The key Raptors play big minutes because they have to. If they worry about tomorrow and today bites them in the butt, the regrets will be enormous.
That’s the simple reality for the team that has now reduced its NBA Eastern Conference semifinal with the Boston Celtics to a best-of-three affair, primarily because of the heavy workload put on the star players.
Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam all played the entire second half and more than 43 minutes each — Lowry was the laggard at 43:47 — in their Game 4 win over Boston on Saturday.