The Toronto Raptors have a chance to tie their Eastern Conference finals series at 2-2 tonight. Having broken the Cleveland Cavaliers 10-game playoff winning streak, the Raptors would dearly love to force a return to the Air Canada Centre for Game 6. But there won’t be one unless Toronto grabs one of the next two games – and I don’t think they can afford to wait until Wednesday’s return to Cleveland.
Obviously the Raptors want to extend this series for any number of reasons, and here’s another: Jonas Valanciunas is getting better. He’s not playing tonight, and I doubt he’ll be ready for Game 5 (high ankle sprains are a bear to recover from, and there’s little medicine can do to speed healing), but Friday night…maybe.