The Raptors and the 76ers played an exciting series, whose winner was decided in an equally exciting Game 7 with a fantastic buzzer-beater who bounced off the rim before finally going down through the hoop.
What a game and what an ending to the game did the spectators at Scotiabank Arena witness!
Kawhi Leonard made a number of headlines this season with his amazing performances, but this is the one he’ll definitely remember: scoring what seemed at first an impossible shot, over Joel Embiid’s hand to give his team a 92-90 win over the 76ers and send the Raptors into the Eastern Conference finals.
This is only the second time in the history of the franchise founded in 1995 to reach the conference finals. Leonard also wrote history last night, as his buzzer-beater was the first one ever to be scored in a Game 7 of the playoffs.
Kawhi scored 41 points, while Serge Ibaka had the best playoff game of his career with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Pascal Siakam recorded a double-double, with 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Kyle Lowry ended the game with 10 points. Marc Gasol contributed with 7 points and 11 rebounds.
An Exciting Game from the Beginning till the End
Embiid led the 76ers with 21 points, and even though all starting players for Philadelphia scored in double digits, the visitors were left empty-handed after 48 minutes. JJ Redick scored 17 points, while Jimmy Butler had 16.
The Raptors had serious problems when it comes to shooting for three during the first quarter, missing their first 8 shots. Ibaka scored the first three-pointer for Toronto a minute into the second quarter. In the end, the winning team shot only 23 percent for three, but the 76ers didn’t do much better, with 33 percent.
Neither team managed to substantially increase the lead, while the biggest lead of the game was Toronto’s 9 points advantage 2:32 before the end of the third. The 76ers then responded with a fantastic 16-0, going up by 7. Toronto soon caught up, and 7.7 seconds before the end of this quarter, Ibaka scored to give the home team a three-point lead, 67-64.
And as the fourth quarter progressed, it became clear that the winner wouldn’t be decided until the very end, although the Raptors did lead by 5, 4:48 before the end.
Toronto was leading by four into the final minute, but the 76ers cut that lead to just one point, 12.1 seconds before the buzzer, thanks to Butler’s free throw and Embiid’s two. Butler was the one to even the score, 4.2 seconds before the buzzer. The rest will be talked about for days and months to come.
A fantastic season for the player who was seriously injured last season, and even though about retiring.
The Raptors will face the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals.
If you like betting on basketball, be sure to visit William Hill where you’ll surely find the best odds.