The Toronto Raptors and the Houston Rockets will probably not play again until next season — a Finals series isn’t out of the question, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves predicting anything like that. Yet Friday’s clash between the two started with a playoff feel from the very first tip, and it ended as one of the season’s best games, despite not even making national television.
The Raptors beating the Rockets is NBA basketball at its best
This may not be a Finals preview (though we can dream), but great basketball is always acceptable.
John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
The 108-105 Raptors win featured plenty: a swarming Raptors performance that highlighted their conference-leading season; an MVP-like performance from James Harden, who generated 40 points on 15-of-22 shooting despite a struggling offense; a creative Toronto defensive scheme that limited Houston to just 43 first half points; lots and lots of Drake.
If these teams meet in the postseason or not, this was just great basketball. After Houston trailed by double digits for much of the first half, they bounced back and tied it several times — this shot from Harden being the last example.
Only for DeMar DeRozan to answer with this incredible, Kobe-esque J. This was essentially the game-winner — Houston wouldn’t lead again.
There was still drama as time ran down. This Eric Gordon triple made things interesting.
But Jonas Valanciunas nailed two at the stripe, and Toronto closed it out at the buzzer.
Houston’s 17-game winning streak ended on Friday, while the Raptors extended theirs to seven straight, along with a league-best 28-5 home record. In the Air Canada Centre, they’re so hard to stop. Never mind that it was Drake night, and he was playing defense on the sidelines.
... and even sold out Harden for his virgin Mai Tais.
These teams may both lose before the Finals — in all likelihood, at least one will. But these are the March matchups that make the NBA great all the same.
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