Recap: Cleveland 108, Toronto 89 (or Excellence is Becoming Routine)

I hardly have to tell you guys. I mean we know how special this postseason run is. The Cavaliers just won their 10th straight playoff game, moving into a tie for third all time with the ’03 Nets and the ’12 Spurs, and two games behind the ’99 Spurs who won 12 straight… But don’t you just want to shout it from the rooftops? “IF YOU’RE NOT WATCHING THIS CAVS’ TEAM, NORTHEAST OHIO, YOU’RE MISSING OUT ON HISTORY!” The Cavs’ Game 2 victory even broke the record for most consecutive playoff wins against their own conference at 17! My Cavs mania even belies my inner hipster who likes to keep things inaccessible and obscure, but there was no denying Thursday night’s brilliance, and that this team is starting to accomplish once-in-a-generation feats.

Toronto contested Cleveland fiercely for 20 minutes until the Cavaliers closed the first half with a four minute 16-2 charge to put them up 60-46. Cleveland never relinquished control in  the second half and extended its lead to as much as 22 points. They remained firmly in control of the contest till the final buzzer. It’s hard to point to to any particular thing the Cavs did well because they did so much: soul crushing defense (40% shooting for the Raps), a parade to the free throw line, rebounding dominance, (46-38), crisp offensive execution (50% from the floor!), balanced scoring (five guys in double figures), and even an LBJ triple double.

Yes, LeBron James started rounding into all-galaxy form in preparation for his upcoming Space Jam role. He found shooter after shooter and cutter after cutter with an array of ridiculous passes, many of which had zero margin for error. Defensively, The DeMarre Carroll matchup allowed ‘Bron to harass the Raptors as a help defender, and generally gum up whatever offensive sets Toronto tried to execute, as he was always, just there. Offensively, despite a 23/11/11 night, James finished with only two turnovers and finished 7-11 from inside the arc. He redunkulously attacked all night in transition, posted-up, worked as an off-ball cutter, and Karl Maloned himself to the free throw line 17 times. (Bron did miss eight. He didn’t want to spoil us too much). I thought CtB Commenter, ShumpyOldMan, said it best in the live thread.

This is one of the few games where they’ve actually called all the fouls that happen to Lebron in a game…This is exactly why they officiate him the way they do because people would not want to watch him shoot 18 FT’s every single game which is really what he should average… -ShumpyOldMan

As brilliant as LeBron was (check out the highlights, above), Kyrie Irving might have been brillianter (it’s a word, damnit). Irving’s ball wizardry was on full display, but his mid-range game was the perfect complement as it only took him a couple dribbles to shake loose and tickle the twine each time he got a bucket. In fact, most of Irving’s 12 field goals were young-Mo-Williams-esque. Normally, an ineffecient shot, you’ll get no complaints about the medium range barage from me when Kyrie is putting the ball in at an over 50% clip. Despite missing all three triple tries, Irving still led the Cavs with 26, and 12-22 shooting.

Defensively, Irving competed all night, and generally made life difficult for Kyle Lowry, who just seemed miserable this game. Lowry scored 10, went 4-14 and turned the ball over five times with only three dimes. Irving consistently pushed Lowry towards a Cavs’ help defender, and together they trapped Lowry to “cut off the head of the snake” as it were. Cleveland recovered from these traps beautifully, and from the late second quarter on, the team was like a murmuration of starlings: moving instinctively to cover each open Raptor in an unconscious symphony of defensive movement.

https://vine.co/v/iE7pU0i2bLv

Irving got props for his D from Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackon, but he wasn’t the only one. Kevin Love showed great balance and lateral movement throughout the game and contested without fouling or giving up the lane when he got caught on an island against a quicker player. Offensively he scored 19, going 8-9 at the line and adding three dimes. He was 5-8 from the field scoring on a series of deft moves around the basket. He did let Patrick Patterson shake loose for a couple threes, but that was by design as the Cavs’ help-and-recover philosophy left 2Pat open. Love’s five rebounds were mostly limited due to all the long jumpers the Raptors were taking (33 trey attempts). Love left the game in the fourth when the Raps tried to rough him up but all accounts were that he was fine.

As good as the Big Three Dog Night were, J.R. Smith was positively a glue guy with his relentless defense, and his ability to hit shots all over the floor. Smitty was a game high +22, and during the broadcast Mike Breen remarked that Ty Lue feels that J.R. has been his best perimeter defender all season. It’s hard to argue that point, as Smith seems to relentlessly bring it every time he steps on the floor. He followed the game plan perfectly, content to go under the screen on Demar DeRozan and allow him to shoot semi-contested long twos. Smith Brought the offense too, as the Cavs used his ability to hit threes as a decoy and ran a pick and pop with J.R. as the screener which netted LeBron an easy basket at the rim to close the first half. Cleveland also ran a timeout play with J.R. coming off a curl from the left wing, and instead of catching, he dove and received a pass for an easy deuce. J.R. also went 3-5 from downtown and finished with 12.

As for the rest of the team, they played fantastically. Tristan Thompson was a bulldog on the glass, and finished with 12 boards and a block. He added nine points, including a welcome 5-6 night at the line, and was the recipient of a couple nifty dumpoffs from LeBron and KI. Channing Frye was once again a catalyst off the bench with a couple catch and shoot triples. He also used his three-point threat to cut to the bucket for easy dimes from the King. Channing finished with a flash Fryed ten points in 15 minutes. Richard Jefferson scored only two in 21 minutes but he was constantly communicating on defense and talking to all the young players on the team. He and Lil’ Kev are clearly enjoying this run. Iman Shumpert played solid defense, though he did cause me to finally register http://www.pleasestopdribblingShump.com. Click to see what Shump had to say about putting the ball on the floor when he was asked about it after the game by CtB’s Elijah Kim. Shump did have this gorgeous pass to LeBron though, and Iman was a part of the overall stellar defensive effort despite his lone trey in the scoring column.

That pass was one of many great ones by the Cavs and the ball moved on its way to 24 Cavalier assists on only nine turnovers.  Matthew Dellavedova had three Delly dimes, including this, the “most Delly Play ever” as CtB commenter Phil Hubbard described.

https://vine.co/v/iEZW372IWIM

Cleveland also got to the free throw line 37 times, and even the zoo crew contributed as Mozgov and Dantay Jones scored late, leaving only James Jones and Mo Williams (not for lack of trying) the only scoreless Cavs. And even though the Raptors tried to get physical with Cleveland, the Cavs didn’t do anything dumb and just played their game, despite Biyambo trying to start static. You’ve also got to love the low minutes count for the Cavs, as Irving led the team with 36 and LeBron played just 33, which made his triple double all the more remarkable.

For the Raptors, the lone bright spots were James Johnson, Terrence Ross, and Cory Joseph who each scored 11 off the bench, while token starter, Luis Scola was 1-5 with an underwhelming six points. Anyway, Cavs fans, keep doing what you’re doing. Don’t mess with your game rituals. Don’t change your routines. Don’t wash that lucky jersey. Don’t trim that beard. Don’t even shower if you haven’t. The Cavs keep winning, and no one should mess with it. Cleveland looks to put the series to bed, Saturday in Toronto. 10 down, six to go.