INDIANAPOLIS — In the something’s-got-to-give department, two of the hotter teams in the Eastern Conference are set to collide Thursday night.
Heading into its game at Indiana (40-28), Toronto has won nine in a row and 16 of its last 17. The Pacers have won three consecutive games and 21 of their last 30 games.
The conference-leading Raptors (50-17) reached 50 wins for third consecutive season by beating host Brooklyn 116-102 on Tuesday night.
“It’s a good milestone for us,” Toronto guard Kyle Lowry said. “But we got bigger fish to fry. It’s another win, another stepping-stone for our journey.”
The Raptors have set their sights on 60 wins. They would need to win 10 if their last 15 games.
“It’s never been done (in Toronto),” Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan told the Toronto Star. “Not many people get the opportunity to win 60-plus games. We came close a couple of years ago. That’s big.
“On top of that, you’ve got to prove why you’re a 60-win team. As long as we continue to do what we need to do, hopefully we can get there.”
DeRozan leads the Raptors with a 23.6 average.
Raptors coach Dwane Casey said they are excited about another 50-win season.
“It’s good for our team, our franchise,” Casey said. “But we’re playing for something more than that. We’re playing for something special. To do that, you have to play as close to as many 48-minute games as you possibly can from here until the end of June. You have to be selfless.”
The Pacers return home after road wins over Boston and Philadelphia.
“These guys continue to get it done,” Pacers coach Nate McMillan said. “We’re seeing growth from all of our young guys.”
Pacers center Myles Turner, who averages 13.8 points, has averaged 21.3 in his last four games.
Turner told Fox Sports Indiana his confidence is at an all-time high now after scoring 25 in a 101-98 victory over Philadelphia on Tuesday night.
“I’m picking and choosing my spots right now,” Turner said. “My teammates are doing a great job of creating open spaces for me and I’m taking full advantage of it.”
Turner said the team needs him to produce consistently.
“The All-Star break was good for me to kind of just take a look at myself and where we are in the standings,” Turner said. “And I just had to step up my play and continue to be the player I know I am.”
Victor Oladipo, who leads the Pacers with a 23.6 scoring average, has been in a recent shooting slump.
“I just have to keep shooting with confidence. As long as they’re good shots, they’ll fall for me,” said Oladipo, who scored 11 points on 4-of-21 shooting against Philadelphia.
Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis suffered a left ankle sprain at Philadelphia. Sabonis, who averages 11.7 points and 7.9 rebounds, will miss Thursday’s game, the Pacers announced Wednesday.
Indiana forward Trevor Booker is listed as questionable with a sprained right ankle.
Toronto’s Norman Powell suffered a left ankle sprain during Wednesday’s workout and is listed as doubtful for the Pacers game.
