The Toronto Raptors got crushed on Thursday night in their first road game of their Eastern Conference Semifinals match up with the Philadelphia Sixers. Despite Kawhi Leonard scoring 33 points, they fell 116-95 at the Wells Fargo Arena. Game 4 thus became essential to them.
At times, it looked like Toronto didn’t know this. They started off strong, even taking a 22-11 lead with four minutes left in the first quarter. But that success would slip away, something Raptors fans have become accustomed to after years of teams stalling out in the playoffs. By halftime, Philly would be only a few points behind the No. 2 seed in the East, and the score would be a close 47-45.
But ultimately, the Raptors persevered and locked up a win thanks to a late three by no one other than Leonard. The off-the-dribble heave came over Sixers center Joel Embiid, who was unusually removed throughout most of the game.
Toronto would even the series at 2-2 with a 101-96 win on Sunday night. Leonard would score 39 points, pull down 14 rebounds and dish out five assists. Now, they’ll head back to Toronto and the Scotiabank Arena for Game 5 on Tuesday night.
30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW
Though Leonard has often been the Raptors’ only offensive threat, they’ve made due thus far. He shot 60% on 10 attempts in the first quarter but also turned the ball over four times as he faced double teams nearly every possession. However, the former San Antonio Spurs star came out ahead, dropping 14 points in the third quarter and cementing himself as Toronto’s first great superstar.
Jimmy Butler played his heart out for the fourth game this series, dropping 29 points and pulling in 11 rebounds. Ultimately, each team has deeper reasons to advance in this series, with both Butler and Leonard hitting free agency after this season. A win in this series could be the key for a team to keep their star forward.
