Resilient Raptors ready for Cavaliers

The Raptors keep getting themselves into tough situations in the playoffs.

They hope that resilience makes them stronger as they get ready to face the Cavaliers. The Eastern Conference semifinals begin Monday in Cleveland.

At the very least, the Raptors will need to get better at holding on to big leads after blowing a 25-point advantage against the Bucks before winning 92-89 on Thursday night to take a physical, tiring first-round series in six games.

“We’re just a team up north,” coach Dwane Casey said. “We don’t get a lot of respect, and I like that. As a matter of fact, I think we’re better with our backs against the wall.

“We’ve got some fighters and scrappers. We make it hard on ourselves sometimes, but we’re going to go down swinging.”

The Raptors, who won three in a row after getting blown out by 27 points in Game 3, looked as if they were on cruise control Thursday after DeMarre Carroll’s 3-pointer put them ahead 71-46 with 5 minutes, 16 seconds left in the third quarter. Then they started resembling the team from Game 3.

Giannis Antetokounmpo spearheaded the Bucks’ second-half rally. He repeatedly tore through the Raptors defense to get to the lane, finishing with 34 points. Khris Middleton fought through an illness that bothered him all week to score 19 points.

Casey said his team lost some composure during the Bucks’ run.

“Our physicality is something we have to look at,” he said. “(But) I loved how our guys didn’t cave in.”

Said guard DeMar DeRozan, who scored 32 points and had five steals: “(We’re) ready for the next one.”