio. That adopted a much less heinous, however nonetheless sub-standard effort, towards Cleveland two nights earlier.
What it meant was that whereas the fanbase was primarily focussed on the return of a beloved veteran in opposing colors, the Pascal Siakam return was properly down on focus checklist of the Raptors nonetheless sporting the purple and black.
The hassle was definitely there, even when the end wasn’t, because the Raptors dropped a hard-fought 127-125 choice to the visiting Pacers.
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Dealing with a high-scoring, however defensively porous Indiana crew, the Raptors got here out arduous and carried the play for the entire first half and a portion of the third quarter.
Indiana fought its approach again into it within the third and took its first lead solely to see the Raptors steal again the momentum late within the quarter and take a lead into the ultimate body.
Within the fourth the Raptors continued to strain.
They performed your complete second quarter with out newcomer Kelly Olynyk who left the sport late within the second quarter with a again pressure and by no means returned.
It opened a door for Chris Boucher who has been a wholesome spectator for a lot of the previous three weeks because the rebuild was dedicated to in full.
Boucher responded with 10 factors and 4 rebounds in his first significant minutes in weeks to maintain the Raptors on this one.
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Scottie Barnes, who took some warmth publicly for leaving the bench a tad early and heading to the locker room within the loss to San Antonio rebounded with a giant recreation placing up 29 factors, 12 rebounds and eight assists to steer the Toronto cost.
Proper behind him was R.J. Barrett who missed a contested shot within the dying seconds to tie it, put up 23 and pitched in with 5 boards.
Indiana, taking part in with out Myles Turner, who was out as a consequence of sickness received 21 from Tyrese Haliburton, together with 12 assists and 23 from Siakam in his first recreation again in Toronto because the commerce that introduced Bruce Brown and Jodan Nwora together with three first-round picks to Toronto.
Siakam’s last bucket in a crowd put the Pacers up by three within the dying seconds.
The Raptors head into the all-star break having misplaced three in a row.
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