The Raptors led by as many as 18 points in the second quarter, were ahead by 13 at half time, took a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter and led by as many as 15 points early in the fourth.
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An inability to connect with the outside shot proved to be costly for the Cleveland Cavaliers as they watched their flawless postseason record come to an end, dropping a 99-84 decision to the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre on Saturday night.
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.
And when the Cavaliers enter the Air Canada Centre tonight for Game 3 of the East Finals, Thompson knows the Raptors will have the full support of the Toronto faithful.
LeBron James scored 24 points, and J.R. Smith had 22 for the Cavaliers. 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. While the other three teams still playing have scored at a rate at, near, or better than their regular-season marks, the Raptors had scored 8.6 fewer points per 100 possessions in the playoffs than they did in going 56-26.
Okay. So let’s begin with dynamic duo of Klye Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. The Toronto Raptors can only celebrate this win for a while but the work is not yet done. According to Justin Rowan reporting for Cavsnada, pride is on the line for the Raptors, which means the Cavs will need the very same intensity and hunger to make it 3-0 and put Toronto on the brink of elimination.
Lowry left the game with three fouls and eight minutes remaining in the first half and the Raptors ahead 38-32.
For the first two games of the series and much of the playoffs, James has been something of a supervisor on the floor.
This loss also ends the Cavaliers’ 17-game winning streak in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. We probably won’t find out until the final score is figured out. A win in Saturday’s Game 3 would give them a stranglehold on the series and likely set up a matchup with either the Golden State Warriors or Oklahoma City Thunder.
You wouldn’t have known it from the Raptors’ first 16 games in these playoffs, in which they had strong offensive stretches here and there, rarely got big games from both of their All-Stars on the same night, and had scored less than a point per possession. “He hasn’t quit on his team”, Casey said Friday. “I think that fuels us and if that’s what it takes, so be it”. “I believe once he gets back home he’ll knock down those shots”.
James and Biyombo did a physical duet all night.
Raptors center Bismack Biyombo took over the role of Tristan Thompson as the best rebounder in the game. “So we can’t have that next game”. The loss guarantees a Game 5 back in Cleveland on Wednesday.
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Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, two-thirds of the Cavaliers Big Three, were a combined 4-for-28 shooting, and as they continued to struggle, the Raptors continued to gain confidence.
