Live Thread: Cavs at Raptors
2015-11-25
Note from Editor Nate Smith: I feel like the stuff that our commenters contribute is better than the stuff other blogs publish. This site is a labor of love, and you guys make it worthwhile. Thanks so much. I know I speak for everyone at CtB when I say that we are truly thankful for your readership, interaction, and the sense of community that you’ve instilled here. Please, everyone, have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
Skinny Kyle Lowry is as good as chubby Kyle Lowry. It doesn’t really matter how cut up the nine year veteran is as long as he is healthy. After Lowry’s 2014 playoff performance, the gritty point guard led the Raptors to a very strong start of the 2014-2015 season before he and his team lost steam. When Lowry is right, the Raptors are a tough-nosed defensive squad with a giant heart. When he is off, the Raptors are a soft, perimeter oriented team that is as fuzzy as the picture above.
So far, Lowry is right and that in tandem with a bit of effective DeMar DeRozan is enough for a decent start. Unfortunately for the Drakes(Zach Lowe, we miss you), DeMarre Carroll hasn’t quite found his Canadian groove, Jonas Valanciunas hasn’t quite made the leap, and superstar Anthony Bennett hasn’t … ok, forgot I mentioned our dear Gum Drop Bear. A favorite of Nate and mine, James Johnson has strangely gotten very little burn. As one of the few guys in the league who can physically matchup with LeBron, that could change tonight.
Kevin Love and the Cavaliers cross Lake Erie with more confidence than they have ever had as a single unit. Since Kevin’s rough shooting night in New York, the Cavalier bigman has averaged nearly 25 points per contest. He is doing damage on early seal post-ups and three point bombs. All of Blatt’s men are feeding Love the rock and it has worked beautifully. With Mathew Dellavedova questionable with a balky calf, the Cavs will welcome Mo Williams back into the fray after his three game absence.
Whether you are watching with old high school friends at your hometown bar, with your family while prebaking pumpkin pie, or hiding from said family in an attempt to stay sane, enjoy the game.
Reading the box score it looks like Cunningham killed us with 2-10.
Yeah. We really needed Delly.
What killed us was everyone going cold in the fourth quarter and Cavs allowing tons of penetration by the Raps in the second half… when Cunningham didn’t play…
I’ll agree with you in that Cunningham stinks.
Drake night means refs will close the game for the raps. Will need to remember that
On the positive side, looks like the Sixers will extend their streak, after threatening to end it against Billy Simmons’ boys.
In the 4th, I woulda love some Timothy and his excellent rule of verticallity to avoid those dumb and 1’s and he woulda protect the paint pretty good too. sigh
Well raptors are definitely better than they were last year. Added good pieces. Will be nice to play them closer to full strength.
I don’t know if I agree with that… they had a ton of help tonight…
They rebound better, were missing a pretty big piece themselves, and we played derozan really well and still had trouble. Last year if you stopped derozan they struggled mightily
They had Lou Williams who was the Sixth Man of the Year off the bench last year…
They did, yeah. I still think they are better and likely the 2 or 3 seed
I would take that wager… ;) They won’t be higher than 4… and will lose again in the first round…
Statistically speaking, they’re better defensively and worse offensively than last year, I believe. So technically they’re really the same as last year.
That being said, I would take improved defense at the cost of a little offense given that defense travels well, and shooting comes and goes… also defense helps when pace slows down in big games.
Stick a fork in us. Ugh. Night all. Happy Thanksgiving.
Ok, that was embarrassing. Everybody just watched Biyombo.
WTH was that? Biyombo needs a hard foul to the grill…
About that just folding…. Ugh
After games like this the person I feel bad for most is whoever had to write the recap.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
I’m confused on that last play that Bismack is scoring key points in da 4th , like really ?
how pathetic. no defense
Just tired looking defense now.
What does Love have to do to draw a foul?
He might have to have his arm ripped out
Good one Scotch! But maybe too soon… ;)
He needs to dance the hotline bling..
poor Kev in da paint, no call and they hit another 3.
If the Cavs have to play one of Mo or Delly and not the other one due to the minutes crunch, I’m playing Delly.
Pretty sure Blatt agrees with you.
Cols would rather play Mo, because his offense is his defense.
This is so frustrating every time they score they get and 1
Need a JR transition three
There’s some effort on D. Good to see we won’t just fold.
Sighhh another and 1 again off of no boxout by Jr… this is frustrating
JR with the steal. Plenty of time left if they can start scoring again.
Alright free throws can bring us back here
Great D by JR there…
Where was the effing foul call on mo getting leveled on that play?!?!
Somebody better get hot, or this game is over…
Cavs need to give me their 15th roster spot so i can just go out and level players like lowry. Just pay me enough for the fines.
Where’s Jonas Valencmahcjajx???
Out 4-6 weeks with broken bone in hand…
Oww.. I missed that news.
We cant buy a foul and all they are getting are and 1’s straight ? what the hell ?
Lowry just straight falling down there… the “Paul Pierce I was shot” play… smh
It’s saying something when that is the WORST call of the night
Oooh baby. Tough call on Love.
They almost didn’t give LeBron that call either.
Its bad when u know Lebron is gonna miss atleast 1 free throw, sigh
Cavs just don’t play with the same intensity on the road and it could cost them another game tonight.
Has nothing to do with intensity. We have two guards…both having to work very hard on defense. Tired legs is more like it
Only playoff team they’ve beaten on the road so far is Memphis… while we’re looking at it… still hard to win on the road without starting back court, center and key reserves out…
It’s just my opinion, the Raptors are punking them period.
MDN, JR, Bron, Kev & TT. Then live with that. Take the ball out of Lowrys hands
I really, really don’t like kyle lowry. Go away d-bag.
These rotations might be part of the problem. I don’t blame them for having no flow on either end. Still, gotta beat good teams. This was a winnable game.
Not really rotations… just Cavs going cold shooting the ball…
These refs are atrocious….
Lebron aint getting no calls, and really a 9-0 run to end with a damn Lowry 3 pointer ? chuups
Lebron just dunk OVER them
Think the refs somehow think that James Harden is on the Raps or something… these and-ones are getting ridiculous…
Well, Cavs going cold at the wrong time. Allowing too much penetration.
Ehh.. Might need to sit RJ down and bring MDN back.
I’m so annoyed by hearing the Raptors commentators, and again Cavs are not protecting the rim and not attacking the rim on da other end.
Bron gonna have to play 40 tonight…
Raps have caught whatever the Cavs had from the free throw line…
JR is the only guard in the game right now. LeBron is primary ballhandler.
Lebron need to drive to the damn rim
Bron not getting any calls…
Lauren is still looking out for us.
Need to rev up now. I expect Lebron to take over the nex 7 mins.
Andy taking the charge, does what is needed.
ANDY!! That’s why his 10 mins a game matter!
I agree, so glad we have him
Yep. Momentum gaining 10 mins. Andy always goin to find a way to contribute
Andy is sooooo freakin good at that. That one had to hurt
Oh good… b****smack is back…
thats what we dont have with Delly, offense like Mo
Sort of…sort of…
Ugh.. Freebies Kev.
About dang time we get a foul call
Kevin pump fake Love is so freakin good at finding birds
MO to RJ!!
Predicting a huge quarter from Lebron and love…lets play some d baby!
Realtors have 42 points in the paint to Cleveland 22 points , we need to man handle them in the paint now
SC top play of the night so far…
Just put on the game and we need to protect the paint more ,look at that dumb layup from Lowry. Thank God for that offense from Mo in the third
Relax guys. We’re just down by 2.
Downloading the entire collection of The Godfather after that
Every. Single. Call…. Really getting ‘Drake Night’ benefit from the refs… Ugh
MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!
Heck yeah mogotti!!!!
WHAT A SHOT FROM MO!!!
Welcome back, Mo!