MIAMI (AFP) – With their season on the brink and title repeat hopes in jeopardy, the Toronto Raptors outfought Boston for a dramatic series-tying 125-122 double-overtime triumph Wednesday in the NBA playoffs.
Kyle Lowry led Toronto with 33 points and Norman Powell added 23 off the bench in an emotional thriller that resembled the intensity of a heavyweight boxing matchup.
The defending champion Raptors equalized the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semi-final with a winner-take-all game seven set for Friday, a conference final against Miami awaiting the winner.
The Raptors won their first NBA crown last season but NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Kawhi Leonard left in the off-season for the Los Angeles Clippers, who defeated Denver, 96-85, in a Western Conference semi-final to seize a 3-1 edge over the Nuggets.
Leonard just missed his first career NBA playoff triple double with 30 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists to spark the Clippers, who can advance with a victory Friday.
Powell made a crucial steal and fast break layup plus a free throw to lift Toronto ahead 121-117 with 38 seconds remaining.
Boston’s Jayson Tatum answered with an inside jumper but Lowry hit a fall-away jumper – Toronto’s sixth successful shot in a row – to put the Raptors ahead 123-119.
Tatum sank a 3-pointer to pull Boston within a point with 6.2 seconds remaining but Powell sank two free throws and Marcus Smart missed a last-chance 3-pointer for Boston.
”We didn’t play as poised as we needed to down the stretch,” said Boston’s Jaylen Brown. ”We didn’t take care of the ball as well as we needed to. We had some turnovers that just killed us.
”Got to embrace the challenge. This is what adversity is about. We have to give everything for game seven.”
Brown scored 31 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to lead Boston while Tatum had 29 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists and Smart managed only his second career triple double with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
Fred VanVleet added 21 points for Toronto, and German center Daniel Theis had 18 points for Boston.
”They are defending champs. We’ll get their best every time,” Boston’s Kemba Walker said. ”We fought hard. We made plays. I’m confident. We have a good group of guys. I know we will respond.
