Pacers Shootaround Canceled Before Game 7 vs. Raptors

The Indiana Pacers had a tough enough task to win Sunday's Game 7 against the Toronto Raptors as it was. Due to logistics issues brought about by the Toronto Marathon, the team opted not to travel early to the Air Canada Centre for its shootaround.

WTHR.com's Bob Kravitz reported on the bizarre development that beset the Pacers.

The Indianapolis Star's Candace Buckner had reported Saturday some staffers were concerned if the game started earlier—it's slated for 8 p.m. ET—the marathon's road closures may make getting to the arena difficult.

Indiana is seeking to complete a big upset as the Eastern Conference's seventh seed. John Buccigross of ESPN outlined the stakes for both sides in Sunday's contest:

This series could have easily been over already had Indiana not blown a big lead in the fourth quarter of Game 5, which the Raptors won 102-99 thanks to a 25-9 closing stretch. To their credit, the Pacers bounced back with a decisive 101-83 romp in Game 6 to force a rubber match.

Considering the Raptors have made it to the conference semifinals only once and Indiana star Paul George has led the Pacers to the conference finals twice in his young career, much of the pressure falls on Toronto.

The Raptors' All-Star backcourt of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have shot 31 and 32.1 percent from the field, respectively, over the previous six games. The two must step up on the big stage for Toronto to have any chance of advancing.

If the shootaround were a huge deal to the Pacers, they may have made more of an effort to get to the arena. Instead, Indiana will take its time with the later tipoff rather than force the issue.

Whichever side prevails Sunday, there isn't much time to bask in the glory that typically accompanies a Game 7. The winner will start the conference semis on Tuesday against the winner of the Miami Heat-Charlotte Hornets series.