TORONTO — Through the Toronto Raptors’ first two playoff games, Cory Joseph has provided the playoff experience and efficiency he was signed for after four seasons with the San Antonio Spurs.

After shooting 5-for-6 from the floor and 7-for-8 from the free throw line for a team-high 18 points in Game 1, Joseph continued to impress in Toronto’s 98-87 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 2.

In the first quarter, with Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan shooting a combined 2-11, Joseph entered the game and made three consecutive shots.

At the end of the first half, with the Raptors up 53-48, it was Joseph’s eight points on 80 per cent shooting in nine minutes that helped them get there. DeRozan and Lowry, struggling for a second straight game, made just three baskets on 18 attempts.

After entering the game in the second half, Joseph remained on the floor while DeRozan sat for the entire fourth quarter.

But DeRozan didn’t mind.

“It’s funny, a lot of people think I feel a certain way when I don’t go back in the fourth but a lot of times I just tell the coaches ‘keep going, keep rolling.’” he said post-game.

And with the Raptors up 18 points in the fourth quarter, it was Joseph, an NBA champion in 2014, who could be seen calming down Lowry after a turnover.

“I have experience and not that he didn’t understand it but I was just trying to calm everyone down and understand that it’s a long game and just take it possession by possession,” Joseph said of the conversation with Lowry.

It’s important to keep your emotions under control, according to Joseph.

“Can’t get too high, can’t get too low,” he said. “We have to understand that we have to be able to re-focus.”

He credits the success of the unit that finished the game to a higher pace.

“We get out and run and we compliment each other well,” Joseph added.

The Raptors’ bench players, led by Joseph, have added another dimension to this year’s team.

“It says a lot, especially with the shooting struggles that me and Kyle had in these first two games to come out and play the way we did today,” DeRozan said. “It’s definitely scary, it just shows the potential we have.”

DeRozan appreciates Joseph’s composure too.

“Man, he’s poised,” DeRozan said. “He understands the game and picks and chooses his spots when he wants to become aggressive.”

For Joseph, it starts with playing strong defensively and blocking out the critics.

“Today we did a good job defensively and then that led to our offence,” he said. “It felt good, we didn’t let any distractions into the locker room.”

For Casey, Joseph’s formula for success is simple.

“He’s been there before,” Casey said. “He’s the floor general, I just like the way he’s playing.”