In a tight, back-and-forth contest in the Orlando bubble, the Raptors willed themselves to a 125-122 victory that forces a Game 7 contest on Friday night to decide which team will advance to face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Toronto overcame several deficits, including a first half that saw them trail for all but a couple of minutes and a second overtime which saw them behind in the final minute, to grind out a victory to keep their season alive.

Despite trailing 117-115 in the final minute of the game, an OG Anunoby three-pointer and a Norman Powell mid-range jumper gave them a three-point lead that they would not relinquish.

A Jayson Tatum three-pointer cut the team’s lead to only one with 6.2 seconds left in the game, but Norman Powell’s two clutch free throws meant that the Celtics would need to hit a buzzer-beating three pointer to tie the game and send it to a third overtime. Marcus Smart missed, however, meaning that the series will move to a decisive Game 7.

Kyle Lowry led the Raptors in points with 33, and Powell’s 22 points off the bench were key in keeping their team alive.

Game 7 is set to be played on Friday night at 9:00 pm Eastern time.

The post Raptors Defeat Celtics in 2 OT Thriller to Send Series to Game 7 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Boston was able to sweep the Sixers on the backs of fantastic performances from star point guard Kemba Walker and dynamic forward Jayson Tatum, who scored 30 and 28 points respectively.

Philadelphia went into halftime with a one-point advantage, but Boston put its foot on the gas in the third quarter, outscoring the Sixers 32-19.

The Sixers never looked like much of a match for the Celtics in large part due to a knee injury with left them without star point guard Ben Simmons. They were only blown out in Game 3, but just failed to keep up with the Celtics’ offensive output despite big efforts from star center Joel Embiid.

While the Celtics lost Gordon Hayward for the series in Game 1 due to an ankle injury, they were able to keep going as Tatum, Walker, and other key players like Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown kept them scoring and afloat.

The Celtics will now have some time to rest and prepare for their Eastern Conference semi-finals matchup against the winner of the series between the Toronto Raptors and the Brooklyn Nets.

The post Celtics Race Past 76ers 110-106 in Game 4 For Emphatic First Round Sweep appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Good thing for the Raptors, they have a player named Kawhi Leonard who took care of business.

Leonard hit an incredibly difficult fadeaway jumped over the 76ers’ Joel Embiid as time expired to lift Toronto to a 92-90 Game 7 win. Their victory qualifies the Raptors for a date with the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line.

The Raptors hosted the 76ers in the series finale, and the game lived up to its billing. The two teams fought tooth and nail, with several lead changes occurring throughout the second half of the game.

After Embiid tied up the game at 90 after hitting two free throws with only 12 seconds left on the clock, it was clear the the Raptors wanted to get the ball to Leonard for a final shot.

He got it, he made it, and he sent his team on to the next round.

The Scotiabank Arena went berserk, as Toronto advanced to its second conference finals in franchise history.

There, the Raptors will have a tough task as they look to tame Giannis Antentokoumpo and the 1-seeded Bucks.

The post Kawhi Leonard’s Buzzer-Beater Beats 76ers in Game 7 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Sixers grabbed a massive victory in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals to force a decisive Game 7. The Raptors were unable to capitalize on an opportunity to end the series and to move on to face the Milwaukee Bucks in the conference finals.

Philadelphia was motivated by a rowdy home crowd at the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday night. Both fans and the team knew that a loss would put an end to what has been a special season.

There was relatively little drama on Thursday, as Philly led without relinquishing their advantage for the final 39 minutes of the game.

Jimmy Butler led the Sixers with yet another big performance, scoring 25 points and notching 8 assists and 6 rebounds.

All of Philadelphia’s starting five finished in double figures, including Ben Simmons, who scored 21 points on only 13 shot attempts in an ultra-efficient performance. Star center Joel Embiid struggled to score once again, making only 5 of 14 from the field, but he did finish the night with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Kawhi Leonard, once again, led Toronto’s futile effort with 29 points and 12 rebounds.

Now, the two teams will clash in a do-or-die Game 7 which the Raptors will host on Sunday night. A ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals is on the line.

The post 76ers Beat Raptors, Force Game 7 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

After breezing through four consecutive games to win the series in 5 games, the Bucks have put those doubts to rest.

Milwaukee blew out Boston at home by a 116-91 final to win Game 5 and move on to the conference finals. Waiting for them there will be either the Toronto Raptors or the Philadelphia 76ers.

Try as they might have, Boston had no answer for Milwaukee’s strong team effort on Wednesday night. They suffocated Boston’s offense and offered a balanced scoring attack. On a team that’s often described as Giannis Antetokounmpo’s, Milwaukee proved that they have a deep team will plenty of talent outside of their superstar.

Giannis led Milwaukee in scoring with only 20 points on Wednesday. Fortunately for the Bucks, he had plenty of help.

Guards George Hill, Khris Middleton, and Eric Bledsoe all chipped in 15+ points. Nikola Mirotic also added a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double while playing strong defense inside.

The Celtics just couldn’t do much, with Kyrie Irving leading the team with only 15 points.

The Bucks will now rest up before the Eastern Conference Finals. They’ll have to wait to see whether they’ll face the Raptors or the Sixers there. Toronto currently holds a 3-2 series lead.

The post Bucks Win Game 5, Advance to Eastern Conference Finals appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Toronto won the first game by a 108-95 margin, but Philadelphia was able to eke out a 94-89 win in one of the lowest-scoring games of this year’s NBA playoffs.

This win is even more important considering that they traveled to the Air Canada Centre to achieve it and that now they have home-court advantage in the remaining five games of the series.

Monday night’s game can be resumed as a duel between 76ers forward Jimmy Butler and Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard, two of the biggest stars on either team who both put up big numbers on Monday.

Butler scored 30 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to spur his team to its victory on Monday. No other Sixers player scored more than 13 points all night.

Kawhi Leonard outdid Butler, scoring 35 points, but it was ultimately not enough for his team to take home the victory. The Raptors got only a paltry 5 points from bench players on Monday night, while the 76ers totaled 26.

Game 3 of the series will move to Philadelphia and be played on Thursday night.

The post 76ers Even Series with Raptors in Game 2 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

This is Philadelphia’s second major addition this season after they acquired forward Jimmy Butler in a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves back in November.

Harris, who played college basketball at the University of Tennessee, is having a career year in 2018-19. He is averaging 20.9 points per game on 50% shooting from the field, along with 7.9 rebounds per game.

Philadelphia, however, is paying a high price to acquire the 26-year-old forward. In the deal, they are giving up two future first-round picks. The Sixers’ unprotected first round pick in 2020 goes to LA in the deal, as well as a Miami Heat 2021 unprotected first round pick. They will also give up two future second round picks, Wilson Chandler, Mike Muscala, and Landry Shamet.

In addition to Harris, the Clippers will send Boban Marjanovic and Mike Scott to the Sixers.

Philadelphia’s aim is to contend for the Eastern Conference title this season, and with an extremely strong core of Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Butler, and their new addition, they look to be on their way to contending.

The post Philadelphia 76ers Acquire Tobias Harris in Trade with Clippers appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Raptors, who moved to 29-12 on the season with their win, were led by all-pro forward Kawhi Leonard, who scored 30 points while tallying 6 assists and 6 rebounds.

The Raptors got key performances from two unheralded players as well. Power forward Pascal Siakam had a career-high 30 point game, and point guard Fred VanVleet notched 21 points and 8 assists on the night.

The loss for Milwaukee was only their 4th in 22 home games this season. Despite losing on Saturday, they are still in first place in the Eastern Conference with a razor-thin 0.5 game lead over the Raptors.

Even though Milwaukee lost, they can still be positive about forward Giannis Antetokounmpo’s effort in their loss. The “Greek Freak” turned in the best individual performance from a player on either team, with a monster 43 point, 18 rebound double-double.

Milwaukee will look to maintain their narrow Eastern Conference advantage as they host the Utah Jazz on Monday night, while the Raptors return home to take on the third-place team in the East, the Indiana Pacers.

The post Raptors defeat Bucks 123-116 in Showdown of Eastern Conference’s Top Teams appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

In a tight, back-and-forth contest in the Orlando bubble, the Raptors willed themselves to a 125-122 victory that forces a Game 7 contest on Friday night to decide which team will advance to face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Toronto overcame several deficits, including a first half that saw them trail for all but a couple of minutes and a second overtime which saw them behind in the final minute, to grind out a victory to keep their season alive.

Despite trailing 117-115 in the final minute of the game, an OG Anunoby three-pointer and a Norman Powell mid-range jumper gave them a three-point lead that they would not relinquish.

A Jayson Tatum three-pointer cut the team’s lead to only one with 6.2 seconds left in the game, but Norman Powell’s two clutch free throws meant that the Celtics would need to hit a buzzer-beating three pointer to tie the game and send it to a third overtime. Marcus Smart missed, however, meaning that the series will move to a decisive Game 7.

Kyle Lowry led the Raptors in points with 33, and Powell’s 22 points off the bench were key in keeping their team alive.

Game 7 is set to be played on Friday night at 9:00 pm Eastern time.

The post Raptors Defeat Celtics in 2 OT Thriller to Send Series to Game 7 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Boston was able to sweep the Sixers on the backs of fantastic performances from star point guard Kemba Walker and dynamic forward Jayson Tatum, who scored 30 and 28 points respectively.

Philadelphia went into halftime with a one-point advantage, but Boston put its foot on the gas in the third quarter, outscoring the Sixers 32-19.

The Sixers never looked like much of a match for the Celtics in large part due to a knee injury with left them without star point guard Ben Simmons. They were only blown out in Game 3, but just failed to keep up with the Celtics’ offensive output despite big efforts from star center Joel Embiid.

While the Celtics lost Gordon Hayward for the series in Game 1 due to an ankle injury, they were able to keep going as Tatum, Walker, and other key players like Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown kept them scoring and afloat.

The Celtics will now have some time to rest and prepare for their Eastern Conference semi-finals matchup against the winner of the series between the Toronto Raptors and the Brooklyn Nets.

The post Celtics Race Past 76ers 110-106 in Game 4 For Emphatic First Round Sweep appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Good thing for the Raptors, they have a player named Kawhi Leonard who took care of business.

Leonard hit an incredibly difficult fadeaway jumped over the 76ers’ Joel Embiid as time expired to lift Toronto to a 92-90 Game 7 win. Their victory qualifies the Raptors for a date with the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line.

The Raptors hosted the 76ers in the series finale, and the game lived up to its billing. The two teams fought tooth and nail, with several lead changes occurring throughout the second half of the game.

After Embiid tied up the game at 90 after hitting two free throws with only 12 seconds left on the clock, it was clear the the Raptors wanted to get the ball to Leonard for a final shot.

He got it, he made it, and he sent his team on to the next round.

The Scotiabank Arena went berserk, as Toronto advanced to its second conference finals in franchise history.

There, the Raptors will have a tough task as they look to tame Giannis Antentokoumpo and the 1-seeded Bucks.

The post Kawhi Leonard’s Buzzer-Beater Beats 76ers in Game 7 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Sixers grabbed a massive victory in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals to force a decisive Game 7. The Raptors were unable to capitalize on an opportunity to end the series and to move on to face the Milwaukee Bucks in the conference finals.

Philadelphia was motivated by a rowdy home crowd at the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday night. Both fans and the team knew that a loss would put an end to what has been a special season.

There was relatively little drama on Thursday, as Philly led without relinquishing their advantage for the final 39 minutes of the game.

Jimmy Butler led the Sixers with yet another big performance, scoring 25 points and notching 8 assists and 6 rebounds.

All of Philadelphia’s starting five finished in double figures, including Ben Simmons, who scored 21 points on only 13 shot attempts in an ultra-efficient performance. Star center Joel Embiid struggled to score once again, making only 5 of 14 from the field, but he did finish the night with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Kawhi Leonard, once again, led Toronto’s futile effort with 29 points and 12 rebounds.

Now, the two teams will clash in a do-or-die Game 7 which the Raptors will host on Sunday night. A ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals is on the line.

The post 76ers Beat Raptors, Force Game 7 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

After breezing through four consecutive games to win the series in 5 games, the Bucks have put those doubts to rest.

Milwaukee blew out Boston at home by a 116-91 final to win Game 5 and move on to the conference finals. Waiting for them there will be either the Toronto Raptors or the Philadelphia 76ers.

Try as they might have, Boston had no answer for Milwaukee’s strong team effort on Wednesday night. They suffocated Boston’s offense and offered a balanced scoring attack. On a team that’s often described as Giannis Antetokounmpo’s, Milwaukee proved that they have a deep team will plenty of talent outside of their superstar.

Giannis led Milwaukee in scoring with only 20 points on Wednesday. Fortunately for the Bucks, he had plenty of help.

Guards George Hill, Khris Middleton, and Eric Bledsoe all chipped in 15+ points. Nikola Mirotic also added a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double while playing strong defense inside.

The Celtics just couldn’t do much, with Kyrie Irving leading the team with only 15 points.

The Bucks will now rest up before the Eastern Conference Finals. They’ll have to wait to see whether they’ll face the Raptors or the Sixers there. Toronto currently holds a 3-2 series lead.

The post Bucks Win Game 5, Advance to Eastern Conference Finals appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Toronto won the first game by a 108-95 margin, but Philadelphia was able to eke out a 94-89 win in one of the lowest-scoring games of this year’s NBA playoffs.

This win is even more important considering that they traveled to the Air Canada Centre to achieve it and that now they have home-court advantage in the remaining five games of the series.

Monday night’s game can be resumed as a duel between 76ers forward Jimmy Butler and Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard, two of the biggest stars on either team who both put up big numbers on Monday.

Butler scored 30 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to spur his team to its victory on Monday. No other Sixers player scored more than 13 points all night.

Kawhi Leonard outdid Butler, scoring 35 points, but it was ultimately not enough for his team to take home the victory. The Raptors got only a paltry 5 points from bench players on Monday night, while the 76ers totaled 26.

Game 3 of the series will move to Philadelphia and be played on Thursday night.

The post 76ers Even Series with Raptors in Game 2 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

This is Philadelphia’s second major addition this season after they acquired forward Jimmy Butler in a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves back in November.

Harris, who played college basketball at the University of Tennessee, is having a career year in 2018-19. He is averaging 20.9 points per game on 50% shooting from the field, along with 7.9 rebounds per game.

Philadelphia, however, is paying a high price to acquire the 26-year-old forward. In the deal, they are giving up two future first-round picks. The Sixers’ unprotected first round pick in 2020 goes to LA in the deal, as well as a Miami Heat 2021 unprotected first round pick. They will also give up two future second round picks, Wilson Chandler, Mike Muscala, and Landry Shamet.

In addition to Harris, the Clippers will send Boban Marjanovic and Mike Scott to the Sixers.

Philadelphia’s aim is to contend for the Eastern Conference title this season, and with an extremely strong core of Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Butler, and their new addition, they look to be on their way to contending.

The post Philadelphia 76ers Acquire Tobias Harris in Trade with Clippers appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Raptors, who moved to 29-12 on the season with their win, were led by all-pro forward Kawhi Leonard, who scored 30 points while tallying 6 assists and 6 rebounds.

The Raptors got key performances from two unheralded players as well. Power forward Pascal Siakam had a career-high 30 point game, and point guard Fred VanVleet notched 21 points and 8 assists on the night.

The loss for Milwaukee was only their 4th in 22 home games this season. Despite losing on Saturday, they are still in first place in the Eastern Conference with a razor-thin 0.5 game lead over the Raptors.

Even though Milwaukee lost, they can still be positive about forward Giannis Antetokounmpo’s effort in their loss. The “Greek Freak” turned in the best individual performance from a player on either team, with a monster 43 point, 18 rebound double-double.

Milwaukee will look to maintain their narrow Eastern Conference advantage as they host the Utah Jazz on Monday night, while the Raptors return home to take on the third-place team in the East, the Indiana Pacers.

The post Raptors defeat Bucks 123-116 in Showdown of Eastern Conference’s Top Teams appeared first on yoursportspot.com.