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Raptors beat Bucks, are one win away from first-ever NBA Finals

By Dane DelgadoMay 23, 2019, 11:21 PM EDT
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The Toronto Raptors now lead the Eastern Conference Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks, 3-2.

Thursday night’s matchup marked a three-game winning streak by the Raptors against the No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference to take a series lead. Kawhi Leonard & Co. now have the chance to close out Giannis Antetokounmpo back in Ontario for Game 6 on Saturday.

Much of Toronto’s success against Milwaukee in Game 5 was predicated by the same thing that got them through Games 3 and 4. Defense was incredibly important for the Raptors, who again collapsed on Antetokounmpo and pressured the shaky Bucks shooters into poor shots at the arc. Milwaukee shot just 32.3 percent from the 3-point line. Once again, both Eric Bledsoe and Malcolm Brogdon struggled, combining to go 4-of-13 from deep.

Antetokounmpo had a better shooting night then he had in Game 4, but he scored just 24 points to go with six rebounds and six assists. The Greek Freak was not the same kind of impact player that he was in the first two games, and Nick Nurse forced Milwaukee to rely on its supporting cast yet again.

To that end, Khris Middleton had just six points on 2-of-9 shooting, although he did grab 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Milwaukee’s bench was awful for the second game in a row — Nikola Mirotic and Ersan Ilyasova scored zero points on five shots in 20 minutes.

Much to the delight of Raptors fans, Toronto’s supporting cast rose to Leonard’s level. Pascal Siakam, who didn’t shoot well, scored 14 points with 10 rebounds and three blocks. Kyle Lowry had a solid playoff performance of 17 points on 4-of-11 shooting to go with seven rebounds and six assists.

Most surprising was Fred VanVleet, who played 37 minutes off the bench to the tune of 21 points — all from 3-point shots. VanVleet has been uneven this postseason, but Danny Green had such a poor outing on Thursday (he scored zero points as well) that it was necessary to play VanVleet heavily. Thankfully for Toronto, it worked out.

As a team the Raptors limited turnovers to just six, shooting an incredible 41.9 percent from the 3-point line thanks in large part to Leonard and VanVleet.

The momentum has shifted significantly in this series, and it has much to do with the coaching changes that Nurse has made to pinpoint the inequities in Milwaukee’s lineup. It also seems like the Bucks have gone cold at just the wrong time, and coach Mike Budenholzer will need to come up with some serious strategy to be able to combat Toronto and stave off elimination. The series heads back to Ontario for Game 6 on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. when the Raptors can close the series at home at the Air Canada Centre for their first-ever NBA Finals berth.

The Raptors beat the Bucks in Game 5, 105-99.

Mallory Edens wears shirt with Pusha T as a dig against Drake (PHOTO)

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By Dane DelgadoMay 24, 2019, 12:30 AM EDT
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There has been sort of a weird back-and-forth happening during this Eastern Conference Finals matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Toronto Raptors. Ontario native Drake has been seen courtside during games in Toronto, and his interaction with Raptors head coach Nick Nurse during Game 4 drew the attention of many around the league.

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said that he didn’t believe Drake should be standing where he was, nor touching Nurse during the course of a game. That caused the Raptors fan base — and Drake — to fire back at Budenholzer via Instagram, berthing one of the weirdest beefs in playoff memory.

Adding to that rivalry on Thursday night was Mallory Edens, the daughter of Bucks owner Wes Edens. Sitting next to Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Edens could be seen wearing a t-shirt with rapper Pusha T on the front of it.

Pusha T and Drake have had a back-and-forth beef for years.

Via Twitter:

Let’s see what Drake comes up with for Game 6 back in The 6. The Raptors are looking to close the Bucks on Saturday and head to the NBA Finals, and it appears that ol’ Aubrey is ready to go:

Toronto beat the Bucks in Game 5, 105-99.

Raptors fan promises Kawhi Leonard high rise penthouse if he stays with team

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By Dane DelgadoMay 23, 2019, 10:30 PM EDT
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Will Kawhi Leonard stay with the Toronto Raptors past the season? Many believe that question could be answered if the Raptors head to the 2019 NBA Finals to take on the Golden State Warriors and put on a good show. Then again, some think that even a Finals berth might not appease Leonard.

The city of Toronto would like Leonard to stay, and now there are fans of the team looking to try to entice the former San Antonio Spurs wing any way they can. In a move that is half free publicity, half devotion, the CEO of a Canadian real estate company has said he will gift Leonard a high rise penthouse if the star stays with the Raptors.

Here’s what Simon Mass, the CEO of something called Condo Store Realty, said to Narcity and Livabl, respectively.

“We want to do what we can to ensure that our MVP stays in Toronto where he is loved and respected for being the ‘best of the best’ for the basketball-loving public of Toronto and Canada,” Mass said to Narcity.

…

“Based on his contract — whether it’s one-year, two-year or three-year — we would make sure that he has his own place to stay, as a sign of our support to the team and the city.”

To be honest, this mostly seems like a publicity stunt. Leonard is not eligible for the supermax after being traded by the Spurs, but the amount of money in the NBA these days sort of makes things like figuring out primary housing negligible on scale. Leonard can afford any piece of property he likes and he doesn’t need CEOs to give him a penthouse.

Then again, the support of a city is usually a factor in a star choosing to sign with a team, so it can’t hurt that people are trying to throw massive gifts at Leonard.

Let’s just get through this Eastern Conference Finals before we make any hasty assumptions about where Leonard will sign this summer, penthouses or not.

Rob Pelinka thinks Lakers have ‘very, very strong appeal’ to free agents

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By Dane DelgadoMay 23, 2019, 9:30 PM EDT
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The Los Angeles Lakers are an absolute mess. LeBron James helms a team which Magic Johnson didn’t want to be a part of despite his long history with the organization. There have been rumors of infighting between Johnson and Rob Pelinka, and heading into a crucial free agent summer, it’s not clear if players are looking at the Lakers seriously.

LeBron has already started to do some recruiting, apparently with Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard on his call list. For the front office staff left over after Johnson’s departure, there is still some belief that the glitter and glitz of the Lakers hold appeal for young free agents.

Speaking to reporters this week, Pelinka said that he thinks Los Angeles is still a top destination for players and that the Lakers are contenders to sign big names.

Via Silver Screen and Roll and Spectrum Sportsnet:

“I think the most important thing is that players look to who we really are and not what the impression is of what others are trying to create us to be. I think all of us know when we come to work every day that there is stability and strength and togetherness here.

“I think for any of us, we know who we are and ourselves, we know the characteristics and qualities we stand for. And we know as a staff and feel very strongly that if people judge and evaluate us for who we are as an organization and the vision and path we have going forward, we feel there’ll be a very, very strong appeal for the great players to come here.”

There are so many people and reporters surrounding the Lakers, with so much of the information pointing in one direction, it’s hard to understand how folks inside the organization could be so delusional about what’s happened. Then again, Los Angeles is not exactly the capital for publicly owning up to mistakes, and expecting Pelinka to say anything derogatory toward his own team (or his involvement in what’s gone on) would be a stretch.

Until this team shows it can make the types of decisions that multibillion dollar enterprises make — because that’s exactly what the Lakers are — it’s going to be hard to believe they can return to prominence. Pelinka might have the belief that free agents want to come to L.A., but I’ll believe it when I see it.

Report: LeBron James has started recruiting, reached out to Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler

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By Kurt HelinMay 23, 2019, 8:30 PM EDT
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If the Lakers are going to land another superstar this summer — in spite of a front office shooting itself in the foot over and over again — it’s going to be because LeBron James got involved and saved the day. Right now, the Lakers do not look like an organization free agents with options would choose, save for the fact they have LeBron.

LeBron is already hitting the recruiting trail, or at least making the phone calls (that the front office can’t officially), Brian Windhorst of ESPN said on Pardon The Interruption (hat tip The Sporting News).

“From what I understand, he has already begun the recruiting process. I’ve heard he has had contact with Kawhi Leonard. I’ve heard he has had contact with Jimmy Butler. There is no tampering enforcement by players. … The thing about it is, I don’t know if texts and calls and maybe a dinner with LeBron is enough for the Lakers to overcome the hurdles that they’re going to have.”

First, Windhorst is correct. While by the letter of the law a player could tamper with another player, in practice the league just lets that go. So if Draymond Green texted Kevin Durant from the parking lot of Oracle Arena after the Warriors’ Game 7 loss to the Cavaliers in 2016, the league turns a blind eye.

Leonard is a target the Lakers want, but I have heard from sources going back to last Summer League that if Leonard comes to Los Angeles he will be a Clipper. That has not changed. Leonard as a person is not fond of a lot of drama around him on the team, and the Lakers with LeBron are always going to be Telenovela level drama.

Butler would make sense as a fit next to LeBron if the two can stay healthy. Kyrie Irving should be a target. Heck, LeBron should hit up everyone, realistic or not (read: Kevin Durant). The Lakers need to get someone and with Rob Pelinka’s reputation around the league, their best chance is LeBron coming through as the rainmaker.