Raptor coach Nick Nurse began Thursday’s “must-win” Game Three against Boston with a new focus to his offense, namely Kyle Lowry and Marc Gasol who attempted 12 of their squad’s first 13 shots. The pair combined to shoot 7-for-14 in Q1 (despite MG sitting out the last five-and-a-half minutes), the rest of the team just 4-for-12. [Those “others” would bounce back over the final 36 minutes, going a more respectable 19-for-44.]
Kemba Walker’s 17-point Q1 outburst matched the Raptor duo in a back-and-forth Q1 that saw seven lead changes … overall, this tilt would have a dozen ties and 16 lead changes.