Live Thread: Raptors @ Cavs
2018-04-03
The Raptors are in Cleveland for their final game against the Cavs this season. The series is tied at 1-1 after the Cavs made a 15 point comeback during the second half of their previous meeting. Since then the Cavs are 5-1. Toronto is 2-2.
The Cavs sit in third in the East with Philly looming. The 76ers have now won two games without their star, Joel Embiid, who is out due to a facial injury. A Cavs loss and a Philly win tonight would have them swap places in playoff seeding.
Tonight’s game is a possible preview of the Eastern Conference Finals.The Cavs have taken it to the Raptors in the LeBron 2.0 era in the playoffs, but Toronto has grown up and seem more serious about giving Cleveland a challenge. With that being said, this game will either be very competitive or a weird game of chess where both teams try to give up nothing to be used in a future scouting report.
Things To Watch
- The Raptors like to play a smaller lineup for stretches of games. They’ll play Fred Van Fleet with Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. That’s a hard group for the Cavs to guard given their issues with perimeter coverage most of the season. George Hill is not playing tonight, so that will make covering this unit even more difficult. Maybe Cedi Osman will see some time tonight.
- During the last game the Cavs were missing five rotation players and still won. Can the Cavs win convincingly tonight is the question. It would make the team a lot more confident heading into the playoffs if they squashed any talk about the Raptors having a chance once and for all.
- LeBron James and Kevin Love torched the Raptors during their last meetup. They most likely will tonight. The Raptors need to figure out a way to keep these guys from combining for over fifty points. They must figure out some scheme where LeBron thinks twice about carrying the team. And, that scheme can’t leave Love open to hit 3s all night. Jonas Valanciunas shouldn’t be involved in this plan in any way whatsoever, let’s hope the Raptors don’t realize that.
This will be a close game, but the Cavs have the momentum right now. I’m picking them 121-115.
Kyle Korver is a game time decision.
Wonder if the Wizards are tanking to avoid facing the Cavs in the first round. Heat could be a tougher match up.
None of the 6-8 teams want Philly/Cavs. 6th is poison. They all want Boston in 7th.
However, if Milwaukee’s pick comes before 17th, it goes to Phoenix. Assumong the Clippers are 16th, it means the Bucks lose their 1st round pick if they finish 8th.
That is why the Nets loss was so surprising for them.
As was the whole new level of tanking on display from so many teams (healthy vets not playing for 2 months, no vets in crunch time, g league crunch time, etc).
For the race for 6th, or 7th, in the East. 6. Heat 43-37. OKC, TOR. Heat win tie-breakers with Wash (Div record) and Mil (H2H) and win a three way (best common record amongst 3). If teams are targeting 7th, gonna be hard for Miami. They have to finish clearly behind 6th but in at least a tie for 7th. 7. Bucks. 43-37. ORL, at Philly. Bucks lose all tiebreakers. So a two team tie for 6th involving MIL + 1 with the other team in 8th seems the only way they nab 7th. Which is where they are now.… Read more »
Kings rally & have two shots to tie late, but lose by 3 in Phoenix. Wins:
20 = Suns
————
21 = Grizz
22 = Hawks
23 = Magic
24 = Mavs
25 = Kings, Nets
27 = Bulls, Knicks
Wed:
Mavs at Magic (both b2b)
Heat at Hawks (both b2b)
Grizz at Pels
FWIW, Demare Carroll left tonight’s Nets game with a hip issue & did not return. No idea if serious. Crabbe missed game with illness. Nets at Milwaukee next. Win would clinch for Bucks even if Pistons neat Sixers tomorrow.
We should have thanked against the Mavs the other day. That loss to the Nets early this season is really going to cost us.
Against warriors in finals I start lebron love Korver hood hill, all great 3 shooters , and solid team defenders. Backup – Calderon nance jc and that’s it.
1. Korver needs to play with lebron a lot more. 2. Tt and green on floor will make our offense unable to possibly drive into the hoop for a high percentage shot. 3. Jr gets far too many minutes he Rarely shoots 3s anymore and i don’t know who in their right mind wants him of all ppl to put the ball on the floor! 4. Lnj gets far too little minutes he brings soo much energy on the defensive end , and really disrupts the other teams offense and he also is really good passer and sets great picks… Read more »
Damn, Kings down 10 with 4 min left in Phoenix.
Mavs unexpectedly beat the Blazers. Within 1 of Brooklyn.
If the Kings can win at Phoenix, they will move ahead of the Nets. Down in the first half.
Bucks beat Boston. Not THAT upset about it.
WAS THINKING THE SAME ABOUT DREW—LET TY STAY HOME AND BREAK DOWN THE FILM
How the hell did Hood and Green combine for 1 rebound in almost 60 minutes
Cause KLove got 15 by himself lol.
Green so many times stands there and just looks at a loose ball. Hood gets easily jockeyed out of position under the hoop
Good catch. Rebounding’s about desire… especially disappointing for Green whose role appears to be defense first.
Can Coach Drew please coach us through playoffs? thank you
End of game lineups for Hornets-Bulls.
Cha: Walker, Batum, Monk, Williams, Howard.
Bulls: Kilpatrick, Arcidiaco, Grant, Nwaba, Feliciano.
Comical. Bulls win anyway. Up 2 on the Nets.
JOSE SO FRIGGIN SMART/ COURT SENSE—–CONSUMATE PRO—–IF HILL STARTS—JOSE HAS TO RUN 2ND UNIT —-‘CPT BANDAID ” PLAYING OFF THE BALL —–WITHOUT THE BALL –SO MUCH
Yup… right on the money. Jose, JC, Korver, Zizic/TT, and Cedi/Green depending on who’s hot. That’s what the 2nd unit should be.
wow for awhile I was thinking I “over indulged “—thanks nate —and a BIG THANKS JOSE !!
Sorry about the comments guys. Should be fixed now.
We figured it out. No worries.
Bulls had a nice lead mid 4th that has evaporated vs Charlotte. The tank is strong.
coaching staff does not trust cedi / ante yet in big games —–for this reason still think the cavs will go sign a couple of veterans for the playoffs —-few have mentioned tony allen –all in for that and bring back “angry smurf “——it is obvious cedi / ante aren’t getting playoff minutes
Hawks fail to score in the last 3 min & lose to Miami. Tank you very much.
Complasive is not a word, Coach Drew.
was thinking / hoping the same / Jason——bucks/ wiz/ heat lose —pistons need a ‘w” tomorrow for playoff hopes
Mavs up at half on the Blazers. They will tank it up in the 4th.
Hawks were up 8 with 3 min left on Miami. Now up 1 with 1:30 left.
Nets lose. Still on 25 Ws.
Magic up 21 under 2 min left in NY. Gonna be at 23 Ws. They play Dallas next.
Didn’t see the game, but…Calderon with 2 steals, a BLOCK, an O rebound, and +27 in 26 minutes.
Sounds like a win
He was almost perfect tonight. One turnover after a missed Raptor basket was really his only mistake…
good to see hood become more comfortable as a starter—–our bench destroyed by the raptors bench—–hope just because we won they think DON’T green is a STARTER —NO!!! ——–LNJ —PLEASE MORE MINUTES—–good win by the cavs and the sixers –(11 in row for them ) —thank you KOLBY FOR JOSE !!!
To beat the Cavs teams have to knock down the 3 point shot consistently neither Boston or the Raptors do that so I don’t expect the Celtics to lose to any of those two. But the match up against the Wizards could get interesting if the Wizards knock their 3 point attempts down.
Should had posted that I don’t expect the Cavs to lose to any of those two teams.
If Miami (Atl) & Milwaukee (Bos) lose tonight, the Pistons lifeline gets a bit stronger. Hope they can beat Philly for us.
Oy Cedi and JR.
This was one of Clarkson’s worst games. JR made some bad plays. Everyone else was ok to great. Even TT made some decent plays on d. Green was pretty decent to good. Nance should get way more minutes though.
Definitely one of Clarkson’s ‘retirement year Kobe’ games…
Around the league:
Philly cooks the Nets.
Hawks even after 3 in Miami.
Magic up a bit early 4th in NY.
Bulls up at home over Charlotte at half.
Good results for us if they hold.
Yuck. Can’t believe they had to put James and love back in
think hood is a definite starter
Yep. He is looking more & more comfortable.
Two staight TOs.
Lead down to four.
Get Jose back out there.
Bench is really sucking. JR with a bonehead play
Spoke too soon. Ugh. Finish this
Great game. Cavs played some great d. Both teams played physical and the refs let them play inside. That usually favors the team with better finishers. LBJ is about best finisher out there. Of course if we played the warrior with this officiating they would have about 30 more fts than us.
Maybe a case of Love being under the weather so not getting a ton of shots.
Hood with a very nice game.
Really physical inside tonight by both teams. Feels like playoff officiating
Great effort ! Someone does need to tell Clarkson that Love is the second option and not him. Three more shots than Love in ten less mins
LBJ with 27 pts on 13 shots. 11 fts.