Lukas Weese
Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse was blunt in his assessment of his team’s Game 2 performance against the Milwaukee Bucks. “We didn’t do much well tonight.” As the Raptors traveled back to Toronto after losing 125-103 to the Bucks, they were in a similar position as they were against the Philadelphia 76ers. Down in…
If Kyle Lowry was already considered the greatest Raptor of all time before the 2019 Eastern Conference Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks, then Game 1 of that series cemented his status. Right from the opening tip, the Toronto Raptors were playing with the energy and intensity of an underdog team against the Eastern Conference’s leading…
What goes into producing an iconic sports moment? Something that hasn’t been done before? Yes. A context that produces immense anticipation? Absolutely. Paving the way for greatness to follow? No doubt about it. All these facets are what make Kawhi Leonard’s Game 7 buzzer-beating shot against the Philadelphia 76ers one of…
Game 6 of the Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers was a microcosm of the entire series. A roller coaster. The Sixers started the game with a 7-0 run before the Raptors responded with 10 straight points to go up 15-13 in the first quarter. Philadelphia went on an 8-0 run to regain the lead and…
In Game 4, Joel Embiid flashed his “airplane” celebration towards the Toronto Raptors. Game 5 happened to be the opposite. The fans inside Scotiabank Arena were mimicking the airplane, as Embiid walked off the floor. The Raptors took flight in Game 5 with their most dominant game of the series. A 125-89 victory over the…
Let’s be honest. Kawhi Leonard had a litany of memorable playoff moments for the Toronto Raptors last season. Ranking Kawhi’s best games during the Raptors championship run is challenging. The superstar made an impact whenever he was on the floor. One cannot describe Leonard’s Raptors legacy without talking about “The Shot” in…
As Joel Embiid did his signature “airplane” celebration, the Toronto Raptors had every reason to be concerned. Kawhi Leonard fatiguingly walked to the bench after a 33-point performance in 36 minutes played. Pascal Siakam suffered a calf contusion that put his Game 4 status in doubt. Fred VanVleet, a pillar of the Raptors secondary scoring,…
Kawhi Leonard had another 30-plus point performance. Kyle Lowry made two clutch threes late in the fourth quarter. The Raptors, down 19 points, cut the deficit to one with less than a minute to go. Despite the numerous Raptors surges, the Sixers slammed the door shut every time. Philadelphia’s 94-89 victory evened the series at…
Game ones of a playoff series are intended to feel out an opponent. Not if you are Kawhi Leonard and Pascal Siakam. In the highly anticipated Game 1 of the Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers series, Leonard and Siakam shined. The Raptors were down 7-2 early in the opening quarter. There was a call for…
Three minutes into Game 5 and Kyle Lowry was dominating. The Toronto Raptors point guard had nine points and was a perfect 4-of-4 from the field. Lowry’s early success epitomized the game as a whole. The Raptors dominated the Magic through a complete team performance, leading as much as 37 points. Their 115-96 victory gave…
D.J. Augustin’s 25-point Game 1 performance against the Toronto Raptors felt like a distant memory. The Magic point guard not only had a hot hand but the Raptors defense let him have too much space at the perimeter to make those shots. For reference, here is the Magic shot chart from Game 1: Orlando’s success…
**This is Part Three of a 24-part series, looking back at the Toronto Raptors 2019 Playoff Run that concluded with the franchise winning its inaugural NBA Championship** Halfway through the third quarter of Game 3, Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic gave his team a 59-57 lead with a three-pointer. The shot gave the Magic its…