After a season-saving win on the road in Game 4, the Toronto Raptors are in a good position to win the series.
Toronto Raptors fans are breathing a collective sigh of relief going into the work week. Kawhi Leonard put another masterful postseason performance, and Toronto defeated the Philadelphia 76ers to even the series at two games apiece.
Now it has become a best of three series. A best of three that is in Toronto’s favor I might add. Homecourt advantage helped them in the first round series against the Orlando Magic, and it will be helpful against the Sixers. In a series that has been all about momentum, with a Game 4 win and a Game 5 at home, the Raptors have all momentum heading into the tail end of the series.
Jurassic Park
The Raptors win in Game 4 has them flying back to Toronto for crucial Game 5. Returning home after a nail-biting victory gives the team the comfort of being in their own surroundings and having the fans behind you. The Raptors have more losses at home (2) than on the road this postseason (1), but their offense is better at home.
As a team, the Raptors average almost five points more a game offensively, going from 100 to 104.8. It seems like being home makes the team want to share the ball more, as they average more assists at Scotiabank Arena than on the road. In this series, when Toronto scores above 100 points, they win. The offense has been sometimes hard to come by for the team, and in a series where points matter, playing at home is where they score the most.
Some key Raptors score more points at home than on the road, with the biggest jumps coming from Pascal Siakam (18.8 to 23.4) and Kawhi Leonard (30.3 to 33.8). These two are Toronto’s top two offensive options, and they need to be dominant at home.
The gap between the two games is something that could benefit Siakam, who is battling a calf contusion. It seemed to affect him in Game 4, as he had his worst playoff game this year. He was 2-10 from the field and scored nine points. The luxury of being home could mean better treatment and he could be back to his normal self in game five.
The fact that two of the last three games of the series will be played in Toronto is a huge relief. More importantly, Game 7 will be at home if the series goes that far. According to Vegas Insider News, there have been 132 Game 7’s in playoff history. Home teams are 104-28 in those games. That’s a 79-percent win percentage.
The Raptors can play with the knowledge that they have a history and the odds on their side. Not to mention the Raptors had a home record of 32-9 during the regular season. Against the Sixers, Toronto is a combined 3-1 at home in the regular and postseason.
Jurassic Park will be rocking and the Scotiabank Arena will definitely be a factor. The work for homecourt in the regular season seems to be worth it again, as the Raptors now have a game five at home and a game seven also in Toronto, should they need it. Homecourt hasn’t been much of a factor so far in this series, but it will be now with, possibly, three games to go.
Momentum Shift
After the emotionally charged victory in Game 4, the momentum has shifted back to the Toronto Raptors side. Kawhi Leonard was a man among boys once again, putting up 39 points. What was more important in the game was how everyone around Kawhi stepped up their play. The players who were called out for their awful Game 3 performances bounced back and that was key for the team.
Kyle Lowry was more aggressive on the offensive end, scoring 14 points. He shot 46-percent from the floor, which was his highest mark since Game 5 against Orlando. Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka also made an appearance offensively, both scoring in double digits in Game 4. The Raptors supporting cast have finally found their game and this could be the start of a nice offensive streak for the group.
Lowry and Gasol have scored more at home, and with a decent performance the previous game, they could be lined up to have a good Game 5. If the continued help for Kawhi offensively can continue, the Raptors could put themselves in the position to possibly end the series in six.
One person who has had the momentum this entire series is Kawhi Leonard. He has been sensational in the playoffs, particularly this series. He is averaging 38 points on 60-percent shooting against Philly in the second round and is on a postseason run like no other. After his 39 point Game 4, Leonard will have even more momentum going into the series final stretch.
The Sixers have no answer for Kawhi, and it looks like they won’t ever find one, not in the span of this series at least. Kawhi has single-handedly kept the Raptors in this series and with his play, and he could win them this series as well. The Klaw’s destruction of Philly should continue especially after a game where he was a scorching 71-percent from three.
In Your Favor
Having two of the last three games at home, the momentum after a grueling road win, and the best player on the court, the Toronto Raptors are in a great spot going into the final stretch. They’ve regained the momentum after winning what many called “the most important game in Raptors history”. And now, returning home for Game 5, the momentum is fully in their favor.
The offense has started to get their mojo back, with Lowry, Gasol, and Ibaka finding their grooves. That is a sign of good things to come, and if you pair that with Kawhi’s excellence, Toronto should get back to the team that dominated the regular season.
They only need to win two games and with the Sixers inability to put up a lot of points consistently, the Raptors should be able to close this series out. Even if a Game 7 at home is needed.