Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. NBA Playoff Basketball is going on!
The Raptors embrace OG Anunoby after that thrilling game-winning three.
The Toronto Raptors were on the brink.
The Raptors were going to be down 0-3 against this mighty Boston Celtics team. No matter what court they’re in, it’s tough to beat a vaunted team like the Celtics four times in a row. So tough that no team in history has ever done that down 0-3. Sure, these same Raptors did it last season down 0-2 but they had home court and a superstar like Kawhi Leonard to lean on. The Raptors had neither.
So they had to dig down. They had to shoot better from the arc. It was good enough. Fred VanVleet made 5 big threes in the game. Pascal Siakam was finally converting his post moves in the second half. And Kyle Lowry was doing everything he could to keep his team in it. He played all but a minute and a half of this contest.
But the Celtics had so much momentum. Kemba Walker was on all day, scoring 29 points. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum did not have huge games but they kept Canada at bay with big shots at the rim. And then there was Daniel Theis doing that, too.
In fact, it would’ve been his moment. Kemba found a cutting Theis for the slam with 0.5 seconds left. The Celtics led by two. It looked like the Celtics were going to go up, 3-0.
The Celtics wanted to make sure Kyle Lowry would be well-guarded during the inbounds pass. Boston put in 8-foot-tall Tacko Fall (7’6″) to guard the inbounds. And he did what he could but…
OG ANUNOBY AHHHHHHHHHH pic.twitter.com/45twLLLULd
— Rob Lopez (@r0bato) September 4, 2020
How things can change in HALF A SECOND.
That is a daring crosscourt pass by Lowry but it was the only pass he could make. And the calm, cool, and collected OG Anunoby, who hadn’t made a field goal in the second half, released that shot with the quickness. One bucket later and Toronto is back in the series.
A moment in time where Boston could’ve been up, 3-0. They would have all the momentum in the world and be ready to put away the defending champions this weekend. And then they would be back in the Eastern Conference Finals for the third time in four years.
But because of Anunoby’s shot, we have a series. Boston may very well win the series later and get to that destination. But now Toronto has a chance, too.
Bullet Passes
Ja Morant won Rookie of the Year. Rightfully so. However, look at the voting breakdown:
I DEMAND to know who voted for Zion. Ja should’ve been a UNANIMOUS WINNER.
So we’ve had close endings in the last five NBA playoff games.
GAME 2 of BOS/TOR: Fred VanVleet had a chance to tie the game with a three. His three did not come close. BOS 102, TOR 99.
GAME 7 of UTA/DEN: This series was a shootout until Game 7. It was a scrap and a wild sequence had Mike Conley put up a three at the buzz. It rimmed out. DEN 80, UTA 78.
GAME 2 of MIA/MIL: A questionable foul was called on Giannis Antetokounmpo as Jimmy Butler fell down after a jumper. Butler would convert both foul shots and end it Teen Wolf-style. MIA 116, MIL 114.
GAME 7 of OKC/HOU: Came down to the final play but the inbounds pass was thrown away by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. HOU 104, OKC 102.
Now we had this classic.
Unfortunately for us (but I don’t think the Clippers and their fans care), the Clippers blew away the Nuggets in Game 1 of their series. Kawhi Leonard dominated again with 29 points in three quarters. Patrick Beverley also played for the first time in the postseason; he started and had 8 points.
Ain’t got much from Denver. Nikola Jokic led the team with 15 points. Jamal Murray only got 12.
Finally, the last playoff series is starting on Friday. The Lakers play against the weary Houston Rockets. BIG vs SMALL. Let’s see it!
NBA Playoff Scoreboard
Game 3: #2 TOR 104 vs #3 BOS 103 (BOS leads series, 2-1)
Game 1: #2 LAC 120 vs #3 DEN 97 (LAC leads series, 1-0)
Watch This Play
SAVE THEM RAPTORS, OG!
OG ANUNOBY AHHHHHHHHHH pic.twitter.com/45twLLLULd
— Rob Lopez (@r0bato) September 4, 2020
The Playoffs have been amazing lately.
Take care in the Bubble, everyone.
Rey-Rey is on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
TNLP on FaceBook.