Pascal Siakam felt guilty for missing a pair of free throws that resulted in his teammates struggling for several more minutes. Fortunately for Siakam and the Raptorrs, Kawhi Leonard was indefatigable.
Leonard scored 36 points, including eight in second overtime, and Toronto outscored the Milwaukee Bucks 118-112 to move closer to 2-1 in the Eastern Conference final.
In more than 52 minutes of action, Leonard hit 11 of 25 shots. He made 12 of 13 from the penalty line.
“At the end of the game, Kawhi said he played an hour of basketball,” Siakam said. “I replied: ‘It was my fault.’
Siakam added 25 points and 11 rebounds; Norman Powell scored 19 goals before being sent off for fouling accumulation, and Spaniard Marc Gasol tallied 16 goals and 12 captured balls off the backboards.
On Tuesday night, the Raptors will look to even the series, hosting Game 4.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 12 points and 23 rebounds but had to leave after committing his sixth foul, with 4:24 remaining in the second overtime.
Antetokounmpo made five of 16 shots.
Toronto won despite their guards Kyle Lowry and Powell being ejected in the fourth quarter with their sixth foul. Siakam also missed a pair of free throws in the final 7.4 seconds of regulation time, with which he could well have beaten the Bucks earlier.
But the Raptors came out ahead, thanks in large part to Leonard, who added nine rebounds and five assists despite showing some discomfort in one leg.
“I feel good,” insisted the star. “This is playoff basketball. Everyone is in pain, so I just had to keep fighting. “
Leonard’s previous mark for the most minutes in a playoff game was 46, set in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, on June 18, 2013. Back then, he played for San Antonio against Miami.
The Spurs lost that game in overtime and succumbed in Game 7 two days later.
Now the Raptors have won and are hoping to even the series. AP