Recap: Raptors 133, Cavs 113 (or, Somewhere Over The Rainbow)

There’s no place like home… there’s no place like home…

…well, for me anyway. And, probably the Cavaliers too… since they found themselves a bit lost in a faraway land (okay, Canada) tonight that they used to own not so long ago when the Wizard of Ahhs still held the throne.

Yes, I’m back (for a limited time anyway)… ready to torture plenty of unsuspecting metaphors and conjure up countless bad puns about munchkins, yellow brick roads and rainbows. Hopefully, you’ll indulge me given that it’s been a while since I’ve seen this team in action. In the month or so I’ve been gone, the wine & gold have won just two of 16 contests. While part of me is glad none of my international VPNs were able to show me the twister of carnage during this stretch, another longed to see the Land that I’d heard of… and watch rainbow threes fly high like so many bluebirds.

Which brings us to this game against the defending NBA Champion Toronto Raptors. Though they are down one witch (who dropped his new house out West), they still feature one of the wickedest remaining witches in the East. The second greatest gift Kawhi Leonard bestowed upon this organization (after the Larry O’Brien trophy) was the example he provided for Pascal Siakam to emulate. The rangy power forward is the reigning NBA Most Improved Player, but looks to be well on his way to becoming a perennial All Star staple, and perhaps even dark horse MVP candidate. But, more on him later…

After all, we’re here to talk about the Cavs… who are still very much in the black & white Kansas portion of this rebuilding movie. They are still wishing upon a star (or two… or three), and dreaming of the someday when they’ll wake up where the clouds are far behind them. Their troubles have not melted like lemon drops yet… though enough flashes of technicolor have occasionally teased their way through the gloom (at least offensively) that promise a future way above the chimney tops… someday. Some way.

It wouldn’t take a great and all-powerful wizard to figure out that this current Cleveland squad was ill-prepared to square off against these Raptors, even minus their former star from last year’s title run. It’s not like the Cavs are missing the courage, heart or brains to be successful against a team like this. No… size, speed and physicality are the real missing pieces, as Toronto is long, strong and hyper aggressive on both ends of the floor. This much was obvious from the opening tip, with the starters seemingly overwhelmed, overmatched and overrun.

After trading buckets for the first minute or two, the Cavs’ first team quickly fell behind by double digits. The Raptors ran on every possession, every missed shot, and all six of the Cleveland turnovers in the first quarter. Despite some decent offensive work early by Kevin Love, Collin Sexton and Tristan Thompson, the deficit ballooned to as much as 18 points following the requisite Patrick McCaw revenge game back-to-back triples with just under three minutes remaining. Yet, the second unit (which has reportedly been strong in recent games), helped delay the inevitable with an impressive 10-0 run to end the quarter respectfully. Toronto led 37-29.

In the second quarter, Garland (Darius not Judy) continued the charge, knocking down the first of his four rainbow triples on the night, and handing out three lollipops to the kids… including the only fast break bucket of the first half for the Cavs (the Raps had 19).

Rook to rook. 👀

📺 #CavsRaptors on @FOXSportsCLE pic.twitter.com/kGkljXzdVV

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) December 17, 2019

While the bench kept Toronto within shouting distance, once the starters returned, the lead expanded back to 16 behind the efforts of Norman Powell and Siakam. Only some key offensive rebounding and push shot hooks from Canadian Dynamite kept the Cavs within a dozen at the break, 66-54.

The less said about quarter three the better. It was an exercise in futility. Even though the Cavs put up a 30 point period, punctuated by Sexton’s 14 point outburst… they got crushed beneath the weight of a 38 point onslaught dropped on them by the oncoming Tor-onto-nado. The primary perpetrators were Pascal (13 points) and Powell (16 points), as the uncontested threes rained down on the basket like flying monkeys on a straw man. The lead was 20, with the Raptors up 104-84.

A 9-1 run by the bench bunch to start the fourth made things a bit more interesting, as Garland’s rainbow shots started singing from deep, while Sexton knocked down floaters. Yet, Siakam, Serge Ibaka and Kyle Lowry made sure the lead never fell below 11 the rest of the way. Some garbage time YOLO threes from guys like Terrence Davis and Chris “The Waterboy” Boucher pushed the final margin back out to 20, for a final score of 133-113.

THE EVIL

Outside of some effort from John Henson, Larry Nance, Jr. and Kevin Porter, Jr., the defense wasn’t just a rumor… it was something heard once in a lullaby. The fact that those were the only guys who were determined to use more than one of their allotted personal fouls to try and stop someone in a Raptors jersey is pretty telling. As a result, the mostly unguarded Raps’ dreams really did come true, as they shot almost 59% from the field and 50% from downtown.

Someone forgot to oil Kevin Love because his shot looked like it rusted up after the first few possessions. He also had three pretty flat-footed turnovers to help fuel the Raptor runs. Not questioning an absence of heart on Kev’s part… but it didn’t seem like his was completely involved in this one.

With their munchkin starting back court, it’s never been more apparent that the Cavs should dare to dream about some wing help in their future. At least Coach Beilein is staggering Sexland a bit now.

Though the miscues were cleaned up in the second half, the Cavs turned the ball over six of their 11 times in the first quarter when Toronto put them in an early hole. This would be quasi-excusable if the perpetrators were rookies and young players, but half of those came from Love. The 11 turnovers cost the Cavs 18 points… nearly the final margin.

The speed and aggression of the Raptors showed up in stark relief in the fast break differential… where Toronto had a 29-4 advantage.

I still don’t completely get the “big men should take threes too” concept. Turning LNJ into some version of a stretch four was a stretch chore in my book… but turning John Henson into a stretch five? That is the definitive answer to “why oh why can’t I?”… um, because you shouldn’t.

THE GENIUS

The offense showed some real signs of life in the face of a decent test from the Raptor defense. Overall, the Cavs hit 49% from the field and 34% from beyond the arc. Garland and his little dog too, Sexton, had some good confidence building possessions… and man, do those Garland rainbows come from way up high.

DG goes splash in the corner 💦#BeTheFight | @dariusgarland22 pic.twitter.com/SkGLM05HiG

— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) December 17, 2019

Sexland combined to go 17-30 for 45 points, with Darius doing the heavy lifting on threes (4-8). Perhaps even more exciting is that they also combined for nine dimes.

Speaking of dimes… the Cavs had 30 as a team, and seem to be focused on finding ways to share the ball more.

Native son, Tristan Thompson, had a solid workman-like night with 18 points (9-14 shooting) and eight boards. He fought hard against the Raptor front line for extra possessions, and his push shot has become one of the most reliable rescue shots on the team. Also, if my 2019 self went back in time to tell my 2016 self that the Cavs would be running clear out ISO plays for TT in this future… my 2016 self might have my 2019 self committed.

Garland + the gang of Henson, Junior Nance, Junior Porter and Clarkson made a difference tonight and kept the Cavs in the game twice when they were in real danger of getting blown out. It’s fun to watch this second unit take shape.

Blaise Pascal was a significant 17th century mathematician and physicist… but Blaze Pascal is a significant 21st century physical stat adding machine. I knew Siakam was a stud last year from fantasy basketball. He was the beneficiary of defensive attention on Kawhi Leonard during the championship run. This year, he’s taken things to another level… looking like a beast on both ends of the court. Dude had 33 points with four boards and four dimes, while shooting 5-8 from three… and didn’t even seem to be trying all that hard. He’s the reason I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Raps return to the ECF again this year.

THE RAINBOW

Someday the Cavs will go somewhere over the rainbow again, where the dreams they dare to dream really will come true. That day isn’t today… or tomorrow… or probably anytime before 2022. They just don’t have the personnel or the defensive ability or trust to scare the Torontos or Milwaukees of the world. Not yet. But, there were flashes of color that pierced through the monochrome picture tonight offensively. It’s exciting to watch… especially since I haven’t been able to do so for a while.

Someday the skies will be blue again for this team. They will fly high. Way above the chimney tops. Somewhere beyond the rainbow of high arcing threes…

Until next time Cavs fans… that’s where you’ll find me.