OAKLAND – The Toronto Raptors were thankful to be down just four points following a subpar first half Friday night. Nobody could hit a shot save Kawhi Leonard, who kept Game 4 close while constantly cutting into deficits.
The Raptors established their first lead in a flurry that left the Warriors wondering what the heck happened.
"Kawhi Leonard came out and hit two eff-you shots to start the second half," Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet said Friday after the Raptors' 105-92 win. "There's no defense for that. There are no schemes for that. Those back-to-back 3s (in the first 46 seconds) were big-boy shots that let you know how we were going to approach the third quarter and the rest of the half."
The Raptors controlled the Warriors down the stretch and took the defending champs down for the second straight night at Oracle Arena. They own a three-games-to-one lead with the best-of-seven series heading back to Toronto for Monday's Game 5 thanks in large part to their unflappable superstar.
Leonard is unwavering in personality and his production consistent as they come, as we've seen throughout these NBA playoffs. He has 30-plus points in eight road games this postseason, second only to Kobe Bryant's nine such efforts in 2009. He's plus-20 through four games against the Warriors. He has been the difference between a string of early playoff exits and this deep Toronto run.
Leonard has drawn lots of grand comparisons over and over during this outstanding stretch, which now has him one win away from his second NBA championship.
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Here's another: You might call him Kevin Durant-like, in his offensive steadiness.
That's apparent in these NBA Finals, where Leonard's averaging nearly 31 points per game through four games. Durant averaged 35.2 points per game in the 2017 NBA Finals, when he was named series MVP. He scored nearly 29 per game in last year's championship series, when he earned his second straight NBA Finals MVP award.
Leonard's giving the Raptors exactly what the wounded Warriors need right now from Durant.
Klay Thompson and Kevon Looney are banged-up. DeMarcus Cousins is hurt and out of sorts. Steph Curry has been deadly one game, and inaccurate the next.
Durant is guaranteed for roughly 30 points that the Wariors could always confidently tally before tipoff, with true greatness possible every night.
His calf strain in the second round of the NBA playoffs stole that safety net, which still hasn't returned nine games and nearly a month later.
The Raptors have thrived thanks to Leonard's consistency, even when everything else fails. That's the only way Toronto survived a horrid start Friday night. Every Raptor save Leonard went 1-for-13 in the first quarter. Kawhi was 5-for-8 for 14 invaluable points in the disastrous opening, and the Raptors were down just six headed into the second frame.
He had 17 in Toronto's third-quarter surge that essentially put the game away, including those two daggers to start the second half.
The rest of a deep, talented team rose to meet him down the stretch and pulled away from the Warriors, who were clearly frazzled losing two straight home games and now face a K2 climb to win a third straight title.
The Warriors could use some Kevin Durant comfort food right about now, which the Raptors already are enjoying with Leonard going strong and steady. The production is nice, as is his unflappable nature that has spread throughout the team.
"I've said it in many ways, but I really think his demeanor has taken a big part of our team," Raptors guard Kyle Lowry said. "We have some guys who are fiery and feisty, but we all just stay level headed. We never get too up, never get too down."
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Toronto has never won an NBA championship, and the NBA's Canadian representative could deliver glory to the whole country. There will be pressure to clinch the title and heavy resistance from the proud and talented Warriors, but Leonard won't feel it. Bank on that from someone who doesn't get rattled, and has been consistently productive when it matters most.
"I know we say it all the time, but the dude is just great," Raptors forward Pascal Siakam said. "It's nice to have him playing like that right now."
