Holly MacKenzie

torjlopez

Whenever I'm asked about how I became a basketball fan I’m never really sure of the appropriate answer. The truth is I can’t remember ever not being a fan. It’s difficult to recall a time when the game didn’t exist within my daily life and thought process. Whether it was watching whatever game would be on television, pushing the limits of dial-up internet listening to radio streams while huddled over the computer with headphones in, checking scores in the morning paper, or feeling entirely, dramatically forlorn in the summer months back when the offseason was truly the offseason, the NBA has just always been there.

Growing up in a small town in Nova Scotia before league pass and basketball Twitter, when the thought of an actual NBA Championship banner hanging in the rafters in Toronto was but a pleasant passing daydream, the Raptors weren’t even the first team to capture my attention. But once they had, well, they haven’t stopped. 

sidenote: -- thank you for everything, Vince, I cannot believe you are still playing and this is actually my favourite unexpected NBA storyline.

Of course, there are various moments and memories that jump out a bit more than others whenever I’m asked how the Raptors factored into my personal sports journey. While I couldn’t get enough of the NBA growing up, my mother had zero interest in the sport. This is the part of the story where I share that we lost my father in a boating accident 10 days before my fourth birthday, that he had been a fanatical Maple Leafs fan and that as I grew up, completely uninterested in the sport that is our country’s national pastime, relatives would tell me I had inherited my father’s passion for sport, just not the same one. 

Because my mother hadn’t fallen victim to the siren song of shoe’s squeaking on the hardwood, there was a limit to how lenient she would be with my bedtime when it came to watching games. Specifically, away games on the west coast with an 11:30 P.M. Nova Scotia tip-off time were a no-go on school nights. This is where my grandmother enters into the picture. Why my mother’s own mother didn’t share the same regard for my rest I’ll never know, but will forever be grateful. When the Raptors would head west, I would head to my grandmothers. After calling my mother to wish her goodnight, I’d open the yellow-tweed ottoman in the living room and break out the seemingly never-ending stash of Twix bars and Halloween-sized bags of chips. After wishing my grandfather goodnight, my grandmother would bring out her knitting needles and we’d flip the channel to the Raptors game. I know now that my grandmother wasn’t interested in the game, but in spending those hours with her granddaughter, the clock creeping late into the night as she knit mittens, scarves and socks while I ate both halves of the Twix bar.

After leaving home for university, those nights with my grandmother were less frequent, but her support for whatever I loved never wavered. In my senior year of university, I knew I wanted to become a sports writer. I’d spent all four of my years at university working as the basketball manager of the women’s team at my school, but still had yet to attend an NBA game. Soon after, my grandmother surprised me with a gift that only increases in meaning as time goes on. Cashing in her AirMiles, she gifted me a flight to Toronto to attend an NBA game in person. On February 9th, 2007, a friend and I flew to Toronto to see the Los Angeles Lakers fall 96-92 to the Raptors. Immediately upon arriving, I realized I’d left the tickets on my desk in my room in Nova Scotia. Panic ensued and phone calls were made. I don’t remember how this was solved in the days before our phones held our ticket barcodes, but it was fixed and we were able to attend the game. Those forgotten tickets have remained with me, living in the top drawer of every desk I’ve had since, serving as a reminder of the beginning.

To be honest, I remember very little of this game itself, the details existing in my memory a haze. The boxscore tells me that Chris Bosh scored a game-high 29 points, while Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 25 points and that Morris Peterson drilled a three with 1:49 remaining to give the Raptors a 93-92 lead and that the Lakers did not score again. What I do remember are the tiniest details, the chairs that made up the visitor’s bench next to the baseline section we were sitting in, the security guard seated opposite the court, facing the stands, the pile of discarded warmups. I remember the couple sitting eight or so rows below us, who we had spoken to on the walk-in, who were delighted at our excitement, allowing us to sit in their (better) seats throughout the first half. I remember trying so hard to grasp onto every single thing that was happening, every timeout huddle, every foul called, every ref’s whistle. What the players were saying to each other, the songs that were playing during the game, the cheers of the crowd. There was Chris Bosh and there was Kobe Bryant and there was Anthony Parker and wow, T.J. Ford looks so much smaller than expected while everyone else seems so impossibly larger than life. I remember buzzing, the only way to describe how things felt in that arena, how I felt in that arena, surrounded by 20,012 people who shared my passion for the game and this sport, no not any other one, but this one. 

After the game we somehow ended up by the visitor’s bench and I remember touching the chairs, desperately trying to connect myself to the moment, to the arena, and to this world that I knew I needed to become part of. On the drive back to where we were staying, I remember feeling elated, but also sad, already wishing I could go back to that feeling. When I got to my room that night I sank to the floor and cried, the overwhelming emotion from the events of the day needing to go somewhere. When I was unable to sleep that night, too keyed up from the entire day, I made a brainstorm mindmap of the night, writing down as many details from the game and the arena that I could remember. 

A few months after that game, I graduated from university. A year later, I took the leap, deciding to move to Toronto in hopes of getting to write about the NBA and recapture the magic of how I felt in that arena. This time, the assist goes to my mother. Despite being a bit unsure about basketball being the direction her daughter wanted to take and officially not just a phase, she fully supported my plan. In addition to her support, she literally, physically assisted the move, as she and my aunt loaded up her car and drove me from Nova Scotia to Toronto and the apartment I’d be living in. 

That move was 11 years ago. Thankfully, gratefully, I have gotten to write about the league and the Raptors in the time since. During that time, there have been many changes to the industry and the game and everything in between. What hasn’t changed has been that electric energy inside Scotiabank Arena. No matter how many games you attend, no matter the opponent, team record or storyline, when the arena gets dark and the intro announcements start booming over the speaker it is impossible not to feel the rush. Over these 11 years a lot has changed with the Raptors, too. From Chris Bosh’s departure to DeMar DeRozan’s tenure, to Kawhi Leonard’s season of excellence, Pascal Siakam’s present, Kyle Lowry’s legacy and a freaking NBA Championship banner hanging in the rafters in Toronto, it’s been an unbelievable ride watching it all unfold. 

There have been some surprises along the way, too. When we talk about the rise of basketball in Canada, the conversation is usually focused on Canadian youth. The Raptors haven’t just inspired a younger generation of basketball fans, though. While it was my grandmother who shared in my passion in earlier years (even if her actual interest wasn’t the game at all), sometime during the 2014 season, it happened. 

Roughly 30 years slower than my preferred timeline, my mother fell for the Toronto Raptors. Just like her daughter, she is unable to pinpoint one particular moment, knowing only that once it began to take hold, nothing was the same. Now the same woman who wouldn’t allow me to stay up for those late-night west coast road trips will message at 2:15 A.M. her time from Nova Scotia, lamenting that she has allowed herself to stay up until the end of the game again with an early morning wake-up coming the next day. Refusing to name a favourite player, it’s obvious that the correct answer is Kyle Lowry. And Pascal Siakam. And Fred VanVleet. And also, yes, DeMar DeRozan. The woman who was unsure if my passion was a passing phase is now insulted when I deliver NBA news because she has already watched The Jump or read the headlines, or saw a highlight clip.

Now, there’s not a Raptors game that goes by without my mother texting her commentary throughout. During the 2019 Finals, you’d never believe she’d only started watching the team five years earlier. When Game 6 finally ended and the Raptors became NBA Champions, the sheer joy I heard in her voice as she called and said “I can’t believe it” instead of “hello” matched the joy I felt at that first Raptors game I’d attended. It’s a kind of magic that can’t be explained.

I didn’t cover this year’s Christmas game, a first in franchise history to be played at home, because I was home, in Nova Scotia, with my mom. In year’s past, I used to have to barter for television time to watch games on the holiday. This year we watched the Raptors kick off the day’s coverage and then continued to watch the rest of the games together, including the Pelicans and Nuggets 11:30 P.M. tip-off, a cheese plate taking the place of Twix bars and knitting needles.

When we talk about the Raptors inspiring an entire country, I get emotional because I’m reminded of the gift the team has given me. In addition to directly influencing my career direction and ambitions, as well as being the reason why I chose to live in this city, after a lifetime of waiting for my mother to join the party, she has arrived.

When the Raptors defeated the Charlotte Hornets in overtime on Wednesday night, a text from my mother came through just a few minutes after we’d shared messages about Terence Davis’s brilliant game: “DEN and DAL tied at 100 in the 4th. U watching?”

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My First Raps Memory: In An Instant Nothing Was the Same

Toronto Raptors (3-2) @ Golden State Warriors (2-3)

- Injury report: For the Raptors, Jordan Loyd (coach’s decision) is listed as out. For the Warriors, Kevin Durant (right achilles tendon rupture) is listed as out. Kevon Looney (right 1st costal cartilage non-displaced fracture) is listed as questionable.

- Back in the bay: The Raptors are back in Oakland to face the Warriors for Game 6 of the NBA Finals. This will be the final NBA game played at Oracle Arena, as the Warriors will play at a new arena beginning next season. Toronto is 3-0 at Oracle this season (2-0 in the postseason and 1-0 during the team’s lone regular-season visit). With a 3-2 series lead, the Raptors are in a position to close out the series on the road. The last time Toronto closed out a playoff series on the road was a 2018 first-round series against the Washington Wizards.

- Recent History: The Raptors hosted the Warriors in Game 5 of the NBA Finals at Scotiabank Arena with a 3-1 series lead. Golden State made a playoff opponent record 20 three-pointers in the game, and though things went down to the final buzzer, the Warriors ended up victorious, winning a 106-105 decision to extend the series to at least six games. Toronto led by six with 3:28 remaining, but the Warriors quickly hit a trio of three-pointers to go ahead by three. Kyle Lowry got the Raptors within one on a layup, but Draymond Green got a hand on Lowry's final three-point attempt at the buzzer. Kawhi Leonard led the Raptors with 26 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, Kyle Lowry added 18 points and six assists and Marc Gasol scored 17 points. Steph Curry led all scorers with 31 points and Klay Thompson added 26 points. 

 - Keeping calm: Nick Nurse has praised Kawhi Leonard’s ability to stay even-keeled through the highs and lows of postseason basketball, but Toronto’s head coach is also getting noticed for staying cool under pressure. While Nurse’s steady temperament might be a new observation to some, Nurse’s players have watched their coach take everything in stride dating back to day one of training camp. “I think what Nick has done is kind of keep the mentality of our team the same,” Kyle Lowry said. “He doesn't get too up, he doesn't get too down. He yelled at us, literally, I think twice this year. Kind of just attests to his confidence in who he is as a coach, who we are as a team, how he believes in us. We are all grown men, and he talks to us as grown men. We do our jobs and come in and work, and we're ready to go.” 

 - Locking in on defence: In Toronto’s Game 5 loss at home, the Warriors were lights out from beyond the arc from start to finish. Golden State shot 46 percent from the floor in the game, and 48 percent from deep, making 20-of-42 three-point attempts. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson combined to shoot 12-for-27 from three, eclipsing Toronto’s total three-pointers made as a team (8-for-32). “When they're on the floor, you got to be aware of them,” Kyle Lowry said. “They're probably two of the top, whatever, all-time shooters in the game of basketball. So when they step on the floor first quarter, second quarter, third quarter, fourth quarter, you got to be aware of them at all times.” Heading into Game 6, the Raptors know they're not going to be able to shut out either member of Golden State’s explosive backcourt, but they’re hoping to slow them. “These guys are going to get shots off,” Lowry said. “They’re going to get up their attempts. They’re going to make shots. But you’ve got to make them a little bit tougher sometimes. They got a couple of loose ball offensive rebounds, transition breakdowns (in Game 5)."

 - Focus Forward: Kawhi Leonard is averaging 29.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.2 blocks per game in the Finals. He's scored 710 points in this postseason, the fifth most in NBA history for points scored in a single playoff season. In addition to putting up these numbers, he’s also being counted on for his stellar defensive skills. Though Kyle Lowry and Nick Nurse have both watched and admired Leonard's game from afar in years past, getting to work toward a common goal with him brings the admiration to a whole other level. “I think he's the best two-way basketball player in the NBA,” Lowry said. “He just goes. I've seen some stuff from him this year that just you say, Wow. You appreciate the work that's put in. He works extremely hard at his game and works extremely hard on his body. And he loves this basketball thing. He loves it.” Toronto’s head coach often references how focused Leonard is during practices, film sessions, and timeout huddles. For Nurse, the opportunity to coach Leonard has been both eye-opening and affirming. “He's certainly tough, strong and composed,” Nurse said. “From the first preseason game to now, it continues to be interesting to just watch this guy do what he does. It's without a doubt the best thing about this thing is that somehow I wound up on the sideline getting to watch this guy play up close. It's really cool.”

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Game 6 Preview: Raptors vs Warriors

Toronto Raptors (3-2) @ Milwaukee Bucks (2-3)

- Injury report: For the Raptors, OG Anunoby (appendectomy), Jordan Loyd (coach’s decision) and Patrick McCaw (personal reasons) are listed as out. For the Bucks, Donte DiVincenzo (bilateral heel bursitis) and Pau Gasol (left foot surgery) are listed as out. 

- Saturday night hoops: The Raptors are back in Toronto to host the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday. After a thrilling 105-99 victory on Thursday night in Game 5, the Raptors took a commanding 3-2 series lead, giving them an opportunity to close out the series in six games and advance to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.  

- Recent History: Toronto pulled out a 105-99 comeback victory to take Game 5 in Milwaukee on Thursday. The Raptors trailed by 14 points in the first quarter, but continued to chip away, trailing by three at the half and three again after three quarters. The team then used a 17-6 run to open the fourth quarter to take control and hold on for the road victory. The 14-point deficit marked Toronto’s largest comeback in this year’s postseason. The Raptors made 18 three-pointers in the win (18-for-43), and had more makes from beyond the arc (18) than inside it (13). Kawhi Leonard once again led the way, scoring 35 points for the seventh time this postseason, while Fred VanVleet scored 21 points off the bench and Pascal Siakam added 14 points, 13 rebounds and three blocked shots. The Bucks were led by 24 points, six rebounds and five assists from Giannis Antetokounmpo and an 18-point, 11-rebound performance from Malcolm Brogdon.

- All-NBA: Just days after being named to the All-NBA Defensive Second team, Kawhi Leonard was also named Second Team All-NBA. Leonard has scored at least 35 points seven times this postseason and at least 30 points 11 times, making him just the seventh player since 2000 to score 30+ in 10 or more postseason games. Leonard finished with a game-high 35 points in Game 5, as well as a career-high nine assists, seven rebounds and two steals in 40 minutes. As the Raptors went on a 17-6 run to start the fourth quarter, Leonard outscored the Bucks team himself, 12-6, and went on to finish with 15 of Toronto’s 33 points in the final quarter.

- Bet on Fred: For the second straight game, Fred VanVleet has been a force off the bench. After scoring 13 points and dishing six assists in Toronto’s 120-102 Game 4 victory, VanVleet one-upped himself, scoring a playoff career-high 21 points in Game 6. He shot 7-for-13 from the floor, including 7-for-9 from beyond the arc, with two of his three-pointers in the decisive fourth quarter. "Obviously, [things have] turned around for me a little bit these last two games," VanVleet said after Game 5. "I've gotten more -- feels like I'm getting more better looks, more open looks, and as you make them, your teammates start to look for you more and more and the game kind of opens up all at once. Just staying confident, staying in there ready to knock them down when I get the opportunity, and just staying locked in."

 - Whatever it takes: Saturday’s game brings an immense opportunity and the team understands the gravity of the moment. “It's a 'whatever it takes' game,” Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said to the media in a conference call on Friday afternoon. “It's an unlimited-minutes night. This is just like any other critical must-win games. Again, I stress this is a great team we're playing, the same team we played in Games 1 and 2 and double overtime in Game 3. We've had to play really super hard and super well to get any victories. So we're focusing our thoughts on the first part of that, playing super hard.” With the series on the line, Toronto knows Milwaukee will be giving their best effort when the ball goes on up Saturday. Though the Raptors hold the 3-2 series lead, Nurse was quick to remind everyone that each win in this series has been earned: “As hard-fought as all these [games] have been -- and believe me, they have been -- I expect this one to be the hardest fought of them all.”

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Game 6 Preview: Raptors vs Bucks

It was over when…Kyle Lowry hit a pair of free throws to put the Raptors ahead by seven with 11.8 seconds remaining. The Raptors went on to pick up a 105-99 Game 5 win and take a commanding 3-2 series lead against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Slow start: The Raptors didn’t get the start they’d hoped for on Thursday, falling behind by as many as 14 points in the first quarter against the Bucks. Though they would get the lead down to 10 after the opening 12 minutes, Toronto wasn’t happy with allowing the Bucks to shoot 55 percent from the floor while they made 35 percent of their own shots in comparison. Kawhi Leonard led the Raptors with nine points in the period, while Eric Bledsoe led the Bucks, also with nine points.

Turning up the defence: Things improved for the Raptors with an improved defensive effort, as Toronto held Milwaukee to just 27 percent shooting in the second quarter, including 1-for-9 from beyond the arc. Toronto didn’t exactly light it up in the quarter, still shooting just 37 percent, but the solid defensive effort allowed the Raptors to win the quarter, 24-17 and go into the half trailing by just three, 49-46.

Keeping pace: The third quarter was a draw with both teams scoring 26 points, despite the Bucks shooting 50 percent from the floor and the Raptors shooting 33 percent. Toronto made up the difference beyond the arc and at the free throw line, where they shot 46 percent and 88 percent, respectively. Toronto received a nine-point effort from Fred VanVleet off the bench in the quarter to give him 15 points through three as the Bucks again held a three-point advantage, leading 75-72 heading into the fourth.

Taking control: The fourth opened with a 17-6 Raptors run as Kawhi Leonard outscored the entire Bucks team 12-6 in the first 5:40 of the quarter to give Toronto an 89-81 advantage, their largest lead of the game. Though the Bucks kept it close until the final seconds, the Raptors used a dominant 15-point fourth-quarter from Leonard to outscore the Bucks 33-24 in the fourth to pull away and pick up a comeback road win in Game 5.

Raptors player(s) of the game: Kawhi Leonard scored a game-high 35 points in 40 minutes. Leonard was 11-for-25 from the floor, 5-for-8 from beyond the arc and 8-for-9 from the free-throw line. He also added seven rebounds, nine assists and two steals. His nine assists were a career-high. Fred VanVleet came off the bench to score 21 points in 37 minutes. He shot 7-for-13 from the floor and a blistering 7-for-9 from beyond the arc while adding a rebound an assist and a steal. When VanVleet was on the floor, the Raptors were a +28 in the game.

Underrated Raptors player(s) of the game: Kyle Lowry played 39 minutes in Game 5, finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds, six assists and a steal. Pascal Siakam struggled from the floor on Thursday but still finished with a 14-point, 13-rebound double-double in 36 minutes. Siakam also added two assists, a steal and three blocked shots.

“It’s amazing, man. You’re watching a superstar. You have a superstar on your team. It’s amazing what he’s doing. We follow behind him everything he’s doing from on the floor, to off the floor, his leadership, his voice has been amazing for us. He’s really helped us focus on the task at hand. At the timeout, he’s walking back to the bench saying, “Fight through adversity, weather the storm.’ Guys are really locked in.” - Norman Powell on Kawhi Leonard’s leadership and impact

18… Made three-pointers for the Raptors on 43 attempts (42 percent shooting). In comparison, the Bucks connected on 10 of 31 attempts from deep (32 percent).

10… Offensive rebounds for the Raptors, eight for the Bucks.

19… Points scored by Toronto off 11 Milwaukee turnovers. The Bucks scored seven points off six Raptors turnovers.

35… Bench points for the Raptors, 15 bench points for the Bucks.

“It's a great opportunity. You know, like I said, this is what you work out for in the summer is to win basketball games. Same mindset I've been having throughout the playoffs, just come in, have fun, try to execute the best I can and play confident, and whatever happens after that is what happens. I know that I put the work in. I can live with the results because I'm having fun and I'm putting my all out on the floor.” - Kawhi Leonard on his mindset in the postseason

“I think they were throwing bodies at him early. They were sending two or three bodies at him and kind of tilting the floor and making sure guys were loaded on him. He was making the right passes, and we made some shots for him tonight. And then third quarter, he just -- he's been doing it all playoffs. He went into iso and get to your spot, and it was pretty impressive. The game he played tonight, 35, 9 and 7 was a pretty good game. It's a pretty good game on the big stage and on the road. Superstar. Superstar.” - Kyle Lowry on another 35-point performance from teammate Kawhi Leonard

“I think that being tied up 2-2, to have a great opportunity to come in here and try to steal one was on our minds. Obviously being one win away from going home, you just want to take advantage of the opportunity. It would be a very, very long summer thinking about what could have been or what you could have done, and so we've just got to go out there and have no regrets, and I think we did a great job of that tonight laying it all on the line, staying locked in, weathering those runs and being able to bounce back. Like you said, one win away from the Finals sounds pretty good to me. I'll take those chances, and we've got to go out there and try to take advantage of the opportunity.” - Fred VanVleet on staying in the moment and making the most of the opportunity at hand

Up next: The Raptors host the Bucks in Game 6 at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday, May 25 at 8:30 P.M. ET

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Round 3 Game 5 Rap

Toronto Raptors (2-2) @ Milwaukee Bucks (2-2)

- Injury report: For the Raptors, OG Anunoby (appendectomy), Jordan Loyd (coach’s decision) and Patrick McCaw (personal reasons) are out. For the Bucks, Donte DiVincenzo (bilateral heel bursitis) and  Pau Gasol (left foot surgery) are listed as out. 

- All square: The Raptors are on the road in Milwaukee to play Game 5 against the Bucks. Thanks to a huge Game 4 win at Scotiabank Arena, the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Finals series is tied at two games apiece. In Tuesday's Game 4 victory, Toronto’s bench unit outscored Milwaukee's reserves 48-23 as the Raptors had six scorers reach double figures.

- Recent History: The Raptors picked up a strong 120-102 Game 4 win in Toronto. Toronto led by one after the first quarter, 10 at the half, and 13 after three before breaking the game all the way open early in the fourth. The Raptors were led by Kyle Lowry’s 25 points, a 19-point effort from Kawhi Leonard and a 17-point, team-high seven assist night from Marc Gasol. The bench was huge for Toronto with Serge Ibaka adding 17 points and 13 rebounds and Norman Powell scoring 18 points. The Bucks were led by a 25-point, 10-rebound, five-assist, three-block performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo and 30 points from Khris Middleton in the loss.

- All-defence: The NBA announced on Wednesday that Kawhi Leonard has been named to the 2018-19 NBA All-Defensive Second Team. This is his fifth selection to the NBA All-Defensive Team, and the first time in franchise history that a Raptors player has received the honour. Leonard averaged career-highs in points (26.6) and rebounds (7.3) to go with 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals in 34 minutes per game in 60 games this season. In the postseason, Leonard’s averages have gone up as he’s averaged 31.2 points 8.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.5 blocks while shooting 52 percent from the floor and 39 percent from beyond the arc. In just his first season with Toronto, Leonard is already fourth on the list of franchise playoff scoring leaders, trailing Jonas Valanciunas for third place by just 45 points.

- Playoff Norm: For the third straight game in this series, Norman Powell has been huge for Toronto off the bench. On Tuesday, Powell led all reserves with 18 points in 33 minutes of action. He added five rebounds, three assists and a steal, but most impressive was that the Raptors were a +29 when Powell was on the floor. Toronto is a perfect 9-0 this season (regular season and playoffs combined) when Powell scores at least 15 points.

- Quick scorer: Kyle Lowry had a huge Game 4 effort, leading the team in scoring with 25 points, but also adding five rebounds and six assists in his 34 minutes. He shot 6-for-11 from the floor, 3-for-7 from beyond the arc and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line. “I do feel like Kyle sees opportunities for himself in this series,” Nick Nurse said of his starting point guard. Lowry scored 18 of his 25 points in the first half as he helped Toronto build a 10-point advantage heading into the break. “I think Kyle is usually an early, early scorer,” Nurse said. “He knows leads are precious and he’s trying to jumpstart that. He was humongous last night. We didn't get off to a great start and I think he automatically changed that by himself.” Lowry needs eight points to tie DeMar DeRozan as the franchise leader in playoff scoring. Lowry is already the franchise playoff leader in three-pointers made, assists, steals and minutes played.

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Game 5 Preview: Raptors vs Bucks

It was over when… the Milwaukee Bucks started subbing out their starters with 3:39 remaining and the Raptors leading by 19. Toronto would go on to record a 120-102 Game 4 victory to tie their best-of-seven series against the Bucks 2-2.

A solid start: The Raptors got off to a good start on Tuesday night, thanks in large part to a 12-point first-quarter effort from Kyle Lowry. Though the Bucks shot 55 percent in the opening quarter compared to Toronto’s 48 percent shooting, the Raptors connected on 6-of-12 three-pointers and led 32-31 after the opening 12 minutes. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 11 points.

Build the lead: The Raptors stepped up the defence in the second quarter and it paid off in a big way. Milwaukee’s field-goal percentage dropped to just 33 percent in the quarter, and the Bucks were outscored 33-24 in the frame as the Raptors built a 10-point halftime lead, going into the locker room ahead 65-55. Serge Ibaka led Toronto in the second quarter, scoring 10 points, while Khris Middleton scored 13 points to lead Milwaukee. Kyle Lowry led all scorers with 18 points in the half.

Continue to push: The Bucks came out firing after halftime, but the Raptors kept the pace thanks to an 11-point effort from Kawhi Leonard in the third quarter. Milwaukee shot 52 percent and the teams traded three-pointers at the end of the quarter, but Toronto held on to win the third 29-26, and take a 13-point advantage into the fourth.

Closing time: With a series-tying win in sight, the Raptors kept the intensity and effort high in the final frame, shooting 50 percent while holding the Bucks to 42 percent shooting from the floor, including a 1-for-8 effort from beyond the arc. Toronto’s bench starred late, with Fred VanVleet, Norman Powell and Serge Ibaka playing much of the quarter allowing Raptors head coach Nick Nurse to rest his starters -- especially those who played major minutes in Sunday’s double-overtime affair -- for much of the quarter.

Raptors player of the game: Kyle Lowry led the Raptors with a team-high 25-point effort in Game 4. He played 34 minutes and shot 6-for-11 from the floor, 3-for-7 from beyond the arc and a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line. Lowry added five rebounds and six assists while also drawing a charge as well.

Underrated Raptors player(s) of the game: It’s hard to single out any one player as Toronto’s Game 4 victory was a team effort in every way. From Kawhi Leonard’s 19-point, seven-assist, four-steal, two-block performance, in addition to a stellar defensive effort, to a 17-point, team-high seven assist night from Marc Gasol, there are plenty performances worth mentioning on Tuesday night. The bench, of course, was phenomenal for Toronto in Game 4,. The Raptors were a +29 with Norman Powell on the floor. Powell played 21 minutes, scoring 18 points off the bench. Serge Ibaka came off the bench to post a double-double, with 17 points and 13 rebounds and Fred VanVleet added 13 points and six assists.

 “Keep the same energy that we’ve been playing with, the same mindset, the same discipline, hopefully, the same result.” - Marc Gasol when asked about going on the road for Game 5

47… Percent shooting for Toronto, 46 percent for Milwaukee.

14… Made three-pointers for the Raptors in 41 attempts. The Bucks connected on 11-of-35 attempts from distance.

6… Players in double figures for the Raptors, three for the Bucks.

48… Bench points scored by Toronto compared to 23 bench points scored by Milwaukee.

44… Rebounds for the Raptors, including 10 offensive rebounds. 40 rebounds for the Bucks, seven offensive rebounds.

17… Toronto scored 17 points off 13 Milwaukee turnovers. In comparison, the Bucks managed to score just five points of 11 Toronto turnovers.

“I think the first two games they really brought the intensity to us. They really came out and were more physical, were more active. We wanted to change that narrative coming home. We wanted to protect home court. We wanted to come out with a lot of juice, be the aggressors, be more physical and take the game to them. I think we really did that in Game 3 and Game 4.” - Norman Powell on the way the team has played in two wins at home

“I think we stayed level-headed. I think we understood the situation. They did what they were supposed to do on their home floor, and we did what we were supposed to do on our home floor. Now we've got to go out there and continue to do what we've done the last two games and put it into Game 5. We know it's going to be tough. We know they're going to come out amped and ready to go. Some of the things we can continue to get better at is transition defence and catching-and-shooting and shooting the shots that are there.” - Kyle Lowry on tying the series at 2-2 and understanding the challenge ahead

“I think what Kawhi brings, regardless of who he is matched up on, is great size. He's got great strength. He's got a really good instinct to play defence as well, so he's showing you a lot by just presenting himself in front of you. He's got good feet. I don't want to say this fourth; it probably should be first. But he wants to stop you, and that goes a long way. Those are four pretty good things.” - Nick Nurse talking about what makes Kawhi Leonard such a good defender when speaking to the media prior to Game 4 

“I think it was incredible, man. Those guys, they came in, they brought energy, they rebounded the basketball, they ran. Just the way they played, man — it's definitely inspiring. And I'm glad we had those guys. We always knew, you know? We have a really deep team. And I think it showed tonight. And I'm just excited for those guys — Norm, Fred, Serge, coming off the bench and playing the way they played tonight.” - Pascal Siakam on the boost from the bench in Game 4

Up next… With the series tied 2-2, things shift back to Milwaukee where the Bucks will host Toronto in Game 5 on Thursday, May 23rd at 8:30 P.M. ET.

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Round 3 Game 4 Rap

Milwaukee Bucks (2-1) @ Toronto Raptors (1-2) 

- Injury report: For the Raptors, OG Anunoby (appendectomy), Jordan Loyd (coach’s decision) and Patrick McCaw (personal reasons) are out. For the Bucks, Donte DiVincenzo (Bilateral heel bursitis) and Pau Gasol (left foot surgery) are listed as out. D.J. Wilson (left ankle soreness) is listed as questionable.

- On the board: The Raptors took Game 3 to get on the board in the series, even if it took some extra time. Toronto now looks to even the series at two games apiece when they host the Bucks on Tuesday for Game 4. With Sunday’s victory at Scotiabank Arena, the Raptors have now won three straight playoff games at home.

- Recent History: The Raptors outlasted the Bucks to win a wild 118-112 double-overtime victory in Game 3. Despite Kyle Lowry fouling out midway through the fourth quarter, Norman Powell fouling out toward the end of regulation, and Marc Gasol playing with five fouls for much of the fourth and both overtime periods, the Raptors dug deep and were able to hold on for the victory, which has become an instant classic. Kawhi Leonard again led the way, scoring 36 points for the Raptors, while Pascal Siakam added 25 points and 11 rebounds. The Bucks were led by 24 points from George Hill, 20 points from Malcolm Brogdon, and a 12-point, 23-rebound, seven-assist effort from Giannis Antetokounmpo in the loss.

- Ring it up: Kawhi Leonard led all scorers with 36 points in Game 3. He played a career-high (and game-high) 52 minutes, adding nine rebounds, five assists, two steals and a blocked shot. Leonard shot 11-for-25 from the floor, including 2-for-4 from beyond the arc and 12-for-13 from the free-throw line. He also became just the seventh player since 2000 to score at least 30 points in 10 or more playoff games in a single season, joining Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Amar’e Stoudamire and Dwyane Wade. In three games against the Bucks, Leonard is averaging 32.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.7 steals.

- Trusting the grind: After Norman Powell provided a boost in Toronto’s Game 2 loss in Milwaukee, Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said that Powell would play a bigger role in the series moving forward. Powell came off the bench to play 30 minutes on Sunday. He would have played more, if not for fouling out with a minute remaining in regulation. Powell was huge for the Raptors in Game 3, scoring 19 points while adding four rebounds, three assists and a steal. He was efficient from the floor as well, shooting 7-for-13, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line.

- Righting the course: Marc Gasol had a huge role in Toronto’s Game 3 victory. Despite picking up his fifth foul midway through the fourth quarter, Gasol played the entire fourth quarter and both overtime sessions without a break. He played solid defence, never picking up a sixth foul, and he finished with 16 points, a team-high 12 rebounds, team-high seven assists, a steal and a game-high five blocked shots. He shot 5-for-10 from the floor, 4-for-8 from beyond the arc and 2-for-2 from the foul line. After struggling in Game 2, it was a welcomed bounce back. Gasol was asked after the game if he was happy to be able to contribute in such a big win.“Yes,” he said. “Especially because of the win. [If] you play like crap and your team wins, it’s a lot easier to sleep and obviously the last 48 hours [after Game 2], you feel pretty crappy. So I’m happy we won tonight and now we have to have the same mindset for Game 4. There’s no other way to beat this team. You have to have the same mindset and do it possession by possession by possession, continue to chip in.”

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Game 4 Preview: Raptors vs Bucks

It was over when…Kawhi Leonard hit a pair of free throws to put the Raptors ahead by six with 8.2 seconds on the clock. After a Malcolm Brogdon missed three with 3.7 seconds remaining, the Raptors went on to collect a 118-112 double-overtime victory.

Starting off strong: The Raptors got off to a solid start in Game 3, leading throughout the first quarter and holding a nine-point advantage after the opening 12 minutes as they held Milwaukee to just 33 percent shooting. Despite a better shooting quarter from the Bucks in the second (the Bucks shot 47 percent in the second), the Raptors used an 11-point quarter from Kawhi Leonard to head into the halftime break with a seven-point advantage, leading 58-51. Leonard led all scorers with 15 first-half points, while Pascal Siakam added 12 points. 

Back-and-forth: The third quarter was a battle for both teams, with the Bucks shooting 39 percent and the Raptors shooting 35 percent. Though the Raptors led by 10 with 10 minutes remaining, the Bucks closed the quarter on a 9-2 run to trim Toronto’s lead to two heading into the final quarter of regulation. Things remained tight throughout the fourth, particularly after Kyle Lowry picked up his six foul and fouled out of the game with 6:12 remaining. It got worse for Toronto when Norman Powell fouled out with 1:09 remaining. Still, the Raptors had an opportunity to make it a two-possession game when Pascal Siakam went to the free-throw line to shoot a pair of free throws with 7.4 seconds remaining and the Raptors ahead by two. Unfortunately for the Raptors, Siakam missed both free throws and Khris Middleton tied the game with 2.2 seconds remaining, forcing overtime.

Five more minutes: The Raptors started overtime with Marc Gasol (who had five fouls), Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet. This five-man unit played the entire overtime, but still couldn’t shake free from the Bucks. Despite back-to-back steals from Siakam and Leonard, George Hill tied the game at 103 all on a pair of free throws with 14.5 seconds remaining. Toronto couldn’t score on the final possession of overtime and the game went into another extra session.

And another five minutes more: The Raptors stayed with the same five-man lineup for the second overtime as they did for the first. Despite Kawhi Leonard having played 47 minutes heading into the second overtime, he dominated the second additional frame, scoring eight of Toronto’s 15 points, just one shy of Milwaukee’s total as a team. With the Raptors ahead by two, Leonard scored to make it a four-point lead with 32.4 seconds remaining. Pascal Siakam had an opportunity to extend the lead at the free-throw line for the second time. Unlike the end of regulation, Siakam calmly sank both free throws with 16.1 seconds remaining to give the Raptors a six-point lead. Malcolm Brogdon would score for the Bucks to cut the lead to four, but this time it was Leonard at the line sinking a pair of free throws with 8.2 on the clock to give the Raptors a six-point lead and ice the game.

Raptors player of the game: Kawhi Leonard scored a game-high 36 points to go with nine rebounds, five assists, two steals and a blocked shot. He shot 11-for-25 from the floor, 2-for-4 from beyond the arc and 12-for-13 from the free-throw line. He also set a new career-high by playing a game-high 52 minutes. Toronto was a +10 with Leonard on the floor.

Underrated Raptors player(s) of the game: Marc Gasol did many positive things on Sunday night, perhaps none as important as being able to play with five fouls through most of the fourth quarter and both overtime periods. Gasol played 45 minutes and scored 16 points to go with 12 rebounds, a team-high seven assists, a steal and a game-high five blocked shots. He shot 5-for-10 from the floor, 4-for-8 from beyond the arc and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line. Norman Powell came off the bench to play 30 minutes before fouling out, scoring a postseason-high 19 points on 7-for-13 shooting, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. Pascal Siakam bounced back from a rough outing in Game 2 to score 25 points and grab 11 rebounds in 51 minutes. In a gruelling game that went well beyond the standard 48 minutes, the Raptors had multiple players step up.

“Man, it means a lot. Shout to Norm, just coming in and just bringing us energy and just giving everything. Marc, the same. Fred, Serge -- those guys came in and just fought the whole game. That's what we did all season. We've been a team all season. We always had that mentality. Just being at this moment, the highest stage, and having those guys step up. Sticking together at the end there when we could have gotten down on ourselves, but we didn't. We fought through, and we're just glad that we were able to get a victory.” - Pascal Siakam on the team getting huge performances from multiple players down the stretch

37… Percent shooting for the Bucks, 39 percent shooting for the Raptors.

17… Made three-pointers for the Raptors on 45 attempts, 14 for the Bucks on 44 attempts.

28…Assists for the Raptors, 22 assists for the Bucks.

81… Percent shooting from the free-throw line for the Raptors (21-of-26), compared to 67 percent shooting from the free-throw line for the Bucks (22-of-33).

23… Rebounds for Giannis Antetokounmpo who finished with 12 points, 23 rebounds, seven assists and a steal, but also fouled out after playing 45 minutes.

“Pretty good. He’s been doing it all playoffs. Pretty good, pretty awesome.” - Kyle Lowry on Kawhi Leonard

“I was trying not to lunge, but at the same time be the player that the team needs defensively and communicate and be aggressive without using my hands as much. Luckily I was able to stay on the floor.” - Marc Gasol on playing with five fouls for  much of the fourth quarter and both overtime sessions

“I think our mentality was just better tonight. Our feet were ready, our hands were ready and … our mentality was a little bit better to go ahead and pull the trigger.” - Nick Nurse on his team’s aggressiveness in Game 3

“When you are out there, I’m not thinking, ‘I’m down 2-0’ at the time. Just playoff basketball, you have to be in the moment, live in the moment and we all just wanted to lay it out on the floor tonight. Once you do that, you can live with the results. Like I tell the guys, I don’t care if you make or miss shots; it’s about playing smart and aggressive and just really not making mistakes on the defensive end. That’s all you can really do because if you are worrying about making shots, everybody wants to shoot 100 percent from the field, so it’s really about going out there trying to execute and playing confident.” - Kawhi Leonard on his approach in Game 3

Up next: The Raptors look to even the series 2-2 when they host the Bucks in Game 4 of their best-of-seven series on Tuesday, May 21 at 8:30 P.M. ET at Scotiabank Arena.