Live Thread: Cavs @ Raptors
2017-05-05
The question with the Cavs/Raptors seems to be not about the Cavs, but what the Raptors can do to stop their onslaught. But any true Cavs fan knows that the Cavs’ looked even better than this in their first two games against the Raps at last year at the Q before dropping a couple in Toronto. This Cavs’ squad has a few more things going for it.
One, they’ve managed to avoid the bench dropoff they tended to suffer when LeBron went to the bench. Kyrie and Co. have been holding their own the last couple games. Deron Williams has helped greatly in that regard as well, and between he and Frye and Korver, the Cavs are getting a lot more shooting shooting off the bench.
Two, the Cavs defense has been stifling DeMar DeRozan and forcing everyone else to beat them. Despite solid showings from Jonas Valanciunas, the Raptors’ seem to be incapable of scoring when the Cavs lock down.
Three, LeBron James has been otherworldly. Last year, he was struggling mightily with his shot. Despite the wins, he went 2-8 in his first two games. This year? 6-11. He’s also shooting 76% from the line. I could spend two hours talking about how good LeBron is right now. This year, it hardly seems like he takes a play off. Gone are the wasted possessions that have plagued the Cavs offense. This year, those seem like Kyrie’s signature (though they’re more good than bad, usually).
They just seem like they’re clicking more than last year. Hopefully they keep it rolling. Anyway, I’ve vamped enough. Prediction: 112-108, Cavs.
TT giving us virtually nothing
They are playing so lazy on D and not fighting through anything.
LeBron with the lefty flip
Great defensive possession. Derozan was on the side, so they were able to double him and get the ball out of his hands
Cavs doing opposite of what they did against derozan in first two games
Irving has to be hurt given his unwillingness to drive to the hole. Hope I am wrong
He really doesn’t seem right…Seems slow and hesitant…but i haven’t seem him favor his knee or anything he almost seems just really tired…
Tendinitis is chronic so it probably varies in severity from game to game. All the more reason to end this series quickly
they don’t seem to be doubling as much or as hard on Derozan…not sure why
It’s hard to double in the middle of the floor, top of the circle. That’s where he goes to every time down. That’s his only comfort spot
Honestly, Derozan is their whole offense. Gotta stop him. If I were Lue, I would try RJ on him
Better than today’s Schump.
DeRozan playing great.
No one guarding him and he just runs to his spot
Nice catch, Kevin.
JR has to stop reaching.
Cmon JR, you cant commit that foul
Lue’s fault for leaving him in.
Cavs doing a really poor job on Derozan
Terrible foul by JR
Cavs setting a record for the most half-hearted double teams in a game.
Kyrie just refuses to attack in the pick and roll.
He is hurting I think
Man what a sloppy 3rd quarter so far…
Cavs did the same thing last year in game 3. They’re afraid of the paint. Like they want Danny boy to get one more home game’s worth of playoff revenue
Kyrie has a clear path to the basket and he refuses to take it all the way.
I already said about ten times: Shut up Hubie
Jesus. That was on valanciunas the whole way. Hubie is drunk.
That JV foul on LBJ might get LBJ going.
Just throws LeBron on the ground like a jaggof
BULLSHIT CALL ON KLOVE!!! That was a defensive foul!
Hubie, dial it down already.
Hubie seriously sounds like the color commentator for the local Toronto station…
Cavs gotta punch this win in, lock-down this third quarter.
No nonono… Yes! Jumper from Kyrie.
JR picks up his 4th foul… Lue leaves him in
Lue doesn’t want to see Shump in the game any more than we do.
Need to bring in Deron for Irving soon
Sorry I meant why does Hubie Brown always root against the Cavs?
“You can see, as LeBron pushes back” as Valenciunas has Lebron in an arm-lock
yeah everything they call on toronto is a bad or tough call and every call on the cavs is well deserved…every good play by the cavs is unfortunate and every good toronto play is just great basketball…
Irving’s first-half shot chart. Poor shooting, and poor shot selection: 1 for 5 on long 2’s.
Appears afraid to drive to the basket.
Cavs have trouble moving the ball when playing on the road. They fall into iso-ball in adverse situations in hostile environments. Defensively, gotta make someone besides Derozan beat them.
That first half looked too much like regular season Cavs again
Tristan was useless most of bench was non existent think cavs will be okay
Kyrie was gawd awful. Cavs slept through that half. Still poised to win this game. I expect a blitz when the old guy lineup comes in.
Weird game, though. Toronto was barely there too considering it’s a do or die game for them. Either team could turn it up several notches in the second half.
Bet it’s near repeat of pacers game 3 except kyrie only sits
Cavs lethargic and sloppy… only down by 2 or 3. They need to find some juice.
Raps also 0-9 from 3 but winning. Cavs playing worse than the score indicates.
That was as piss poor qtr and yet cavs down 3….not pacers first half bad
Cavs 8 TOs in the 1st half, Irving 4-13. Stop this.
Irving leading both teams in shots taken. I think you’re right about him making almost nothing contested.
Love, James and JR all shooting at least 50% and Irving has to jack 13 shots. Griffin bluntly said in an interview before game 3 in the first round that Irving still must remember on occasion it’s not all about him.
Why does Dr. Jack always pull against the Cavs?
I’m officially worried about Irving. He’s been off these entire playoffs, it seems to me. This is a long stretch for him to be cold.
Me too. He has hit some good shots here and there but he hasn’t been “Mr. 4th Quarter” type… Not sure what is going on.
Knee injury
Then he needs to sit until June and get right. They don’t need him to get by the East. They need him 100% to take on the West.
+1000
Cavs have decided to not double derozan and he’s on fire
When they did double him, it wasn’t very effective because they haven’t been playing hard tonight.
Kryie just won’t feed a good shooter enough. So maddening
I dont want to see irving in the 2nd half.
Why is the game plan to give the ball to the ice cold dude and watch
One shot can change everything. If he makes one and feels good, then it can change.. stupid considering I would rather have JR and Korver take those shots.
in 6 1/2 games of the playoffs, he’s shooting below 40%. Below 30% from 3. This is now a trend. Something is wrong.
Why the can’t the Cavs set good screens for Korver?
Why set a screen for Korver when Kyrie can take a contested three? /s
Cavs barely running an offense yet somehow are winning
If they had bothered to actually play a decent game, they would be up by 15+.
Exactly lol
Lebron James would take Cleveland State to the Finals.
Annnnnnd he hits a 3 lol
Kyrie needs a week off
Until that 3 kyrie ice cold
Irving needs to be taken out, now.
drills a 3 as soon as i say this. Still.
I’ve never been so angry at Kyrie
Man, Kyrie is just straight up missing.
As he hits a three. I might change my name to Joey-Doh!
Ky just missing..
Needs to be a passer today.
Stop shooting Kryie
Hubie Brown is sooo hard to listen to. He’s the John madden of bball
Yes. Worse, but I was thinking the same thing. So much senseless bs.
Kyrie missing long 2’s.
Kyrie missing short 2’s also.
And then as I dump on him he hits a 3.
But he has been terrible,ignoring JR and Love
Yeah i think he has to stop taking anything but wide open shots.
J.R. Smith. What world is this? He’s the lynch-pin of a Championship basketball team.
https://twitter.com/cavs/status/860645828482002948
This is regular-season LeBron so far — 16 points without hardly trying.
jet lag. We might win anyway.
Did we lose some intensity with Lowry on the bench?
Kyrie is brutal out there outside of layups think that was second time jr touched ball and of course he scored
Someone mentioned in the last game thread, the way he’s playing, you have to wonder if his knee is bothering him.
Big shot by JR. Cleveland needed that.
Nice block by Love just when it looked like DeRozan was cruising.
LeBron and Kyrie are doing silly things. Come on guys
JR restores sanity
Kyrie just not doing it right…. BUT JR FOR THREEEEEE!!!!!
Kyrie missing everything.
The Cavs are keeping the Raptors in it by playing at the pace they are playing. They got to play with better pace.
Who’s this Wes Unseld character. Never heard of him. Never heard his name brought up in reference to Kevin Love. Please tell me more.
And have you ever heard of the Beach Boys?
Have to enjoy the fact the Cavs only have 2 degrees of separation from Charlie Manson.
Hubie off his meds.
He is driving me to drink.
I’m so happy to hear he has meds to take.
basketball plus one’s own music is better, generally