2019 Las Vegas Summer League - Toronto Raptors vs Indiana Pacers: Odds, Predictions and How to Watch

What: Toronto Raptors vs Indiana Pacers

Where: Thomas and Mack Center/Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, NV

When: Thursday, July 11th at 6:00 PM EST

How (TV): NBATV

Toronto Raptors (Away)

Head Coach: Jon Goodwillie (Brock)

Tournament Record (Form): 1-2 (LLW)

Projected Starting Five: (G) Jordan Loyd – (G) Adonis Thomas – (F) Malcolm Miller – (F) Chris Boucher – (C) Dewan Hernandez

Last Game Against NYK

Top Performers:

• F Chris Boucher – 23 PTS | 7 REB | 2 BLK
• F Malcolm Miller – 19 PTS | 8 REB | 1 STL
• C Dewan Hernandez – 16 PTS | 11 REB | 1 BLK

The Toronto Raptors seem to have hit their stride. While they struggled in their first two games of the tournament, they’ve really found their form as of late against the Warriors and most recently against the Knicks.

Save for the first quarter, the Toronto Raptors dominated the majority of the match. While they only won two out of four quarters, an 11 to 28 second period helped create an insurmountable lead for the Knicks.

The Raptors veteran players seemed to thrive. Boucher, Miller, and Loyd are still the trio to watch in the NBA Summer League. Each brings a unique skill set to the court and the Knicks, in particular, were unable to overcome them.

Indiana Pacers (Home)

Head Coach: Steve Gansey (Ashland)

Tournament Record (Form): 0-3 (LLL)

Projected Starting Five: (G) Cody Demps – (G) Shizz Alston – (F) DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell – (F) Alize Johnson – (C) Jaylen Johnson

Last Game Against ATL

Top Performers:

• F Alize Johnson – 18 PTS | 10 REB | 1 STL
• F DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell – 16 PTS | 6 REB | 3 STL
• G Shizz Alston – 10 PTS | 5 REB | 4 AST

The Indiana Pacers have been in a funk, to say the least. Going into their last game of the pre-elimination rounds, Indiana is still without a win. Yes, most of the Pacers’ key players are not competing – Goga Bitadze, Aaron Holiday, and Edmond Sumner. But the remaining squad is yet to show inspired basketball.

In their last match against the Hawks, the Pacers struggled to score the ball. They converted on only 35% of a very low 71 field-goal attempts while also only converting on 4 of 29 three-point attempts.

They will be taking on a dynamic Toronto Raptors squad that is surely prepared to take another win to define their seeding in the tournament. The Pacers haven’t been strong anywhere on the court, so they’ll need to find their quality from somewhere else if they want to win.

What’s At Stake?

This will be the last match day for both sides going into the break before the knock-out stage of the summer league tournament. Both teams will solidify their ranking with this result.

A win for the Toronto Raptors would net them a .500 record going into the knock-out rounds.

The Indiana Pacers are still searching for their first win, as they hope to enter the knock-out round with some semblance of rhythm.

Toronto’s Depth Is Legit

The Raptors defeat the NYK 85-73 behind strong performances from Chris Boucher (23 PTS, 7 REB) and Malcolm Miller (19 PTS, 8 REB).

Dewan Hernandez: 16 PTS, 11 REB
RJ Barrett: 17 PTS, 10 REB, 6 AST
Mitchell Robinson: 13 PTS, 14 REB, 3 BLK pic.twitter.com/oXwjlfe7Ao #NBA

— ACB Jornada Virtual (@ACBJV) July 10, 2019

The Toronto Raptors already own a starting lineup with three players with starting NBA/G-League minutes to their name. Malcolm Miller has finally found his stride, Chris Boucher is still dominant, and Jordan Loyd is showing real versatility.

It is their other role players that have spurred their success. Dewan Hernandez relished his matchup with Mitchell Robinson while the likes of Richard Solomon, Jordon Varnado, and Darius Thompson really boosted their play.

Seeing as this is the last match in the opening phase, expect Toronto to give more players a chance to prove their worth. Ranking is less important in summer league, so the Raptors will surely use this time to define their rotation.

The Pacers Depth Is Problematic

Great seeing @thibodeaux25 on the court during @NBASummerLeague. From @TheMadAnts Open Tryout to @Pacers Summer League. Keep grinding! @nbagleague @nba #NBASummer pic.twitter.com/2YAcwRlzqD

— Chris Taylor (@ctaylor21) July 10, 2019

Injuries and hold-outs are expected in the Summer League, but for the Indiana Pacers, they’re relying on an incredibly tight rotation. As if they are in the midst of the NBA Playoffs, the Pacers are fielding only seven players for over ten minutes.

Fatigue sets in and players are coming in cold and expected to make an impact. MiKyle McIntosh has shown himself to be passable off the bench, but his 24 minutes of impact is not enough.

Will the Pacers be willing to go deeper into their bench in order to match Toronto’s? With little on the line going into the elimination round, you’d expect a more liberal rotation. Regardless, their current minutes’ distribution is not cutting it.

Toronto Raptors Roster Notes

C Sagaba Konate – OUT (Knee) – after struggling with a recurring knee issue, Konate is training with the team but will not be included in any LVSL matches.

G Terrence Davis – OUT (Unknown) – after appearing for the Denver Nuggets in the LVSL, Davis signed a two-year contract with the Toronto Raptors. It is unknown if he will suit up for their side.

Indiana Pacers Roster Notes

The Indiana Pacers have no roster changes of note.

X-Factors: Dewan Hernandez (TOR) vs Alize Johnson (IND)

The Toronto Raptors and the Indiana Pacers sport two energetic big men that are sure to spur their team to success. Dewan Hernandez and Alize Johnson are certain to match up frequently on the glass and in the paint. Meanwhile, their offensive contributions will only serve to support their cause.

Dewan Hernandez

Center | 6-11, 235lb (211cm, 106kg) | Miami (FL) | Rookie

11.4 PPG | 0.4 APG | 6.7 RPG | 0.5 SPG | 1.0 BPG | 1.4 TOV | .576 FG% | .000 3P%

Nice show of athleticism by Dewan Hernandez pic.twitter.com/jGnALPimKE

— William Lou (@william_lou) July 10, 2019

The 59th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Dewan Hernandez is coming off of a year in which he did not play. Against the New York Knicks and touted center Mitchell Robinson, Hernandez was brilliant.

In 24 minutes of play, Hernandez scored 16 points, 11 rebounds, and contributed 1 block. Surely with something to prove, Hernandez outplayed Robinson for the majority of the match. On the glass and in the paint, Hernandez was an excellent roll option while also showcasing his range by hitting a three-pointer.

He will have his hands full dealing with the duo of Jaylen and Alize Johnson. They collected a combined 14 rebounds in their last match in only 45 combined minutes of play. Hernandez’s form will need to continue.

Alize Johnson

Power Forward | 6-9, 212lb (206cm, 96kg) | Missouri State | Exp. 1 Years

0.9 PPG | 0.1 APG | 1.4 RPG | 0.1 SPG | 0.2 BPG | 0.0 TOV | .250 FG% | .500 3P%

Alize Johnson with the nice move. Announcer with the disrespect of pronouncing his name Aleeze. pic.twitter.com/EV5CyUdDxI

— iPacers.com (@iPacersblog) July 6, 2019

Johnson was a bright spot for the Pacers in their blowout loss to the Hawks. His energy and tenacity were contagious all over the court. it, unfortunately, didn’t translate into a win for Indiana.

In 32 minutes of play, Johnson contributed 19 points, 10 rebounds, and a steal. He also shot 50% from the floor but failed to convert on any three-point field-goals. He was incredibly threatening on the offensive glass, collecting 5 offensive rebounds to match his 5 defensive rebounds.

Going up against a talented Toronto front line in Chris Boucher and Dewan Hernandez will be a tough task for Johnson. He has the tenacity to match up with them, but does he have the stamina? He was fine in a losing effort, but their last chance at a win should inspire better performance.

Toronto Raptors at Indiana Pacers Predictions and Odds

If you are in New Jersey you can bet on the NBA Summer League and on the Raptors vs Pacers on BetStars. Here are the latest odds. Good luck!

Point Spread

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Total Points

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Money Line

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