DeMar DeRozan disappears for Raptors as LeBron James ascends – The Athletic
Yet again, the Raptors had to confront how their stars are not quite up to the bar being set by James. Of course, nobody in the league can really do that on their own, a big reason why stars have been trying to team up for years. (James was obviously a part of setting that precedent.) But at various times throughout this series, the Raptors’ best players, or at least their highest-paid players, have not been bringing it. In the second half of both of the first two games, it was Kyle Lowry who went quiet. In Game 2, it was Serge Ibaka, earning himself a benching (and perhaps provoking his best performance of the series, a sturdy 11-point, eight-rebound, four-block evening).
Raptors’ shaky defence the real issue here | The Star
This was DeRozan as DeFrozen — a picture of indecision and inefficiency. He missed nine of his first 12 shots. He coughed up unforced, unnecessary turnovers. He bogged down the offence as he haphazardly probed Cleveland’s coverage. And when the Raptors made an ultimately futile but honourable run at victory with a fourth-quarter rally, DeRozan wasn’t a part of it. Toronto’s best offensive player, an offensive mess at yet another important juncture in franchise history, was riding the bench during that spirited sequence.
Raptors Post-Game: DeMar DeRozan – May 5, 2018 – YouTube
LeBron James hits game-winner to give Cavaliers 3-0 lead over Raptors
“It reminds me of back in the days of having to get over the hurdle of (Michael) Jordan,” Casey said before Game 3. “At some point, you’ve got to get over that hurdle, you’ve got to knock it down, you’ve got to knock the wall down.
“It’s a similar situation we are with Cleveland. I always go back to how many years is this with LeBron going to the (NBA) Finals, eight? So, there’s a lot of other teams that have gone through this gauntlet and we’ve got to go through it and that’s what we’re trying to do and going to do.”
A tiny oral history of Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James’ buzzer-eater against Toronto
Cavs coach Tyronn Lue called his final timeout and stepped into the huddle.
What happened Saturday night in Cleveland will be remembered for quite some time — in quite different ways.
Cavs fans will never forget yet another mind-boggling addition to the long list of late-game LeBron James heroics, drawing specific memories of a similar jaw-dropper he hit against the Chicago Bulls in 2015. Raptors faithful will be talking about it … very, very differently, and probably not with language we can include.
Raptors Post-Game: Fred VanVleet – May 5, 2018 – YouTube
The low point was a 16-2 Cleveland run to close out the first half. Or maybe it was the 17 turnovers. Or Cleveland’s second-chance points. Or the start so flat it was two-dimensional.
But for a nice change, Toronto didn’t give up. The strategy was more mud wrestling than ballet, but it worked. Cleveland does not like being beat up, and it took its toll. It’s a little late to figure this out, but maybe it will help Toronto next post-season.
The Raptors tied it with eight seconds left. The pause that followed was the highlight of this series from a Raptors perspective. They were actually in a game, rather than in the process of either giving it back or giving up.
NBA Playoffs: DeRozan Benched as LeBron Leads Cavs to Game 3 Win | SI.com
“It was extremely hard,” DeRozan said of his late-game benching, according to TSN Sports. “I never want to be over there watching, especially the competitor that I am. I just want to be out there helping my team. It definitely sucks to be watching.”
While Casey’s decision to go to his bench was unusual, given DeRozan’s status as the face of the Raptors and his $27.7 million contract for 2017-18, it wasn’t all that difficult. Through three games, Toronto has been +24 with DeRozan off the court and minus-45 with him on the court.
Raptors Post-Game: Kyle Lowry – May 5, 2018 – YouTube
LeBron James puts Raptors on brink of elimination with insane buzzer-beater | CBC Sports
“They laid their hearts out,” coach Dwane Casey said of his team, which now trails 3-0 in the Eastern Conference semifinal. “That’s all you ask — in a hostile situation, the other team playing really well, putting ourselves in a position to win.”
But in a must-win game, the Raptors never led. Their season — and perhaps Casey’s job — is on the line Monday in Game 4 at Quicken Loans Arena.
“We have one more game,” said Casey, perhaps stating the inevitable. “Our pride is on the line. Basically our season’s on the line.”
Raptors start VanVleet over Ibaka for Game 3 vs. Cavaliers – Sportsnet.ca
The Toronto Raptors shook up their starting lineup Saturday for Game 3 of their second-round series with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Guard Fred VanVleet drew the start over forward Serge Ibaka, who has been ineffective during the playoffs.
Raptors Post-Game: Dwane Casey – May 5, 2018 – YouTube
NBA Playoffs 2018 LeBron’s game-winner ends Raptors comeback, Cavaliers win 105-103 – Raptors HQ
The third was a quarter of runs on both sides. The new-look Raptor starters made a 12-0 push early in the frame, but a pair of Cleveland threes and a LeBron basket gave them their lead right back. The Cavaliers really benefited late, as James went to the bench for three minutes of rest and didn’t fall off. Love went to work in the post on Siakam, scoring six points to float Cleveland to a 79-65 lead headed to the fourth.
That, finally, is when the Raptors got some hope. Lowry was incredible in the final quarter, scoring 16 points and playing face-to-face defence for all 12 minutes. The issue was never a lack of effort for Toronto tonight. It was the switching defence, the odd lineups with DeRozan, Miles and Valanciunas, the turnovers.
Raptors Post-Game: C.J. Miles – May 5, 2018 – YouTube
DeMar DeRozan of Toronto Raptors frustrated being benched, despite poor play in Game 3
“It’s extremely hard, extremely hard,” DeRozan said. “I just want to be out there helping my team, way more than anything. It definitely sucks to be watching … we’ve got to give credit to those guys. We fought hard and gave ourselves a chance to win.”
Casey did not discuss his decision with DeRozan on the bench or after the game. The coach did hint his choice wasn’t just about DeRozan’s poor shooting. He was a team-worst -23 on the night.
Toronto Raptors on Instagram: “PACK DEFENCE”
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LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers push Toronto Raptors to brink of elimination | National Post
Despite fighting and clawing and generally harassing the Cleveland Cavaliers for the first 19 minutes of Game 3, the Raptors stumbled through a stretch of blown assignments and sloppy play to close the half. The result was a 16-2 run for the Cavs, a 15-point halftime lead, and a spike in the heart of Toronto’s playoff chances. In the final sequence of the second quarter, LeBron James drove the lane and then found Kevin Love at the top of the arc for a wide-open three-pointer. After a Raptors turnover, James found Jeff Green cutting to the basket utterly unmolested by any Toronto defender. He paused and recited the Pledge of Allegiance — well, he could have — and dunked just before the buzzer sounded.
Have the Raptors Hit Their Ceiling? – The Ringer
Their issues are under the spotlight against Cleveland: They don’t have enough versatile defenders at wing and forward. Their bigs lack ideal versatility for the modern game. And from a sheer talent standpoint, they arguably haven’t had the best player in a single series since 2014, the year Paul Pierce blocked Kyle Lowry and the Raptors got bounced in seven games in the first round by the Nets.
LeBron could head West this summer, and Lord knows Toronto would be happy to wait until the NBA Finals to have to see him again. But to beat a Celtics roster with Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, or an upgraded Sixers roster that has cap space for a max contract this summer, the Raptors still need to get better. Even with a brand-new coach who turns nothings into somethings, the roster must also be charged up by Ujiri.
Toronto Raptors on Instagram: “@fredvanvleet = Tuff #BetOnYourself”
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