Toronto Routs Indiana, NBA Scores

Print

Published on April 22 2016 6:35 am
Last Updated on April 22 2016 6:36 am

DeMar DeRozan finally found his shooting touch Thursday night, and Kyle Lowry finally got Toronto's offense rolling.

Together, they had the Raptors looking a lot more like that dominant regular-season team.

The All-Star guards scored 21 points each to help Toronto rout Indiana 101-85 and take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series while reclaiming the home-court advantage they squandered six days earlier.

"We just have to keep building, keep continuing to get better at both ends," DeRozan said. "(This series) is going to be tough. But that's why we take it so serious when we are at practice, at shootaround and watching film."

The playoff-challenged Raptors desperately needed something to go right.

In the first two games, DeRozan and Lowry were a combined 15-of-63 from the field and just 1-of-17 from 3-point range. DeRozan didn't even get to the free throw line Monday night -- only the second time that had happened this season.

But leaving the Air Canada Centre apparently put the Eastern Conference's No. 2 seed at ease, and the Raptors' dynamic backcourt reverted to its more traditional form.

DeRozan made his first three shots, scored 12 points in the first quarter, and went 7-of-19 from the field and 7-of-9 at the free throw line.

Lowry finished 8-of-21 from the field, was 4-of-10 from 3 and scored 12 points in the fourth quarter.

Toronto has its fifth playoff series lead ever and needs two more victories to win a series for the second time in franchise history.


Thunder 131, Mavericks 102

Kevin Durant rattled the rim early with a reverse dunk and pulled up from well beyond the 3-point line for another first-half basket.

The Oklahoma City star was intent on putting aside the worst shooting game of his playoff career.

Durant scored 20 of his 34 points in the first half, Russell Westbrook had 20 of his 26 in the second and the Thunder retook control of their first-round series with a 131-102 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 3 on Thursday night.

Durant, the 2014 MVP, had seven field goals midway through the second quarter on nine shots -- he needed 33 field goals to get there in a Game 2 loss that followed a 38-point win in the opener. The Thunder took a 2-1 series lead with Game 4 on Saturday night in Dallas.


Rockets 97, Warriors 96

The Houston Rockets were down by one point with no timeouts and mere seconds remaining Thursday night.

In that moment James Harden was the only one they wanted to have the ball. And as usual their star delivered.

Harden scored 35 points, including the game-winner with 2.7 seconds left, and the Rockets took advantage of Stephen Curry's absence to get a 97-96 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series.

The victory cuts Houston's deficit to 2-1 in the best-of-seven series. Game 4 is Sunday in Houston.


Thursday, April 21 Scoreboard

Oklahoma City 131, Dallas 102

WESTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 3

Toronto 101, Indiana 85

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 3
    
Houston 97, Golden State 96

WESTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 3

 

Friday, April 22 Schedule (All Times Central)

Cleveland at Detroit, 6 p.m.

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 3

Atlanta at Boston, 7 p.m.

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 3

San Antonio at Memphis, 8:30 p.m.

WESTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 3


Saturday, April 23 Schedule (All Times Central)

Toronto at Indiana, 2 p.m.

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 4

Miami at Charlotte, 4:30 p.m.

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 3

Oklahoma City at Dallas, 7 p.m.

WESTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 4

Los Angeles at Portland, 9:30 p.m.

WESTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 3


Sunday, April 24 Schedule (All Times Central)

San Antonio at Memphis, noon

WESTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 4

Golden State at Houston, 2:30 p.m.

WESTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 4

Atlanta at Boston, 5 p.m.

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 4

Cleveland at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 4