It seemed like all was lost when the Toronto Raptors dropped the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals in Cleveland. The Cleveland Cavaliers looked like they were ready to continue their playoff winning streak all the way through to the Finals after dominating Toronto in the paint throughout games 1 and 2. But, just like Dwane Casey himself stated, “the series doesn’t start ’til you lose at home.” Indeed, the Raptors came back with a new game plan in front of their home crowd, clogging up the paint and daring the Cleveland Cavaliers to shoot from the perimeter. After some impressive defensive performances, the Raptors have now won two important home games to even up the series and should look to maintain the same focus for game 5.
Toronto Raptors Defense Key in Evening Series
The Cleveland Cavaliers have enjoyed some great three-point shooting throughout the playoffs – finishing three games with more than 20 made three-pointers, including a record-setting 25 makes from beyond the arc. Who could blame the Raptors for being weary of such a potent outside weapon when they let Cleveland score 56 points in the paint during game 1 of the series. Over the first 2 games, Cleveland averaged 111.5 points from 53% shooting, largely because 53 of those points were averaged in the paint. During games 1 and 2, 51% of their shots came from within the paint and only 27% came from beyond the three-point line. The Raptors were caught out too many times closing down the perimeter shot, but as LeBron James said himself in a press conference before game 1, “We’re not a three-point shooting team and we don’t want to be labelled that.”
By game 3, Dwane Casey had made the correct adjustments and appropriately shut out the restricted area, forcing Cleveland to take hasty perimeter jump shots. Throughout game 3 and until the second half of game 4, the Cavaliers 51% field goal attempts in the paint had become 29%. Similarly, the Cavaliers were taking 53% of their attempts from downtown and seemed to be struggling, particularly after they went 3-for-22 in the first half of game 4 and missing 12 straight. Kevin Love and J.R. Smith began missing open three-point attempts as Toronto focused their energy on protecting the paint. Love is 3-of-11 from the three-point line going into game 5 and has struggled to make an impact on the game while Bismack Biyombo lurks inside the painted area.
Toronto Role Players have been Pivotal
The Toronto role players have stepped up to the plate in the previous two games and have been crucial in evening up the series. Corey Joseph and Patrick Patterson have made important contributions off the bench, but it’s Bismack Biyombo who has really come to life in arguably the Raptor’s biggest games ever. While Jonas Valanciunas was eligible to play in game 4, Dwane Casey stuck with Biyombo, who officially earned the right to use Dikembe Mutombo’s finger wag after recording four big-time blocks and a career-high 26 rebounds in game 3. And nothing tells you that a player knows his role more than when they record single digits for their points tally and 20+ rebounds.
Patrick Patterson also played well off the bench and helped space the floor with some solid three-point shooting. While his numbers on the box score might not seem that impressive, his plus-minus in games 3 and 4 tell us that he has been pivotal for the Raptors on the defensive end. While on the floor, Patterson has been +16 and +8 in games 3 and 4 respectively. Corey Joseph has also played some valuable minutes for Toronto off the bench and has shot the ball over 50% in his two previous games. With the return of Valanciunas imminent, the Toronto role players will need to keep up their effectiveness if they want to steal the series in Cleveland and mount a serious title challenge. Luis Scola has even made a contribution at the defensive end, covering Kevin Love and making sure that he does not get open looks from the outside.
Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan Combine
While the role players have been doing their part, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan showed why they are one of the league’s most formidable back-court line ups during game 4. Lowry led all scorers with 35 points and DeRozan was next on the box score with 32 of his own. Together they combined for 67 points, which is the most points they have ever combined for as teammates. It could not come at a better time as Lowry struggled through the first two games of the series, even leaving the court during game 1 with four minutes left of the first half. On the other hand, DeRozan has scored double digits in every first quarter of the series and will no doubt welcome the return-to-form of his back-court partner going into game 5.
It would seem that this series is following a trend of first half performances, with each 2nd quarter especially swaying the outcome of the game. Through games 1 and 2, Cleveland had a scoring margin of +22 and +14 respectively during the first half. Conversely, in games 3 and 4, Cleveland’s scoring margin was -13 and -16 respectively during the first half. While the Cavaliers almost managed to resurrect their poor first-half performance in game 4, the trend stayed true and the Raptors only just clinched the win. The defense in the paint became their bedrock and the only time they looked shaky was when Channing Frye drew Biyombo to the outside. With the possible return of Valanciunas for game 5, the series looks to be especially entertaining right til the end.
