Kawhi Leonard scored 37, while Kyle Lowry had 22, as the Toronto Raptors won Game 2 against the Orlando Magic 111-82 at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday to even the series 1-1.
The Magic surprised the Raptor in Game 1, winning the game 104-101, but the Raptors managed to bounce back, controlling the game from the beginning till the end.
Leonard, who scored 17 of his 37 points in the third quarter, set a new playoff record with 15 field goals. The crowd in Scotiabank Arena cheered his game when he left the court, late in the fourth quarter.
Pascal Siakam recorded a double-double, with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Serge Ibaka ended the match with 13 points.
The Raptors were impressive, ending the first half with a 16-point lead. That lead went up to 24 points at the end of the third quarter (90-66). That lead only grew in the fourth, stretching to 34 points at one point, after Norman Powell scored a three-pointer.
Aaron Gorden scored 20 points for the Magic, while former Raptors player Terrence Ross added 15 points.
With the game in hand, the Raptors coach gave players from the bench an opportunity to show their skills. After Leonard, Lowry and Siakam were also substituted.
Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard (2) controls a ball as San Antonio Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan (10) defends during the first quarter at Scotiabank Arena – Nick Turchiaro, USA TODAY Sports via Reuters
The Fight for the Conference Semi-Finals Continues
The Raptors ended the regular season with 58 wins on their count, but they didn’t start the playoff the way their fans expected. But they played a different game from the one on Saturday.
Toronto started the game with a strong defence, preventing the Magic from scoring in the first four minutes of the game, quickly going into an 11-0 lead. That lead increased to 13, but the visitors managed to cut it to 8 by the end of the first quarter.
The Raptors kept the pace in the second period. Their biggest lead was 2:27 before the end of the quarter, after Siakam’s free throws gave the home team a 16-point lead. Orlando once again cut the lead to 12 (51-39) at the half time.
Toronto was especially dominant in the last five minutes of the game. Things got pretty heated after Michael Carter-Williams elbowing Lowry and nearly knocking the 33-year-old point guard off his feet. Lowry converted the technical to extend the Raptors lead to 33.
The series will now move to Florida, with Game 3 and 4 scheduled to take place on Friday and Sunday at Amway Center in Orlando.
Both teams won on two occasions in the regular season. The winner of this tie will face either Philadelpia or Brooklyn in the Eastern Conference semis.