Raptors grab edge in series

MILWAUKEE — Kawhi Leonard scored 35 points, and the Raptors beat the Bucks 105-99 on Thursday night to take a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

Leonard showed no obvious signs of the leg soreness that bothered him the previous two games, hitting the 30point mark for the fourth time in the series. He nailed five 3-pointers, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out nine assists.

Fred VanVleet scored 21 points, hitting seven 3s. Kyle Lowry added 17 as the Raptors put themselves in position to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time. A victory at home Saturday would set up a matchup with two-time defending champion Golden State.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 24 points for Milwaukee hours after being announced as a unanimous first-team All-NBA selection.

Kevin Durant won’t be ready to play in time for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on May 30. The two-time reigning finals MVPhas yet to return to on-court work while recovering from a strained right calf.

But Warriors big man DeMarcus Cousins might be healthy for the team’s opener against either the Bucks or Raptors.

“Potentially,” coach Steve Kerr said Thursday, “but it’s up in the air.”

The team re-evaluated both players, and they are expected to be ready at some point during Golden State’s fifth straight finals. Durant is making progress in the training room and with moves he is able to handle in the weight room, Kerr said.

“We’ve known all along, it’s how he responds. There’s never been a point during this process where we’ve been able to say, ‘He’s going to play on such and such date,’ and there still isn’t, so we just keep going, keep moving forward,” Kerr said. “But again, he hasn’t spent any time on the court with us, hasn’t gone through an individual workout.”

Cousins is working back from a torn left quadriceps sustained in Game 2 of the first round against the Clippers. He practiced Thursday for the first time since getting injured April 16 in just his second career playoff game.