Aside from early foul trouble for Lowry that kept him on the bench for much of the first half, the All-Star backcourt duo was clicking on all cylinders for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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The Raptors are considered big underdogs against a Cavs team that made quick work of Detroit and Atlanta in their previous two series.
The result was a lot more attempts at the rim than they had in either of the first two games, their second-most efficient offensive performance of the playoffs (99 points on 85 possessions) and an end to the Cavs’ 17-game winning streak in playoff games within the Eastern Conference. The Cavs are knocking down an exceptional 46.2 percent of their threes, even better than defending champion Golden State’s 40.3 percent, with reserve forward Channing Frye connecting on 57.1 percent and Irving 53.8.
Raptors center Bismack Biyombo took over the role of Tristan Thompson as the best rebounder in the game. Without Lowry, DeMar DeRozan led a 15-2 run against the Cavaliers, 21 first half points.
James finished with 24 points, eight rebounds and five assists in 39 minutes. Head coach Dwane Casey ruled the Lithuanian seven-footer out for Game 1 and he’s now doubtful for Game 2. He did so again in another pressure-filled situation. “People can write us off, it’s a long series – it’s not over yet. It’s coming along. But we’re not going to rush him back”. “If that’s what it takes, so be it”. However, from what the series has consisted of as of late, don’t expect the Raptors to blow out the Cav’s. We’ll be better the next game.
Kyle Lowry scored 20 points, Cory Joseph added 14, and Patrick Patterson and DeMarre Carroll each had 10 for the Raptors. Yet the Raptors always had an answer to Cleveland’s mini-runs. The Cavaliers were limited to just 20 points in the paint after getting inside for a combined 106 points in the first two games of the series.
James was giving as good as he got, however, catching the much smaller Kyle Lowry with a hip check in the first half that would have done Scott Stevens proud. “That’s when the lapses of the game started with us”. The recipe was the same that got them the lead in the first place: DeRozan took care of the offense while Biyombo sealed off the paint and gathered misses.
The Raptors believe the outcome was a product of making effective adjustments and keeping strategic discipline.
“We just had a bad night”, Lue said. “They came out with their back against the wall and they fed off the energy of the crowd”. They came out and they beat us.
“They were more physical, they were more active”, Lue said. They beat us to the ball.
“We play offence, we play defence and we’re great at special teams as well”, he said. While LeBron James and company dominated these Raptors during the first two games in the series, Game 3 was the complete opposite of the first two games.
Game 4 is Monday in Toronto, while Game 5 is Wednesday in Cleveland. And since Love was lost for the playoffs in the first round a year ago with a shoulder injury and Irving in the first game of the Finals with a knee injury, they still haven’t. As Carroll was complaining about a lack of a call to an official, LeBron James was down on the other end of the floor throwing down a huge dunk.
“They definitely hit some shots, but we’ll look at film and be ready for Game 4”, Irving said.
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I expect we will see the more focused Thunder defense at home in Game 3 – and it needs to be, I can guarantee you if left open the Warriors will knock down their shots. I would count it as a little adversity.
