The two No. 2 seeds were in a bit of trouble in the NBA conference semi-finals. Both the Toronto Raptors and the Denver Nuggets had lost crucial home-court advantage after Game 3 losses saw them 2-1 down in their respective series.
However, both teams were able to bounce back in a big way in Game 4 to tie their series up at two games apiece.
For the Raptors, Kawhi Leonard came up with yet another outstanding performance to carry his team to the win. As for the Nuggets, their star duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray outdueled the Blazers’ excellent backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.
Thanks to those wins, the Raptors and Nuggets have significantly shifted the NBA 2019 betting odds in their favour. But with the way the first four games in these series have played out, there could yet be more thrilling action for SBOBET NBA fans to enjoy.
Toronto Raptors 101-96 Philadelphia 76ers (Series tied 2-2)
It seemed like the Raptors had lost control of the series after their comprehensive 21-point defeat in Game 3. But thanks to more heroics from superstar Kawhi Leonard, they were able to regain home-court advantage with a key Game 4 victory.
Leonard was masterful once again as he had 39 points on 13-of-20 shooting, including the clutch step back 3-pointer to put the Raptors up by four points with just over a minute remaining in the game.
Leonard is having a fabulous series thus far against the Sixers. In four games, he’s averaging 38 points, nine rebounds, and four assists while shooting a sizzling 62 per cent from the field. Many people may have forgotten after he mysteriously opted to sit out most of last season, but Kawhi is capable of being among the handful of best players in the entire NBA.
Pascal Siakam was the most consistent Raptor aside from Kawhi, but he had his worst offensive game in the playoffs with just 9 points on 2-of-10 shooting in Game 4. However, veterans Marc Gasol and Kyle Lowry helped pick up the slack with 16 and 14 points, respectively. Serge Ibaka also provided Toronto with some much-needed bench production with 12 points and nine rebounds in 32 minutes.
As for the Sixers, there was once again important NBA 2019 news surrounding Joel Embiid. The All-Star big man was sick and needed an IV in order to play in the game. He was clearly not at his best, as he finished with just 11 points on 2-of-7 shooting in 35 minutes.
Embiid has been blighted by several health issues in these playoffs. He was dealing with a sore knee in the first round against the Nets and had a bout of gastroenteritis in Game 2 against the Raptors.
Tobias Harris surprisingly took the most attempts on the team, but he struggled with his shot as he ended up going 7-of-23, including just 2-of-13 on 3-pointers. Jimmy Butler (29 points, 11 rebounds) and J.J. Redick (19 points, 6-9 FG) both had efficient nights, but Ben Simmons was quiet with just 10 points.
Perhaps the Sixers can take comfort in the fact that they still had a decent shot at taking Game 4 despite Embiid not being 100 per cent. If he returns to full health in Game 5, Philadelphia should like their chances of taking another game in Toronto.
Denver Nuggets 116-112 Portland Trail Blazers (Series tied 2-2)
The Nuggets seemingly missed their chance to steal a game in Portland after they fell short in the epic four-overtime classic that was Game 3. However, Denver picked themselves back up to reclaim home-court advantage from the Blazers in Game 4.
Nikola Jokic, who played an incredible 65 minutes in the Game 3 marathon, showed he still had a lot left in the tank as he recorded a 21-point, 12-rebound, 11-assist triple-double in 39 minutes. Meanwhile, Jamal Murray was spectacular with 34 points, and Paul Millsap added 21 points and 10 rebounds.
On the other side, that gruelling quadruple-OT battle seemingly took its toll with Portland physically. Enes Kanter and Maurice Harkless, who were both dealing with injuries heading into Game 3, were significantly limited in Game 4 as they had just nine points in a combined 46 minutes.
The Blazers certainly missed Kanter’s scoring. The big man, who is playing through a separated shoulder, had averaged 17 points through the first three games of the series. However, he admitted that he had aggravated the shoulder injury in the first overtime in Game 3, and his play showed that it was quite a problem.
Damian Lillard, who has been brilliant in these playoffs, and CJ McCollum were both solid for the Blazers as they combined for 57 points. Meanwhile, Seth Curry took Rodney Hood’s place as the offensive spark off the bench with 16 points.
But the Blazers might be in trouble moving forward if Kanter’s shoulder can’t allow him to be the consistent third scorer behind Dame and CJ that they need. The Nuggets have more reliable offensive weapons in their supporting cast, and two out of three home games, where role players usually play better.
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