Toronto Raptors: 3 takeaways from bounce-back Game 2 vs. Magic

Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images
Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images
3 of 4
Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images
Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images

2. Kawhi is good

You can replace “good” with “great,” “fantastic,” “beast mode,” “unreal” or whichever adjective you like. At the end of the day, Kawhi Leonard was a superstar and showed how good he can be in a playoff setting. He was absolutely dominant from start to finish, and he was the main engine fueling the Raptors both offensively and defensively.

https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1118342468917846016

Many pondered why Kawhi was held to 33 minutes in Game 1, but despite his early foul trouble in Game 2, his aggression never let up — especially in the third quarter when he dropped 17 of his 37 points. He was attacking the rim at ease, hitting step-back 3s, drilling pull-ups from the mid-range and playing tenacious defense.

When Kawhi plays like this Finals MVP version of himself, it elevates the Raptors’ championship hopes.