It could have been a story as old as time itself — the Toronto Raptors either letting up on the gas to make a blowout playoff game closer than it should’ve been. Or worse yet: losing yet another opening round Game 1 entirely. But not this time; not with the pedigree Toronto now holds. And especially not with Kyle Lowry as hungry as ever.
With 11:00 left in the fourth, Rodions Kurucs drove to the hoop for a layup to pull the Nets within nine points. On the ensuing possession, Fred VanVleet — who drilled a playoff career-high eight 3s and became the first Raptor in franchise history to have 30 points and over 10 assists in a playoff game — nailed a three by shaking Jeremiah Hart of the Nets with extreme prejudice.