Raptors-Cavaliers Series Preview Q&A | Raptors Republic
Blake Murphy: Kyle Lowry versus Kyrie Irving has been a popular debate over the last two years. I know you believe Irving is better on the whole, but can you concede that Lowry was better this season (and yes, Irving was coming back from injury)? Who do you expect to have a bigger impact in this series – it seems Irving should be able to score just fine given Toronto’s trouble with rangy point guards, but can he slow an apparently no-longer-slumping Lowry enough to win the battle? This looks like Toronto’s biggest potential advantage, if Irving can’t get up to defend consistently, and they’ll need Lowry to win this battle every night.
Justin Rowan: Lowry was absolutely better in the regular season. It’s impossible to deny. Last year I would give Irving the edge, but coming off of knee surgery in addition to skinny Kyle having his most consistent season ever you need to give the edge to Lowry.
But this Cavs team isn’t about the regular season. James is still showing he can be the best player in any given series, and Irving is playing out of his mind and playing some pretty good defense as well. From a Cavs standpoint, if Irving’s scoring matches Lowry, Toronto basically has no chance. Lowry has to take on a bigger role and is their best player, so if you have Irving matching him night after night, it’s unlikely Toronto manufactures enough offense to come away with the win.
I think it’s possible for Irving to win the battle, but when it comes to stopping/slowing down elite point guards, it’s a whole team effort. No point guard can stop a high end point guard one on one. They might play decent defense in space, but normally they get hit with a pick immediately and that point guard becomes a team problem. Maybe Irving wins the match up, but so far in the playoffs the Cavs have attacked wherever they have a match up advantage, so it’ll depend on who has the hot hand and where they can draw the most blood. Lowry is going to be relied upon every game in this series to try and be a match up advantage.
Kyle Lowry leads the Raptors where they’ve never been before | Raptors Republic
There’s really no describing what happened in the fourth quarter. Lowry grabbed an offensive rebound and hit from 16 feet to start things off, and after Josh McRoberts finished his Bill Walton impression for the night, the defense locked in. Over the span of 3:26, the Raptors allowed the Heat one McRoberts layup and nothing else. Meanwhile, Biyombo threw one home. Carroll continued his terrific night with a big three (and later, more great defense on Wade). T.J. Ross hit a three. Cory Joseph got to the line. Frustration setting in, Biyombo was on the bad end of a flagrant foul from McRoberts. Naturally, once Biyombo missed the free throw, a bad scramble resulted in Lowry stealing a Dragic pass and sending Patterson to the line.
By the time Patterson hit his pair, the lead had ballooned to 20. It was a 14-2 run, and the Heat were on the ropes. For the next 7:30, the Air Canada Centre didn’t stop shaking, the only slight drawback to the proceedings being that there was no one climactic moment on which the ACC could explode – it was just moment after moment, bucket after bucket, new memory after new memory, building to a beautiful crescendo.
“I was just so happy that we could bust open that lead, and kind of give us the cushion so we could breathe, and just let the tension ease a little bit,” Joseph said. “It was a huge game for the whole of Canada.”
That crescendo came out of a Raptors timeout with 5:35 to play. The Heat had chipped it back to 16, and Casey wasn’t going to leave anything to chance or momentum. The timeout keyed another 9-0 run, concluding, of course, with a Lowry three and a scrambling Heat timeout, Spoelstra’s last gasp at an improbable comeback. It was for naught.
“They wore us down,” Erik Spoelstra conceded. “Toronto beat us. Fair and square. Give them credit.”
Hello friends. If you would like to bet Cleveland and lay me 11-1 odds I will take Raptors for $20k. Real price is 13-1, take me down!
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) May 16, 2016
Sweet vindication: Lowry, Raptors deliver clutch performance in Game 7 | The Defeated
You can still talk about the circumstances, you can point to Lowry and DeRozan’s inefficient shooting, you can gripe about ugly, backward basketball, you can harp on them needing seven games in both rounds, you can say the East sucks, you cite luck or injuries. That’s all fair.
But they’re one of four teams left standing. Say whatever you want, just remember that part. They made it to the conference finals. They did something right.
The worst part of seeing the Raptors struggle was the haunting feeling that this team, as constructed, wasn’t any good. The fear was that they lacked something — elite talent, mental fortitude, top-notch schematics — that made them incapable of elevating their game when it mattered most. And since everyone kept reminding us of their flaws (even after victories) there was no space to feel good about the Raptors.They won, but that wasn’t changing what anybody thought of this team because of how it happened. The Raptors were a disappointment right until they ran away with Game 7 in the fourth quarter. They stomped on the Heat and asserted their dominance. They reminded everyone what the Raptors were capable of.
Finally, fans can feel happy without disclaimer, can feel proud without a caveat, can feel confidence without discouragement. They’ve finally shed the monkey off their back after winning two rounds.
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The Nobody-Believes-In-Us Raptors Aren’t Satisfied | VICE Sports
On Sunday, the Raptors had 20 offensive rebounds to Miami’s seven, and shot 43 free throws to Miami’s 23. After the game, John Schuhmann of NBA.com asked Dwane Casey why the Raptors were able to capitalize on the advantage that was clear as day two days after they seemed to forget they had it.
“When you can understand human nature, John, you and I we will get that business going together,” Casey said. “It’s the same thing we were preaching: You’ve got to make them pay if (we) are going to stay big. If you don’t, we’ve got to get you out. Today, they did a heck of a job doing that.”
“The goal today was 20. The goal today was to get 20 offensive rebounds,” said Bismack Biyombo, saying that he and Patrick Patterson fell seven short of their target. “So we did a terrible job.
“After watching film (after Game 6), some people were not able to look at the film, including myself. At some point, you take things personally and get out there and get it done.”
We know enough about basketball to know it is not simply a matter of effort and intensity, no matter how many coaches and players discuss the sport like that. There is a whole other team looking to keep you from doing what you want to do, and Patterson and Biyombo are not undeniable forces.
The moment Jonas Valanciunas and Hassan Whiteside exited the series in Game 3, however, it felt like this type of game was there for Toronto. The Heat did not have a viable traditional option up front behind Whiteside, while the Raptors did have one behind their big man. If Lowry and DeRozan’s continued words about not possibly being able to shoot as poorly as they had been would finally come true, they were the better team in this series, just like they were against Indiana.
Raptors have no fear of the East final stage: Arthur | Toronto Star
“When we play Cleveland in the regular season, we were able to match up very well,” centre Bismack Biyombo said.
“Man, we just fought back,” DeRozan said of the regular-season games against Cleveland. “We had a game where we didn’t have JV; it’s going to be similar now, starting with Bismack. Bismack really came through big for us. That’s something we have to keep in mind: just go out there and play tough. Play together and play tough. And that’s what we did the times we played them.”
People will try to make a fire of Lowry saying “LeBron is probably one of the best players in the league, besides Steph (Curry),” after Game 7, and LeBron has quietly chafed as the league stopped rotating around him. Raptors coach Dwane Casey has always said he believes LeBron is the one he would fear most in a playoff series, Curry and all. The Cavs are good.
So, nobody will pick the Raptors to win. But they are on the big stage now, and the only expectation should be this: play like yourselves. Play like you belong here. Luis Scola, earlier in the playoffs, put it like this: “If we play the way we played 82 games and we lose, what can you do? You can’t expect to overplay. But when you underplay, that sucks. You don’t wanna do that. You don’t want to lose playing worse than your abilities.”
This will be hard. A lot of people are screaming, “Sweep!” Oh well.
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LeBron James thrives on biggest stage at biggest times | Toronto Sun
Running shooters off the three-point line, getting back in transition, locating James and Kyrie Irving in transition, it’s the only way the Raptors can be competitive.
If Toronto can’t defend the three-point line and shots are made from distance, the Raptors will become the third consecutive Eastern Conference team to get swept this post-season.
There’s size in Carroll and James Johnson, perhaps Toronto will even turn to Norman Powell, who was overmatched against Miami, just to get up on James — but there’s no easy answer for James.
Carroll is fearless, strong and welcomes the challenge and he gives the Raptors their only hope of trying to slow the King down.
Force him into a jump shooter, make others beat you, attack him on offence, resort to a matchup zone, when James is rolling nothing will suffice.
What makes Toronto’s task so difficult is the way Cleveland is sharing the ball and making shots.
“That’s where the league is going,” Hawks forward Paul Millsap said following his team’s sweep at the hands of the Cavs. “Three-point shots are a killer, man.”
Casey has Raptors relishing their role as underdogs vs. LeBron, Cavs | Sportsnet.ca
“Nobody’s gonna favour us going into this series,” Casey said on Monday, in a conference call. “Everybody’s, not disrespected us, but not expected us to do as much all year long.
“This series is not gonna be any different. I don’t know how Cleveland feels about us, but nobody’s gonna favour us to beat them in this series. The only people that are gonna believe in that [are] the people in our locker room and the guys on the floor. And so we gotta go in there together. And our backs will be against the wall Tuesday night, Thursday night in Cleveland.”
Annnnnd it continues. #Raptors #hairwhipsforlife
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LeBron James is still the king in Cleveland | Toronto Star
Through the Cavs’ eight-game run in the playoffs, James’ 23.5 points per game are the lowest he has scored in the post-season. And yet his team is undefeated, raining three-pointers down and following his team-first lead.
“That’s what LeBron’s always been known for, is to make his team better,” Lue said. “We had two all-stars go down last year (in Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving) and he carried us all the way to the NBA finals.”
James’ focus all season, game by game and now series by series, has been to get back to that stage.
“A guy like LeBron, he does make your job easier but at any given time he can take over the game when need be,” Lue continued. “Just like in Atlanta (in Game 4) he took the ball into his hands, he dominated and he brought us home a win.”
James stands there, unflinching when his place in the game has been questioned, really, for the first time in his life over the last two seasons. The man that’s built like an action figure is built for everything that comes with being LeBron James.
“It goes to show that he took on all the criticism and he’s able to win,” Lue said of James’ success over the last six years. “It’s a tough burden sometimes and the media, the scrutiny, it follows him everywhere he goes and he’s handled it great.”
Raptors need to defend more than just LeBron James | Toronto Sun
“That’s going to be an issue,” Dwane Casey said on a noon conference call Monday. “They’re such a great transition team, such a great pick-and-roll team that you try to stop everything, you can’t stop anything. We have to pick our poison, they do shoot the three-ball very well. They switch a lot. They’re a lethal team right now, one through five, can stretch you out, shoot the three with Channing Frye or (Kevin) Love at the five. They’re lethal. Our work is cut out for us to take away the three-ball.”
Casey and his lead defensive assistant Andy Greer are masters are devising defences that take things away from an opponent, but with this Cleveland team as soon as you take something away, they find another way to torch you.
“If we have Jonas (Valanciunas) or Bismack (Biyombo) in there, it’s very difficult to switch one through five and deal with it. We got away with it in the Miami series, but there’s a huge difference in the three-point shooting of Cleveland and Miami,” Casey said. “Our goal all year has been to take away the paint first. …. there’s some things we’ve got to adjust to compensate for the three-ball.”
The Cavs have three-point threats throughout the lineup. Frye, the newest Cavalier, is shooting 57% from three in the playoffs. Kyrie Irving is shooting 53.8%, just ahead of Richard Jefferson, who is shooting 53.1%.
J.R. Smith, the most deadly three-point shooter against the Raps in the regular season, is shooting 50.8% from three-point land while seldom-used Dahntay Jones is shooting 50% from behind the arc.
That’s five of 13 players who are making at least one of every two shots they attempt from three-point range.
That is scary.
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By the Numbers: Raptors-Cavaliers Eastern Conference Finals preview | Sportsnet.ca
LeBron sucks now, right? Everybody says so…
If there’s a stupider narrative in sports this year, it’s not readily apparent: LeBron has taken a ton of flack for his flagging outside shooting, leading to a lot of “What’s wrong with LeBron?”/”Is LeBron DONE?!” type conversations, but let’s look for a second at how exactly his game has changed.
While he’s certainly been no Steph Curry from three, the bottoming out of his shot happened in last year’s playoffs—when he was still pretty damn effective. He’s actually hitting 1.5 threes per game so far, and he’s not someone the Raptors will feel comfortable leaving wide open.
In short, the three-point shooting dip isn’t nearly as drastic as people have been making it out to be, and it hasn’t hurt his production.
Game 1 Preview: Raptors @ Cavaliers | Toronto Raptors
A new series, another opportunity
After finishing up with the Indiana Pacers, the Raptors quickly learned that their series against the Miami Heat would be a different challenge. In a seven-game series, it can be easy to get used to playing a particular pace and style against the same opponent game after game, but it’s important to recognize that a new series and opponent means the slate is wiped clean and the game plan and style of play could be entirely new.
“Every game is different, has a different theme,” Raptors head coach Dwane Casey said. “Every series has it’s own theme, storyline, different styles of play, adjustments you can make.”
Game 1 can often be a feeling-out process where teams establish what the series will be like and how it will differ from the series that was just closed out. Casey can’t change that Game 1 will tip off less than 48 hours after his team finished their series against the Heat, but he does want his players to focus on what they can control.
“We’ve got to to go in playing confident, playing hard, and playing to our identity,” he said.
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Will Raptors keep streak of good fortune going in draft lottery? | Toronto Sun
While Jonas Valanciunas, Terrence Ross, Norman Powell and others are still young, Kyle Lowry can opt-out a year from now and is now over 30. DeMar DeRozan needs to be re-signed and there is a glaring hole at power forward. That’s where this pick could come in.
Landing a gem — and Ujiri, Tolzman and the rest of the staff have shown an eye for talent in the past — would be huge and would open up all kinds of options and possibilities.
Star-caliber players slip every year and what would Toronto’s future look like if they can come away with the next Paul George (No. 10 in 2010), Klay Thompson (No. 11 in 2011), Kawhi Leonard (15 that same year), C.J. McCollum, Giannis Antetokounmpo (10 and 15 in 2013), or Myles Turner (11 in 2015)?
Toronto’s own selection is at No. 27, with two more firsts coming next year, though Ujiri has said the team won’t be using all four of them.
As the global ambassador says, what a time to be alive.
Cavaliers the NBA’s Death Star so far, tearing way through playoffs | Toronto Star
The good is that the Raptors are in uncharted territory as a franchise and they’ve given their long-suffering fan base something to be generally elated about. If their 56-win regular season didn’t convince you, the Raptors’ mostly clumsy journey to this lookout in the NBA’s landscape should confirm it: this team, while doing it in the most difficult way possible this year, is for real.
The bad is the same bad news that met the Detroit Pistons and the Atlanta Hawks after them. LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers are on a mission, and at 8-0 in the playoffs, Toronto is far from the end goal.
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Raptors deserve a lot of credit for their resilience | Sportsnet.ca
The Raptors will play in the Eastern Conference final starting Tuesday in Cleveland, leaving the Charlotte Bobcats, Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans Hornets as the only NBA franchises who have never made it that far. And for all the statistics and suggestions and what have you, there is one characteristic that truly stands out about this group: by hook or by crook they have not lost back-to-back games since March 23-25, when they were beaten by the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets.
That says something, no? In so doing, they’ve lived through at various times the absence of a fully healthy DeMarre Carroll, an injured and then funk-ridden Kyle Lowry, a cold-handed DeMar DeRozan and a seven-foot hole left by an injury to Jonas Valanciunas – sometimes all once – never mind the usual NBA playoff land mines of bad breaks and crappy officiating.
Much was made going into the playoffs about how head coach Dwane Casey had more depth at his disposal than in the past, that in addition to the usual fastball and curve he had a couple of changeups. Mostly, though, that was taken to mean Cory Joseph and Carroll. Bismack Biyombo? Look, I don’t know if he has a fourth double-double in him, and I don’t think the Raptors have a prayer without Valanciunas. But I will say this, Biyombo and Patrick Patterson give them something Valanciunas doesn’t: bigs who can guard the perimeter as well as the paint and that might be of more use against the Cavaliers. Biyombo was a beast on switches in Game 7, particularly late in the third and early in the fourth quarter. “Patrick and Biz both give you an opportunity in that they can play smaller guys on the perimeter,” said Casey. “They got out on the perimeter, kept guys in front of them and then when the shot went up, they planted their feet and took a stand in the paint.”
Podcast Episode 102: Dinosaurs vs The Comet and ThunderStruck 1st! | Cavs: The Blog
Nate, Eli, and I discussed Cavs/Raptors matchups while watching the Thunder steal game 1 from the Warriors!
Fear the Roundtable: previewing Cavaliers vs. Raptors | Fear The Sword
Daniel Rowell (@DanielJRowell): Five. I’m on the fence on this one. I think the Raptors are a talented team that have given the Cavaliers trouble during the regular season. The postseason has been a very different look for both teams. The Cavaliers are undefeated and shooting at some impressive but maybe unsustainable percentages. The Raptors have been through 14 games and worked through a set of injuries and shooting slumps in what looked like a group finally finding it’s stride against Miami in Game 7. I think this is the biggest threat that the Cavaliers have faced in the postseason and with the Raptors forced to play small with Jonas Valanciunas out for the foreseeable future, it will be interesting to see if the Cavs can keep up the Three-veland look or if they are going to come back down to the mean. It’s Cavs in 4 or Cavs in 6, but I’m half-worried.
Expect Bismack Biyombo, Toronto Raptors to get physical with the Cavaliers again | cleveland.com
Biyombo has stepped up and become a force in these playoffs in the absence of Jonas Valanciunas, who is out with an ankle injury. In the last four games in a starting role, Biyombo has produced 11 points, 12 boards and 2.5 blocks per outing.
He has revitalized his team and provided a rugged edge. Now the big man will look to get rugged with the Cavaliers once again.
“[He] gives them a different threat,” James said. “They’re able to throw lobs to him. He’s able to finish over the top and he plays with a lot more speed…They’re able to get out into the open floor a little bit more with Biyombo out there.”
In many respects, Biyombo is a more versatile player than Valanciunas. He doesn’t have the post moves, but he’s more athletic, quicker, and a better defender.
“Biyombo does a great job of getting up the floor for a five,” Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said. “Usually [centers] always drop back. He does a great job of getting up the floor, guarding the pick-and-roll and also retreating so the roll doesn’t get behind him.”
Biyombo’s confidence is sky-high. Raptors coach Dwane Casey has somehow managed to tap into his potential. He’s always been a physical presence and a bit of an enforcer, but now he has the game to match.
Toronto has had very little issue playing with aggression against the Cavaliers. Last year Valanciunas pulled off the equivalent of a dangerous horse-collar tackle on James. With the Raptors shorthanded and outgunned, this series could get feisty.
NBA Playoffs: Toronto Raptors Q & A with John Gaudes of Raptors HQ | Fear The Sword
The matchup between Irving and Lowry is obviously an exciting one, because it’s probably the only head-to-head matchup in this series where two star players will spend long stretches of time guarding each other. We haven’t seen this version of Kyrie go up against Lowry at all this season, and the big thing I’ll be watching for is Kyle’s ability to stay out of foul trouble.
Lowry is an aggressive defender. He gambles in passing lanes, gets locked up in arms, and draws contact to put pressure on the officials. In the minutes against Goran Dragic where he wasn’t in foul trouble, this hyper-aggressiveness was effective, and I feel like it could be again with Irving. However, Lowry needs to stay out of foul trouble in order to do this, because the Raptors as a team drop off a cliff offensively when he’s on the bench.
On the other end, Lowry has already proved this season that he can score against this Cavaliers team, averaging over 30 points and providing a heroic game-winning shot in Toronto. My concern isn’t necessarily there, it’s on the other end, where the Raptors will need to keep Irving relatively in check if they have any chance in this series.
“We’re not going to jeopardize further hurting his ankle just to get him out there for a game,” Casey said. “If he’s not 100 percent we’re not going to damage it.”
Fifth-year pro Bismack Biyombo has slid into the starting lineup, recording a double-double in three of the four games as starter.
“Obviously both of them has been a key to their success throughout the season,” LeBron James said Monday following the final practice before Tuesday’s series opener. “It gives them a different threat. They’re able to throw lobs, he’s able to finish over top. He plays with a lot more speed. Valanciunas is obviously very good, but they play a little bit more methodical game. Able to get out into the open floor with Biyombo. It gives them great balance when both of them are in there, and obviously with Biyombo in there since Valanciunas got hurt, has given them a different threat.”
Biyombo, the seventh-overall pick in the 2011 draft, averaged 5.5 points to go with 8.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in his first season with the Raptors following four frustrating years in Charlotte.
“He found a home, having a chance to play some consistent minutes and Coach Casey has done a good job with him,” Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue said. “Giving him confidence, telling him his role, he’s knowing his role and he’s playing to the best of his ability.”
Getting a bigger platform to showcase his massive improvement, Biyombo’s energy and relentless approach on the glass have helped the Raptors hold opponents to 94.1 points this postseason.
“He’s a load,” Kevin Love said. “He has really filled in well for Valanciunas. We don’t know when we will see (Valanciunas) but (Biyombo) is a guy we have to keep off the glass, high energy, he’ll tap some balls out to get some extra possessions, get to the free-throw line so he does a number of things to help them so he could be one of those guys we need to manage.”
Cavaliers vs. Raptors: How They Match Up | Ohio.com
Cavs coaching
Tyronn Lue has separated himself in his first postseason as a head coach. His rotations have been on point, his play designs coming out of timeouts have led to big baskets and his defensive strategies have been key in taking down two highly respected coaches in Stan Van Gundy and Mike Budenholzer. The Cavs changed their defensive schemes between series against the Pistons and Hawks and are expected to do so again against the Raptors.
Raptors coaching
Dwane Casey finished fifth in coach of the year voting this season and was part of the 2011 Dallas Mavericks staff that upset James and the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. The Raptors have won the past three division titles under Casey, yet he entered this postseason under pressure after so many seasons with early postseason exits. Casey has a specific way he likes to defend by taking away the paint. The Raptors finished 11th in defensive field-goal percentage, but opponents shot 37 percent against the Raptors from 3-point range during the regular season — the second-worst percentage in the league. That could pose a problem for Toronto, given the way the Cavs are shooting 3-pointers in this postseason.
Edge: Cavs
But when it comes to matchups, Toronto can present some real problems for the Cavs.
Lowry is relentless at driving to the rim, and a fearless gunner from long range. He will challenge Kyrie Irving and anyone else the Cavs play at point guard — probably Matthew Dellavedova.
DeRozan is 6-foot-7, 220-pound scoring machine. He can pile up points on drives and medium-range shots. He loves drawing fouls.
J.R. Smith did a superb job making Atlanta shooting guard Kyle Korver disappear. Korver lives on the 3-point line. DeRozan is stronger, tougher and has far more variety in his game. Smith and Iman Shumpert must be prepared or DeRozan can put up some monster numbers.
Cavs coach Tyronn Lue has another option, a possible game-changer if Toronto’s backcourt is on fire. LeBron James can defend either guard for parts of the game. James can put almost any player into a deep freeze when he is at his defensive best.
When it comes to this series with Toronto, a healthy dose of respect is in order.
Five Quick Thoughts: Off to Cleveland! | TSN
THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: LeBron & Company have had lots of time off. Who knows if that helps or hurts them. I’ll say this – in the eight playoff games they’ve played so far, they’ve been an absolute joy to watch. They share the ball, shoot the ball, play hard, appear to finally like and respect each other and guys know/accept their roles.
No doubt they’ll be a very difficult opponent for Toronto, despite losing two of three during the season. Realistically, the Raptors will have to play their ‘A’ game to win this series. They’ve got to take care of the ball, execute well on offence, avoid the Cavs’ transition, defend the 3 and rebound like crazy to have a chance.
Masai Ujiri has already defied odds, so why not Raptors? | Toronto Sun
The reality may be slightly different. The Cavs needed eight playoff games, most of them one-sided, to get to this place. The Raptors needed 14 playoff games, many of them uneven, one night great the next night not, to get here: Their playoff has been a whirlwind blowing in all directions: Up, down, hot, not, broken and destined, the only consistency being all games were played in days ending in the letter y.
Nobody really gives the Raptors much of a chance here to win this series. Regular-season LeBron and playoff LeBron aren’t necessarily the same player. In his conference-call interview Monday, coach Dwane Casey called the Cavs the best team in the league and James the best player in the league.
And then he qualified it. “Every time you talk on the floor, you’ve got to give yourself a chance. We’re humble, but we’re hungry. I do believe we’ll play hard.”
Kyle Lowry and the 2015-16 Raptors achieve immortality in Game 7 | Raptors HQ
“I thought the moment, and what it means, I think tonight was huge for him,” said Casey of Lowry. “Not only offensively — I thought Kyle’s defense was extraordinary. I thought he was into the basketball, some of his best pick-and-roll defense, hounding the ball, being into the ball, dictating direction was huge.”
Casey was also complimentary of the way DeRozan was unswayed by the magnitude of the situation. He scored 28 points — many in times of need — on 12-of-29 shooting, and was especially effective once he stopped going out of his way to “empty the clip” in the second half.
But don’t get it twisted — this was Lowry’s game. At this point he’s pretty clearly the second name you’ll think of going forward when listing all-time great Raptors. Bosh might have been a more statistically prolific player for longer, but Lowry’s glorious peak has elevated the Raptors from the depths of irrelevance. The question now isn’t where Lowry ranks, but how much more he has to do to usurp Carter atop the ladder. He’s not there yet, but Game 7 brought him a Bismack Biyombo-sized leap closer.
One thing that could quickly get Lowry some consideration as the greatest Raptor ever would be a miraculous upset against the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
“Our goal was to play as long as possible,” said Lowry on whether or not he’s satisfied with the second round win. “Yes, we’re excited but we wanna continue to get four more wins and get to the Finals. We know we’ve got a tough task ahead, but it’s still basketball. They gotta lace ’em up, we gotta lace ’em up and go at it.”
Toronto Raptors: 5 Keys To Playing The Cleveland Cavaliers | Hoops Habit
1. The Raptors must improve their three-point defense in a hurry
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been knocking down three-point shots at a historic rate so far in the playoffs.
They have set the NBA record for three-point makes in a game with 25 and out of the seven playoff games with more than 20 made threes for one team in NBA playoff history, three have come from the Cavs in this year’s playoffs.
The Toronto Raptors were 29th in the NBA in three-point defense when it comes to percentage allowed. In the regular season, the Cavs shot 50 percent from behind the arc against the Raptors.
Without Valanciunas in the middle, the Cavs can turn to Channing Frye at center and truly stretch the Raptors defense out.
The solution is not an easy one for Dwane Casey. While the Cavs’ perimeter assault in the regular season was largely against a DeMarre Carroll-less squad, Carroll will be tasked with covering LeBron James, who primarily distributes to the Cavs shooters.
Both James and Kyrie Irving are adept at getting to the rim and finishing, so Casey and the Raptors will need to find the balance between taking away the three-point line, and giving up too many buckets at the rim.
LeBron, Kyrie, Lowry and DeRozan create star-studded ECF. | Sports on Earth
2. Which three-point shooting trend will remain the same in this round?
The Cavaliers scorched the Hawks to the tune of 50.7 percent shooting from beyond the arc in their four-game sweep (on 38.0 attempts, the highest of any team in the second round), including a playoff record 25 three-pointers in Game 2. The Raptors, meanwhile, held the Heat to 30.4 percent shooting from three in their series win. The numbers are deceiving here. Three-point shooting was not a strength of Miami’s offense, and the Raptors’ defense were bailed out on many occasions by the Heat’s inability to make open shots from beyond the arc. If the same defensive breakdowns happen against the Cavs, it will prove costly in this round.
Meanwhile, the Raptors have struggled from the three-point line themselves in these playoffs. A team that finished tied for fourth during the regular season in three-point percentage (37.0 percent) is shooting just 30.3 percent in the playoffs. The difference in three-point production from both teams explains why the Cavs are averaging a league-leading 117.0 points per 100 possessions in the playoffs, while the Raptors are scoring 99.4 points per 100 possessions. If those trends continue, we’ll be seeing plenty of blowouts in this series.
Role Player Of The Week: Bismack Biyombo | TFB
There were a couple of factors in this series that helped Biyombo become a pick-and-roll force on offense. The first was the injury of Whiteside, which left the Heat devoid of any rim protection. There weren’t any big men he was scared of running into at the cylinder, which allowed him to be aggressive every time he saw an opening.
The second factor wasn’t as obvious but was just as important. The return of the aggression of Toronto’s guards was a huge driving force to Biyombo’s success.
Kyle Lowry’s game and confidence were low throughout most of the playoffs, but he regained his regular-season form in the last two games of this series. The other guards for Toronto seemed to feed off Lowry’s hutzpah in Game 7, and began taking it into the teeth of Miami’s defense.
Biyombo relies on others to get him shots and thrived as the roll man after screens. When Toronto’s guards are tentative and don’t turn the corner, it is easy for the defense to corral Biyombo without fear of an easy layup for whoever the ballhandler is on the play.
When the Raptors guards are as aggressive as they were Sunday, however, Biyombo can get some space to maneuver. And when he has that space near the rim against a team with no shot-blocking, it’s game over for the defense.
On defense, Biyombo gave the Raptors what the Heat were missing: a legitimate rim protector. He’s always had the athleticism to be a good defender but has started to show better judgment on that end as well.
DeMarre Carroll | The Jim Rome Show
Advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals | Beating Miami in Game 7 | His injuries | Playing fast | Kyle Lowry coming through | Bismack Biyombo’s play | LeBron James next | Guarding James | Just need to keep playing hard | Rougned Odor’s cheap shot on Jose Bautista
Blogtable: Key player to watch in Eastern Conference finals? | Hang Time Blog
Sekou Smith, NBA.com: Two words I honestly never thought I’d utter or write in response to this question: Bismack Biyombo. I know, it sounds crazy. But with Jonas Valanciunas on the mend and the rebounding machine that is Tristan Thompson eager to show off for the local (Cleveland) and hometown (he’s from Toronto) fans, the Raptors will need someone to match his energy, effort and relentless hustle on the boards. After seeing the impact Biyombo had against the Miami Heat in the conference finals, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he steps up against the Cavaliers.
Biyombo proves difference-maker against Miami | Raptors Rapture
In addition to blocking shots, Biyombo also reduced the effectiveness of opponents’ shots near the rim. According to NBA.com defensive tracking stats, in the last four games of the Heat/Raptors series, Biyombo forced Miami to shoot 11.8% worse than average from less than 6 feet from the basket and 7% worse from less than 10 feet from the hoop.
His interior defense prevented Miami from scoring easiest baskets near the rim, and his energy paid off on the offensive end, as well. Bismack scored a playoff-high 17 points in the close-out game 7. At multiple points in the game, Biyombo aggressively cut to the basket and finished with dunks, including this dunk with around 8:00 to go in the third quarter.
Three Is Key For Stingy Raptors To Shock The Cavaliers | Pro Bball Report
How the Raptors can beat the Cavaliers is no mystery to head coach Dwane Casey.
“(The three-ball) is going to be the issue,” Casey told the media by phone on Monday. “They are such a great transition team, such a great penetrate pick and roll team that (if) you try to stop everything, you don’t stop anything. We have to pick a poison.
“Atlanta tried to take away a lot. They tried to take away a lot of pick and roll stuff, but they ended up not taking away anything.
“They are a lethal team right now. They can put a team on the floor one thru five that can stretch you out and shoot.
“What (LeBron) brings to the table now is probably more lethal than his scoring. His passing is probably his biggest weapon because he is such a smart player. He sees the floor. He finds his shooters and they only have to move their hands. He puts it right on the numbers.”
Casey didn’t change his defensive philosophy during the regular season and if anything, the Raptors have tightened up on those principles during the playoffs. It was the only way they could advance with their offense in a funk during much of the first two rounds.
“Our philosophy all year has been to take away the paint first and then get out to three-point shooters,” Casey said. “We may have to adjust that. There are things you have to adjust to compensate for the three-ball.”
Cavaliers–Raptors will be yet another series sweep for Cleveland | Sports Illustrated
Toronto is the most erratic of the four surviving teams, which offers the slightest of hopes that it might outperform its precedent over the course of a contained series. Doing so would require the kind of sustained defense, helpful bench scoring, and Lowry-driven operations the Raptors have shown in stretches but rarely together. Align those qualities—along with a solid series from DeRozan, a strong comeback form Jonas Valanciunas, and other factors—and the Raptors might give themselves a shot.
Lowry, in particular, picked a hell of a time to post his best games of the postseason. Toronto’s star guard entered the Eastern conference semfinials shaken to the point of being gun shy; his shot had been so unreliable to the point that Lowry shirked it almost entirely. He finished Games six and seven with 71 total points on 23–of–47 shooting from the field and 8–of–12 shooting from beyond the arc. That’s the version of Lowry that might get Irving into trouble and turn Love’s defense into a liability. Cleveland couldn’t find an effective counter to Lowry’s drives and jumpers in the regular season series, hence why Toronto ended up winning two of three. Lowry’s 43 points in a February win over the Cavs, in particular, should help to outline exactly the angle of attack that the Raptors should be pursuing.
There’s also a game’s worth of good defense on Irving between Lowry, Cory Joseph, and Norm Powell, depending on how Raptors coach Dwane Casey chooses to shape his rotation. Joseph, in particular, could be a problem; Toronto might slow Cleveland in its LeBron-less minutes by having Joseph hound Irving full-court, pushing the ball out of the hands of a dynamic creator and into the less reliable mitts of Dellavedova. Applying the same pressure when LeBron does play could also conceivably tilt the balance of the Cavs’ offense. Irving sometimes responds to these one-on-one challenges by trying to do too much, and James sometimes responds to his overwhelmed teammates by trying to take over himself. The latter can backfire in a big way, though on the right night it might jar the eager passing that has made Cleveland so effective.
Odds Outlook: Raptors are big underdogs against the Cavs | Raptors HQ
When it comes to championship odds, the Raptors are clearly on the outside looking in. Take a look for yourself:
Golden State Warriors -160
Cleveland Cavaliers +230
Oklahoma City Thunder +600
Toronto Raptors +3300
Who wins Raptors-Cavaliers NBA playoff series? Doug Smith picks . . . | Toronto Star
The Raptors will win if . . .
Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan can replicate their play from the last three games of the Miami series and dominate the Cleveland backcourt.
Toronto also cannot afford turnovers and to use a phrase oft-uttered by head coach Dwane Casey, they will have to be at their “grimy” best and turn the games a bit ugly.
The Raptors can be a very good defensive team but they are up against a team with a variety of offensive weapons and there can be no slippage if they even want to stay close in games.
Raptors-Cavaliers series breakdown: Key matchups, storylines, and more | Sportsnet.ca
MARQUEE MATCHUP #1: Kyle Lowry vs. Kyrie Irving
You know Lowry is coming off his performance on Sunday (35 points/9 assists/7 rebounds/4 steals/5-7 from deep) feeling pretty good about his game at the moment. He’ll feel even better once he sees Irving standing across from him.
Irving is one of the most gifted offensive players in the NBA and a truly stunning ball-handler, but he has a lot of trouble keeping opponents in front of him on defense. After missing the first chunk of the season recovering from the knee injury that took him out of the post-season last year, Irving has bounced back nicely in the 2016 playoffs, averaging nearly 25 points per game on 47% shooting.
The two all-stars point guards will both be major focal points on offense. That said, it won’t be long before we see a healthy dose of dual point-guard lineups for both teams, with Cory Joseph guarding Irving and the Cavs turning to defensive pest Matthew Dellavedova to matchup against Lowry. Will it be enough to slow the Raptors’ hero?
Advantage:Raptors
Cavs-Raps: Breaking down Eastern Conference final | Toronto Sun
Kyle Lowry vs. Kyrie Irving
“It’s always great to go against another great point guard and all-star in our league. He does a tremendous job of leading their team. I have to do a great job of keeping my body in front of him, making it difficult and forcing him into tough shots.”
Those were the words Irving expressed during his media availability on Sunday, moments after the Raptors had blown out the Heat in Game 7.
The best player on the floor was Lowry and he’ll have to be even better against Irving and the Cavs.
Whether it’s Toronto or Cleveland, both teams will throw different bodies at Lowry and Irving.
You want to make Irving work on defence and teams want to keep Irving from getting out in transition because he’s so fast and explosive.
The one knock on Irving is that he can be too shot happy, but eight games into the post-season and there haven’t been many moments when he’s tried to force his offence.
Irving can light it up, even more than Lowry, given his range and sheer athleticism, more than capable of going off for a 50 spot.
This is a great matchup pitting two very high-level point guards.
What Lowry can’t do is get into foul trouble.
Game 1 preview: Raptors at Cleveland Cavaliers | Toronto Star
Key matchup: DeMarre Carroll vs. LeBron James. James has long been the toughest assignment in the Eastern Conference, but with a healthy supporting cast that’s shooting at an unprecedented clip — a playoff-best 134 threes made on 46.2 per cent shooting — he’ll be more difficult to check than ever. Slowing James’ scoring is one thing, but if he’s finding his hot-shooting teammates, it creates another problem for the Raptors. The Raptors acquired Carroll for matchups like these.
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