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DeRozan's 34 helps Raptors take 3-2 lead over Pacers

Xinhua, April 27, 2016 Adjust font size:

DeMar DeRozan scored a playoff-best 34 points to help Toronto Raptors fight off Indiana Pacers 102-99 in game five of their seven-game NBA playoff series on Tuesday night.

After a season where he ranked eighth in the league in scoring with 23.5 points per game and third in free throws attempted per game with 8.4, DeRozan had struggled in the first four games of the postseason, averaging 13.5 points and 3.8 free throw attempts per game.

In Tuesday's victory, DeRozan bounced back in a big way by going 12-for-13 from the free throw line, nearly matching his combined attempts from the first four games.

"I felt like my normal self," said a relieved DeRozan in the post-game press conference in Toronto. "It's all about patience, you can't get frustrated."

DeRozan also improved his shooting, going 10-for-22 (45.5 percent) from the field, compared to the 21-for-70 (30.0 percent) he shot entering the game. He also went 2-for-4 from beyond the arc after shooting 0-for-8 in the first four games.

"DeMar is an All Star for a reason," said Raptors head coach Dwane Casey following the game. "Guys don't forget how to score and he did that tonight. I thought he did it within the rhythm of the offence and within the rhythm of the game. He also brought it on the defensive end too."

Down 90-75 in the final minute of the third quarter, DeRozan and his teammates locked in defensively to hold Indiana to two points in the next ten minutes to mount the comeback.

"To hold an offence team the way they were kicking our butt. To hold them to nine points in the fourth is just as amazing and impressive as far as our defensive end," said an amazed Casey. "That group was giving it to us physically, they were just scrapping and that is what playoffs are about."

With a 3-2 series lead, Casey hopes the team can bring the same level of defensive intensity in game six on the road in Indiana on Friday night.

"Friday night is going to be a war, a battle. It's going to be like it was last Saturday (game four)," said Casey. "If we don't come in with that mentality that we did in the fourth quarter, it's going to be a long day." Endit