With the Toronto Raptors scoring a massive 18-point victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night in Toronto, the Eastern Conference Finals are now tied up at two games apiece. For a matchup between the two top seeds in the Eastern Conference, a tight series isn’t necessarily a surprise, but perhaps a little unexpected is
Toronto Raptors
The Drake curse is real, and it is alive and well. But the famed Toronto rapper is figuring out how to use it to his advantage, and he proved it Sunday night. It’s widely known that if Drake backs a team for a big game, they’re toast. It’s been proven on many occasions before. Well,
Golden State won game one of the Western Conference finals against Portland by 22. Yet in a sense, the Blazers being here is already a victory. For five years, Golden State’s shadow has stretched across the league, dimming a number of teams’ willingness to compete. Once Kevin Durant came aboard, conventional wisdom held it was
The Raptors put forth their best effort of the series in Game 4, keeping the Bucks off rhythm and evening up their series 2-2. The Raptors needed overtime to beat the Bucks in Game 3, potentially exhausting what already appeared to be a fragile and shallow rotation struggling to match up with Milwaukee’s depth and
It took 58 minutes of game time, but the Toronto Raptors have their first win of the Eastern Conference Finals, squeaking past the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 3. More than once, it seemed like the Raptors would let Game 3 slip away. After managing just 38 points in the second half, their lead was whittled
You all crowned me your king. I never wanted it. I never asked for it. But I accepted it because the North is my home! It’s part of me, and I will never stop fighting for it, no matter the odds! Being King of the North is a hard job. For one, the North is
MILWAUKEE, WI – MAY 17: Eric Bledsoe #6 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on at halftime of Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Toronto Raptors on May 17, 2019 at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user
Brook Lopez had his best game of the postseason, helping power the Bucks to a fiery Game 1 win over the Raptors. This week, Giannis Antetokounmpo talked about the sting of losing Game 1 in the second round to the Celtics and how they could not afford to dig themselves a similar hole against the
There is no prelude necessary as we get ready for the Eastern Conference Finals between the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors. Today we’re walking through seven questions that will define the series and determine who gets to face the winner of the Golden State-Portland matchup for the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Do the Bucks go back
With the NBA’s post-season in full swing and historic playoff games being played almost nightly, there are some storylines to watch as the race to a championship unfolds. Here are a few things to watch, especially if some of the ongoing series don’t play out as some had hoped when the season started some seven
With the series tied at 2-2, the Raptors had an opportunity at home to build momentum. They didn’t disappoint, steamrolling the 76ers in a blowout. Less than a week ago, the Philadelphia 76ers had a 2-1 edge in the series, an idea that seems unfathomable after Tuesday’s lopsided loss. But what had worked well for
Previewing the first-round series between the Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic with shot charts, assist maps, offensive style charts and expected win probabilities. Shot charts In the first season without DeMar DeRozan and Dwane Casey, the new-look Toronto Raptors have ripped off another excellent season, finishing with 58 wins. Following an increasing trend from the
The 76ers came out with exactly the sort of urgency and purpose that should be expected of a home team on the brink of elimination to force a Game 7. The series history suggested the Philadelphia 76ers would respond after getting blown out in Toronto in Game 5. More than that, however, it was the
PHILADELPHIA, PA – MAY 5: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors looks on during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on May 5, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this
Each week, four of Basketball Insiders’ top writers will break down the latest news and notes surrounding the 2019 NBA Draft. Each week you’ll see an updated mock draft that reflects how each writer sees the draft landscape based on the latest news, workouts, and information from the pre-draft process as well as a notebook,
Joel Embiid couldn’t be contained in a crucial Game 3 win for the Philadelphia 76ers, dominating the paint, draining 3s and capping it off with a windmill dunk. Kawhi Leonard and Pascal Siakam channeled their inner Michael and Scottie in Game 1, combining for 74 points in Raptors victory. The 76ers closed out a tight
The first round is still technically ongoing, but the second round of the NBA playoffs begins in earnest tonight with the matchup between the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 and No. 3 seeds, the Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers. These are two teams that have spent the season progressively one-upping each other with all-in moves. First,
TORONTO, CANADA – APRIL 29: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors handles the ball against Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on April 29, 2019 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and
Heading into Game 2 against the Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is probable due to an illness. Led by 45 points from Kawhi Leonard, the Toronto Raptors beat the Philadelphia 76ers 108-95 in Game 1 of their second round series Saturday night. Now, as the 76ers try to head home with the series
The Raptors took no chances with fate sneaking up on them, emphatically finishing off the Magic in Game 5. Game 1 in this series brought the Raptors a home loss, a disappointing scoreless performance from Kyle Lowry, and a host of bad memories from their last few playoff washouts. From the tip of Game 2,
The Orlando Magic went toe-to-toe with Toronto Raptors and used a late push to steal Game 1 on the road. After Pascal Siakam made a driving shot and gave Toronto a six-point lead with just under six minutes left in the fourth quarter, Inpredictable’s live win probability model gave the Magic just a 9.7 percent
By the end of the night, the NBA’s postseason second round will be officially set — first from 30 teams to 16 and soon just nine shall remain. Throughout the regular season — and for much of the last two years, actually — the biggest, most important question has been repeatedly asked ad nauseam: Can
TORONTO, CANADA – APRIL 27: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors handles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during Game One of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on April 27, 2019 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading
By the end of the night, the NBA’s postseason second round will be officially set — first from 30 teams to 16 and soon just nine shall remain. Throughout the regular season — and for much of the last two years, actually — the biggest, most important question has been repeatedly asked ad nauseam: Can
Previewing the second-round series between the Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers with shot charts, assist maps, offensive style charts and expected win probabilities. Shot charts Despite an early slip-up, the Toronto Raptors handled the Orlando Magic with relative easy in Games 2-5, with an average margin of victory of 18.25 points. While the Raptors offense
When LeBron James missed out on the postseason for the first time in 14 years, he left a massively large hole in the proceedings. After all, James had dragged his squad to the NBA Finals in eight consecutive seasons, dating back to his inaugural season alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh down in Miami. Without
After a slow start, the Raptors regained their focus defensively and closed the game in dominating fashion, blowing out Orlando and moving one step closer to advancing in their pursuit of a title. Things looked promising for the Magic early on in Sunday’s Game 4 in Orlando. Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon were hitting shots,
The NBA’s uniform aesthetic has been moving towards a trimmer fit. Jerseys are tighter, shorts are shorter, everything accentuates the frame underneath. But not Pascal Siakam. Like a time-traveler from 2003, his everything about his uniform hangs loosely, with enough extra fabric to smuggle Patrick McCaw onto the court without anyone noticing. Every drive he
When LeBron James missed out on the postseason for the first time in 14 years, he left a massively large hole in the proceedings. After all, James had dragged his squad to the NBA Finals in eight consecutive seasons, dating back to his inaugural season alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh down in Miami. Without
ORLANDO, FL – APRIL 19: Pascal Siakam #43 of the Toronto Raptors shoots the ball against the Orlando Magic during Game Three of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on April 19, 2019 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this