Game recap: Pacers move closer to clinching playoff berth by beating Raptors

The Indiana Pacers continue their playoff push with a trip to play the Toronto Raptors. The Pacers stand 6th in the Eastern Conference standings entering Tuesday night's action, and the top 6 in each conference at the end of the regular season are locked into playoff berths. The teams finishing 7-10 must go through the play-in tournament to make the postseason.

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Final: Pacers 140, Raptors 123

The Pacers don't clinch a playoff berth, but they're closer.

Tyrese Haliburton scores 30 points and Obi Toppin 23 as the Pacers clear 54% shooting from the field and make 16 3-pointers after a sluggish opening quarter.

They trail by 10 after one period and lead by 1 at halftime.

Gary Trent Jr. has 23 points and Kelly Olynyk 22 for Toronto.

The Pacers are at Cleveland on Friday in a game that could have a huge impact on their playoff position.

2:33 left 4Q: Pacers 134, Raptors 117

Another Obi Toppin dunk, this one on a putback of an Andrew Nembhard miss, prompts another Raptors timeout. He has 23 points.

6:37 left 4Q: Pacers 125, Raptors 107

It's an Obi Toppin dunk festival, with 2 in a row and 5 for the game. Timeout, Toronto. He has 19 points.

10:07 left 4Q: Pacers 112, Raptors 100

Toronto scores 5 quick points, off of a Pacers turnover and a missed layup. Timeout, Indiana.

End 3Q: Pacers 106, Raptors 91

After a 40-point second quarter, the Pacers put up 41 in the third. Obi Toppin is the fifth Pacer in double figures with 10 points. Kelly Olynyk leads Toronto with 22.

3:18 left 3Q: Pacers 96, Raptors 82

Tyrese Haliburton has 20 points, Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner 16 each.

Siakam puts back Tyrese Haliburton's missed free throw, and the Pacers lead by 14. Both teams are in the bonus with 5:56 left in the quarter.

7:48 left 3Q: Pacers 81, Raptors 71

Tyrese Haliburton converts a steal into a thunderous dunk. Timeout, Toronto. Haliburton has 19 points.

9:46 left 3Q: Pacers 71, Raptors 65

Andrew Nembhard has a chance to complete an and-1 coming out of the timeout.

Pacers pick up 3 fouls in the first 1:15 of the quarter.

Halftime: Pacers 65, Raptors 64

Tyrese Haliburton has 15 points, T.J. McConnell 11 and Pascal Siakam 10.

"We just decided to grow up" late in the second quarter, McConnell told the Bally Sports Indiana broadcast at half. Indiana scores 40 in the period

Myles Turner's left corner 3 in the closing minute gives Indiana its first lead at 63-62.

Announcer Quinn Buckner gives Haliburton a "smothered chicken" for blocking Gary Trent Jr.'s 3-pointer. Haliburton is fouled by Trent on the loose ball and hits 2 free throws to tie it at 60.

Andrew Nembhard's 3-pointer on a second opportunity brings the Pacers within 57-56, but Toronto's Kelly Olynyk responds in kind.

4:31 left 2Q: Raptors 53, Pacers 46

Indiana hasn't been able to cut its deficit below 5 points. Javon Freeman-Liberty has tied his career high at 16 points. The Raptors have 10 offensive rebounds, leading to more scoring opportunities.

7:51 left 2Q: Raptors 47, Pacers 39

T.J. McConnell leads Indiana with 9 points. Bruce Brown has 10 for Toronto.

End 1Q: Raptors 35, Pacers 25

Javon Freeman-Liberty has 14 points. His career high is 16.

Tyrese Haliburton hits a couple of 3-pointers. Former Pacer Bruce Brown scores a couple of times and lets the Pacers bench know about it.

4:44 left 1Q: Raptors 20, Pacers 15

Toronto runs the lead to 12 points before the Pacers cut into it. T.J. McConnell and Doug McDermott each hit a 3-pointer. Indiana has 6 turnovers, Toronto 0.

10:32 left 1Q: Raptors 9, Pacers 2

Javon Freeman-Liberty has 7 points. He's a rookie from DePaul who has been in the NBA for about a month.

When do the Pacers play tonight?

7 p.m. ET at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

What channel are the Pacers on tonight?

TV: Bally Sports Indiana

Radio: 93.5 and 107.5 FM in Indianapolis, with Mark Boyle on play-by-play.

Streaming: SiriusXM Channel 167 (Toronto feed).

How the Pacers can clinch a playoff berth

The Pacers can clinch a top-6 spot in the Eastern Conference standings Tuesday night.

Here's what has to happen:

∎ Pacers (45-34) beat the host Raptors (25-53). Indiana is 1-2 against the Raptors this season, with the road team winning each meeting. Pacers forward Pascal Siakam is 2-1 these matchups, 1-0 with Toronto and 1-1 after his trade to Indiana.

∎ Orlando Magic (46-32) win in Houston (38-40).

∎ Miami Heat (43-35) lose in Atlanta (37-41).

∎ Philadelphia 76ers (44-35) lose to visiting Detroit (13-65). That doesn't seem likely.

Holding on: After 5 straight ‘clutch’ losses, Pacers edge Miami

NBA Eastern Conference standings

As of April 8, the Pacers have a 96.7% chance of making the playoffs ‒ and a 81.7% chance of being in the top 6 ‒ according to Basketball Reference:

How does the play-in tournament work?

∎ The No. 7 seed hosts the No. 8 seed, and the winner of that game is the No. 7 seed for the playoffs.

∎ The No. 9 team hosts the No. 10 seed, and the loser of that game is eliminated.

∎ The loser of the 7-8 game hosts the winner of the 9-10 game, and the winner of that game is the No. 8 seed for the playoffs.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers beat Raptors, move closer to clinching NBA playoff berth