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Predictions for Game 6: Nobody knows anything

The Raptors are in Indiana. Game 6 is upon us. And anything can happen.

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

If there's one thing this series between the Raptors and Pacers has taught us it is this: basketball is unpredictable. (As if you didn't already know this.) Case in point: the Raptors have been the odds-on favourites throughout, and yet they needed a huge fourth quarter comeback just to squeak out a win in Game 5. This, after playing some of their best basketball in Game 3 and then shitting the bed in Game 4. It's made for an eventful ride, something that's been impossible to foresee.

But we're going to try to make some predictions anyway. Game 6 tips off in a few hours and by this point, we know the important players and actions that need to happen (or not happen) to get the Raps where we'd like them to be. What follows is a list of Game 6 events that could happen. In the comments, pick the ones you think will actually go down in Game 6. But there's a catch: You can only pick three of these things. The list is below.

Here we go.

  1. Kyle Lowry's elbow is fine, he gets much less "tight" with his shot, and has a throwback 2015-16 All-Star-calibre Kyle Lowry game.
  2. Jonas Valanciunas grips and manages to hold onto the ball in the first half.
  3. Jonas Valanciunas falls apart in the second half.
  4. Terrence Ross misses multiple 3s in a row, but then takes one in a late situation and hits it.
  5. DeMar DeRozan makes plays down the stretch that make you say "What about DeRozan, man!" in a joyful tone.
  6. Both Lowry and DeRozan look overwhelmed.
  7. Drake shows up at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
  8. Scola starts, but Patrick Patterson finishes the game with a healthy positive plus/minus.
  9. Paul George plays all 48 minutes and is the best player in the game.
  10. Monta Ellis tries to have it all, fails.
  11. Monta Ellis has it all.
  12. Frank Vogel plays the Pacers bench-heavy or all-bench lineups again.
  13. Patterson plays over 30 minutes in the game.
  14. Powell plays more than 15 minutes in the game.
  15. DeRozan shoots closer to 50% than 35%.
  16. We collectively scratch our heads at one of Dwane Casey's substitution decisions.
  17. Scola doesn't play at all.
  18. The hero of the game is Kyle Lowry.
  19. Bismack Biyombo grabs 15+ rebounds but misses more than half his free throws.
  20. DeMarre Carroll looks less like an old man playing on one leg.

For my money, I'm feeling numbers 2, 14 and 15 the most. As I said, make your predictions in the comments. (Are there any good ones I missed?)

And of course, I've saved the most important prediction for a poll. You know what it is. (And to show you how serious I am, there is no jokey third option. This is for real.)