Fire evacuates fans, Raptors go on to crush Pacers
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TORONTO – Pascal Siakam had 23 factors, whereas Scottie Barnes added 19 and the Toronto Raptors crushed the Indiana Pacers 131-91 on Saturday, in a sport that was suspended for 70 minutes because of a hearth in a speaker at Scotiabank Enviornment.
The sport resumed with no followers within the constructing.
The Raptors had been main 66-38 when the sport was suspended with 4:05 left within the first half. Followers had been evacuated, groups headed to the locker-rooms, and after Toronto Fireplace Companies deemed it was secure to proceed, gamers did a 10-minute warmup and the sport resumed.
Valuable Achiuwa added 18 factors for Toronto (42-32), who moved into fifth within the Japanese Convention with Chicago’s win over Cleveland on Saturday. OG Anunoby completed with 16, Chris Boucher chipped in with 15 and Thaddeus Younger scored 11.
Fred VanVleet, who’s battling a knee harm, didn’t return after the lengthy pause in play.
Former Raptor and Toronto native Oshae Brissett topped the Pacers (25-50) with 21 factors, whereas Justin Anderson completed with 18.
With simply eight video games left within the common season and the Raptors battling for a playoff spot, ending the sport after the fireplace delay was essential for Toronto.
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The Raptors have already clinched not less than a play-in berth, however would favor a top-six end within the Japanese Convention to keep away from that prolonged path to the post-season. Chicago’s win noticed the Raptors take sole possession of fifth, with one sport over Cleveland.
Indiana has already been eradicated from playoff rivalry, and whereas the Raptors have misplaced quite a few video games towards unhealthy groups this season, their 20-point lead within the first quarter Saturday hinted that wouldn’t be taking place.
The Raptors led by 29 within the second quarter, and stretched that to 35 factors when Boucher drilled a three-pointer with 7:07 to play. Raptors coach Nick Nurse went deep into his bench to play out the rest of the rout.
The empty enviornment was a backdrop the Raptors had been all too accustomed to, having performed a number of weeks in entrance of no followers after the newest COVID-19 wave within the fall noticed tight crowd restrictions in Ontario.
The primary signal one thing was amiss was when followers seen smoke within the east finish of the world. Video confirmed an overhead speaker in flames. One part was evacuated after which one other, as hearth fighters stood within the empty part peering on the ceiling. Two hearth fighters with extinguishers had been ultimately lowered from the ceiling in harnesses to place out the fireplace.
A timeout was ultimately referred to as and Toronto Fireplace Companies met with Public handle announcer Herbie Kuhn who instructed followers to evacuate, which was met by boos from the capability crowd of 19,800.
The Raptors stated all tickets could be refunded at level of buy inside 30 days.
Pacers coach Lloyd Pierce stated pre-game that Brissett had requested quite a few tickets for Toronto household and pals, and he gave them one thing to cheer about, scoring 11 of the Pacers’ first 16 factors of the sport. However the rout was already underway. Siakam and Anunoby mixed for 21 first-quarter factors for the Raptors, who shot 68 per cent within the body. The Raptors ended the quarter with a 13-0 run to guide 41-21 to begin the second.
The Pacers couldn’t lower the distinction to lower than 19 factors earlier than halftime. The groups performed the ultimate 4 minutes of the primary half, after which paused for the shortened 7.5-minute halftime break, with Toronto comfortably in entrance 74-46.
The Raptors play all however two — Orlando and New York — of their ultimate video games at house. They host Boston on Monday and Minnesota on Wednesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed March 26, 2022.