NBA playoffs 2019: Raptors take series lead over Bucks after Game 5 win

Toronto was able to erase a double-digit deficit behind a 35-point night from Kawhi Leonard.

The Raptors took the 3-2 lead Thursday in the Eastern Conference finals after a 105-99 win in Game 5.

Toronto was able to erase a double-digit deficit behind a 35-point night from Kawhi Leonard.

"We made shots and got stops on the defensive end," Leonard told TNT after the game. "We wanted to come out here and get the win, we weathered the storm early."

Leonard came out at the start of fourth quarter and helped inch the Raptors ahead. He knocked down a pair of step-back 3-pointers during the team's 10-0 run midway through the period.

@kawhileonard (35 PTS, 9 AST, 7 REB) scores 15 in the 4th, lifting the @Raptors to a 3-2 series lead with the Game 5 road W! #WeTheNorth#NBAPlayoffs

Game 6: Saturday (5/25), 8:30pm/et, TNT pic.twitter.com/P9LbfQExmk

— NBA (@NBA) May 24, 2019

 

The Bucks managed to stay in the game behind back-to-back 3-pointers from Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez, but couldn't do enough to keep up with the surging Raptors, who are now one win away from going to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.

Milwaukee was up by as many as 12 points until Toronto got some help from Fred VanVleet off the bench, who finished with 21 points.

He shot 7 of 13 from the field and 7 of 9 from 3-point range and was plus-28 on the court.

Antetokounmpo finished with a team-high 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the field and 2 of 3 from long distance. Eric Bledsoe chipped in 20 points and Malcolm Brogdon had 18 in the team's losing effort.

The Bucks will go back to Toronto for Game 6 on Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET and will air on TNT.