After a big Game 5 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse revealed that Kawhi Leonard wanted the ball to make plays down the stretch.
In the postgame press conference, Nurse observed that Kawhi Leonard seemed to get stronger as the fourth quarter went on. He also wanted the ball and made the right plays for his team. The former NBA Finals MVP dished out nine assists, a career-high.
“He wants the ball and he wants to make the plays and he seems to be making the right play.”
"He wants the ball and he wants to make the plays and he seems to be making the right play."
Nick Nurse on Kawhi's performance in the #NBAPlayoffs. pic.twitter.com/Vgl7bPYHB7
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 24, 2019
Kawhi Leonard finished with 35 points on 11-of-25 shooting from the field, 5-of-8 from downtown. He also had two steals and just one turnover. Overall, it was an MVP-type effort for Leonard, who is considered the top performer in this year's playoffs.
With their 3-2 series lead, the Raptors are just one win away from the NBA Finals. If they win Game 6 on Saturday night, this will be the first NBA Finals appearance by the Raptors. For Kawhi Leonard, this would be his third. When he was still a member of the San Antonio Spurs, Leonard made the NBA Finals in 2013 and 2014. He won his first ring in 2014 and was named Finals MVP.
Game 6 will be the biggest game yet for Kawhi Leonard and crew. From what Nurse said, we should expect Leonard to lead his team throughout.