By RotoWire – Jeff Edgerton

The Raptors would clinch a playoff berth with a win in this ‘international’ matchup, which was the League’s Game of the Week. Despite a flurry of resets in Game 3, this series definitely lived up to the hype. Gen.G had the opportunity to pull off the upset after a stellar Game 2, but Toronto Uprising converted two huge blowouts to take the series and go 12-0 on the season.

Game 1 turned into one of the many ho-hum blowouts that we’ve seen so many times this season. The Raptors led the entire game and jumped out to a 16-point lead in the first quarter. They kept on going from there, and the Tigers looked flat-footed and wholly outmatched. If ShiftyKaii doesn’t play well, the Tigers struggle, and the Raptors were able to neutralize him completely. ShiftyKaii only managed 10 points in Game 1, and the Raptors utterly destroyed the Tigers, 101-48. Three of the Raptors’ starting five scored 20 points or more, with Kenny got Work leading the way as usual with 29 points, 11 assists and six steals. The irrepressible Toronto defense forced 22 turnovers from the Tigers in another convincing victory.

ShiftyKaii was not going to take that loss lying down, so he decided to put the team on his shoulders to begin Game 2. He poured in 24 points in the first half, resulting in a lead for Gen.G through much of the second quarter and a 41-37 lead at halftime. The Tigers ramped up their defense attack in the first half, especially at the perimeter, where sharpshooters like Kenny and Timelycook had difficulty finding the high-percentage jumpers they found in Game 1. The Raptors are notorious for sticking in the dagger in the third quarter, however.

It seemed like the Tigers saw that third-quarter surge coming, and they did not allow it. They took off on an 8-0 run to begin the frame, and all of a sudden, the Tigers had a 12-point lead. If there’s any team that can erase a lead like that, it’s the Raptors, although it’s been mostly unfamiliar territory for the team, especially in the third quarter. The Raptors looked extremely sloppy, throwing too many high-risk passes, and that resulted in most of the Tigers’ points coming from ShiftyKaii in transition. If someone saw a 23-13 quarter tally in a game involving the Raptors, it would seem to be a foregone conclusion as to who won the frame, but it was Gen.G that gave the Uprising a taste of their own medicine with a huge quarter. They now held a 64-50 lead, and it looked like a third game would be on the horizon if the Raptors failed to surge back. ReeceMode made some key three-pointers, but the nail in the coffin would occur soon after. Thanks to some clutch rebounding, the Tigers were able to cycle through three complete 24-second possessions in a row, eating the clock and finally finishing with a three. Despite the meager amount of time remaining, the Raptors got things close as four points, but the game finished out, 76-72. ShiftyKaii was the story in Game 2, as he carried the Tigers to this comeback victory with 44 points and seven assists. Deadeye also flirted with a triple-double with 14 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. The most glaring stat for Toronto was ultimately their undoing in the form of 24 turnovers. It was now up to the Tigers to do what no one else had accomplished.

Only four teams have pushed the Raptors to a Game 3, and the Uprising have prevailed every time. To make it five, they needed to find a way to keep ShiftyKaii from posting a big stat line. The Raptors started with threes from Kenny got Work and Timelycook right away, and at least for the first few minutes, the Raptors seemed prepped to close the deal. The shots kept falling for the Raptors as the quarter continued, but then a game reset halted their momentum. The pause didn’t seem to matter to them, however. Over a few minutes, they jumped ahead by 14 points thanks to renewed stroke from Kenny Got Work, and in a scenario we’ve seen many times, the Raptors began to take control.

As the game continued through the adjusted second quarter, we began to see the Raptors as we’re usually accustomed to viewing, as they extended a lead as high as 22 points with minimal effort. The renaissance of Kenny Got Work’s all-around game continued to impress, and he finished at the adjusted halftime with 21 points. On the other end, the barometer of Gen.G’s game was evident in ShiftyKaii’s meager stat line. With a commanding 15-point lead by the Raptors, technical difficulties forced yet another reset in this game. The onslaught continued as their lead ballooned to 37 points, and it became quickly apparent that the Raptors would clinch the series, a playoff win, and a continued unbeaten streak. With little resistance from the Tigers, the Raptors cruised to a massive 106-63 victory.

Raptors Uprising GC (12-0) get a week off and then face Pacers Gaming on July 16th. The Gen.G Tigers (5-7) will also break until Week 10 when they will face Mavs Gaming.