ROUND TWO VS. SIXERS
All it took to erase painful Raptors memories of 2001 was Kawhi Leonard and an iconic buzzer-beater
Here comes The Process.
The big, bad Philadelphia 76ers and all memories of 2001, of Vince Carter and Allen Iverson and Game 7, come flooding back.
Philadelphia (51-31) finished third in the Eastern Conference and posted seven fewer wins than the Raptors but they were loaded and had gone all-in like Toronto had, adding Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris to Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and J.J. Redick.
Yet the Raptors weren’t all that worried and certainly not intimidated. Kawhi Leonard had chewed up and spit out Simmons like a piece of overdone steak this season, Embiid was the king of social media who’d done nothing of substance in an injury-riddled career that was, well, flat.
Yes, they were good, but not that good. Besides, wasn’t there some karmic payback due?
At least this time ’round, none of the Raptors had a university graduation to worry about.
GAME 1, APRIL 27 Raptors 108, Sixers 95
Peak Leonard started to show up as he poured in a career playoff-high 45 points in the opener. Pascal Siakam blitzed the Sixers for 29 as the Raptors won in a rout at home.
Leonard could very well have gone for a nice round 50 points but, with the game well in hand, it was wiser to leave than risk injury.
“I was trying to get out of the game before it got to that point,” was how he put it. “We were up 20 points with probably like five minutes left and I was already looking at the bench, trying to get them to take me out of the game.”
GAME 2, APRIL 29 Sixers 94, Raptors 89
The Raptors had a shot — a Danny Green three-pointer with about five seconds left that would have tied the game — but a miss and two Philly free throws sealed the game.
Toronto missed six of seven shots to start the fourth quarter before mounting a late, ill-fated comeback.
GAME 3, MAY 2 Sixers 116, Raptors 95
The lingering image will be Embiid goofing around, racing back up the court mimicking an airplane as the crowd chanted “MVP, MVP.”
The fans at Wells Fargo Center certainly had their fun.
“When I have fun, my game just changes,” Embiid said. “I’m always told if I don’t smile during the game it means I’m having a bad game or I’m not into it. I know to get my game going, I’ve got to have fun on the court.”
Embiid racked up 33 points and 10 rebounds in 28 minutes. He had fun. And the Sixers had their only lead of the series.
GAME 4, MAY 5 Raptors 101, Sixers 96
Of the many big games the Raptors have won, this one was, shall we say, the biggest, as coach Nick Nurse counteracted Philadelphia’s size advantage by going with both Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka.
There would definitely be more significant shots to come, but Leonard’s dagger of a threepointer with 61 seconds left in the fourth quarter, part of a 39-point game, was key for Toronto.
“Just really growing up learning from great players, I was fortunate enough to be on some good teams early,” Leonard said, “so I was able to see defences and go on deep playoff runs and I feel that helped me out today.”
GAME 5, MAY 7 Raptors 125, Sixers 89
Some games are just easier than others.
The Raptors registered the largest margin of playoff victory in franchise history. Green made an appearance with five threepointers and it was a laugher from start to finish. Even Leonard’s 21 points and 13 rebounds represented an off night.
“Tonight was one of those games where we let him rest a little bit, which is important,” Raptors guard Kyle Lowry said. “He had a big double-double, but he didn’t have to do everything offensively.”
GAME 6, MAY 9 Sixers 112, Raptors 101
Butler saved Philadelphia’s season with a series of timely baskets among his 25 points to send the series to a deciding game.
“I play to win,” Butler said. “Right now, this is what I have to do in order to give us a great chance at winning.”
GAME 7, MAY 12 Raptors 92, Sixers 90
The Shot.
Leonard’s four-bounces-offthe-rim jumper, as iconic a moment as exists in Raptors history, beat the buzzer and set off one of the wildest celebrations in memory.
It was the first buzzer-beater in a Game 7 in NBA history and cemented Leonard’s place in franchise lore. He dribbled toward the right corner directly in front of the Raptors’ bench and launched the high-arching prayer.
It bounced to the top of the backboard, hit the near side of the rim again, then the other side twice before going through. And the craziness began. “It was great,” Leonard said. “That’s something I never experienced before, Game 7, a game-winning shot. It was a blessing to be able to get to that point and make that shot and feel that moment.”