You can’t blame Toronto Raptors fans for feeling down following a pair of dismal losses to the Cavaliers in the opening games of the Eastern Conference final.
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As the Cleveland Cavaliers travel to Canada for Sunday morning’s Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Toronto Raptors – live on SuperSport -, everything seems to be going according to the plan for LeBron James and his crew.
Kyle Lowry added 20 points for the Raptors, Cory Joseph had 14 and DeMarre Carroll and Patrick Patterson each had 10. James (23.5 average on 18-of-26 shooting) and point guard Kyrie Irving (26.5 on 23-of-39 shooting) have torched the Raptors at will as Cleveland averaged 111.5 points over the first two games.
They pulled within seven in the second half, but ultimately led for less than a minute the entire night in a game the Raptors dominated at home. It was a solid game, but he received no consistent help from anyone except J.R. Smith (22 points, 7-of-16 shooting). The 2001 Lakers beat Philadelphia to win the championship in five games while the 1989 version was swept by the Detroit Pistons in the final. They’ve shown up in droves to cheer on the Raptors’ game days through two series so far, so we can expect more of the same for Saturday’s 8:30 p.m. ET tip-off.
Vogel did not have his IN contract renewed after the Pacers were bounced IN Game 7 of the first round by the Toronto Raptors. They can outrun teams and beat them in transition, but they can slow it down and beat you in the half-court.
“He’s always preaching next play, just always next play”, James said. The Raptors’ playoff record book isn’t exactly full of stiff competition – four players on the current roster have long-since passed the team record for games played, for example, and the current team now owns most career records – but it’s impressive nonetheless.
They can be as simple as being able to stay late after practice or shootaround to put in extra work with Cavs assistant Phil Handy – going through tedious shooting drills that take him all around the arc.
To Casey, who was more critical of officiating post-game than he has ever been, the surprise is that Biyombo isn’t the beneficiary of more calls.
As UFAs, both Durant and James are free to sign with any other team and their current respective squads, the Thunder and the Cavaliers, will have no other option but to let them go in free agency without getting anything in return-unless all parties agree to a sign-and-trade. It was the first time in nine quarters this series that the Raptors had outscored the Cavaliers.
After suffering an injury scare in Game 2, Delly appears to be set for Game 3.
Kyrie Irving scored 13 points, and Channing Frye had 11 for Cleveland.
Lowry’s series has been very bad through two games.
“Kyle did not walk out on his team”, Casey said. Biyombo finished the game on his knees after taking a knock to the family jewels.
“We was unable to knock down shots tonight, but I thought we got shots we wanted”, said coach Tyronn Lue, clearly seeing the glass half-full.
In order for the Cavs to take Game 3, they must stick to their offensive game plan.
“It felt like (Biyombo) got every rebound out there, the energy he brings is unbelievable”, Joseph said.
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Biyombo said he “got the license” to use the finger wag from Mutombo.
