Candace Buckner

IndyStar

Game 4: Raptors at Pacers, 3 p.m. Saturday, TNT

It looked like the playoffs – there were more than 18,000 gold shirts covering seats, the NBA commissioner watching near courtside and the rage bubbling in an emotional atmosphere.

But the way the Indiana Pacers played Thursday, it felt like they missed the playoff memo.

The Toronto Raptors clawed for loose balls, cashed in their opponents' mistakes and largely shut up and played in their 101-85 victory in Game 3 of the first-round playoff matchup.

“We didn’t do our job,” Paul George said. “This one, it sucks. We didn’t take care of business on our home court."

On the other side, the Pacers hesitated from the jump, regressed through offensive sets and expended too much energy yelling at the officials, even though they were penalized for only 18 fouls compared to their opponent's 27. The Pacers did not meet the necessary requirement for playoff basketball and that's why they're down 2-1 in this series.

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“They have guys out there that look like they’re playing for (their) lives," Solomon Hill said, "and we don’t have the same effort on the other end.”

The Raptors did not come close to greatness – shooting 41.5 percent overall, fouling often, including sending George to the line for a series-high 12 attempts – but they did more than enough to dominate Indiana. Carried by DeMar DeRozan’s awakening (12 of his 21 points scored in the frame), the Raptors won the first quarter for the third straight game. Indiana's meek first-quarter resistance, while captured by several moments, was at its worst during certain plays.

>>Monta Ellis throwing away the third turnover before the midway mark, which led to a DeMarre Carroll dunk. Through the first half, the Pacers had as many made field goals (12) as turnovers and overall Toronto turned 17 miscues into 26 points.

>>George Hill lamely attempting to secure a defensive rebound while Lowry, rushing from behind him, laid out to tap the ball away and retain possession for Toronto. The Raptors created second-chance opportunities throughout the game with 15 offensive rebounds.

>>George scoring his third bucket, pulling the Pacers to within six, but upset that he didn't hear a whistle and barked at official James Capers to draw a technical and gift the Raptors a point back. He wasn't the only one – later on, rookie Myles Turner and veteran Rodney Stuckey could not hold their tongues and the misplaced emotion led to two more technical fouls.

“Once again, we’re giving teams that start. We’re playing uphill and that needs to change," Solomon Hill said. "We’re not coming out aggressive enough. We’re not coming out swinging."

The Pacers’ offense has backslid throughout this playoff matchup.

In Game 1: 100 points, 43 percent shooting.

In Game 2: 87 points, 41.4 percent.

Then in Game 3, inside an announced sold-out crowd at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, no less: 85 points, 38.2 percent.

"The best offense is just us being in attack mode," George said. "I don't think we're doing it enough."

With the offense stalled and the Pacers down 17 at halftime, Pacers coach Frank Vogel was forced to make an in-game adjustment to his rotation. Though before the matchup, Vogel defended his normal moves: "These 10 guys earned a split in a tough environment. We’ll go with this rotation.”

But Thursday in the second half, Ty Lawson and C.J. Miles remained seated in their gold shirts, like the other 18,165 witnesses to this tepid version of playoff basketball. Turner replaced starting power forward Lavoy Allen and Vogel employed a seven-man rotation the rest of the way – until the game was all but over with a little more than a minute remaining.

But, even with the Pacers finally dialing up the emergency lineup – several starters remained on the floor at the start of the fourth quarter – the adjustment was the equivalent of bringing a cup of water to douse a raging fire. And by then what could an icy George do to stop a double-digit deficit from growing into a Game 3 blowout loss at home?

George played nearly the entire second half, logged 41 minutes, 55 seconds and finished with 25 points on 6-of-19 shooting while Turner contributed 17 points and eight rebounds. All others: 43 points.

After the game, Vogel said he would watch the game footage to re-evaluate lineups and offered a familiar promise that "everything" would be considered as a possible adjustment. The biggest fix, however, should come collectively as the Pacers must act like they're in the playoffs.

"They outplayed us," Vogel said. "They just outplayed us in most areas."

Follow IndyStar reporter Candace Buckner on Twitter: @CandaceDBuckner.

Game 4: Raptors at Pacers, 3 p.m. Saturday, TNT

Pacers turnover home-court advantage