With their season on the line, Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse has announced there will be no minute caps for his players when Toronto faces the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Nurse says minute caps are off the table tomorrow, likely for both teams. "I would expect the best players to play as many minutes as they can until it's decided."
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) May 11, 2019
This is an obvious call for the Raptors Nick Nurse. He needs his starters on the floor for as long as it takes, considering that a loss here sends the team on an early summer vacation.
The fact that the Toronto bench has not impressed in the series makes the call even easier.
Article Continues BelowThe Raptors have leaned heavily on superstar Kawhi Leonard against the Sixers, who has been the best player in the series on either team. The stoic forward has put up ridiculous averages of 31.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game through the Raptors playoff run. On top of this, he has played some lockdown defense. Leonard has always been regarded as one of the best defenders in the league, and he has certainly put his talents on display against the Sixers.
If the game ends up coming down to the wire, it wouldn't be surprising to see Leonard play around 45 minutes. Toronto looks like a different team without his presence on the floor, and playing him as much as possible obviously gives the Raptors their best chance at reaching the Conference Finals.
If the Raptors do lose, it could be Leonard's last game in Toronto. He will be a free agent at season's end, and failing to make the Conference Finals could convince him to head for greener pastures.