This time, Cleveland came across the border and kept right on rolling.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James, up 2-0 in a best-of-seven NBA Eastern Conference semifinal series, go for three in a row against the Toronto Raptors in Game 3 on Friday, May 5, 2017 (5/517) at Air Canada Centre in Toronto. "I knew it was bothering him, but I didn't know till late, till they did starting lineups, that he wasn't gonna go". "We were scrambling, being physical, contesting shots, doing everything we could It's just a matter of us doing it for four quarters or 48 minutes". On the other hand, the Raptors shot 50 percent in the first half in total, but what stands out is that they shot 22-35 (62.8 percent) from two point range.
Game 4 is Sunday in Toronto.
"DeRozan was wonderful, he gave everything that he had", James said.
"You don't want to get swept", he said. No such shift occurred tonight, as the Cavs handled the Raptors 115-94 to take a commanding 3-0 series lead. That streak ended when Toronto beat the Cavs in Games 3 and 4 of the Eastern Conference final, but the Raptors couldn't duplicate the feat this time around.
"They really locked in on us", said DeRozan. Kyrie Irving also scored 16 while Kyle Korver had 14 points.
Kawhi Leonard was the star once more with 26 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. It will hurt everybody all summer if we don't come out and hold onto the rope together. "For whatever reason, it's escaping us right now".
Head coach Dwane Casey's one lament, besides the obvious poor night from behind the arc, was that he didn't get more from his bench in this one.
DeMar DeRozan recorded 37 points but his side are staring down the barrel, with game four on Sunday. He worked out a few hours before Friday's game and was on the court during warm-ups but hobbled back to the locker room before the anthems. "He was limping badly". "He just couldn't go".
The Raps trailed 28-24 by the end of the quarter, and Delon Wright - not Lowry - was the point guard subbed in for Joseph.
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If we can isolate one discouraging thing then in particular, it would the Cavs' relative lack of urgency as the game began. But it was not enough, and it didn't help that he scored one point in the fourth quarter. Suddenly, the Cavs were up 19 with James, Tristan Thompson, Deron Williams and Iman Shumpert assembling tight defense. The Cavaliers outrebounded the Raptors 49-25.
The Raptors went ice cold in the fourth, and Delon Wright's basket less than a minute into the quarter was Toronto's only field goal for a awful six-minute stretch. Norm Powell, 1-for-7. Serge Ibaka, 0-for-3. Toronto lost three in a row from February 8 to 14. "We've just got continue it and make sure that we have that consistent effort going into Game 3". James led Cleveland with 16 first-half points. "It's tough to win a game when you only make two 3-pointers".
For the game Cleveland made 13 of its 23 three-point attempts meaning not even DeRozan's big night made much of a difference.
Cleveland rolled over Toronto 116-105 in Game 1 and 125-103 in Game 2 at Quicken Loans Arena. Toronto's defensive has been far too soft against The King.
Percentages: FG.513, FT.857. Toronto fell behind 30-18 in the first quarter but battled back in the second and third to within single digits before completely giving up in the fourth.
Korver grabbed a rebound and hit another three to open Cleveland's account in the fourth.
Blocked Shots: 6 (Korver 2, Frye, Love, Smith, Thompson).
Yes, the Cavs have LeBron James.
Percentages: FG.437, FT.941.
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