The Toronto Raptors were able to even their first round playoff series against the Orlando Magic at one game apiece with a 111-82 Game 2 victory last Tuesday.
Raptors head coach Nick Nurse seemed to have shown no mercy in Game 2, as he didn't allow his starters to be subbed out of the game even when they were already up 90-67 at the end of the third quarter.
Nurse, however, explained the reason behind keeping his starters on the floor in the fourth quarter of Game 2.
Nick Nurse admitted that the Warriors Game 2 collapse was fresh in his mind with his team up big in the 4th on Tues, was one of the reasons he didn't take the starters out. "(The assistants) were trying to sub and I said I ain't subbin'. I ain't ready to sub."
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) April 19, 2019
Of course, Nick Nurse was referring to the Golden State Warriors blowing out a 31-point lead and losing Game 2 of their own first round playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers a couple of days ago. The first year coach of the Raptors wanted to make sure that his starters got the job done, which they eventually did.
The Raptors themselves had their own fourth quarter collapse in Game 1 against the Magic. They were up double-digits heading into the final 12 minutes of play, but they ended up losing in the final seconds after Orlando's DJ Augustin hit a game-winning 3-pointer.
Toronto made sure that history didn't repeat itself in Game 2.
Both the Raptors and the Magic will look to go up two games to one in Game 3 of their best-of-seven series tonight, which will be held in Orlando.
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