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Using a tremendous effort at both ends of the court from reserves, and 24 points from Kyle Lowry, the Raptors came back to beat the Washington Wizards 102-92 in Game 6 on Friday night and end their Eastern Conference first-round series.
”Those guys have some ugly possessions, but most of the time, they figure it out,” Toronto coach Dwane Casey said about his bench players, who overwhelmed Washington’s in points, 21-6, and rebounds, 15-3, in the second half. ”We trust them. We trusted them all year.”
Toronto fell behind by 12 points in the first quarter and by 53-50 at the end of the second.
The Raptors’ first lead did not come until the third quarter, and they were back down by five points entering the final period.
Never in franchise history had the Raptors won after trailing at halftime in a postseason away game, the team said, citing the Elias Sports Bureau.
”It’s a different year. It’s a different team,” VanVleet said. ”We’ve just got to keep our composure going forward and leave the past in the past.”
With star guards Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, who had a personal series-low 16 points [url=http://www.billscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-russell-bodine-jersey]Cheap Russell Bodine Jersey[/url] , resting to begin the fourth, VanVleet steered the turnaround, and the Raptors outscored Washington 29-14 in the last quarter. Bothered by a bad right shoulder, VanVleet had played a total of three minutes in the series until Friday, but he was just what Toronto needed in this game, with five points, four assists and four rebounds.
”On the road, in a hostile environment, I just wanted to be another support guy out there, that can ease the starters a bit,” VanVleet said. ”You know, me running the team and playing defense and stuff, I can do those things in my sleep.”
It allowed DeRozan to play only 33 1/2 minutes total, and Lowry 31 1/2, compared with more than 40 each for Washington’s All-Star guards, John Wall and Bradley Beal, who looked tired by the end.
”It was great to have our full bench back. Freddie back out there with the guys,” DeRozan said. ”Just a testament to what they did all year.”
Pascal Siakam had 11 points and eight rebounds and used his length to hound Wall [url=http://www.chargerscheapstore.com/uchenna-nwosu-jersey-cheap]Cheap Uchenna Nwosu Jersey[/url] , while VanVleet was a pest to Beal.
Jakob Poeltl and C.J. Miles each scored seven. It was VanVleet’s 3-pointer with center Marcin Gortat in his face that tied the game at 78, and Miles’ 3 with about 8 1/2 minutes remaining that gave Toronto its first lead of more than a single point, at 84-80.
”I’m still looking for that manual that says you can’t play that second unit. They’re too young. They’re too this. They’re too that,” Casey said. ”They closed it out for us tonight.”
The home team had won each of the first five games, but the Raptors were finally able to break that road hex. The East’s No. 1 seed will face LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers or the Indiana Pacers next. The Pacers forced a Game 7 on Sunday by avoiding elimination with a 121-87 victory over the Cavs on Friday night.
Asked whether he has a preference for the upcoming opponent, DeRozan answered with one word: ”No.”
This marks the Raptors’ third consecutive trip to the second round of the playoffs; they last failed to get that far in 2015, when they were swept in the opening round by the Wizards.
But this time, Washington bowed out earlier than it was hoping when the season began with grandiose talk of a run to the conference finals. Instead, the Wizards were without Wall for 41 games and wound up with the No. 8 seeding.
Wall had 23 points and eight assists in Game 6; Beal scored 32. But none of that mattered to the fans who started heading to the exits early as the Wizards’ run of eight home playoff wins in a row came to a close.
”We got some looks,” said Wall, whose entire team had only 12 assists. ”We just missed them.”
TIP-INS
Raptors: After averaging 18.5 turnovers in Games 3 and 4 at Washington, Toronto had only seven in Game 6.
Wizards: Were without starting SF Otto Porter Jr., who had a medical procedure Friday to prevent permanent muscle damage because of compartment syndrome in his left leg. … Kelly Oubre Jr. started in place of Porter and hit his first 3-point attempt, before missing all six other shots he took.
UP NEXT:
Toronto will host Games 1 and 2 in the second round, no matter the opponent. The Raptors lost to the Cavaliers each of the past two seasons – swept in the second round a year ago, and beaten in six games in the conference finals in 2016.
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After spending three days at Camden Yards, Greg Bird and Sonny Gray left town feeling a whole lot better than when they arrived.
Bird hit his first career grand slam to back a dominating pitching performance by Gray, and the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-0 Wednesday night for a split of the four-game series.
Facing Dylan Bundy (6-9) in the third inning [url=http://www.billsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-trent-murphy-jersey]Bills Trent Murphy Jersey[/url] , Bird launched a drive off the right-field foul pole to put New York up 5-0. It was the second night in a row he homered and had four RBIs.
The big first baseman came to Baltimore with nine RBIs, and doubled that total during this series.
”Him playing well is a big deal for us,” manager Aaron Boone said. ”Hopefully we’re starting to see him get settled in and having some impact at bats.”
Gray (6-7) allowed three hits, walked one and struck out eight over six innings. The right-hander had lost three straight starts, the last two in which he gave up a collective 11 runs over 4 1/3 innings.
Facing the last-place Orioles couldn’t have come at a better time for Gray. He’s 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA against Baltimore and 3-7 with a 6.32 ERA against everyone else.
”When you’re going through some things, I think it’s important to get back to your strengths,” Gray said. ”My two-seam and my curveball have always been something I’ve been able to rely on throughout my career, going back to college. I think to simplify things and go back to your strengths, that’s all we tried to do today.”
It worked quite well.
”Sonny Gray is too good a pitcher to stay where he was all year, and I think he made some adjustments,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. ”He looked physically strong tonight.”
The victory enabled the Yankees to improve to 5-5 against the Orioles this season. In this series, Baltimore won 5-4 and 6-5, and New York’s wins were by a total of 17 runs.
Rookie Tyler Wade and Austin Romine also homered for the Yankees, and Giancarlo Stanton had four hits.
In the pivotal third inning, Stanton singled in a run before Bird ended a nine-pitch at-bat by pulling a curveball down the line.
”I feel like gradually it’s coming,” Bird said. ”I can feel it on a swing here and there, and it’s just been better and more consistent.”
Wade went deep in the sixth, and Romine connected in the seventh. Wade’s long ball [url=http://www.the49ersfootballauthentic.com/tarvarius-moore-jersey-authentic]Youth Tarvarius Moore Jersey[/url] , his first in the big leagues, came on his 100th at-bat.
New York has 154 home runs this season, a major league record before the All-Star break. The Yankees have played 91 games; the 1999 Seattle Mariners hit 151 in 87 games.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: Boone said LHP Aroldis Chapman (left knee) is ”good to go.” Chapman has not pitched since leaving in the ninth inning Saturday at Toronto. … C Gary Sanchez, on the disabled list since June 25 with a right groin strain, ran and did catching work Wednesday. ”I would say he’s getting closer,” Boone said.
Orioles: RHP Andrew Cashner was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a neck strain. He’s not expected to miss more than one start. … RHP Chris Tillman (back) is slated to conclude his rehab assignment Sunday with Triple-A Norfolk, although manager Buck Showalter floated the idea of starting him in place of Cashner vs. Texas on Sunday.
MOVING PIECES
Manny Machado insists he’s a shortstop. But if he gets traded by the Orioles to the Yankees before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline – one of the many rumors out there – New York could ask him to play 3B next to Didi Gregorius. So where does that leave Yankees 3B Miguel Andujar? ”Those are things I have no control over,” Andujar said through an interpreter. ”I don’t pay attention to that stuff.” Neither does Boone, who said, ”When you’re in a pennant chase, there’s going to be stories that are real, fake, everything.”
UP NEXT
Yankees: RHP Luis Severino (14-2, 2.12 ERA) seeks to add to his major league-leading win total Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series in Cleveland.
Orioles: RHP Kevin Gausman (4-6, 4.11) starts against Philadelphia on Thursday night at Camden Yards in the makeup game of a May 15 rainout.
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