WATCH: NBA game recap and highlights

STAT STUFFER. Kawhi Leonard fills up the stats sheet as the Toronto Raptors notch their third straight win over the Milwaukee Bucks. Photo from NBA's Twitter account (@NBA)

MANILA, Philippines – Back from the dead, the Toronto Raptors are one win away from their first NBA Finals appearance after racking up a third straight win over the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals.

Kawhi Leonard carried the scoring cudgels once more as Toronto, which dropped the first two games, survived Milwaukee with a gutsy 105-99 road win to gain a 3-2 series lead on Thursday, May 23 (Friday, May 24, Philippine time.)

Leonard filled up the stats sheet with 35 points – 15 in the final quarter – on top of 9 rebounds and 7 assists with the Raptors looking to close out the series at home in Game 6 and meet the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.

Also proving a thorn on the side of the Bucks, which had not lost 3 straight games throughout the season, was Fred VanVleet, who scored all of his 21 points from long distance.

Game 6 is on Saturday, May 25 (Sunday, May 26, Philippine time). – Rappler.com