The Finals - Spurs pummel Raptors, 113-83 (3-0)

The Raptors suffered a blowout at home, scoring poorly.

The Raptors fell victim to the ice age in Game 3, shooting poorly from all parts of the court. Meanwhile, the visiting San Antonio Spurs pummeled Toronto with long-range excellence, splashing in 17 three-point daggers. The Raptors shot 34% overall, a staggering deficiency. They lost the opening quarter 28-11, and the other three quarters that followed. San Antonio dominated the boards 58-41, pouring it on as Toronto did the rest of basketball well with few turnovers.

It's hard to lose by thirty points in your own arena, in a game that is ideally meant to renew a team's chances in a playoff series, especially when the opposing team's best player (Kawhi Leonard) had a 1-9 start from the field. The Raptors just kept missing shots inside, outside...with a sigh. Meanwhile, Pau Gasol had 20 points and 10 rebounds. The Spurs had a foreboding start to the game on a 12-0 run. Mario Hezonja and Davis Bertans burned the Raptors for a quartet of 3PT blows, the visitors roughing up Toronto on every drive. Bismack Biyombo hoarded glass with 13 rebounds and 2 blocks for 8 points. Patty Mills had 8 points with 9 assists, making two long shots. Rudy Gay had six points. Kyle O'Quinn had 5 blocks and 7 rebounds, stifling any comeback chances down low. Dejounte Murray carved up the defense with 12 points inside, making a 3PTer as well and nabbing 1 steal.

Iman Shumpert was in the zone tonight, '3 & D' personified.

Iman Shumpert had 18 points, blocking Fred VanVleet's 3PT attempt, catching the loose ball and nailing a 3PTer of his own. He made four 3PT shots in this game, on 63% shooting overall. Davis Bertans finished with 17 points, getting the active slot over the struggling Bryn Forbes.

Late in the game, Mills whipped a pass to Jeremy Lamb in the corner for three more points, who also made two shots in isolation for 9 points with 2 feisty blocks to boot. Kawhi Leonard went 1/10 overall in just 9 minutes, pulled after the cold start and never truly granted re-entry due to the blowout.

In the loss, Kyle Lowry went 3/12 for 15 points and 1/4 from long range. Serge Ibaka had a decent night with 13 points and 12 rebounds, swatting 4 blocks. DeMar DeRozan went 4/11 (10 points, 5 assists) and CJ Miles went 4/16 for 10 points. Norman Powell went 3/17--everybody was frozen as the Spurs seize control in this series en route to a seventh championship in eight seasons. Will the Raptors thaw as a unit and refuse to fall at home in Game 4? Only time will tell...but their reward for that outcome would be a return visit to San Antonio.