10 things from Raptors-76ers Game 4

Here’s 10 takeaways from the Toronto Raptors’ 101-96 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 4.

One - Roller coaster: This was one of those heart-in-your-mouth playoff games where neither team could pull ahead by more than four points from the start of the fourth to the final minute of the game. Every possession was a war, and in the end, it was Kawhi Leonard who proved he was the best player on the floor.

Two - Jordan-esque: Leonard sealed the win with a pull-up three over the outstretched arms of Joel Embiid to finish with 39 points on 13-of-20 shooting along with 14 rebounds and five assists. Leonard single-handedly kept the Raptors in the game with his shot making through three quarters, and he controlled just about every possession in the clutch. Leonard relentlessly spammed the pick-and-roll with Marc Gasol, and Embiid wore down in the end. This was an all-time performance from Leonard, who is making his case as the best player on the planet. With LeBron James watching from home, it’s between Leonard and Kevin Durant for top spot.

Three - Scientist: Credit Nick Nurse for coming up with the brilliant move of playing Serge Ibaka alongside Gasol in the frontcourt. That lineup didn’t quite work in the regular season, but Nurse kept practicing it whenever possible, and it paid off in a huge way when he needed it most. Nurse hinted after Game 3 that the Raptors needed to bulk up against the Sixers, and Nurse went to the very extreme tonight with the 6-foot-8 Leonard playing shooting guard alongside two centers and Pascal Siakam at small forward. Having that much size on the interior kept the Sixers out of the paint, and Embiid only had 11 points on 2-of-7 shooting.

Four - Hustle: On that same note, credit Ibaka for stepping up and giving the Raptors a shot in the arm when they needed it most. Ibaka worked his ass off guarding on the perimeter - which is not his forte - as he limited Tobias Harris to 7-of-23 shooting. Ibaka also played big on the inside, as he battled for deep post position against Harris and converted on the inside. Ibaka set the tone early on by stopping a 4-on-1 fast-break, where he started from the corner on offense and sprinted all the way back to record a block at the rim. Nurse rightfully rewarded Ibaka by letting him close the game. He also finished with more points (12) than Embiid (11), which is almost unthinkable.

Five - Enough: Gasol was phenomenal as usual on defense, but he finally stepped up on offense and chipped in with 16 points, including a huge three in the fourth that pulled the Raptors even. The Raptors established Gasol early on as a pick-and-pop threat in the mid-range, and he carried that momentum into the fourth as he made the Sixers pay for doubling Leonard. Gasol needs to play with this mentality every night, as the Raptors simply don’t have enough scorers at other positions for Gasol to only take six shots a night.

Six - Gutsy: Pascal Siakam winced and grimaced his way through pre-game stretches, but he eventually decided to gut it out with his bruised right calf. Siakam was far from his best - he only shot 2-of-10 - but on a night where the Raptors just needed bodies, Siakam’s 28 minutes were massive. Siakam’s activity on defense was commendable, as he often found himself chasing JJ Redick on the perimeter, but the budding star was persistent and stuck with the tough assignment.

Seven - Aggressive: The numbers (14 points, six rebounds, seven assists) don’t jump off the page, but Kyle Lowry was a different player tonight in terms of his assertiveness. Two plays jump out in particular: One, Lowry blew past Ben Simmons in the open floor and made a beeline to the rim in the first quarter, which created a dunk for Ibaka. Two, Lowry drove hard to the rim at the start of the fourth and made a daredevil layup over Embiid at the basket to give the Raptors a much-needed basket. If Lowry can play with this mentality on a nightly basis, the Raptors will be in good shape.

Eight - Necessary: In addition to playing the dual-center lineup, Nurse also deserves credit for pulling the plug on Fred VanVleet, who only saw seven minutes of action. It’s nothing against VanVleet, but he’s simply too small to get his shot off, and he’s being pummelled defensively. Nurse bought five minutes on the wing with Patrick McCaw, while Leonard functioned as the backup point guard. Going forward, Nurse should also consider Norman Powell (four minutes) as another possible option.

Nine - Unsung: Danny Green only made one shot in 40 minutes, but he provided the steadying presence that the Raptors badly needed in these nerve-wracking moments. Green nailed four free-throws to ice the win in the end after winning a vital defensive rebound. Green’s offense is going to come and go, but his hustle and effort cannot waiver.

Ten - Terrifying: It seems as if the Raptors have no answer for Jimmy Butler, who just kept popping up in all the right places to make game-changing plays. Butler has been a menace on the offensive glass, and he sank a 360-degree banked-in three in the fourth to give the Sixers the lead. Leonard might be the only player on the Raptors who can check Butler, but Nurse also needs to conserve all of Leonard’s energy for offense, so he can only pick his spots with that look.

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