Poeltl, Barrett help Raptors beat Pacers 130-119 to snap seven-game losing skid

By John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press on November 18, 2024.

Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett (9) advances under pressure from Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) during first half NBA basketball action in Toronto, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

TORONTO – Jakob Poeltl and Canadian RJ Barrett continued to carry the injury-depleted Raptors in a 130-119 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday as Toronto snapped a seven-game losing skid.

Barrett, from Mississauga, Ont., scored a season-high 39 points, with 15 in the fourth quarter, for the Raptors (3-12). He also had nine rebounds and five assists.

Poeltl had 30 points and pulled down 16 boards in the best season of his nine-year NBA career.

Former Raptor Pascal Siakam also had a double-double with 25 points and 10 rebounds for Indiana (6-8).

Montreal’s Bennedict Mathurin had 28 points, 17 in the fourth quarter, and Obi Toppin came off the bench for 19 points, nine in the final period, as the Pacers mounted a late comeback.

Centre Myles Turner (sore right calf) was out for Indiana, freeing up Poeltl in the paint.

Several Raptors remained out for the game, including all-star forward Scottie Barnes (right orbital fracture), starting point guard Immanuel Quickley (partially torn UCL), veteran forward Bruce Brown (arthroscopic knee surgery), backup centre Kelly Olynyk (lumbar strain) of Kamloops, B.C., and first-round pick Ja’Kobe Walter (right shoulder sprain).

Veteran centre Bruno Fernando (right ankle sprain) was added to Toronto’s inactive list Sunday.

Rookie centre Jonathan Mogbo ate up most of Fernando’s minutes, finishing with four points and three rebounds.

Head coach Darko Rajakovic said that the Raptors wouldn’t have an update on any of their injured players for two or three days.

Takeaways

Indiana: Tyrese Haliburton, the focal point of the Pacers’ offence the past two season, continues to struggle to start this campaign. He went 5-for-18 on his field-goal attempts, including 2-for-9 three-point shooting, for 16 points. He averaged 20.1 points per game last season, his second all-star campaign.

Toronto: Poeltl continues to be dominant for a Raptors team plagued by injuries. He was two rebounds short of a double-double in the first half alone with 18 points and eight rebounds in just two quarters. He has nine double-doubles through the first 15 games of the regular season and is averaging a career highs in points and rebounds per game.

Key moment

Poeltl sank a two-foot hook shot with 5:26 left in the quarter to complete a 16-6 to open the third. That gave Toronto a 22-point lead and forced Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle to take a timeout. Although Indiana battled back in the fourth quarter, it could never overcome that sizable lead.

Key stat

Turnovers continue to be an issue for Toronto, with the Raptors giving up 20 through the first three quarters alone. The Utah Jazz had the worst turnover rate in the NBA heading into Monday, averaging 17.2 per game. Toronto finished with 23 against the Pacers.

Up next

The Raptors have a couple of days off before hosting Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday.

Indiana continues its road trip Wednesday with a stop in Houston against the Rockets.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 18, 2024.