Photo : Mark Blinch ( NBAE via Getty Images ) Experienced live, Kawhi Leonard’s Game 7 buzzer-beater was an agonizing bounce-bounce-bounce-bounce. As a still image, all the drama on the floor could be frozen in time. Toronto-based photojournalist Mark Blinch masterfully captured the full spread. This shot appears to have been taken at some point between the second bounce and the ball tipping in. Advertisement There’s Kawhi squatting with his tongue out in anticipation, and Joel Embiid leaning over him in apprehension: The whole bench in disbelief: Ben Simmons beginning to accept the reality: Advertisement This one guy looking like he’s at a wake: Advertisement And this other guy looking over there: Advertisement All the essential components of a legendary sports image.<doc-sep>When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up fornow and never miss the top F1 stories again There's a reason the words 'Game 7' are regarded as the best two words in sport and this game just proved that. Jimmy Butler tied the game with just 4.2 seconds left on the clock, with Philadelphia looking as though they would force overtime. But up stepped Leonard for one of the biggest shots in Toronto Raptors history. The 2014 NBA Finals MVP was on fire all night, providing the offensive boost to keep Toronto in with a shout.<doc-sep>The Philadelphia 76ers had done a good job of containing Kawhi Leonard in the first half, in the dying seconds though he exploded to the rim and let them know he's still the man. Kawhi Leonard has been an unstoppable force throughout the Toronto Raptors' second round series against the Philadelphia 76ers. In Game 5 however he was well held by the Sixers in the opening half as his shot from beyond the arc abandoned him. But Leonard showed he's still the most dangerous player on the floor by throwing down a poster dunk in the dying seconds before halftime. Leonard dribbled the ball around the three point line, received a screen from Kyle Lowry on Joel Embiid and flew down the lane towards the rim. He launched and was met in the air by James Ennis and Tobias Harris who were helpless to stop the powerful dunk. The dunk brought the entire Scotiabank Arena to their feet and helped the Raptors capture a 64-43 halftime lead. Leonard ended the first half with a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. Just when you think you've done a good job of containing Leonard, he explodes and shows how dangerous he really can be.<doc-sep>Share this Story: Sixers pay the price doubling Kawhi ... It's not all about how many points a guy scores ... Mother's Day 7 p.m. tip if Series goes 7 Sixers pay the price doubling Kawhi ... It's not all about how many points a guy scores ... Mother's Day 7 p.m. tip if Series goes 7 Article content Philadelphia head coach Brett Brown was sticking to the numbers. Over the final half of the regular season, certainly since Marc Gasol arrived on the scene in Toronto, the Raptors were the best three-point shooting team in the NBA. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Sixers pay the price doubling Kawhi ... It's not all about how many points a guy scores ... Mother's Day 7 p.m. tip if Series goes 7 Back to video Brown keeps mentioning it, most often when the question of defending Kawhi Leonard is brought up. And it’s true. They were the best three-point shooting team over that span. They were even pretty damn good through the first round. But through the first four games of this series, the Raptors had been anything but good from distance. Still, Brown was resisting the urge to double Leonard on the catch. At least he said he would — and then he didn’t in Game 5. Through one half, Leonard was a mortal 3-for-9 from the field, but had seven points from the line and 10 rebounds. More importantly, his teammates, who had a collective success rate from behind the line of just 24%, hit on 8-of-17 threes for a 47% success rate. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Leonard finished with 21 points in 35 minutes, coming out with 7½ minutes to go and he Raptors up 30. The Raps’ three-point shooting night minus Leonard’s 0-for-4 from distance was 13-for-29 for 45%. They didn’t all come with the Sixers converging on Leonard, but enough of them did. What it did was spread the offence around a bit and that was a good thing. “We needed this type of game where everyone played well,” Kyle Lowry said after the Raptors’ thorough125-89 win. “I don’t think we had a game like this in a while. We’ve still got another level that I think we can play at offensively and defensively. But it was a good team win. We needed that type of win just for our team.” Brown was hesitant to blame the extra focus on Leonard for getting the rest of the Raptors going. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content “Did the surrounding cast contribute because we gave too much help?” Brown asked post-game. “I don’t think so, but we’ll go back and look at the tape, but I think in general the Raptors had a tremendous team performance, we give them credit. But I do not think how we guarded Kawhi produced great performances from a lot of their players. And I’ll go back and look at that a little bit deeper” NOT ALL ABOUT OFFENCE Fred VanVleet had scored four points in four games coming into last night’s Game 5 of the Raptors-Sixers Eastern Conference semifinal. Ben Simmons, who starts for Philadelphia, was averaging 10 over the first four games. Both are being scrutinized for a lack of offence in this series and rightly so. But mention impact to Nick Nurse about either players and he shakes his head like they can’t believe this would even be a question. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content “Definitely,” Nurse said when asked if VanVleet can still have an impact. “He is impacting it. I know he isn’t scoring, making any shots, and his minutes have gotten cut down a little bit. But he still made a strip of the ball the other day and threw it out to Pascal (Siakam) for a runaway dunk, and things like that, that’s impacting the game. He’s still doing a good job on (JJ) Redick when he’s in there. “I always say, those guys (bench guys), first and foremost we want them to impact it on the defensive end with their hustle players and with executing our coverages and being in sync with our connection on team defence.” VanVleet isn’t impervious to outside influences, but a man who has built his game and his character on betting on himself isn’t about to lose confidence over a few bad shooting games. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content “Not mine,” VanVleet said when asked if his confidence had been shaken at all. “I think the leash got short there for a second. It’s like that. I understand that. For better and for worse, mine doesn’t really change. It allowed me to turn it around. It allowed me to stay level-headed and focus be locked in.” When Simmons impact is brought up, Nurse almost sounds like he’s talking about one of his own. “We’ve had Kawhi on him quite a bit, as we have all year, and he’s pretty good at limiting anybody’s effectiveness,” Nurse said. “I don’t know, I think Ben Simmons has played very well. Again, it’s not just always all about the scoring. I know everybody gets on everybody’s case ’cause they’re not scoring, but I think Simmons has played his butt off in this series and I think he’s a really good player.” Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content QUICK HITS Leonard eventually got it going offensively in Game 5, but for much of the first half the argument could be made his greatest contribution to the Raptors offence was putting a three-inch cut in Serge Ibaka’s forehead.<doc-sep>
Kawhi Leonard's game-winner to lead the Raptors past the 76ers in Game 7 left All-Star centre Joel Embiid in tears after a hard-fought effort It was a long series - and playoffs in general - for Sixers All-Star centre Joel Embiid. He played through a knee injury and different illnesses, leaving it all on the floor to come up just short off of a few wrong bounces of the basketball. Embiid switched on to Kawhi Leonard on his last-second game-winner in Game 7. As an elite defensive player, he was an All-Defence Second Team selection last season and will surely receive some votes for this season's Defensive Player of the Year. In this scenario, Embiid timed his jump perfectly to contest the shot and his outstretched arm provided little-to-no space for Leonard to convert the attempt. https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/6/eb/joel-embiid-contests-kawhi-leonards-shpt-at-the-end-of-game-7_b4ps6h94farf1bnvtifhq1f4u.jpg?t=-1307550598&w=500 Somehow, some way, Leonard got the shot to fall, crushing Embiid and the 76ers' hopes to advance to their first Conference Finals since 2001 when the Sixers defeated the Raptors in Game 7. MORE: Comparing Kawhi's game-winner to Carter's miss vs. the 76ers in 2001 Embiid was visibly distraught over the outcome as his emotions moved him to tears in the middle of the Raptors' celebration. The Sixers big man had every right to let his emotions go, playing as hard as he could, fighting through various different ailments, only to come up just short. In mutual respect for how hard these teams fought, Raptors' centre Marc Gasol was the first to console Philly's centre. And his emotions continued after he left the court, but head coach Brett Brown believes Embiid will use this as a learning experience and that it will only make him better in the future. "He'll come out better and smarter and stronger ..." Brett Brown on Embiid, who was in tears after losing Game 7. pic.twitter.com/uYonN3oSnk - ESPN (@espn) May 13, 2019 Embiid finished the contest with 21 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three blocks, playing in 45 of the 48 minutes in the game.