Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) gets his shot blocked by Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014. Granger was called for a foul on the play. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
January 07, 2014 - 6:49 PM
INDIANAPOLIS - Roy Hibbert scored 22 points and Danny Granger matched his season high with 13 to help Indiana hold off Toronto 86-79 Tuesday night.
The Pacers (28-6) won their third straight to retain the NBA's best record.
Toronto (16-17) has lost two straight on the road — at Miami and Indiana — after winning four straight. The Raptors were led by DeMar DeRozan with 28 and Patrick Patterson with 20 against a Pacers team that looked more like itself after losing north of the border last week.
Indiana had a 40-26 scoring advantage in the paint and limited the Raptors to 37 per cent shooting from the field.
They closed the first half on an 8-3 spurt to take a 44-36 lead, which they extended to 17 in the third. Toronto couldn't get closer than six the rest of the way.
News from © The Associated Press, 2014