Raptors Take 3-1 Lead for 1st Time Ever
That's actually a pretty remarkable stat, even if you consider some not-so-great moments in the Raptors' playoff history. I'd have thought we must've held at least one 3-1 lead in some series.
So we've had our share of failures in the postseason, and we've never taken a 3-1 lead in any of the playoff series until today, when we blew out the Magic 107-85.
Another great defensive effort, holding the Magic below 90 points for the second time in three games.
After the disappointing Game 1 loss, we've now won three straight in fairly convincing fashion, some late charge by the Magic in Game 3 notwithstanding.
More history: this is first time we've won two straight road games in a playoff series, and only the second time we've won three in a row in any playoff series.
Well, this is a team built to do more than just knock off a team like Magic in the first round.
My thoughts:
Emotional Roller Coaster
The tipoff was just about an hour or so after the Leafs lost Game 6 to Boston on home ice. Would've been awesome to see the boys in blue and white clinch a spot in the second round and then sit back and watch the other boys in red and black take another step closer to the next round as well.
Then again, I shouldn't have had my hopes up so high.
I was admittedly down about the Leafs' loss. I got more depressed when I realized I actually had to work today! Yup, this was Monday morning on my end. I figure folks back in T.O. would've drowned their sorrows on Easter Sunday after the Leafs' loss. No such thing for me.
I was fortunate enough to follow most of the Raptors game while juggling work. I've become quite adept at this multi-tasking, I think. (I remember reading something like the feeling of having the ability to multi-task is only an illusion and it's not possible to do more than one thing equally well simultaneously. But I'd like to think I am the living proof that a person can indeed multi-task. Back to the blog.)
We took a 10-0 lead to start the previous game but it was the Magic that pushed it hard from the tipoff in this one, opening up a 9-1 lead.
But here's a thing about basketball. In relative terms, you can be down by 10 points in the first quarter and still win by 20, whereas in hockey, if you're down by, say, 3 goals in the first period, the chances of rallying for a win are far slimmer than in the above example in basketball.
So I didn't panic when the Raptors were a bit slow out of the gate. Soon enough, Playoff Kawhi returned and started scoring buckets in the only way he can.
I didn't realize this until later, but Kawhi was under the weather for Game 3. That explains why he didn't seem to have his legs and he made more turnovers (6) than field goals (5).
In this one? 34 points, 12-of-20 from the field, 2 steals, 2 blocks and 1 turnover.
This guy is very good at basketball.
Bench Production
The common misconception that people who don't watch the Raptors regularly have about the team is that we are deep.
No, not as much as last year. We're a top-heavy team now. (Not that it's a bad thing, but more on this in a bit.)
Siakam is no longer coming off the bench. OG is out for a while. Poeltl, Wright and CJ are all gone. Last year, we could throw out some useful bodies at all five positions and run the other teams' second unit into the ground with shooting and defense.
But you know what? Screw depth. It's overrated in the playoffs. Ride your top dogs as hard as you can. Who needs a 9th man when you have All-Stars, Finals MVP, DPOY, All-Defense member and MIP candidate in your starting five?
Coach Nurse has been running an eight-man unit, bringing FVV, Serge and Norm off the bench. Ibaka used to start before Gasol arrived, and he is probably the most reliable scoring option among the reserves. FVV has battled injuries all season and he hasn't been shooting the ball as well as he did last year. Norm can be inconsistent.
And all series long, our bench had been outplayed by the Magic's, thanks in no small part to T. Ross being their sixth man. And in Game 4, Serge and Norm combined for 29 points and 12 boards while shooting 12-of-15 and committing just one turnover.
Powell can be a great wing option as long as he can stay within himself and not try to force the issue. He's shooting with far more confidence than last season and he can beat you off the dribble.
Serge has been really professional about his multiple role changes. He went from the starting 4 last season to the starting 5 and then to the backup 5 this season. His interior defense has been outstanding this series and he can pull down those boards, too.
This was as well played a game as we've had all season. We held the Magic to 16 points in 2Q. Once again, they valiantly tried to make a game out of this, but unlike in Game 3, we snuffed it all out. A total team effort.
Game 5?
We should be able to end the series Wednesday morning, while at the same time the Leafs will try to end theirs (and not by losing either!!). Suffice it to say, I have far more confidence in the Raptors than the Leafs.
The biggest difference: the Raptors will have three cracks at knocking off the Magic. For the Leafs, it's win or go home.
I am already feeling stressed writing these words.
So we've had our share of failures in the postseason, and we've never taken a 3-1 lead in any of the playoff series until today, when we blew out the Magic 107-85.
Another great defensive effort, holding the Magic below 90 points for the second time in three games.
After the disappointing Game 1 loss, we've now won three straight in fairly convincing fashion, some late charge by the Magic in Game 3 notwithstanding.
More history: this is first time we've won two straight road games in a playoff series, and only the second time we've won three in a row in any playoff series.
Well, this is a team built to do more than just knock off a team like Magic in the first round.
My thoughts:
Emotional Roller Coaster
The tipoff was just about an hour or so after the Leafs lost Game 6 to Boston on home ice. Would've been awesome to see the boys in blue and white clinch a spot in the second round and then sit back and watch the other boys in red and black take another step closer to the next round as well.
Then again, I shouldn't have had my hopes up so high.
I was admittedly down about the Leafs' loss. I got more depressed when I realized I actually had to work today! Yup, this was Monday morning on my end. I figure folks back in T.O. would've drowned their sorrows on Easter Sunday after the Leafs' loss. No such thing for me.
I was fortunate enough to follow most of the Raptors game while juggling work. I've become quite adept at this multi-tasking, I think. (I remember reading something like the feeling of having the ability to multi-task is only an illusion and it's not possible to do more than one thing equally well simultaneously. But I'd like to think I am the living proof that a person can indeed multi-task. Back to the blog.)
We took a 10-0 lead to start the previous game but it was the Magic that pushed it hard from the tipoff in this one, opening up a 9-1 lead.
But here's a thing about basketball. In relative terms, you can be down by 10 points in the first quarter and still win by 20, whereas in hockey, if you're down by, say, 3 goals in the first period, the chances of rallying for a win are far slimmer than in the above example in basketball.
So I didn't panic when the Raptors were a bit slow out of the gate. Soon enough, Playoff Kawhi returned and started scoring buckets in the only way he can.
I didn't realize this until later, but Kawhi was under the weather for Game 3. That explains why he didn't seem to have his legs and he made more turnovers (6) than field goals (5).
In this one? 34 points, 12-of-20 from the field, 2 steals, 2 blocks and 1 turnover.
This guy is very good at basketball.
Bench Production
The common misconception that people who don't watch the Raptors regularly have about the team is that we are deep.
No, not as much as last year. We're a top-heavy team now. (Not that it's a bad thing, but more on this in a bit.)
Siakam is no longer coming off the bench. OG is out for a while. Poeltl, Wright and CJ are all gone. Last year, we could throw out some useful bodies at all five positions and run the other teams' second unit into the ground with shooting and defense.
But you know what? Screw depth. It's overrated in the playoffs. Ride your top dogs as hard as you can. Who needs a 9th man when you have All-Stars, Finals MVP, DPOY, All-Defense member and MIP candidate in your starting five?
Coach Nurse has been running an eight-man unit, bringing FVV, Serge and Norm off the bench. Ibaka used to start before Gasol arrived, and he is probably the most reliable scoring option among the reserves. FVV has battled injuries all season and he hasn't been shooting the ball as well as he did last year. Norm can be inconsistent.
And all series long, our bench had been outplayed by the Magic's, thanks in no small part to T. Ross being their sixth man. And in Game 4, Serge and Norm combined for 29 points and 12 boards while shooting 12-of-15 and committing just one turnover.
Powell can be a great wing option as long as he can stay within himself and not try to force the issue. He's shooting with far more confidence than last season and he can beat you off the dribble.
Serge has been really professional about his multiple role changes. He went from the starting 4 last season to the starting 5 and then to the backup 5 this season. His interior defense has been outstanding this series and he can pull down those boards, too.
This was as well played a game as we've had all season. We held the Magic to 16 points in 2Q. Once again, they valiantly tried to make a game out of this, but unlike in Game 3, we snuffed it all out. A total team effort.
Game 5?
We should be able to end the series Wednesday morning, while at the same time the Leafs will try to end theirs (and not by losing either!!). Suffice it to say, I have far more confidence in the Raptors than the Leafs.
The biggest difference: the Raptors will have three cracks at knocking off the Magic. For the Leafs, it's win or go home.
I am already feeling stressed writing these words.
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