Juan Pablo Aravena – Rotowire

Raptors Uprising swept T-Wolves Gaming in the previous round, while Kings Guard Gaming was coming off a 2-0 victory over Warriors Gaming Squad. Both teams carried credentials into this semifinal matchup of THE TURN powered by AT&T. However, only one team was left standing and headed to the final. That was X, as they won the series by a tight 2-1 score.

The Raptors and the Kings delivered an intense battle in Game 1, and it showed as soon as the game began. The first few minutes saw both teams going back and forth and, as a result, the first quarter ended with a slim 21-20 lead for the Raptors. They would take full control of the game just before half time, however, and a 15-8 second quarter saw them going up into the break by eight points.

The Raptors were not done, though. Led by their dynamic duo of Kenny Got Work and Sick One, Raptors Uprising pushed their lead even further — a 20-14 third quarter saw them lead by 14 points heading into the final minutes. Kings Guard showed some signs of a reaction in the final minutes and made things closer in the end, but they were nowhere near a potential comeback. As a result, Raptors Uprising took home Game 1 with a 72-60 score.

Kenny Got Work was the best player for the Raptors and finished with 19 points and 11 assists. Sick One came close, though, notching 24 points and 11 boards. ReeceMode chipped in with 12 points from the small forward position. At the other end, Bash paced the Kings with 26 points and 11 assists, but he lost the ball four times. Dat Boy Shotz had 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Seemo added 11 points while going 3-for-6 from three-point range.

The second game was even more intense, as both teams seemed poised to get the win… until only one clinched it with a huge comeback. The Raptors, fresh off their Game 1 win, needed to regroup quickly as the Kings jumped to a 35-27 following the end of the first half. The Raptors responded with a 25-11 third quarter, meaning they were up by six entering the final frame. They had the stage set to complete the sweep, but the Kings had other plans.

An impressive fourth-quarter performance saw the Kings limit the Raptors to a season-low six points in the final quarter. The Kings improved their offensive play as well and scored 25 points, flipping the game entirely on route to a huge 73-58 win. As such, things would have to be decided in a pivotal Game 3.

Bash led the Kings from the point with 22 points and 11 assists, but the real star was Yusuf_Scarbz who chipped in with 26 points and 26 rebounds as a center. Kenny Got Work impressed for the Raptors with 17 points and 15 dimes, while Sick One filled the stat sheet with 17 points, eight boards, and two assists.
Game 3 was another nail-biting contest, and it showed the resiliency of the Raptors when things got tough. The Raptors jumped ahead to a 18-12 lead in the first quarter, but the Kings controlled the game right through most of the contest as soon as the second quarter started. A 19-8 second quarter saw them go up by five at the break, and they extended their lead to seven points heading into the final quarter. The Raptors were only minutes away from losing their first series of the season.

The Kings were in the driver seat for much of the fourth quarter, but they let it slip away in the final minutes. Kenny Got Work took over the game in the final 90 seconds and when he got hot, things were over for the Kings. The Raptors escaped with a 63-56 win.

Kenny Got Work finished with 22 points and 12 assists while shooting 9-for-16 from the field. Sick One looked impressive as well, notching 19 points with 17 rebounds. Bash had 17 points and 10 assists for the Kings, while Dat Boy Shotz, who played as a small forward, notched 14 points with two boards. Yusuf_Scarbz looked impressive once again, and he ended with 20 points and 13 boards.

The Raptors will take on Wizards Gaming District in the final of THE TURN powered by AT&T.