The Raptors have proven that they have the best player on the floor for now. Throughout these playoffs Kawhi Leonard has been averaging 31.1 points 9.1 rebounds 3.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He has also accomplished this while shooting 54.2% from the floor, 39.1% from three and 89% from the free throw line. With a record of 15-7 through out the playoffs so far, Kawhi is on a historic run. The only other player coming close to putting up the same stat line was Michael Jordan during the 1991 playoffs averaging 31.1 points per game at 52.4% from the floor, 38.5% from three and 84.5% from the free throw line. These numbers are shockingly similar and this resulted in winning the championship.
Kawhi hasn’t been the only player stepping up in this series, the raptors bench has had two major contributors in Fred VanVleet and Serge Ibaka. Fred has been able to bring some much needed scoring off the bench averaging 12.75 points this series. Serge has always been a great rim protecter throughout his career but as the NBA has evolved into a 3 point dominate league he has adapted his game as well. In game four his contributions were huge scoring 20 points in only 22 minutes of action while shooting 9-12 from the field. He’s still also been able to be rim protecting averaging 2.3 blocks per game this series. At this point the Warriors only hope is for the return of former 2014 MVP and four time scoring champ Kevin Durant in game 5 to pay off in a big way. He hasn’t played since the Warriors conference semi’s series verses the Rockets. Even if they can’t match the production of the Raptors bench, they need someone to step up from the bench of their own. I’d look to big man Kevon Looney or former Duke guard and Stephen Curry’s butt body Quinn Cook .
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