NBA Playoffs: Unguardable Kawhi Leonard forces Toronto Raptors’ Game 1

Toronto easily took Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals from the 76ers behind a career-best postseason performance from Kawhi Leonard.

Leonard finished with 45 points and 11 rebounds in the team’s 108-95 win Saturday. Pascal Siakam chipped in 29 points to be the only other Raptor in double-digits.

The two carried the load and had 49 of the team’s 61 first-half points.

While Leonard and Siakam’s shots fell, Toronto effectively shut down Philadelphia’s top scorers. Joel Embiid was held to 16 points while Ben Simmons finished with 14 and Jimmy Butler 10.

The 76ers didn’t have an answer for the Raptors who started the game making 13 consecutive field goals in the first quarter to build a lead they would push to 20 at one point in the fourth quarter.

Elsewhere the Nuggets broke a decade-long streak of failing to win a playoff series by winning Game 7 90-86 over Kawhi’s former side the San Antonio Spurs to reach the Semis.

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