Toronto Raptors survive wild game Game 3 with room for improvement
The Toronto Raptors returned home after a couple of disappointing losses taking Game 3 with a not-so-perfect win in double overtime.
Going into Game 3, there were a couple of Toronto Raptors who needed to step up their game in order to keep the team from falling into what could have been an unforgiving 3-0 deficit.
Luckily for the team, they got contributions across the board, with some head shaking moments, to come away with a thrilling 118-112 win in double overtime. The Raptors could have made life easier on themselves if Pascal Siakam made a free throw at the end of the fourth quarter. Consider it a lesson learned.
Milwaukee learned in Game 1 that the Raptors don’t have the scoring depth on the bench to give their starters enough of a break to stay fresh. Norman Powell was given a bigger role and responded with 19 points going 3-for-5 from the three-point line in 30 minutes.
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While Siakam’s blunder at the end of the game could have been costly, he had a much-needed turnaround game with 25 points 11 rebounds and three steals in 51 minutes. Only Kawhi Leonard‘s 36 points were higher but he played the second most minutes proving to be valuable on the defensive side late in the game.
Of course, the Raptors got a big boost from Marc Gasol who had a big impact defensively but made key plays on the offensive side of the ball. The Spaniard had arguably his worst performance of the playoffs in Game 2. That wasn’t the case in Game 3.
He played 45 minutes going 5-for-10 from the field and 4-for-8 from beyond the arc. The shots he hesitated to make in prior games were going in and he had a better performance off the glass with 12 rebounds.
Even though most of the performances were good enough to give Toronto the win, it could have been disastrous given how a trio of players played in critical moments. Danny Green, Fred VanVleet and Serge Ibaka were problems at times in Game 3.
They shot a combined 4-for-29 from the field. Considering Green and VanVleet played north of 30 minutes in this game (Ibaka played only 14) that needs to improve. If half of those shots go in, the Raptors probably pull this out easily in regulation.
John Schuman of NBA.com wrote that Leonard held Giannis Antetokounmpo to four points on 41 possessions and Siakam held him scoreless which could be a key to limiting his impact offensively going forward.
Next. Raptors waste offensive breakout from Kyle Lowry in Game 1. dark
Now the Raptors have a great chance to even up the series and put pressure on the Bucks to try and turn things around or not learn from their mistakes and have their backs on the wall heading into Game 5.