To achieve their ultimate goal again this season, the Cleveland Cavaliers know they may have to get past the Toronto Raptors again in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Cavs defeated the Raptors in six games in the East Finals last season to advance to the NBA Finals and ultimately claim their first championship in franchise history.
Tuesday night, the Cavs and Raptors met for the second time this season, as Toronto sought to get past the hurdle that has been Cleveland of late. The Cavs had won the previous three meetings with Toronto dating back to the 2016 playoffs, winning those three games by an average of 22.4 points. Their latest encounter was a thriller.
Both teams traded clutch plays and buckets down the stretch, but it was the …show more content…
“We try to goto him early to get him in rhythm because we know Kyrie and LeBron have the ball in their hands so much throughout the course of the game, so we’re really focusing on going to Kevin early in that first quarter to get him going, get him in rhythm. He’s being a lot more aggressive, attacking the basket off the dribble.
“Guys are closing him out, running him off the three-point line, so he’s doing a great job of beating those guys on the catch and getting to the basket, getting the foul. Also, offensive rebounding, put-backs and getting fouled around the basket. He’s just being very aggressive and we like it.”
Tuesday night was the second meeting between the Cavs and Raptors this season. The Cavs won 94-91 in Toronto in their second game of the season, a contest in which Raptors small forward DeMar DeRozan had 32 points. DeRozan finished with 28 points, five rebounds and nine assists Tuesday night in the losing effort.
“It’s not surprising because he’s a great midrange shooter,” Lue said of DeRozan. “When you’re shooting 35, 36 percent from midrange, it’s really a bad shot. But he’s shooting a high clip from midrange, and that’s what he
Tuesday night, the Cavs and Raptors met for the second time this season, as Toronto sought to get past the hurdle that has been Cleveland of late. The Cavs had won the previous three meetings with Toronto dating back to the 2016 playoffs, winning those three games by an average of 22.4 points. Their latest encounter was a thriller.
Both teams traded clutch plays and buckets down the stretch, but it was the …show more content…
“We try to goto him early to get him in rhythm because we know Kyrie and LeBron have the ball in their hands so much throughout the course of the game, so we’re really focusing on going to Kevin early in that first quarter to get him going, get him in rhythm. He’s being a lot more aggressive, attacking the basket off the dribble.
“Guys are closing him out, running him off the three-point line, so he’s doing a great job of beating those guys on the catch and getting to the basket, getting the foul. Also, offensive rebounding, put-backs and getting fouled around the basket. He’s just being very aggressive and we like it.”
Tuesday night was the second meeting between the Cavs and Raptors this season. The Cavs won 94-91 in Toronto in their second game of the season, a contest in which Raptors small forward DeMar DeRozan had 32 points. DeRozan finished with 28 points, five rebounds and nine assists Tuesday night in the losing effort.
“It’s not surprising because he’s a great midrange shooter,” Lue said of DeRozan. “When you’re shooting 35, 36 percent from midrange, it’s really a bad shot. But he’s shooting a high clip from midrange, and that’s what he