Grades be comin’ soon ya landlubbers. Savvy?
![]() | CLE Cavaliers | 97 | Final Box Score | 117 | TOR Raptors | ![]() |
![]() A | R. Hollis-Jefferson28 MIN, 14 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 5-9 FG, 0-0 3FG, 4-5 FT, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 11 +/- I’m still very much in favour of OG starting, but Hollis-Jefferson filled the lane well against a Cavs defense that was happy to surrender gaps. Good activity above the arc on defense as well. Nice game. | ||||||||
![]() B | P. McCaw22 MIN, 6 PTS, 4 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL, 2-5 FG, 1-2 3FG, 1-2 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 6 +/- Has maintained that frenetic action in his offense and has reliably been able to create shots with it. Decent tertiary playmaking and even though he’s dying on screens defensively he’s still able to pushup on ball-handlers like few others on the roster. | ||||||||
![]() A+ | S. Ibaka33 MIN, 20 PTS, 10 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 8-11 FG, 2-3 3FG, 2-2 FT, 1 BLK, 3 TO, 11 +/- Best big in tonight’s game and did so relatively easily. Didn’t completely erase Thompson in this one, but the Cavs felt his presence every time they ventured toward the rim. Set the Raptors loose with good screens for the duration of his minutes. Finished well as the release valve. | ||||||||
![]() A+ | K. Lowry36 MIN, 24 PTS, 1 REB, 8 AST, 0 STL, 7-16 FG, 4-12 3FG, 6-6 FT, 1 BLK, 1 TO, 16 +/- In what is now a regularity, Lowry was able to dominate the game in all the facets we’re used to while also ratcheting up his scoring game. The 3-point shot looks all the way back, and his relocation puts fear into the heart of opponents. This push should get him into the All-Star game next to Pascal, and deservedly so. | ||||||||
![]() B+ | F. VanVleet30 MIN, 12 PTS, 4 REB, 7 AST, 0 STL, 4-14 FG, 3-8 3FG, 1-2 FT, 4 BLK, 4 TO, 12 +/- Had a really nice stretch with the bench unit in the second quarter to help the Raptors pull away. Still seeing him force too much when he’s headed downhill. It’s clear how much he misses Pascal’s presence in the offense, as the rim looks like it’s impossible for him to get to without a heap of trouble. Still hit the right notes finding guys off pin-downs and flash cuts. | ||||||||
![]() A | O. Anunoby30 MIN, 12 PTS, 7 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL, 5-8 FG, 2-3 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 13 +/- Great return to form and put his best foot forward to return to the starting lineup. You never worry about the defense and his offense showed up in a big way in this one. Created off the dribble, hit his spot-up attempts. | ||||||||
![]() A+ | T. Davis25 MIN, 19 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 7-12 FG, 4-7 3FG, 1-2 FT, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 7 +/- Doesn’t look the part of a rookie at all, but rather a super-sub in games like these. His size is easy to see on the defensive glass, he was hunting triples with success and finished through contact. Big time stuff. | ||||||||
![]() A- | C. Boucher16 MIN, 2 PTS, 6 REB, 0 AST, 2 STL, 1-5 FG, 0-1 3FG, 0-0 FT, 1 BLK, 0 TO, 9 +/- Not his usual stat-stuffing excellence, but I loved his game tonight. You felt all of his minutes as his arms were a constant deterrent on defense and he disrupted so many easy defensive rebounds for the Cavs. The finishing wasn’t there, but there’s a reason the Raptors won his minutes on the floor. He dominated the paint when he was in it. | ||||||||
![]() B- | O. Brissett15 MIN, 1 PTS, 4 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0-3 FG, 0-2 3FG, 1-2 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 9 +/- The jumper clearly isn’t there and in important games the Raptors will want the ball funnelling to other players. With that being said, his energy is infectious on defense and on the glass. Love the compete, and this was a great game for him to get minutes. | ||||||||
![]() Inc | S. Johnson2 MIN, 2 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3FG, 2-2 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 2 +/- Too short. | ||||||||
![]() Inc | S. Ponds2 MIN, 5 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 1-1 FG, 1-1 3FG, 2-2 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 2 +/- Too short. | ||||||||
![]() Inc | M. Miller2 MIN, 0 PTS, 0 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 2 +/- Too short. | ||||||||
![]() A+ | Nick Nurse If the starting line-up decision was intended to spur on Anunoby, it worked wonders. Found a way to maximize both RHJ and OG in game that he knew the Raptors would be able to get. No super heavy minutes either. |
Things We Saw
- Gotta get Kevin Love out of Cleveland, man. It’s a shame that the most creative passer on the roster plays power forward. He could provide a really interesting look to a lot of teams across the league. Here’s hoping for a midseason deal.
- Keep giving me the Anunoby post-ups. That should be a staple of his career going forward. There’s so few players that are within 2 inches of him that can hang with his sheer strength in the post and his control and touch is getting better and better.
- It’s become the clear that games like this are way more important to Boucher’s place in the league, rather than the games in which he bangs in 2 or 3 triples. The Cavs don’t boast an incredible front-court, but Boucher handled everyone when he was in the game, and he’s fully established his floor as a rotation player. The ceiling? Who knows.