Kyle Lowry had a game high 33 points Wednesday night, including a clutch fadeaway jump shot in double overtime to lead the Toronto Raptors to a thrilling 125-122 win in game six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals over the Boston Celtics at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. The best of seven is now tied 3-3.
The defending world champions from Toronto only held one first quarter lead on a free throw on the first possession. Boston led by as many as eight, hitting five three-pointers (three from Marcus Smart) and holding a 25-21 lead after one. Both teams struggled in the opening 12 minutes only shooting 30% from the field. The Celtics extended their lead to 12 twice early in the second, helped by a pair of three-pointers from Brad Wanamaker. The Raptors had the answer as Lowry had 15 first half points, and Serge Ibaka had three second quarter three-pointers as Toronto got within two late but the green still led 52-48 at the break. Brown led all scorers at intermission with 21 points.
Toronto continued to show their fight in the third quarter using a pair of three-pointers from Fred VanVleet and another from Marc Gasol, to spark a 9-0 run for a six point advantage and their first lead since it was 1-0. The Raptors would build their biggest lead of eight, and led 81-77 headed to the final quarter. Down seven early in the fourth, Brown made a pair of three-pointers and Jayson Tatum hit another to regain a Boston lead at 89-88 with 8:22 left to play. Lowry had his own answer with a pair from behind the arc to give the lead back to Toronto by five. The Celtics tied it late on a pair of Daniel Theis baskets the first one down the lane for a layup, and then a dunk after a good pass from Smart to even things 98-98 just 29 seconds later. Pascal Siakam had a chance to win it late for the Raptors but missed a finger roll with 26 seconds left. Kemba Walker had a chance in the lane in the closing seconds but also missed, and Toronto rebounded and called a timeout. After Boston committed a non-shooting foul which they had one to give, Siakam missed a long three-pointer with 0.9 showing on the clock and the game would go to the first extra session.
The teams swapped leads in the first five minute overtime, before Norman Powell put Toronto back into the lead with two free throws with 1:32 left. After some empty possessions both ways, Brown would even things for Boston with 18.9 seconds to go with two from the line and Powell would miss one from long distance with one second remaining as they would head to period number six. Tatum and Theis both had dunks to begin the double overtime for a four point advantage, before the Raptors came back to even it once again. Smart made a three-pointer with 1:37 remaining to restore the Celtics lead, but Powell responded immediately with one of his own on the other end. After Theis converted another ally-oop for a dunk, game three hero OJ Anunoby gave Toronto the lead for good with one from behind the arc with just under a minute to play. Lowry hit a dagger of a turnaround jumper with 11.7 seconds left to make it 123-119. Tatum did hit a three just five seconds later, but Powell hit two from the line and Smart missed a tying three point attempt in the closing seconds to send the series to a one game playoff for all the marbles and a trip to the Conference Finals.
Brown led Boston in the loss with 31 points and 16 rebounds. Tatum also had a big night with 29 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocked shots. Smart had a triple double with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists (6-11 three-pointers). Theis finished with 18 points and seven rebounds. Lowry added eight rebounds, six assists, and two steals to his point total (also 6-10 three-pointers). Powell had 23 points (10 in second overtime) and VanVleet 21 to round out the high scorers for Toronto. Both teams shot over 40% from three-point range and both hit 19 of them in the game. Game seven is a 9 p.m. start time on Friday night to see who advances to play the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.
