Fan Duel Toronto Raptors

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‘We’re in it to compete for a championship,’ and other post-game notes

What a game. What a time.

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In the aftermath of a Game 4 victory, I am trying to think of a more important Toronto Raptors game, a bigger Toronto Raptors victory, or a better Toronto Raptors performance. From bell to bell, the Raptors kept swinging at the Cleveland Cavaliers, tying up an Eastern Conference Final that few thought they had any chance of making competitive. They bent in the fourth quarter, but they kept swinging, and by the end of the night, the series was 2-2.

That means it’s back to Cleveland, it means one more home game, and it means this is now, incredibly, anyone’s series.

Here are your post-game notes and quotes.

This was just so awesome

Kyle Lowry was terrific. DeMar DeRozan was terrific. Bismack Biyombo was terrific. Everyone was beautiful.


“It’s one game,” Dwane Casey tried to drive home. “We’re in it. Someone mentioned we were in it just to win one game and I disagree with them. We’re in it to compete for a championship.”

Damn right they are. And here’s something that means nothing but is a fun note, and something I pointed out after they were down 0-2:


“We’ve gotta meet the same intensity level, the same focus,” Casey said of how to carry over these home wins to Cleveland. Specifically, he noted their inability to score during long stretches when Cleveland went on runs. He’s not going to offer a tangible solution publicly, of course, but he did say “we figured out a little bit” over the last two games.


“It’s a cakewalk for me,” DeRozan said of how his job changes when Lowry is also going. They didn’t offer much else about what was different, but they’re both much better quotes after losses than wins, anyway. Neither lets himself get too high. (DeRozan was actually a pretty good quote, just not about his own performance.)


Part of their performance probably wasn’t sustainable, but damn was it every impressive.


“Everybody have their own opinions,” Lowry said of the belief that they were going to get swept. He continued on, and the same question was asked of DeRozan. “Same,” he offered with a smirk.

A big help may be how aggressive the Raptors have come out in the last two games. The Cavs don’t sound as if they’re comfortable playing from behind, and when the Raptors got rolling and the Cavs missed some good outside looks, the Cavs were left scrambling.

“It wasn’t enough because we got off to a horrible first half,” LeBron James said. “We’re not starting off games the right way. The second quarter has been really bad for us here…We can’t dig ourselves a big hole where every possession feels more intensified.”

James seemed happy with his own performance, and he definitely should be. “My individual gameplan was pretty good.” Now, if that’s a real-life subtweet at some teammates or just a concession that the Raptors were better despite that, he’ll need more help, particularly from his shooters.

Injury updates – Valanciunas and Love

The big note on the Raptors’ side is obviously that Jonas Valanciunas was activated and available but didn’t play. Casey said he nearly put the big man in late in the second but thought the intensity of the situation, on a defensive possession, bringing him in cold just made it too tough. He’s expected to practice tomorrow and should be in the mix for Game 5.

“It’s going to be good to get JV back,” Casey said after going on for some time about all the excellent things Biyombo’s been providing in his stead. Specifically, Casey pointed out how much Cleveland will have to change their defensive approach between the two centers. It should also help keep Biyombo fresh, as he plays an incredibly high-energy game and has played 80 minutes over the last two.

On Kevin Love sitting the fourth quarter after a weird fall late in the third, Ty Lue offered this: “I’m not sure of his health, but there’s no concern” (about his play the last two games). It doesn’t sound like there’s much here but keep an ear out over the next two days.

Lineup notes

The Cavaliers “Benchnik Termites” (no, I’m not letting that name go, it’s perfect) were death to the Raptors once again. They were a plus-8 in five minutes and keyed the fourth-quarter push. Lue opted to bring Kyrie Irving in for Iman Shumpert after that, ostensibly for even more shooting, and that group was a minus-4 over four minutes. The Cavs’ starters, meanwhile, were a minus-6 in 21 minutes.

The would-be deadly James-Love-Frye frontcourt was a plus-3 in seven minutes and could have been much better if they didn’t go 2-of-8 on mostly open threes during that stretch.

On the Raptors’ side, the starters were a minus-2 in 14 minutes, while that same group with Patrick Patterson in Luis Scola’s place was a plus-9 in 17 minutes. This isn’t another Scola-Patterson argument, don’t worry. Just descriptive. And yes, Patterson once again looks much more comfortable coming off the bench, and Casey looks more confident in his usual rotations.

Assorted

*James’ memory and recall of plays and sequences and situations immediately after games is unbelievable. The way he rattles off specific details without having watched the tape back makes you realize that his greatness isn’t entirely to do with the physical. I could listen to him talk after games forever…especially after losses.

*Lue said he thought the Cavs had control of the game in the fourth once they went up three but credited the Raptors for locking in and closing it out. He also acknowledged the Raptors hit them first and they never bounced back until late in the third quarter. “They executed every time we made a mistake.”


*On the 19-2 second-half free-throw disparity, a reporter tried to bait Lue into getting a fine complaining about the officials. “I don’t take a page out of nobody’s book,” he said.

Biyombo wasn’t willing to bite when asked about his foul on a near-block on James, either.



*”He’s made shots. I think he’s been aggressive,” Lue said of his mentee Lowry’s big game and the change from the first two games to the last two. “He made some early baskets that gave him some confidence (that) carried over throughout the rest of the game.” Casey said basically the same about some of tough shots the Cavs made – he suggested they might have to “get in the jersey with them” to do a better job – and wants the Raptors to do an even better job closing out on their shooters, perhaps committing less to the roll-man.

*Both Casey and Lue were asked about the set the Cavs kept running to fuel their comeback, with both saying the Raptors only got one stop. Casey was adamant they’ll find a solution. “We finally found a solution for it at the end but it was almost too late,” he said. More on this tomorrow.

*The crowd was incredible again tonight. Everyone spoke highly of their impact again, and I really can’t wait to see what the atmosphere will be like in an elimination game on Friday.



*This was hilarious to me.

Good night, everyone.

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