Listen to That’s A Rap #31: Post-Game 5 vs. Bucks Reaction

The Toronto Raptors are one win away from the NBA Finals. Let that sentence soak in. Kawhi Leonard is the prince that was promised, having led the Raptors, again, to a kind-of-a-big-deal, soul-sucking, history-making Game Five win in Milwaukee. Similar to Game Four, Kawhi got help. This time, it was Fred VanVleet, who is the lights-out shooter we’ve, to this point, only seen in the regular season.

Just as the Raptors got off to a slow start, I started the latest post-game pod by fumbling over my words. Also like the Raptors, we finish strong and are ready for Game Six.

On The Latest Episode:

Kawhi’s hands were all over the place — dishing out a season-high nine dimes, grabbing crucial offensive boards, clawing at Giannis Antetokounmpo’s face.

After Game Four, Mike Budenholzer complained that Drake had no place on the court. Was it possible he was mistaking Fred VanVleet for Aubrey Graham? If so, Coach Bud was definitely not happy with FVV’s incredible Game Five performance.

Milwaukee finally swapped out the team’s worst player (by net rating), Nikola Mirotic, for the team’s best, Malcolm Brogdon. The switch worked to the tune of an 18-4 start. How Nick Nurse and the Raptors turned that deficit into the franchise’s biggest victory, to date, will forever live in Raptor lore.

That aforementioned slow start is still an area of concern. Milwaukee’s lack of experience (but probably more the lack of a half-court offense) allowed Toronto to come back and take the lead by mid-second quarter. Not to jinx things, but Golden State will not be as forgiving.

The Raptors are not likely to hit 18 three-pointers in Game Six, so Milwaukee’s +18 advantage in the paint should be remedied quickly if Toronto wishes to advance to its first NBA Finals.

This podcast was born the day Kawhi was traded to Toronto. We were in disbelief that a player of his calibre was about to play for our team. Ten months later, he has carried this team to the brink of the NBA Finals. The roof of Scotiabank Arena might actually blow off on Saturday!

2:35 - Point Klaw

11:35 - Freddy Sr.

17:30 - Areas of concern that thankfully don’t include Drake

22:45 - Is the Danny Green Game ever coming?