Raptors at Magic
The Toronto Raptors survived to win a game with an ill Kawhi Leonard and now hope to see the All-Star forward back at full strength. Second-seeded Toronto looks to increase its series lead to 3-1 over the Orlando Magic in Sunday's Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first-round matchup.
Leonard poured in 37 points in the Raptors' Game 2 victory but the illness sapped his strength and he was just 5-of-19 shooting while scoring 16 points in Friday's 98-93 road win. "Listen, that was a gutsy performance by him," Toronto coach Nick Nurse told reporters of Leonard. "He didn't practice the last couple days and for him to go out there and fight through that and still play 37 minutes ... I'm most proud of his 10 rebounds. He was just battling, it wasn't easy for him out there." Seventh-seeded Orlando notched an upset road triumph in the opening game of the series but the consecutive setbacks since that big victory leave the club knowing that winning Sunday is imperative. "It's an understanding that a series is a series and we have another shot on Sunday to tie it up, and then it really gets interesting," Magic forward Jonathan Isaac told reporters. "Play basketball and come on Sunday with a hunger and a mindset that this is a big game for us. Most people would say that we've got to win it and if we get it done - when we get it done - we'll be 2-2."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TNT, TSN (Toronto), FS Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE RAPTORS: Third-year forward Pascal Siakam stepped into the void caused by Leonard's off-night to record 30 points on 13-of-20 shooting while also collecting 11 rebounds in 42 minutes. "When you have things going, they want to go to you and give you the ball," Siakam said of his teammates in a press conference. "Just knowing and trusting my work. Every time I go on the floor it's a blessing, and I trust my work, I work on things every day and try to get better." Point guard Kyle Lowry, who contributed 12 points and 10 assists on Friday, said this of Siakam: "He's unbelievable. He's the most improved basketball player in the NBA this year."
ABOUT THE MAGIC: Orlando won 13 of its final 14 regular-season home games but it couldn't keep the success going in Game 3 as it shot just 36.3 percent from the field and committed 16 turnovers. "We have another game on Sunday and obviously we don't want to go to Toronto down 3-1," All-Star center Nikola Vucevic told reporters. "We have to secure our business (at home). It's going to be a very big game for us, and we have to prepare for it the right way." Swingman Terrence Ross scored a team-high 24 points off the bench while Vucevic tallied 22 on 7-of-13 shooting after averaging just 8.5 on 6-of-21 shooting over the first two games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Siakam is averaging 24.3 points and 10 rebounds in the series after averaging 16.9 and 6.9, respectively, during the regular season.
2. Orlando SG Evan Fournier scored seven points on porous 1-of-12 shooting in Game 3 and he has connected on 12-of-42 shots in the series while averaging 11 points.
3. Toronto C Marc Gasol is 6-of-10 from 3-point range while averaging 10.3 points in the series.