LeBron James and Cleveland Cavaliers are on a mission.
Advertisement
The postseason legend of the Cleveland Cavaliers, meanwhile, is still growing.
James and the Cleveland Cavaliers just took home another blowout victory over the Toronto Raptors, this time by a 108-89 final in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Cleveland’s mountain of a man LeBron James had a triple double with 23 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds, and passed Shaquille O’Neal for fourth on the all-time post-season scoring list. They’ve been competitive for about two quarters in two games.
Kyrie Irving scored 26 and Kevin Love 19 for Cleveland, which swept Detroit and Atlanta and has beaten Toronto by a combined 50 points in two games. G Matthew Dellavedova tweaked his ankle in the second half, but Lue said he should be OK.
DeMar DeRozan scored 22 points for the Raptors. The Cavaliers now hold a 2-0 lead as the series heads to Toronto and will look to continue full steam ahead when Game 3 tips off Saturday night.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) looks to make a pass as Toronto Raptors forward DeMarre Carroll defends during the first half of Game 2 of the NBA basketball Eastern Conference finals Thursday, May 19, 2016, in Cleveland.
“I don’t think it feels like a streak”, James said.
Coming off Tuesday’s humiliating 115-84 loss in Game 1, Raptors coach Dwane Casey said the Raptors would have to “out-work and out-scrap” the Cavaliers.
They have won 17 straight Eastern Conference playoff games dating to Game 4 of a 2015 semifinal against the Bulls. “We’ve had some rough patches, and they’ve bounced back”. At both ends of the floor, the Raptors were totally dominated by the Cavs.
Cleveland lost to Golden State in last year’s NBA Finals.
“We’ve just got a great team and they’re playing great basketball right now”, Lue said.
“He’s missed some great looks and he’s taking some of those looks down to the defensive end”, Casey said of Lowry. Thus, the defensive and offensive approach of the Raptors will be in struggle without the big man. Valanciunas averages 15.0 points, 12.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. He didn’t attempt his first three throws in the series until the fourth quarter Thursday. Only two players have shot a lower percentage than Lowry has. “I missed countless 3s that I thought were good and that I made last series”.
Advertisement
“He’s waited a long time to get back to this position”, James said Wednesday following practice. “If we do (fold), we’re in the wrong business”. Again, you may be seeing something I don’t see. “It was out of my height, weight, league to try to emulate his game”, James said. The way Cleveland is playing – winning 17 straight Eastern Conference playoff games – it could break the record for best start to a postseason (11-0 by the 2001 and 1989 Lakers). We know we have something we’re trying to accomplish, and the East right now is where we’re at.
