Raptors umeskapo sa Bucks sa double OT

TORONTO - Nai­wa­san ng Raptors na ma­hulog sa 0-3 butas nang makuha ang series-sa­ving win laban sa Milwaukee Bucks.

Nagpasabog si Kawhi Leonard ng 36 points, ka­sama ang walo sa se­cond overtime, para pamu­nuan ang Toronto sa 118-112 tagumpay la­ban sa Milwaukee sa Game Three ng NBA Eas­tern Confe­rence Finals.

Dinala ni Leonard, umis­kor ng 19 points sa fourth quarter, sa kan­yang mga balikat ang Raptors matapos ma-foul out sina guards Kyle Lowry at Norman Po­well.

Nagtala din ang star for­ward ng 9 rebounds at 5 assists sa loob ng 52 minutong paglalaro ba­gama’t may leg injury.

“First of all, his defense was probably the biggest key of the game,” wika ni Toronto head coach Nick Nurse kay Leo­nard. “Not only did he just play good, but he made some huge plays with some steals, ripaways and breakaways. He was good. It was a lot of minutes but I think he’s okay.”

Kumolekta naman si Raptors forward Pascal Siakam ng 25 points at 11 rebounds, habang may 16 markers si center Marc Gasol mula sa kanyang 4-of-8 shooting sa three-point range bukod pa ang 12 boards at 7 assists.

Tumapos si Powell na may 19 points, 4 rebounds at 3 assists at naglista si Lowry ng 11 markers, 5 assists at 4 rebounds.

Nalimitahan si Bucks star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo sa 12 points mula sa 5-of-16 fieldgoal shooting, ngunit humakot ng 23 rebounds at 7 assists bago na-foul out sa huling 4:24 minuto sa second overtime.

Sina reserve guards George Hill at Malcolm Brogdon ay nagposte ng pinagsamang 44 points mu­­­la sa bench para sa opensa ng Mil­­­waukee.

“I feel like we gave ourselves several chan­ces,” sabi ni Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer. “We we­ren’t able to get over the hump.”

“When you have op­por­tunities you’ve got to make them and we didn’t quite make enough of our good ones. I think we’ll be better in Game Four, Giannis, everybody,” dagdag pa nito.

Nakuha ng Milwaukee ang 105-103 abante, ngu­nit binanderahan ni Leo­nard ang atake ng Toronto para sa kanilang 112-109 ka­lamangan.

Ang kanyang driving bank shot ang naglayo sa Raptors sa 114-110 sa na­lalabing 32.4 segundo ng laro.

Marami ang nag-aalala na may iniindang injury si Leonard.

“This is playoff bas­ket­­ball,” pahayag ni Leo­nard. “Every­bo­dy’s hur­ting, you just have to keep figh­ting.”