Nurse credits Leonard with revving up teammates after Game 2 loss

TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors were feeling low following a Game 2 loss to Golden State on their home court last week in the NBA Finals.

Then Kawhi Leonard, the team’s usually quiet leader, spoke up.

In an attempt to console his team following the series-evening loss, Raptors coach Nick Nurse told his players they’d be fine if they managed to win one of the next two at Oracle Arena. 

Leonard wasn’t satisfied with that sentiment, however.

“I said it in the locker room, trying to kind of not make it feel so bad that we just lost a home game in the Finals,” Nurse said before Game 5 Monday night. “I was like, all we got to do is go get one, that’s maybe not an insurmountable challenge to go out there and get one.

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“And Kawhi said, ‘expletive that, let’s go get them both.’”

Toronto, backed by Leonard, took Games 3 and 4 in Oakland for a 3-1 lead over the Warriors heading into Monday’s Game 5 at home.

Leonard scored 30 points in Toronto’s Game 3 victory, then did even better with 36 points in Game 4, putting him in position to earn NBA Finals MVP honours for the second time in his career.

Leonard, acquired by the Raptors in a blockbuster trade in the off-season that sent fan favourite DeMar DeRozan to San Antonio, was named the Finals MVP when the Spurs won the title in 2014.

A win Monday night would give the Raptors their first NBA championship in franchise history. A loss would send them back to Oracle Arena for Game 6 on Thursday night.

Melissa Couto, The Canadian Press