Toronto Raptors once again have home court advantage in the first round of the NBA playoffs as Game 5 gets underway tonight at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors tied the series at 2 Sunday night in Brooklyn.
Toronto got off to a large lead, carrying a 17-point lead at the half. The lead disappeared completely in the 3rd quarter. The Raptors finished the game with a 14-2 run for the 87-79 win.
The win in Brooklyn marked the first road playoff win since May 6, 2001 in Philadelphia. Technically, Toronto can get 2 more home wins to take the series. But winning another road game would do them well now and in the next round.
Brooklyn took home court advantage in Game 1. The Nets had a huge advantage in the 4th quarter, not having a single foul called on the team in the crucial final quarter.
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One joy of the U.S. coverage is whether the Raptors are at home or in Brooklyn, we see lots of great shots of the passionate crowds at Maple Leaf Square. We saw similar crowds last spring when the Maple Leafs were in the playoffs.
Even with the Argonauts Grey Cup win in 2012, Toronto really wants a successful playoff team.
From the #WeTheNorth campaign to the "F--- Brooklyn" message before Game 1, here's hoping the interest and passion of the Raptors crowd can turn into just enough of a home-court advantage so that the Raptors can advance to the 2nd round.
Previous coverage:
Toronto Raptors 2014 NBA playoffs preview
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The Raptors have been on TSN all the way through the series to the detriment of the NHL playoffs. Toronto has bounced around on U.S. TV with 4 different outlets: ESPN, NBA TV, ESPN2, and TNT.
NBA TV will show Game 5. Kevin Calabro and Steve Smith, the same crew that called Game 2, will also call Game 5. Despite the lure of the Nets, the Raptors aren't given high priority in the U.S. Some of that is linked to Canada but also that the lack of known stars on the team and lack of success in the playoffs.
It has been fun getting to see such players as Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan for the Raptors.
This may change if Toronto advances simply because there will be fewer games to cover.
Game 6 will definitely be on Friday in Brooklyn. Game 7, if needed, will be Sunday back in Toronto.
We even know which team the winner of this series will face in the 2nd round: the 2-time defending NBA champions Miami Heat. LeBron James north of the border would bring more attention to Toronto.
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Pulling information from the NBA is difficult. Marv Albert announced during Game 4 that the Game 5 starting time was 8 pm. The NBA Web site couldn't confirm any time. Then we heard the game would start at 8 pm. On Tuesday, the time changed to 7:30 pm.
The playoffs, just like in hockey, call for flexibility. But a time change looks bad, especially since the game was already relegated to NBA TV and in Toronto. If you are going to the game, get there early.
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photo credit: City News
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