Relevant Statistics:
Pace: Raptors 95.4 (13th) vs. Cavs 93.3 (28th)
Offensive Efficiency: Raptors 108.1 (4th) vs. Cavs 108.1 (5th)
Defensive Efficiency: Raptors 109.5 (30th) vs. Cavs 100.4 (4th)
Notes:
-The Raptors have been hot over their last 10 games, but they still have the worst defense in the league. Cavs shouldn’t be afraid to try and score the ball in this one.
-Every possession Hickson guards Chris Bosh is asking for trouble.
-Last time these two teams played, the Cavs were still trying to use Shaq to set screens out on the perimeter. As a result, they got the worse of the Bargnani/Shaq mismatch. Let’s see if they’ve adjusted how they use Shaq for this one. A good measuring stick game for Shaq tonight.
-Jose Calderon does not play defense. An opportunity for Mo Williams to get out of his recent semi-funk tonight.
Recommended Reading:
Well aint this some bull… because my school is closer to Columbus than it is Cleveland, I wont get the Cavs game on TV tonight…. Im gonna have to figure something else out (God, I hate hockey….)
Has J.J. Hickson made a jumpshot in the last two months? Legitimate question. I don’t remember him making one.
Here’s another relevant question…. why is the picture for this preview against the Raptors of a Tyrannosaurus in a plane?
The Cavs just can’t seem to hold on to the ball. Sometimes I wonder how this team is 32-11 when they turn it over so much.
Did anyone else just catch the “Shaqage Deal” comment? Hilarity, and not even from AC!
I’m pretty surprised that with less than 5 minutes left in the game we’ve still been using our offense to score, and not just the LeIso. Shaq has looked good, Andy had a nice cut to the rim, Delonte went coast to coast, we’re looking pretty good going into the last minute right now…
*crosses fingers*
NBA TV caught a nice 3 man play between Mo, Lebron and Shaq that they ran twice in a row and converted on both times. Nice win, but weird to see the Raptors run down the floor for layups all night long.
Positives: 1. Shaq. Shaq in the post. Shaq passing. Shaq scoring. Shaq in the 4th quarter. Shaq giving hard fouls instead of softies (more on that). All of it was good from Shaq.
2. Hickson. I know, you will look at the boxscore and say no way. But imo, this was HIckson’s best defensive game of the season..which isn’t great, but it’s good news at least.
3. Mo was Mo again. He started to snap out of it in L.A. and it had nothing to do with making shots (only 7-17 in LA). It just a swagger and confidence thing that he brought to the game tonight.
4. Half-court defense. It really wasn’t that bad. The raptors just made shots. A good example is the end of the 2nd quarter. Two straight possessions the ball came to a dead halt for the Raptors. The first was Bargnani and the second was Wright. Both times they were a foot behind the 3, stood, looked, and then decided to hoist a stand still three. Those are bad. They both went in. That happens
Negatives: 1. I put this one first because I’m not sure, but Andy’s worst defensive game of the year. It’s so hard to tell sometimes with all the switching the cavs do.
2. Jawad had his shakiest game of the season.
3. Z. Im starting to give up here. Soft fouls that allowed and 1s. Lost on pick and roll defense a couple of times (like literally couldn’t find his man a few times).
4. LeBron falling in love with the jumper mid way through the 4th. I don’t mind that he shoots jumpers. Other people seem to think he should be one dimensional and just go to the rim. That isn’t how you become a complete player. I do mind him coming down the court three straight times and hoisting long jumpers w/o trying something else.
5. Refs. Consistently bad both ways. Andy crushed Belinwhatever under the rim late in the game (no it wasn’t legal because Andy took away his space after beliwhatever was going into his jump). However, right before LeBron was called for a charge. Yes it was a charge, but only if you decide to not call Wright for just grabbing his jersey mid spin move. I hate consistently terrible refs.
6. Worst of all. Turnovers + transition defense. I mean the Raptors got uncontested lay-ups more than one in transition and it was just because of laziness. Not pretty.
BEST THING OF THE NIGHT. Mike Brown. Thank you for limiting Z when he wasn’t effective. Thank you for playing Shaq in the 4th, who then came in and made an immediate impact pushing the lead back to 8. Thank you for running offense. 2 straight possesions of running a play to shaq, in which LeBron and Mo did a cross cut on the perimeter and the Raps were confused both times leading to open buckets for both guys. Fantastic basketball.
Just so everyone realizes the greatness of LeBron. Here is a guy who couldn’t hit his jumper all night. He didn’t make a single one. Yet he was still, by far and away, the best playero n the court who had the greatest impact on the game. I love Kobe, but Kobe can no longer do that. Last night against the Magic Kobe’s jumper wasn’t falling and that was it…he made hardly a dent in the game at all. Sign of greatness when you can dominate even when you’re not totally on (give LeBron a break on the jumpers, he was scorching o nthe road trip, can’t score 40 every night unless you’re Wilt).
Krolik- sorry we couldn’t meet up to watch the Cavs game in Vegas. The good news is I keep telling my buddies to read your blog, which I say is now required reading (along with Windy, of course) for any Cavs fan. Keep up the good work- let’s bring the A game Thursday night.
@paullev7
Good win by the Cavs. Raptors are dangerous and were pretty hot for most of the game. Hopefully the Cavs get geared up for the Lakers.
I love that Calvin and Hobbes pic too.
Anyone see Shaq’s tweet about the dunk contest? I love that guy. He and LeBron really are perfect teammates for eachother because both of them have fun playing the game. I know people use that same fun to take shots at them as not being serious or w/e…but I like it.