Kawhi Leonard did not make a field goal until just 25.3 seconds remained in the opening quarter on Tuesday night. Had this been any other game in Toronto's slugfest with Philadelphia, this fact likely spells disaster. But Game 5 was different.

For the first time in these Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Raptors' supporting cast stepped up and played more like the second-best team in the NBA. The result: a huge 125-89 win and a commanding 3-2 series lead.

Pascal Siakam was springier on both ends, feeling healthier from a right calf contusion that nearly kept him out of Game 4. He finished with 25 points and eight rebounds to go along with a team-best +35 box plus-minus. Kyle Lowry looked confident shooting the ball and driving the lane to create for himself and others, leading to an efficient 19 points, six boards, and five assists.

Danny Green finally found the range from deep, nailing five-of-seven 3-pointers for 17 points. Marc Gasol helped stretch the floor and shore up Toronto's interior defense. Serge Ibaka remained tough throughout the game, despite leaving Scotiabank Arena with new stitches on his forehead. Even Fred Vanvleet knocked down a huge 28-footer and was a catalyst on defense during his limited minutes.

But, for the most part, this is not how the series has gone for these players. Siakam, though playing solid defense this series, had wavered offensively. Lowry was hesitant, often pump faking and then shooting with a defender in his face. Gasol and Ibaka rotated in-and-out as mediocre big men. Green's accuracy from 3-point land fell off a cliff. And Vanvleet, unable to handle the 76ers length, had been all but dropped from the rotation entirely. To make matters worse, this group was a combined 20-for-86 from deep through the first four games.

Toronto instead relied on their robotic superstar to initiate GOAT mode. With the series tied at 2-2, Kawhi Leonard was averaging 38 points on 61.8% shooting from the field and 46.4% from deep. Teammate Norman Powell compared the his get-on-my-back performances to Kobe Bryant. Much like some past Lakers teams where Kobe was the first-, second-, and third-option, the Raptors would've been hopeless without their own mamba.

This was clearly not the same Toronto club that went 17-5 without Leonard during the regular season. However, playing those first 82 games and beating the Orlando Magic in five is much different than going toe-to-toe with one of the East's “core four.”

Because Leonard is only on contract for this year, much has been made over what could get him to commit to The Six. Many believe a deep playoff run – one to at least the Conference Finals – is imperative in giving Toronto any chance at retaining him. But how the Raptors win these postseason games should be just as important as where they end up.

Put simply: the journey matters as much as the destination for Toronto's offseason pitch to Kawhi.

Should the Raptors ride their Game 5 momentum and win games with Leonard putting up an “ordinary” 21 points and 11 rebounds, he will be more inclined to re-sign. But if the Raptors continue to depend on video game numbers from the Klaw, he could, and perhaps should, look for a supporting cast that has proven their poise on the bigger stages of basketball.

No doubt, playing with a budding two-way star like Siakam should interest Leonard mightily. His calf injury makes it difficult to gauge just how effective he could've been in this series. Still, if his first three-years are any indication, the Cameroon native has a bright future ahead. Beyond him, though, much of the returning rotation lacks a ton of upside for Kawhi going forward.

Lowry has become infamous for his no-shows in the postseason. His Game 5 should be viewed more as a step in the right direction rather than what to expect going forward. Ibaka has wilted at the finish line these past few years and calls of “Washed!” get thrown around more and more every year.

Gasol, though still a productive player, is 34-years-old and could very well opt into his $25-million player option this summer to lock up Toronto's cap. Powell has yet to prove he can be a reliable rotation player in big moments. And Vanvleet is amid his second consecutive disappointing postseason.

Yes, many of these guys are off-the-books after 2020. The Raptors could retool around Leonard should he choose to stay. But will a 27-year-old use another season at the height of his powers to potentially carry a group through the postseason? Will he choose this when the possibility to join a more reliable core looms just two mere months from now?

Only Kawhi knows the answer.